No 47 – Seiko SBDC001

A.k.a. Sumo. I'm not sure what it has done to deserve its nickname. Perhaps it's just because it’s a little fatter, rounder and bulkier compared to the Samurai? The Sumo is a member of the Prospex family and is still in production today. I bought mine in August 2010 and got a hold of one manufactured in August 2008. I didn’t like the look of the bracelet and decided to get it with an additional rubber strap and went for the 20mm rubber originally made for the Marine Master 300; the SBDX001. What I really didn’t like about the Sumo was that the case went up around the side of the bezel. It feels like a great place where sand would get stuck after a day on the beach. What I do like about it though is that it feels like it’s well built. It gives you a solid overall impression and the case has got some nice sharp angles. It feels like the Sumo is the natural next step to take when you’re done playing around with your SKX diver and is ready to move up the ladder. It measures 44mm excl. crown and is a little bigger compared to the SKX’s 42mm but the depth rating is the same with 200m. The movement is a 6r15-movement which hacks and can be wound manually and according to me it runs a little smoother and more accurate compared to the 7s26.

#47 – The Seiko SBDC001 a.k.a Sumo. Here on top of the cover of the G.I.JOE original series vol. 1.1.

Fullset.

A little ding on the upper left lug.

Signed crown.

Made in August 2008.

Wristshot.

I haven’t had any of the other Sumo’s available; the blue SBDC003 or the orange SBDC005. I have been planning to buy a SBDC003 and modify it with some MM hands and a blue MM insert from Yobokies. I think that would give it a cleaner look. There have also been some limited edition Sumo’s in some other color combinations but the 001, 003 and 005 are the ones still in production.

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No 45 - Marathon General Purpose

Mmmm! Tritium tubes! After owning the TSAR I was totally hooked on those little tubes. Brands like Ball, Traser and Marathon was constantly on my radar. Even this cute little plastic watch caught my attention. I picked up a used one on eBay in June 2010 for about $90 or $100. I would definitely recommend one as a fun and casual everyday watch for the person who isn’t a watch maniac. Nowadays Marathon has their own web store so it’s just to go and get one. This particular model with quartz movement and date is listed at $200. But there are other versions in other colors and without date and with mechanical movements available. The only thing I don’t like about it is its proportions. Since they are quite small, 34 or 36mm, they should have been thinner but because of the high plexi they get too thick. To me it looks pretty funny. A little fatty-fat-fat.

#45 - The Marathon General Purpose quartz with date.

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No 44 – Omega Genève

Bought this nice little mechanical dress watch from no other than the owner of the watch forum TimeToTalk Tony Axelzon himself. It was a reference 135.041 and had a caliber 601 inside. I made an awful deal and paid about $160 for it and got about $95 when I sold it. This was in May 2010. It was in great condition and came with and Omega box. If it was the original box I’m not sure off. I’m not really sure why I bought it. I like the shape of case so that was probably the main reason. Or perhaps I thought I needed a dress watch? I can’t really remember. On another strap this one could have looked pretty sweet but it didn’t make anyone happy looking the way it did on that flat and thin brown leather I received it on. I don’t think I ever wore it. Sold it fast.

#44 – Omega Genève. All pictures taken by Tony Axelzon.

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No 42 – Ollech & Wajs MP 2824-2

My one and only O&W. An automatic military inspired watch with an ETA 2824-2 movement and a case that measured approx. 38mm (excl. crown), a sterile dial with T-marking combined with sword hands. Received it on a 18mm grey nato strap. Wore quite well. Not too big, not too small. Not much to say really. It came and it went and didn’t leave me any lasting impressions. But for being a $150 watch with an ETA movement I must say it was pretty damn priceworthy.



#42. The Ollech & Wajs MP 2824-2. Bought in May 2010.

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No 41 & 124 – Glycine Combat SUB

This is what I would call a true homage to the Submariner and far from a direct copy. It has borrowed the design from a Sub but it has got its own details to make it more unique. It’s a little beefier with its 42mm and 22mm lug width but it’s still a slim watch. This color-combo of the Combat SUB is the one I like the most. The others not so much.

I paid about $400 for my first Combat SUB. It was used and came without the bracelet but on the original rubber. It felt like some well spent money for a used watch in comparison to what I got; a well-built automatic 200m diver with a screw down crown and with a cool design from an acknowledged and well reputed brand.

#41 – My first Combat SUB. Here back in June 2010 together with my newly bought Shimano Sonora 400FD fishing reel.

Photographed in the sun on the balcony.

Nice caseback with two cute seals.

Having a beer after a day of pike fishing in June 2010.

Captured during a walk in Stockholm.

I bought my second one, the same reference but on the bracelet this time, in March 2012. The bracelet was a little bit too solid for me and didn’t taper very much. I hate bracelets that doesn’t taper towards the buckle. Bought a Citizen-like rubber from Bonetto for it which it looked quite good on. Owned it for a month and then flipped it for something else. Lost dough.

#124 – The second Combat SUB. Here on bracelet.

A wrist shot at work.

On a Bonetto rubber.

I really like Glycine watches and especially their Airman collection. The Combat SUB is a cool and affordable watch which I definitely can recommend and I think you should give it a try if you get the chance. This is another brand I feel is genuine and have confidence in.

 

Product image of the Glycine Combat SUB ref. 3863.

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No 39 & 239 – Seiko SKX173

The SKX173 is basically the same as the SKX007 but with a dial design that has its looks borrowed from the 7002-diver. If I’m not mistaken the 173 is assembled in Malaysia and made only for the US market. I prefer the 173 to the 007 because it’s not quite as commonly seen in Sweden as the 007. The first 173 I got was from eBay in the beginning of May in 2010.


#39 – The SKX173.

Manufactured in August 2009.

The second one I owned was purchased used quite recently here in Sweden in the beginning of December 2014.

#239 – SKX173 number two.

Both were worn on the flat vent original Z-22 rubber and kept unmodified. From what I can remember I didn’t wear the first one at any special occasions but the second one got to accompany me to London when Daniel and I vent to visit Martin for his 30th birthday. Sold it shortly after we came home.

Daniel and I back at Freud’s. This time after some Christmas shopping. The SKX173 is barely visible but it’s there.

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No 38 – Timex

I picked up this mechanical Timex of unknown model at a flea market in April 2010 for 10USD. Why? Well it was cheap, it seemed to function quite well and wasn’t totally uncool. Old crap like this is something I usually don’t deal with. Some love to browse through second hand stores or flea markets for vintage watches but not me. Vintage watches are cool but I prefer newly produced. I’m totally fine with heritage watches with fake patina that have the features of old classics but with new fresh movements inside. Take the Longines Legend Diver or the new Omega SM 300 as an example. That’s more my cup of tea. I don’t like old watches because of their unreliable accuracy and doubtful water resistance. A service of an old movement is also associated with high costs. Not good for us flipper’s. That’s why we should stay away from vintage watches unless their service history can be ensured with some authentic documentation. Otherwise we would be ruined in no time. I hate to sell watches that I can’t say work well for sure. That’s why it is extremely important to point out any uncertainties you can’t vouch for when putting out watches for sale. Otherwise it will come back and bite you in the ass sooner or later. I would of course make an exception regarding a service if I happened to find an old rare classic watch for a bargain. This Timex though didn’t fall under that category so I sold it for the same price I paid just to get rid of it. It wore quite well on an 18mm nato-strap and measured approx. 35mm but it was nothing for me to keep.

#38 - An old mechanical Timex.

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No 36 – Super Compressor by Magnus

When my dear friend Magnus put together those Super Compressor’s I immediately signed up for one. How should a notorious watch flipper with a passion for dive watches be able to resist an affordable watch that resembles the classic JLC Memovox diver? Well you can’t. He fitted them with Miyota movements ticking inside and delivered them on black tropic rubbers. For some reason I wasn’t much of a tropic fan back then and bought a Hirsch Liberty for it instead. 

Product image by Magnus.

Magnus made a total of twelve or thirteen pieces. All the parts were purchased from various sellers and assembled in his little workshop at home. The buzz on the forums spread quickly and they sold out in an instant. Some of them ended up on the other side of the world. It’s very rare but really fun when they sometimes can be seen for sale and are then mentioned as “The Magnus Super Compressor” or “Super Compressor by Magnus”. 

#36 – The Super Compressor on the Hirsch Liberty.

A blurry wrist shot on the tropic.

A blurry wrist shot on the tropic.

I know that Magnus got some really interesting projects that he currently has stowed away. I sometimes try to encourage him to pick them up and hopefully he will.



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No 34 – CWC General Service

Bought this baby directly from Silvermans in mid-March back in 2010. I had completely fallen in love with the shape of the case and the fixed spring bars. It was like a dressy toolwatch! I wore it quite a lot for two months and the ETA movement it housed inside ran really well. I think the General Service is much cooler than the CWC G10. They are quite similar in size and the dials look almost the same but the case of the General Service feels so much more retro with its smooth streamlined design. I first wore it on the grey nato it was delivered on but then switched to a blue/yellow-striped nato which gave it an even more retro look. Looked really good in my eyes.



#34 – The CWC General Service on the original grey nato.

On the blue/yellow-striped nato.



I sold this one way to cheap. It was bought new and buying stuff new is a great way to lose cash if you aren’t sure you’re going to keep it. As a frequent flipper I’ve learned to think twice before I buy something new. The downside when going through all the watches that has come and gone is that you suddenly realize how much money you have lost from being so impatient. I’ve dealt with the loss by looking at it as a sort of “rental fee”. I got to own the watch for a while and why should that be free of charge? This way of reasoning has kept the anxiety away from building up on my shoulders and has let me continue flipping watches with a guilt free conscience.

Here on a black zulu.



The General Service made me fall in love even more with Cabot Watch Company and I went on to try most of their 300m SBS dive watches. The brand feels genuine and their quality has not let me down so far. I always mention CWC as an alternative when people ask me for advice regarding watches. Unfortunately the General Service has been discontinued and can only be found used. The G10 is a good alternative though and can still be purchased new for $200 and is frequently found used for even less than that.

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No 32 – Seiko SBDA005

It’s time for the second coolest of the Samurai’s to be introduced. The orange SBDA005. I came across this one in the end of February 2010 and if you read about the Ocean7 G-1 you know that I got the SBDA005 in a trade for the G-1. My only objective in the trade was to move the Ocean7 for something new. It really didn’t matter what it was. Now it happened to be an orange titanium Samurai that I was offered. The deal was valued to $250 and I got an extra $50 on the side to cover up the difference to the G-1. Back then I remember that I was hesitating. I had met the seller at a McDonald’s downtown and I remember I was thinking things like “Jeeez! That sure is an ugly watch. And orange, what the hell? Who wears an orange watch?” But we ended up making a deal and both were happy.

#32 – The orange titanium SBDA005 a.k.a. Samurai.

Full set. Sweet!

The traditional wrist shot on the balcony.

It’s funny because today orange dialed watches are among my favorites. And also it’s funny because now, only five years later, the orange and blue Samurai’s can sometimes be seen on eBay going for $1000. The black ones are usually a little more common and therefor don’t go as high as that. Anyhow, since it was so ugly my new objective became to move it as soon as I could without losing any dough. Looking back on it I didn't make bad deal but it would have been interesting keeping this watch and see what would have become of it. For Seiko lovers it sure is an upcoming collectible.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 31, 141 & 361 – Seiko SKX009

What? Only two SKX009’s? Something must be wrong! I actually thought I had had more than two 009’s but the one I had the longest, watch number 159, was actually a SKX007 that was modified with the dial from a 009 so it didn’t qualify as a pure 009 (read more about watch 159 here). For you who doesn't know the difference between the 007 and 009 it is only the color of the dial, chapter ring and bezel insert that separates them.

The first one I bought was in mid February 2010. It came on the jubilee bracelet which I switched out for an olive nato strap. Today the jubilee is my absolute favorite Seiko bracelet. You just have to give it an all brushed finish first to get rid of the bling and bring out the tooliness. Sold it two weeks later because there was a want to buy-add out looking for one. Time to sell!

#31 – On the jubilee.

On the nato.

My second one got to stay a little longer. Looks like I had it during the whole month of August in 2012. Got this one on the president bracelet. My second favorite of the Seiko bracelets. As you already know it’s a perfect summer beater and this one got to go on several fishing trips. Luckily it managed to get caught on some pictures while being out in the archipelago hunting for predators.

#141 – On the president.

Thai dinner on the balcony.

Drinking Asbach. The best.

Took its bezel insert for a round with the chlorine.

Pike fishing in early August.

The same goes for the SKX009 as for the 007 of course. Perhaps the best entry level watch for a becoming watch maniac. One should always be in your collection.



UPDATE - September 27th 2017.

I love the Seiko serial numbers and hunting for watches that are manufactured a certain year and month is something I always do. So when my second son was born I figured I was going to be a little more prepared. I mean, why not buy the watch new directly in the store when I had the chance? Of course it had to be much easier to find a watch with a serial number that matched the year and month he was born if I started to keep an eye open for when the watches manufactured in February 2017 was going to hit the stores, instead of years later trying to find a watch with the serial number I wanted. And was I right or what? I actually had plenty of models to choose from but quickly realized I wanted something classic. So the choice was made to buy a SKX009. I bought one on a jubilee bracelet but took it for a spin on a Seiko president. Love that combo! Anyhow, just like the CWC for my son, this watch will also be used every now and then until one day when he will receive it.

#361 - The third 009. Purchased for my second son.

On a DAL1BP rubber.

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