Seiko Marine Master Professional 1000m Automatic Diver SBDX011 – The Benchmark For All Dive...

8/12/2019 Seiko Marine Master Professional 1000m Automatic Diver SBDX011 The Benchmark For All Dive Watches

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Seiko Marine Master Professional 1000m Automatic Diver SBDX011The

Benchmark For All Dive Watches

By Meor Amri Meor AyobPhotos from the writers personal collection

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Seiko has a number of notable offerings, Their professional watch series is one of the, if not the

best, in the world. Under the Prospexsub-brand, these are purpose built tool watches.

In the last few days of 2013, I finally achieved one of my grails, the Seiko Marine Master

Professional 1000m Automatic Diver SBDX011. Commonly known as the Tuna or Emperor

Tunaor Darth Tunaor Hockey Puck, this is the flagship of the entire Seiko automatic divers'

line.

Unfortunately, this watch is only available in Japan. But not to worry, my good supplier, Mr

Katsu-san ofwww.higuchi-inc.comis ever ready to deliver. After just a few days, the familiar

looking EMS box from Japan Post was onmy desk.

Not a lot has been written about the

SBDX011 even though it was released wayback in April 2009. The reason is that it was

destined only for the Japanese domestic

market. Although Japanese horologistswould provide the necessary write-up on this

model, language barrier as well as the

unavailability of the watch to be reviewed indepth outside Japan exacerbates the poor

coverage on this model.

Therefore, I am taking this opportunity to contribute towards the existing pool of informationabout this watch.

When I opened the package, I was greeted by a set of origami made the staff ofwww.higuchi-

inc.com.I was touched by the gesture.
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The package was well insulated. Not that itmatters anyway since the watch has a built

tough reputation.

The main watch case in rectangular and in

black. A cardboard sleeve protects it.

After taking off the sleeve, you will find the familiar box with the Seiko brand printed on top in

white.

Opening it reveals the watch. What a stunner.

The size of the beast is breathtaking. Eventhough still wrapped in plastic, you can

clearly see the immense bulk of the watch.

It truly deserves the various nicknames givento it.
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One of the documents that came with this

watch highlighted the caliber of the

movement used in this model. The 8L35 inan automatic, windable and hackable in-

house movement by Seiko. Using 26 jewels,

operating at 28,800 bph and a power reserveof 50 hours, this movement is one of the topline movements that Seiko reserve for only

its best models, namely the Grand Seikos. In

this particular case, the SBDX011 is deemedto be Seikos best-in-class, hence itsright to

use the 8L35. In fact, the 8L35 is an

undecorated variant movement similar to

that of the 9S55 Caliber.

Seiko claims the watch is +/- 10 to 15 seconds a day but as in most cases, Seiko's actual accuracy

is better. In a number of reviews made about this watch, the accuracy of +/- in seconds should bemeasured in months instead of days. For example in an August 2008 article by Ar iel Adams, he

said the 8L35 has been better than even chronometer ratings with accuracy clocking in at +/- 10to 15 seconds a month. In another article written in February 2010 by @bigrustypig,hementioned accuracy of +12 seconds per month.

The Marine Master has a 52 mm diameter single block

titanium case with special coating and a height of 17.4mm. The dial is covered by a thick internal anti-reflective

coated sapphire crystal. With the standard rubber strapprovided, total weight of the package stood at 140 gm.

The care for details is excellent. The workmanship on the

titanium case with its DLC-like treatment is so smoothlike liquid metal. The case protection in the form of the

shroud is made of some kind of matte ceramic, fixed by

four hex screws, also DLC-like.
http://www.timetechtalk.com/users/18623.htmlhttp://www.timetechtalk.com/users/18623.htmlhttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RrTD--3bMrk/UsDqiFPo8VI/AAAAAAAAodk/4dW-pLfzMBw/s1600/IMG_4305.JPGhttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0jOFKhS4M4U/UsDqkzfFOzI/AAAAAAAAod4/CJKrfwfr69U/s1600/IMG_4304.JPGhttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RrTD--3bMrk/UsDqiFPo8VI/AAAAAAAAodk/4dW-pLfzMBw/s1600/IMG_4305.JPGhttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0jOFKhS4M4U/UsDqkzfFOzI/AAAAAAAAod4/CJKrfwfr69U/s1600/IMG_4304.JPGhttp://www.timetechtalk.com/users/18623.html


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Looking at the dial, it is very legible and perfectly finished for professional use. Big luminoushour markers using Seikos proprietary Lumi Britepaint generates maximum brightness for

referencing under almost all circumstances.

There is a lot of writing on the dial. It tells us the model name, water resistance level (1000

meters) and the fact that it has an automatic movement. It also tells us proudly that it has been

made in Japan. The concept of writing a lot on the dial is similar to that found on the Rolex

Deepsea Sea Dweller.

Operationally, the bezel action is finer thanthe Seiko SBDX001 (or 300MM). Its very

exact and theres no looseness. The bezel pip

falls on each division perfectly. Bezel grip isgood, wet or dry. It takes 120-clicks for a

full rotation.

The flat sapphire crystal is well recessed

under the matt bezel and the bezel insertitself is recessed ever so slightly into the

bezel face.
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The watch comes with a date function at the 3 oclock position.The date window replaces the 3oclockmarker. This is the only complain I got about the watch. Seiko should have placed the

date window somewhere unobtrusive. In the dark and underwater, would you care what date it isor would you care how many minutes have lapsed? Taking away the 3 oclock marker makes thelume shot on the watch looks handicapped.

Below is a photo I took which shows the lume. Note the dark area where the 3 oclock markershould have been? I hope Seiko would look into this when they design their next diver.

The angle shot below shows the quality of the anti-reflective treatment used.
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When looking at the watch from the side; the size, the height and the concentration of weightimplies a very uncomfortable wearing experience. However, in reality, it is not so. In fact,

wearing it is comfortable. The placement of the lugs instead of at corner of the watch casing tobelow it helps reduce the overall gap to below 50 mm i.e. smaller than the diameter of the watch.The only sacrifice with this design is that the watch rides high on the wrist. Definitely not for

formal wear.

The drilled lugs makes it easier when removing a strap. The signed crown, the hex screws, the

rear case design and the encompassing shroud are all built to very high tolerances.

The curved underbody and the watchs high ride make crown accessibility excellent, even with

the SBDX011 on the wrist. You can easily manipulate the big crown when wearing the

SBDX011.

The crown wind is smooth and easily connects to its thread when screwing it down.

The standard rubber strap provided lookssimilar to straps provided to other Seiko

divers but has been given a bit of finesse to

put it apart from the rest. The buckle andkeeper are titanium and has the same DLC-

like treatment similar to the casing.
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The famous tsunami logo is etched on the middle of the case back. To access the movement, thewatch can only be open from the front as the whole watch is made out of one solid piece of

titanium with a single access.

Between the movement's top plate and the "floor" of the watch case is a thin sheet of lead for

anti-magnetic properties. Size of each of the 4 hexscrew heads is 5 mm. The screws are

blackened with a DLC-like coating.

The watch is capable of diving right down to 1000 m. Nevertheless, there is no helium escapevalve (HEV) mechanism needed because the watch simply doesn't need one. With the use of a

proprietary L-shaped gasket, Seiko has totally eradicated the need for the HEV.

Here are a few wrist shots. Despite the

casing overwhelming my 7.5 inchescircumference wrist, it wears well and

comfortable too. More importantly, the

watch does not flop around. Ive read fromother reviewers that they face this problem

but I then realized their wrist size is sub-7

inches in circumference. It does appear that

this watch can only be worn comfortable bypersons of certain built.
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There is no way this watch will every slip under the cuff of a shirt. Anyone thinking it can beused with formal attire is sadly mistaken.

Simple, no-nonsense buckle strap.

All in all, the SBDX011 is the best that

Seiko has to offer. Everything from build

quality, to the movement, to the history is

nothing short of true professional divingwatch.

End.
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About The writer

Meor Amri is a Malaysian working in Malaysia. Having bitten by the horology bug in 2010, he

has written extensively about the watch scene and has assembled a large collection of watches

(excessively!!) on his own free time.

His blogs on the same subject are:

1. http://myhorologicalphotos.blogspot.com/;2. http://watchcollectionhobby.wordpress.com/;3. http://westernwatch.blogspot.com/;and4. http://easternwatch.blogspot.com/
http://myhorologicalphotos.blogspot.com/http://myhorologicalphotos.blogspot.com/http://watchcollectionhobby.wordpress.com/http://watchcollectionhobby.wordpress.com/http://westernwatch.blogspot.com/http://westernwatch.blogspot.com/http://easternwatch.blogspot.com/http://easternwatch.blogspot.com/http://easternwatch.blogspot.com/http://westernwatch.blogspot.com/http://watchcollectionhobby.wordpress.com/http://myhorologicalphotos.blogspot.com/

Seiko Marine Master Professional 1000m Automatic Diver SBDX011 – The Benchmark For All Dive...

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