Final week, we took an tour to the land of Nouvelle Horlogerie. This week, we’re returning to our house territory of stainless-steel dive watches. Seiko simply offered us with two new references beneath the Marinemaster identify. The SLA077 and SLA079 are fashionable interpretations of the well-known 6159-7001 from 1968. As they’re within the dearer realms of Seiko’s Prospex assortment, we thought the Oris Aquis can be a great matchup price-wise.
Being the stainless-steel dive watches that they’re, each the Seiko and the Oris provide water resistance to 300 meters. Additionally, at 42.6mm and 43.5mm, respectively, they’re fairly comparable size-wise. Other than these traits, although, there are fairly a number of variations between these two. Jorg and Daan will do their absolute best to level these out to you. So sit again, take pleasure in at the moment’s battle, and prepare to vote.
Final week, on Sunday Morning Showdown…
However first, let’s check out final week’s Showdown. As talked about, we took a sidetrack, and a few of the Fratelli talked about within the feedback that we went just a little exterior individuals’s consolation zones. Each the Urwerk EMC SR-71 and the MB&F Horological Machine 8 Mark 2 fall inside what Thomas known as the sector of Nouvelle Horlogerie. The primary appears extra like a hand-cranked radio with a bunch of dials on high. The opposite sort of resembles the rear of your favourite two-seater. In the meantime, they’re additionally two extremely sophisticated and distinctively designed watches. Though it appeared like final week’s matchup wasn’t everybody’s cup of tea, lots of people nonetheless voted for his or her favourite. Finally, the Urwerk gained with 56% of the votes. Let’s see if this week’s battle will likely be simply as shut.
Daan: Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400
After I was trying so as to add a dive watch to my assortment, I bear in mind giving the Oris Aquis a great look. I’m usually charmed by Oris as a model. Its watches have a pleasant, uncomplicated, and non-flashy character that I enormously respect. As well as, the Aquis is a really unique choice. Subsequent to all of the vintage-inspired divers on the market, the Oris Aquis feels recent and fashionable. You might say it has a face of its personal since there have been no predecessors of it within the ’60s or ’70s.
Don’t get me mistaken; I like the brand new Seiko Marinemaster SLA079 with its vintage-inspired design. Nevertheless, it’s one more Seiko diver that took its inspiration from the model’s wealthy archives. By now, the oldsters at Seiko don’t even know learn how to initially identify their dive watches anymore. With the Aquis, individuals don’t all the time agree on learn how to pronounce the identify, however no less than they know precisely what watch they’re speaking about. It’s a dive watch with a pleasant and modern-looking face like no different.
Streamlined for (even higher) wearability
With the up to date Aquis Date that debuted final April, Oris didn’t introduce a revolutionary new watch. Quite the opposite, the clear design from earlier than stayed principally the identical. The fairly round case with its brief lugs and crown guards stays, which is an effective factor as a result of it’s precisely what makes the Aquis really feel totally different from the extra elegantly formed dive watches on the market. What the designers did do, although, was focus on the ergonomics of the watch.
Due to its compact development, the Oris Aquis has all the time been a snug look ahead to its measurement. I normally by no means put on watches bigger than 42mm, however the 43.5mm Aquis in some way suits my 17cm wrist simply tremendous. With the up to date Aquis Date, the wearability was improved much more by shaving off a number of millimeters right here and there. It nearly seems like an replace Rolex would carry out on its new fashions since you nearly don’t discover it at first look. However while you take a look at the watch up shut and put on it, you may really feel how totally different it really is.
Calibre 400 is a winner
The opposite factor I enormously respect is the Oris Calibre 400 throughout the Aquis. This spectacular computerized motion gives a five-day energy reserve and a 10-year service interval, and it runs inside chronometer specs. It’s additionally immune to magnetic fields, and Oris sells it with a 10-year guarantee. These are all nice options for a watch with a value of €3,700 (on a bracelet).
The 8L35 motion throughout the Seiko SLA079 can be good. It’s partly assembled by hand and receives a pleasant end earlier than it’s positioned contained in the case. Nevertheless, its energy reserve and accuracy are nowhere close to these of the Aquis. With a 55-hour autonomy and every day common of -10/+15 seconds a day, it’s tremendous, however for a €3,000 watch, you’d in all probability count on just a little extra. To not point out, the Seiko lacks toolless micro-adjustment and quick-release spring bars. That’s why I’d fortunately pay just a little extra for the Aquis and get the total package deal.
However I’m curious to listen to what it’s a must to say about all this, Jorg. Take it away!
Jorg: Seiko Prospex SLA079
Thanks, Daan! Let me begin by saying that I share the Oris sentiment. I really like the model for its pleasant and unpretentious character. It makes it very straightforward to narrate to Oris, and I do. That mentioned, I discover the soul of the model in its vintage-inspired watches, such because the Divers Sixty-5 and the Huge Crown Pointer Date. They’ve a basic design model that I really like, which makes it onerous to select a favourite mannequin as a result of there are too many.
After all, the Fratello LEs are apparent favorites as a result of we’re tremendous happy with them, however there are such a lot of extra. Two that come to thoughts are the lately launched Huge Crown Pointer Date Father Time LE and the Chronos LE of the Diver Sixty-5. However these are simply two of many.
The Aquis has all the time been just a little tougher for me to connect with. It’s a fashionable and competent diver for positive, however I by no means discovered many variations that made me really feel the identical because the fashions I simply talked about. Likewise, I’ve by no means felt practically as passionate in regards to the Aquis as I do about Seiko’s basic Marinemaster.
The Marinemaster identify has grow to be synonymous with Seiko’s top-of-the-line dive watches that inform a fantastic historic story and, I imagine, knock most fashionable divers at the same value out of the water. We will definitely debate the latter, Daan, however in relation to a soul with a historic context, the Marinemaster already places its nostril in entrance earlier than we even get to the specs sheet.
The Seiko Marinemaster SBDX001
The legendary Marinemaster SDBX001
Although the primary Seiko watch to bear the Marinemaster identify was the late-’90s quartz Seiko SBCN005, the Marinemaster as most individuals comprehend it arrived on the scene in 2000 with the introduction of the SBDX001. Pretty rapidly, the SBDX001 grew to become a Seiko fan favourite due to its superior design, which hyperlinks on to the model’s historic reference 6159-7001 from 1968. I’m nonetheless in awe of the brilliance of the design that Seiko devised within the late Sixties. It nonetheless feels as related and competent because it did six a long time in the past.
The good case profile of the SBDX001
On high of that, Seiko managed to take that historic design and create a beast of a dive watch that was unmatched by way of worth for cash. With the monobloc case, the Grand Seiko-based 8L35 caliber, and even Zaratsu sprucing, the standard and specs have been far past something we had seen from Seiko. Over time, the Marinemaster was barely up to date and formally launched to the remainder of the world. Whereas the Marinemaster identify ultimately made means for the Prospex emblem, the watch was all the time the spectacular high-end Seiko diver that Seiko followers nonetheless love.
The trendy Marinemaster household
With final yr’s Marinemaster collection, we thought we had misplaced the Marinemaster linking to the 6159-7001. The smaller Marinemaster collection takes after the 62MAS from 1965, which makes it a very totally different collection of watches. However with the introduction of the brand new Seiko Prospex 1968 Diver’s Fashionable Re-interpretation SLA079, we get a Marinemaster that follows within the historic mannequin’s footsteps, and I believe followers agree with me that it’s not simply one other vintage-inspired Seiko, Daan.
Final yr’s Prospex SLA073
Seiko determined to make use of the case design from the SLA073 that got here out final yr. Nevertheless, the model upgraded the water resistance to a 300m ranking. The case measures 42.6mm large, 49.6mm lengthy, and 13.1mm thick, making it considerably extra wearable than the “previous” Marinemaster. In contrast to the sooner generations, it’s not a monobloc case, however regardless of shedding that characteristic, it additionally makes the brand new Marinemaster so much simpler to service.
The Grand Seiko-based 8L35 caliber
Contained in the case, Seiko nonetheless makes use of its 8L35 caliber. This computerized motion relies on the Grand Seiko 9S55. Because the 8L35 is particularly used for dive watches, Seiko makes use of a model that’s much less elaborately completed than its Grand Seiko counterpart. As you talked about, Daan, the official accuracy numbers are -10/+15 seconds per day.
As everyone knows, although, Seiko could be very conservative with these numbers. Actuality has taught us that the motion is much more correct. Customers have reported accuracy that exceeds the degrees of licensed chronometers. Whereas the trendy Oris Calibre 400 is definitely a fantastic motion, I’d not let or not it’s the deciding issue on this battle.
For me, it’s all in regards to the soul, and that’s missing with the Aquis. Wanting on the design, I see it, however I don’t really feel it. The sunburst dials are pointless for a dive watch. On high of that, I’m not a fan of the built-in bracelet. It solely allows you to match an Oris strap as an alternative choice. As everyone knows, the Marinemaster will look superior on many alternative straps. Plus, the brand new dial with its grainy texture fits a dive watch properly. Actually, I may have completed with out it, but it surely nonetheless beats the sunburst dial of the Aquis.
It’s all about context…
I may go on for some time about why I would favor the brand new Marinemaster over the Aquis every single day of the week. However one look on the fantastically sculpted lugs of the Marinemaster tells me all I must know. These lugs inform a narrative that goes again six a long time. It’s a narrative about Seiko’s collection {of professional} dive watches which have contributed enormously to how we take a look at dive watches at the moment. That alone makes the Marinemaster SLA079 my decide. The truth that I can lower your expenses whereas having fun with the story on my wrist is a pleasant benefit. However even when at the moment’s contenders have been the identical value, I’d nonetheless decide the Marinemaster. It’s not even a contest for me.
It’s time to vote!
Final time we checked, although, that is nonetheless a contest. Now it’s as much as you, our readers, to vote! So, Fratelli, which is your favourite, the Seiko Prospex SLA079 or the Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400? Forged your vote, and share your motivations within the feedback part under!
