*** Eddie - if you think this would suit the review section better please move it there ***
Greetings,
so, how many of you think that 35mm is waaaaaay too small? Be truthful now... Yeah, thatīs what I thought too...
Until I encountered the Seiko SUS "Military" SCFF001 8)
This diminutive giant killer houses a hacking 4S15 Hi-Beat movement which can also be hand wound. There is a strong consensus amongst many experienced Seiko Aficionados that the 4S15 is one of their finest movements. - And that is probably the reason why it got chosen for this diminutive little JDM power house designed to fit the average Asian wrist size. If you do not know the story behind it you might want to take a look at Alanīs and petewīs excellent write ups on this lilīwatch that so many Seiko collectors - and Seiko itself - have a lot to thank for. Youīll find the links to these postings in the end of this post.
The 4S15 - pic by John B. SCWF
It has been said of this watch that itīs proportions are perfect. I tend to agree. Despite itīs smallish size echoed by the rather wide bezel in contrast to the dial which make it appear even smaller than it actually is, it is just... right. No other way to describe it really. Everything falls to place smoothly forming a cohesive whole that is bigger than the sum of itīs parts. I have not experienced many other watches that are as "complete" as the SUS is.
Has the SCFF001 been designed by following the golden ratio?
I once read - cannot remember where and did not manage to find the page - an interesting essay of a pretty recent Seiko chronograph that had been studied from the point whether it had been designed by following the golden section rule or not. Whether it was or not, based on the measurements and ratios between the different parts of the case, hands, dial and sub dials etc., it was awfully close to it. I guess the same applies to the SUS though I have not measured it. - It is just a tad too a harmonious whole for it not being so. Or not. Bottom line is that it does not matter what was going on in the heads of the SCFF001 design team lead by Chitoshi Funamoto and Atsushiko Matsuno when they draw it - the end result - however they came to it - is an astonishing feat of industrial design.
Yes, no, maybe so?
Above pic of my watch is courtesy of Don Anderson
You know, I once had a SUS "Military" SCFF001 before... Then the inevitable happened and I sold it in order to fund a new fix. - I donīt even remember what that fix was but anyways it has been long gone. Telling is that I did not, however, forgot the little SUS I had sold! Aye, I am ashamed to admit now that most probably my decision to sell it was also partly due - to a somewhat high degree - to the fact that I let myself be led to think it was "too small". I remember reading on the forums that many WIS seemed to be of this opinion, most - I gather - even though they had never seen one is steel yet worn one for a couple days. I let the audience influence me and that is a very bad trait as you should only listen to yourself when deciding what to keep and what to flip. I am WISer now having learnt from my mistake. So, I got myself another one, this time with boxes and papers :wink:
So what? Well, just remember that size does not - always - matter. If you happen to come across one of these lilīgems donīt be fooled by itīs small physical stature. Do not be fooled by pics where it looks small on wrist either. Pics are two dimensional - what you see is not what you will get if you decide to be your own man and pass what the cult of the bigger-is-better say about it, most likely never having seen let alone worn one in steel for a couple of days. Be aware that there is a risk involved though - your other watches may see less wrist time after the acquisition of a SCFF001. That has happened to my other watches. So, what makes you think yours could be immune to it? Because of the the small size of the SUS? Mate, youīve got to stop listening to what others tell you to think or you may miss all the good stuff thatīs out there. Much of it is, you know, that smaller stuff that gets overlooked soooo easily because people just dont get it that size does not - always - matter.
In-depth information on the SCFF001 and the SUS line :
http://alanwatch.homestead.com/seiko.html
http://www.gmtplusnine.com/2007/06/25/t ... hat-could/
Thanks,
I do like this little watch - I remember you posting about the first one you had - but feel the dial would benefit from not having those sub-seconds markings on it. I'd love to have one.
36mm is not too small for my 8" wrist so this would be great 8)
I like the SUS a lot, and if I come across one for sale I will certainly not be fooled by its seemingly diminutive stature :D
Not that they're thick on the ground or anything, but one can hope :P
Cheers
Stern
Not that easy to find, but if I had the opportunity to try I could see me liking one :)
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
It looks great :)
Hi mate,Originally Posted by thenikjones
in steel the sub-sec markings seem to kind of disappear as they are very faint - something that a picture cannot convey properly. The SUS truly is a special watch. They come up from time to time and though their value has quadrupled since their launch in early 90īs they are still - imo - undervalued and their prices will continue to raise in time. It is a historically important model to both Seiko and the Seiko collectors community. Thus it is is highly likely that it will become even more sought after than it already is once the bigger-is-better boom wears out. As it - inevitably - will at some stage.
I don't have anything that size at the moment, but I have had in the past without a worry. That Seiko is a lovely thing, though, whatever the size!
Dave E
Skating away on the thin ice of a new day
These smaller Seikos suit my girlie 6 1/2" wrists perfectly, would love to get hold of one of these.
It's a great looking watch, there is certainly something very pleasing about the proportions.
i like it, tbh i think really big watches can look a bit daft sometimes :)
i think its lovely, huge watches will not be in fashion forever.....
ktmog6uk
marchingontogether!
I have no trouble wearing watches that size.
My watches range from 34mm to 44mm.
I now consider 35mm to be a good size (for my wrist). I have a lot of vintage pieces from the '60s and '70s and only one or two of those exceed 34mm.
I wear a lot of them regularly.
I'd be thrilled to have that Hi Beat on my wrist!!
Jim :)
Always loved the SUS since I first saw a picture of one. Perfect size and looks really good. I've always thought it would be a good investment piece as well...if you can ever find one for sale. Without searching historically, I don't think I've ever seen one available for sale on any of the usual forums.
Great piece Jussi.
I've been looking for one of those for a long time, but couldn't find a decent one.
An iconic piece with a very interesting movement, 35mm or not, this I would gladly put round my wrist.
Cheers,
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
That would be great....... for my wife!
Only kidding. Seriously, that looks fantastic. The size would cause me no problem (7" wrist) and I can see your train of thought on the "Golden Ratio" -
It's often the proportions that mess up potentially great watches but that seems spot on. Everything on it seems in perfect scale, and doesn't look at all small on you.
Fashion is a fickle thing, and go back not too many years and this was a standard size. Give it a few more and we may go back this way.
What's the odds of finding one of these for sale, and at what price?
It's a lovely looking timepiece but I still wish it was 5 mil wider (although that requirement could be just as a result of my failing eyesight...) 8)
Great looking watch. I had read about it on GMT+9 and was hoping I could find one myself, not knowing what they were fetching nowadays... Here's a listing that ended recently (watch went unsold afaik) and the seller has since removed all the pics: http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... K:MEWAX:IT
Hope Seiko reissues it eventually.
I think it looks absolutley brilliant - something clean classic etc....beautiful actually.
Hi all,
Do these watches still come on the market sometimes or are they obsolete?
I mean, does Seiko still manufacture them or do you have to wait untill someone sells his/hers?
Nifty looking watch; just about the right size for everyday wear.
Thanks for any help locating one,
Marc
Nah, they're well discontinued. They come up now and then, but at a price!
I have always liked the SUS, as you might know, Jussi. But a year ago, I would have laughed my behind off at the notion of wearing a small watch like that, as I only wore watches like my PAM112, GPGGYC, Polluce and others of that size.
I just took the two following pics today; Now, I still like big watches too, but having just come home and being soaked, I changed from the wet strap of the Glycine and took to wearing the Edele, go figure!
Hi Jesper,
yeah... as they say "it is not the size of the dog in the fight..." etc. Big, small or medium, size does not matter. What matters is "it".
A watch either has it or not. And believe me, the SUS is loaded :!:
@ majistro: the SUS is a darn difficult to find piece and especially so with boxes and papers. There were a bunch of them sold a few moons ago when the economy plummeted and some of these pieces most likely will be flipped sooner or later. If you place a WTB on SCTF youīll probably get a few offers.
To JCJM:
Thanks and pardon my ignorance: What does" SCTF"stand for?
Regards,
Marc
35mm is my starting point. On many occasions I've had to pass on a lovely vintage of 33mm or less as they simply look too wee on my wrist.
Cool watch!!
I usually find that it feels a little strange putting on a much smaller watch after wearing one of my regular ones. However this only lasts a few minutes and then it just seems fine.
I have a pretty skinny wrist mind you, so small watches look fine on me. Here's a pic of my 34mm Rolex Precision, which my grandfather bought for my 10th birthday. After 36yrs its still going strong and as far as I'm concerned very wearable. So.... enjoy your watch and don't worry about its size.
Hi mates,
The SUS is a beautiful watch.
Size doesn't matter ,when something is beautiful,it's simply beautiful.
I asked Seiya some times ago to find one,but unsuccessfully :(
I love this watch because of the dial or the 4S15.
Can't explain why...
Just can say you are a lucky guy to wear such a beauty dear JCJM.
It's hard to take my eyes of these pics.
BTW I wear this :
Size doesn't matter...
Seiko & Citizen Trading Forum. Have a Google. :)
Both the SUS and the Hamilton... very 8)
Thanks for the clarification!Seiko & Citizen Trading Forum. Have a Google. :)
Marc
I never thought that I would like wearing smaller diameter size watches.
But that has all changed, I now have a good mixture of sizes the smallest being just 34mm and the largest around 41mm.
toooooo small to my current liking...I wish they can be reissued at 40mm+
@JCJM-
mate i seem to recall you laughing at an explorer 1 on SC as being too small! glad you have seen the light, bigger is not always better, especially for these classics such as the expy/smiths/SUS :wink:
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