I only just noticed they did a Ploprof. Did anyone here buy one?
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I only just noticed they did a Ploprof. Did anyone here buy one?
SD1952S arrived today, two days after ordering so kudos for UK shipment.
Temporary strap as supplied leather and rubber were too small on my wrist, olive green Nato with bronze fittings on order. Agree with reviewers about the unfortunate white date wheel and the yellow on the bezel would be better colour matched to the orange lume. It's less glaring in subdued lighting. Still for £155 it's a good entry for bronze cased diver. The bezel action is positive and the pip lines up 100%; some pics show the AR as strong blue but that's less obvious in use.
https://ekgardening.files.wordpress....010_183943.jpg
The Ploprof is available from AliExpress.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005...2fad2e0eO5ugkS
I was tempted myself
Just to finish my diving tests, I took my Steeldive Tuna to 26M on Saturday with no issues, so that's 3 watches from these ranges (If you accept the Heimdallr is essentially the same watch) that has successfully been dived in.
I put the Tuna on a NATO strap, though, as the bracelet was too short to go over my dive gloves and was glad I did as one of the spring bars failed (on the boat as it happens, after the dive).
Sadly that meant it didn't come to 37M with me on Sunday.
M
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Well it's a sample of 3 (or 1 of 3 depending on how you look at it), but at least we know they do put some effort into sealing them properly.
I may just have got lucky, but judging from the overall build quality of all 3, I don't imagine my experience is unrepresentative.
M
The Polprof is back in stock on the SteelDive UK site
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It's time for a change of watch. So this one is going into the watch box.
Set the time 17 days ago, it has lost 15 seconds. 1.1 seconds a day. Lume lasts for hours on end. Strap has been comfy to wear.
A real bargain at £115 to my door.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...cd1b4ba284.jpg
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I do not know how you guys are accepting this time keeping on a watch costing just over 100 quid, to me you would be better off spending another several hundred pounds more and buying the genuine article, at least that way you could have a watch where the crown got used on a regular basis rather than screwing it in and leaving for weeks on end like you are doing with the Steeldrive. Having said that my Steeldrive Sumo is about -6 seconds after 4.5 days lol
Stress testing dive watches :winkskull:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...52c9e83c1c.jpg
M
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Would echo the sentiments already posted re value for money. Got two from Mathew this week,a tuna and 6105. Both sterile,was pleasantly surprised to find the graphic on the Big Wave Tuna glows like a torch. Just a small point if you aren't wearing with a NATO or Zulu a switch to a set of better quality spring bars might be prudent...just in case
There are definitely some fantastic value for money micro brand dive watches out there. Ive had several Helson’s and they feel indestructible !
I keep eyeing up their pilots watches but just wish it didn’t have a date window or it at least had a colour matched date window
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https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...6f41bd5560.jpg
I took the leap and bought the Polprof. Cracking value at £300 (even the most expensive Steeldive)and keeping -3 SPF
Great service from Longfield Chrono
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i wonder if they would consider marketing models with higher end aftermarket seiko movements in? 6r15 or 6r35 equivalents maybe? i's be tempted even at the higher cost if the movement merited it, especially for one of the bronze sumos
PP copy gets two thumbs up from me.
There is certainly a little bezel play and crown action is certainly not the same and wish they had kept lug size at 24mm but at the price point these are minor quibbles.
https://i.postimg.cc/5tBnQ0Jp/172488...-F98211-BA.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/3JqLPV9j/59-AFA...20213-D518.jpg
Never heard of this brand until now. That PP copy looks interesting tho.
The watch case and bracelets are better finished.. I have both.. the Sanmartin are also good, but I prefer the shark logo rather than weird names.. but the nice thing for me is that you can choose a high beat movement.. good if the UK distributor could source them also..
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I hear a lot of people complaining about the bracelets on the steel dive watches. I would be interested to hear what people’s personal experience of them has been
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I only have one (on a Tuna), but I think it's quite nice quality personally - Better than anything I've ever had on any Seiko I've bought!
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/5Y7p6I.jpg
Solid ends and links.
M
Given I'm looking for a pepsi diver for my eldest boy I'm surprised they don't offer that option. Look good value all things considered though.
Just a quick update on the tuna I bought,the Big Wave dial is very well executed. Picked it because it was sterile and something a bit different from my many black dial divers.
If there is a problem it's that the lumed dial makes the lumed hands blend into one,so that a quick glance at the time doesn't work so well. Blued or black handset would have been far more practical,but at the price you can't expect too much.
That has always been my feeling. I do sometimes think the criticisms leveled at these budget watches are a bit harsh. Ultimately if it is comfortable secure and looks good that is enough at this price point. It doesn't have to be precision engineered and similar in quality to watches many multiples of the price
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I think's a case of the old "if it's too good to be true" mantra. We tend to highlight any flaws, even to a point we examine the watch closer for any imperfections more than we would with other watches. The fact is, these are sub £150 watches and for that I doubt you'd get a better value proposition/quality at this moment.
I now own two Steeldive's and I appreciate they might not be for everyone for whatever reason, but for me having a couple of cheap beater's at this price is all I need. As for the bracelet, it's useable but I prefer to use them on a strap/Nato anyhow as it's far more comfortable.
Seiko bracelets are utterly dreadful, as below you need to pay north of a grand to get a bracelet equal to one on a £300 bog standard Swiss watch.
These steeldive watches have exposed a couple of things. Firstly micro brands, how they can justify bumping their prices up to the 500 to a grand price bracket when many of them have the same movement as these and are pretty much re badged brands probably made in the same factory. Secondly, how Seiko can justify bumping up their prices while still churning out the same god awful bracelets and bezels so bad their authorised dealer actually says if you want one that matches up go buy a Swiss watch. It seems gone are the days when a good Seiko 5 would cost you £60 and a Sarb would cost £250 The shameless customer gouging on the Alpinist is frankly laughable especially as when it was on general sale they couldnt shift the things because of the dubious quality of them.
Been a few weeks now with mine and the time keeping is as good as most people have suggested. Strap is holding up fine I have no complaints about it at all.
The Steeldive watches are great for the money, but the San Martin and Heimdallr versions.. are slightly better in finish but have decent bracelets with milled clasps, they look very much like they could be the same as the strapcode bracelets.
So it is possible to improve for a little more money...
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If either of the three makers did a Pepsi been option I'd have bought one for my son. Has anyone swapped one in or know if it's very easy to do?
I've emailed all 3 to ask that question so will update if/when they get back to me.
Should be possible but they are using ceramic bezels which is probably the issue
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