I have a Tissot with a flat sapphire and I regularly have to wipe it so I’m not sure if this is a great way of differentiating. Of course I could be wrong.
Maybe someone could test the hardness to confirm either way?
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I recall buying a Phoibos watch and that had a sapphire crystal but exactly as you said it was very dull and the same had to keep wiping it, I returned the watch but often wondered why it was so dull and murky when looking at the watch dial. Maybe you have answered my question, thanks
[emoji102] Their are so many fake Tissot watches out there I would of either taken it back & exchanged it if you bought it from an official dealer. But if it was eBay or some such place it wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't real.
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I suspect the difference you've seen is more down to AR coatings on different brands than Sapphire or not.
My Breitling looks as though it has no crystal at all, but other watches (Sinns, for example) are more prone to marking. I didn't buy those from eBay, before you ask...
I'm not sure, either, how you're going to guarantee your Domed Sapphire will be any more authentic...
M
Umm because I will most probably buy it from Crystal Times from whom I I have bought quite a few & other various bit's and pieces.
Am pretty sure they have a solid reputation. Or maybe DLW Mods.
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Fyi a hardened steel screw or razor blade will scratch mineral glass but not sapphire-corundum with no ar exterior coating.
Tested. And I hold my hands up [emoji114] I couldn't scratch it with a razor blade so maybe it is sapphire after all.
I pressed as hard as I could & scraped all over & nothing. Not even a hair line mark.
Gonna try with a hard screw tomorrow [emoji16]
Still going to replace it tho. But yes assuming it beats the screw I will 100% eat humble pie. Sent from my SM-N960F using TZ-UK mobile app
Well it look's like I will be having Humble pie for supper tonight :downtown: Screw did nadda.
It still puzzles me why it's dull unless I clean it every few hour's if I wear it all day. Every other watch I own or owned never had to clean it so much.
Either way they are value for money watches so I would still buy another one.
I think it is time to put some money on the Sumo, looks to be well finished.
A guy on eBay has started his own SD site.
Price's are a little cheaper.
longfieldchrono.co.uk
I was just looking for another & came across it.
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I had the back off my Steeldive SD1970 to look at the movement and to regulate it, and it pressure tested to 3 Bar afterwards.
My pressure tester can only do 5 Bar, but I tend to only use it at 3 Bar just to test basic water resistance.
So, I’ve no idea if it could do 200m, but I’d happily swim in mine.
On the UK site, if I put a watch in the basket to buy, and it allows you to pay, does that mean it's in stock?
Don't want to pay for it if it's out of stock and have to wait.
Rod
Has anyone tested the WR on these yet? I might get one as a holiday watch - pool, beach, maybe a bot of snorkeling...
Didn't want to waste my money is the WR fails first time it goes in the pool.
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I've been following this thread with interest - that does look like the best SD. The logo/name seems to balance better as well. Looks a cracking watch.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...5c3ed1e273.jpg
I ordered one after watching Apocalypse Now - The Final Cut (I Promise) on BBC2 last weekend. The rubber strap version is on for £99 but I always knew I’d have to get another strap for it. I have to say I’m very impressed.
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There was a video posted earlier in the thread where someone did a wet & dry pressure test on one and found that it failed at just over 5atm, but did withstand 5at of pressure for over an our with no leaks. He pointed out that this is normal for watches with higher WR ratings unless they specifically say Divers on the dial along with the pressure rating (which means they can actually withstand that pressure continuously in a wet test). So in that case it's probably equivalent to something with a "100m WR" rating and that would be OK for swimming and snorkeling.
That said, they probably have zero QC on these considering the price, so it may be worth getting a dry pressure test done first, to check the seals are actually intact. It's entirely possible the unit your receive could be missing a gasket, or the gasket isn't lubricated properly, has sheared and nobody noticed, etc.
Just received mine from Neil on the forum, must say I am pretty amazed at what can be got for just over 100 notes,even the lume is superb. It does make me wonder why we spend many hundreds or thousands on a watch when these guys can turn out these for this much money. Looking at what you get for £100, I wonder what the quality of the Comex type one they are selling is like?.
It's a good point.
Looking good in pictures on a forum is not the same as working well and as you say for that amount of money I would not think QC is that high.
Dearer? Sure, but it does say "Divers" on the dial.
https://cdn.creationwatches.com/prod...X007J1_LRG.jpg
There are a couple of ways of looking at it.
First, they’re assembled pretty well from what I can see, they all align and work as they should. Whoever builds them obviously cares about that, so I’d assume they’re competent and fit the gasket and crown stem seal as well.
My own SD1970 tested to 3 BAR in my own pressure tester, that would be fine for me messing about in a pool. It’s probably far more water resistant than that, but I didn’t want to push my home made tester.
The other thing is, buy one, take it in the pool, if it fails, send it back as it will be under warranty.
I supsect that the same factories are making stuff for western microbrands and thus employing the same people and using the same tools. I'm sure they are aware of acceptable quality standards/tolerances and have them built into the assembly process. I suspect however that their QC is likeley to be lacking at lower price points.
For any other fans of the MM300 homage, Steeldive have just brought out blue and green versions with logos and no "Marinemaster" text. The UK store doesn't have them as yet, but they're available from several sellers on AliExpress.
I'm not overly keen on the "ARMYENGINEER" text but I've been so impressed with my sterile black MM300 I got from the UK site I've ordered a blue and a green this morning to come from China. At £135-ish each I've picked up all three for the price of a service on my Speedmaster. They'll make great daily wearers and rather than service them a whole new movement can be bought for less than £30 - I think I'll probably have a go at swapping one over myself when the time comes...
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/H18d5a22a...842788b30q.jpg
I have owned a couple of Genuine Sumo,s and the Copy is built as well if not better IMO, certainly see no reason why it would not stand the test of time since it is fitted with a Seiko movement anyway, I am wondering though if the movements are Seiko or are they also cloned?
Plus you get a free Peli type case [emoji106][emoji4]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...bd88da178b.jpg
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And Matthew is a guy to deal with.
Bought one Bronzo from him....not my cup of tea...sent it back....full refund...no issues
Thumbs up!
Trimis de pe al meu SM-N975F folosind Tapatalk
Not the same movements at all.
The Sumo has a decent 6R15 movement.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/00...g?v=1542706005
The NH35 is a much cheaper movement.
https://calibercorner.com/wp-content...iko-nh35-a.jpg
I think you are missing the point, the Seiko is several times the price and for that you are getting a slightly better movement. Remember that there are many Micro brands using the NH35 movement and are openly selling their watches for many hundreds of pounds, the Sumo clone is just over one hundred notes, remarkable in my mind.
Not missing the point.
I like a nice quality and finished movement in a mechanical watch, part of the reason we often pay quite a lot of money for them.
I'm not saying getting all that for a hundred quid cookie cutter watch is not a deal but you can buy an Orient (part of Seiko) automatic 200m diver for £112 and yet nobody is raving about these.
Dare I say that Perhaps it is because they are not a copy of a famous Seiko design? :wink-new:
https://www.creationwatches.com/prod...yABEgIzu_D_BwE
https://cdn.creationwatches.com/prod...2004B9_MED.jpg
https://www.creationwatches.com/prod...yABEgIzu_D_BwE
I've never investigated this properly, but have been wondering what the real differences are between the 6R15 and NH35/4R35. The NH35/4R35 is a significantly upgraded 7s26 with hand winding and hacking, which in the past was the main differentiator for Seiko's mid-level 6x movements. None of them are regulated or finished especially well. From the photos on calibercorner, it looks like both have the same fiddly regulator from the 7s26 which is notoriously difficult to regulate, as it doesn't have the adjustment screw found on the 8L35 and all ETA movements.
Then you have the 6R15 and 6R35, the latter being the upgraded version of the former. A 4R35 is definitely not as good as a 6R35, but it's not clear to be whether it's as good or better than a 6R15.
This is something that bothers me about some of the various Prospex and Presage models, where it seems to be pot luck whether it'll have a 6R15 or a 6R35, with no correlation to the price point. Because they both start with a "6" I tend to mentally remind myself to think of the 6R15 as being broadly comparable to a 4R35 - although I don't know if that's entirely true.
Maybe nobody is raving about them as much as they once did, but it's not like Orient are completely unknown around these parts.
The difference is that the finishing on an £100 Orient is comparable with what you'd get from a £100 Seiko (a couple of years ago before they basically doubled or tripled all their prices). But that falls far short of Sumo territory. People are raving about these because the finishing is apparently better than the original Seiko for about 1/8th the price. The fact that it also has a Seiko movement is nice - in an ironic, cannibalistic sort of a way - but I'd be happy if they had a decent Seagull movement. All the Seagulls I've had have performed well about their price-point and they are more nicely finished than low-end Seiko movements too. IIRC they have proper regulators too.
Rather than the above, look at the sum of the parts!
A Steeldive Sumo on rubber is £100-125 +or -. It comprises a Ceramic full lume bezel insert (this would cost £50 from Yobokies). It has a Sapphire crystal with AR ( another £50 from Yobokies) and a Seiko movement (let’s say again £50) so without anything else taken into consideration you are already onto a winner. Put this with a greatly machined and made case, Bezel, dial and handset, and regulate to within 3 or so seconds a day, and you have something that blows the Orient, and much more expensive Seiko out of the water.
Only my opinion though.
I must admit I think the same way as you re Seiko basement type calibres, I wonder if one of the forums watch repairers would chime in?
I agree those push around regulators are horrible but at the bargain basement that's what we get unfortunately. Screw adjustment like the ETA 2428-2 or Sellitas are reserved for more expensive watches.
I have owned many Seiko,s and for me the prices they are now charging on their low end watches does not represent good value at all, you also only have to look at many a complaint about misaligned chapter rings, bezel inserts as well as poorly regulated movements to see that Seiko think they can dictate what quality we get when we purchase one of their watches. For me to see people making these clones at the price they are doing is a good thing for the consumer and maybe just maybe Seiko will see what is being done and up their game, The orient does not have a sapphire or ceramic insert so as far as I am concerned it is a level below the Steeldrive for the same sort of price. Of course my opinion only.
I've only really owned a couple of Seiko 5 watches and a Turtle once but for their current price it's a bit steep for what you're getting.
I bought an Orient once and all sold it a week later without wearing it.
It just felt tacky and cheap. Think I paid about £115.00 for it.
Anyway you're explanation about what you get in a SD is what made me buy one.
Basically they are value for money. Sent from my SM-N960F using TZ-UK mobile app
For the avoidance of doubt both movements are 27.4mm wide, the 6R is 0.7mm slimmer.
PS Useful insights here
I own both a Steeldive Willard and a Seiko Blue Turtle with a modded domed sapphire , plus a Seiko Save The Ocean Samuari and I have to say the finish on the Steeldive is very close to the Seikos, the only fault I can find is the lume on the dial whilst initially bright it fades quicker than the seikos, but the bezel and hand lume last longer. I’m looking at getting a green dial Sumo Steeldive eventually, and on those it looks like the lume has been upgraded.