Seiko SBDD001 Direct Drive

Thanks to SC (cheers Adam!) I've added another titanium quartz Seiko diver to my collection - the SBDD001 kinetic direct drive. It's an interesting beast - very large at 46mm across the bezel - it wears bigger than my Darth Tuna - but quite lightweight and lugs not over-long so it's pleasant to wear. Comes with a very nice titanium bracelet with the excellent ratcheted extension as used on the MM300, and thanks to drilled lugs can be easily fitted with other straps. Once the bracelet was adjusted I fitted my usual Eddie's NATO, but can easily refit the bracelet should I need to wear the watch with a suit - or to enjoy the relative warmth of titanium against the skin as we move into winter. The titanium has Seiko's version of diamond film coating so should be pretty robust compared with uncoated titanium.
The movement is the hand-wind version of Seiko's kinetic system, so gives the accuracy of quartz without the worry of running out of battery when away on a trip. Nice sapphire crystal, and sawtooth-type bezel edge. Very pleased with it :)

Couple of photos for you all ..
http://www.searat.me.uk/images/TZ/sbdd001_sbbn013i.jpg
With my trusty Darth (on William Jean's sharkmesh)

http://www.searat.me.uk/images/TZ/sb...n013_wrist.jpg
On the wrist with the titanium bracelet - Darth there to compare size.

Cheers,
Steve

Congrats! :)

I was thinking of buying one, but I am afraid the bracelet would look to thin on me (7"), how big are you?

Rgds

christ i didnt know it was as big as that almost went for that one the first time round but the 200m always puts me off daft i know but always think a divers watch should be at least 300.
its a cool watch 8)

Very nice, I really like that.
If it wasn't so big, let's say 42mm, I would have snatched it up :) .

Daddel.

This was my old watch and I do miss it so.

It's one of the most accurate quartz I've ever owned and the hands hit the markers spot on every time. I had it on a black nato too but why not try (like I did) a grey nato, looks fabulous.

Very nice Steve, I hovered over the pm button on that one, but wasn't brave enough :?

BTW What is the bracelet you have on the Darth? I've seen a few but haven't researched them enough - is it a W Jean?

Thanks

I had the 003 version one of my favourites, the 001 is even nicer 8)

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Originally Posted by byterofta

Congrats! :)

I was thinking of buying one, but I am afraid the bracelet would look to thin on me (7"), how big are you?

Rgds

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My wrists are about 7.5", you could probably wear it with a 7" wrist, but no smaller. The watch isn't heavy so although it's large it is comfortable - rather like wearing a large G-Shock or Suunto.
Steve

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Originally Posted by Pudspud2005

This was my old watch and I do miss it so.

It's one of the most accurate quartz I've ever owned and the hands hit the markers spot on every time. I had it on a black nato too but why not try (like I did) a grey nato, looks fabulous.

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Good idea - I've got a grey one somewhere, also various Rhinos I use on the Darth - nice being able to change straps so easily on this one. It's in fabulous condition - that coating must do the job well.
Steve

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Originally Posted by LuvWatch

Very nice Steve, I hovered over the pm button on that one, but wasn't brave enough :?

BTW What is the bracelet you have on the Darth? I've seen a few but haven't researched them enough - is it a W Jean?

Thanks

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Yes it's a W Jean 22mm sharkmesh, the adjustable version. I used the stainless version on my MM300. They're superb bracelets, and William is a very nice guy to deal with, a real enthusiast who uses them on his own watches. I've tried various options on Darths since 2007 but the W Jean sharkmesh is my favourite, though for work off boats I still like to use our host Eddie's grey or orange 2-ring Rhino - goes really well with the Darth, and stops the watch sitting too high on the wrist compared with a 4-ring strap.
Steve

Very nice, I had the all Black version of the same watch a year or so again and wished I kept it, especially as I had let it go for a ludicrously cheap £500. :shock:

Very nice Steve! I like it...the deep dial, symmetric PR indicator and large crown are really attractive :wink: ...

I would wear it on Nato!

Steve, what a great pick up. If only they made one similar for us with wimpy wrists!

Enjoy it.

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Originally Posted by searat

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LuvWatch

Very nice Steve, I hovered over the pm button on that one, but wasn't brave enough :?

BTW What is the bracelet you have on the Darth? I've seen a few but haven't researched them enough - is it a W Jean?

Thanks

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Yes it's a W Jean 22mm sharkmesh, the adjustable version. I used the stainless version on my MM300. They're superb bracelets, and William is a very nice guy to deal with, a real enthusiast who uses them on his own watches. I've tried various options on Darths since 2007 but the W Jean sharkmesh is my favourite, though for work off boats I still like to use our host Eddie's grey or orange 2-ring Rhino - goes really well with the Darth, and stops the watch sitting too high on the wrist compared with a 4-ring strap.
Steve

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Cheers mate :thumbleft:

Nobody does divers like Seiko. Great pick-up.

I really like the design of that one. Purposeful. In fact, there is a picture of that exact model in my American dictionary next to the entry for "Badass" 8)

I went to have a look at one recently, but it was too big for my noodly wrists by a mile. Also too quartzy for my preferences, but the hand winding battery charger element certainly appealed to the geek in me.

An auto version at 42mm or less would be great.

Paul

Thats a very nice / cool looking watch.

They do make some brilliant pieces for sure!

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Originally Posted by jason recliner

Nobody does divers like Seiko. Great pick-up.

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That is a beautiful diver, I am thinking to go with that or the mm300

Resurrected to ask if there's an answer to this: is there a smaller diameter equivalent to the SBDD001?

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Originally Posted by dkpw

If only they made one similar for us with wimpy wrists!

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Originally Posted by Dougal

Resur

rected to ask if there's an answer to this: is there a smaller diameter equivalent to the SBDD001?

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No, those are discontinued and hard to come by.
There's no sucsessor, small or big.

Daddel.

Thanks Daddel. I reckon Seiko's missing out on sales, because a lot of Seiko divers are too large for many of us to buy. Every time I see a terrific new Seiko diver, the watch diameter turns out to be huge. It's quite frustrating.

Someone please tell Seiko to produce more normal sized dive watches. I don't want to buy a watch as big as a saucer! The SBDD001 is a typical example: a fantastic watch, ruined by a 46-47mm diameter.

Indeed, even 42mm looks big on my wrist.

It's the lug to lug length that really does it in.
As far as something similar, Seiko made a lot of cool kinetic divers in the 90's that were much smaller than the sbdd. If you can find one, the scubamaster is a real treat:
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d9...ps7aedbb8a.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d9...ps846fa586.jpg

This link makes interesting reading for anyone contemplating one of the Seiko Marine Master models.

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f74/tit...os-178463.html