No 80 – Seiko Snowflake Superdome

As you can see this mod was based on a SKX-diver. The thing is I’m not sure which one it was built on but on the other hand I think it was so cool it deserved its own post. Of course my main watch brother Magnus was the one who customized it. With a new dial, insert and a set of hands from 10watches he took off but what made this piece stand out was the custom made crystal he manufactured in his lathe. The superdome. This crystal was mega-thick and solid. I’m not sure how thick it actually was but it was the thickest glass I’ve ever seen on a watch. It was of course put on an all brushed Seiko jubilee bracelet. Looked killer!

#80 - The Seiko Snowflake Superdome.

The watch got some attention on the forums but it ended up just lying around and was finally sold in June 2011. I contacted the buyer a couple of years later to see if he still had it in his possession. He did have it still but unfortunately the crystal had received a small crack during some swimming pool activity when he was on vacation in Greece. It still was water resistant; it was only that it didn’t look too nice. I told him I gladly bought it back if he wanted to sell but he wanted to keep it since it still was good for swimming.

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

No 79 & 90 – Precista PRS-18Q

Precista is a brand owned by Eddie Platt from Timefactors. The Precista-line mainly consists of homages to iconic models. This particular model was inspired by the asymmetrical watch case from the old Benrus divers that were issued during the Vietnam War. The PRS-18Q is driven by a quartz movement but is also available with an automatic movement; the PRS-18A. It’s a 300m diver in a wearable size with an overall satisfying list of specs that retailed for about 280USD. A great beater! I wore my first one on a nato strap and played around with some different color combinations. I especially liked it on a black nato with green/white/red stripes. It was a good looking watch with a great value but I somehow preferred the look of MKII’s Blackwater which also is a homage to the old Benrus divers and I decided to let the Precista go and started to look for a Blackwater instead.

#79 - The Precista PRS-18Q on a gray 20mm nato.

My second one was bought right before summer vacation in July 2011. I always seem to end up having to buy something in the very last minute just before we leave and then you just have to settle with whatever is out there at the moment. So I ended up getting another PRS-18Q. Not perhaps the most glamorous watch for the French Riviera but I’m not a very glamorous person so what the hell. All I needed was something I could go swimming with. Sold it as soon as we came home.

#90 - The second one was worn on a Timefactors Isofrane.

At the Le Grand Bleu in Nice, France. Nothing I would recommend.

A little drunk at the beach with some chocolate pudding. My favorite.

I haven’t had any other Precista watches but I have been so close to buy several. For some reason I have always hesitated. The quality of the PRS-18Q was decent considered what you pay for it so it hasn’t been a quality issue. I just guess that I’m a little reluctant to homages and the only homage-brand I’ve come to accept is MKII.

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

No 77 – Seiko SBDX001 Marine Master

Once upon a time considered THE diver of all the Seiko divers. Nowadays there are plenty of new Seiko divers that cost a lot more but even though there are other models with the words “Marine Master” printed on the dial it is only the SBDX001 that really goes by that nickname.

#77 - The Seiko SBDX001 Marine Master.

The SBDX001 looks so good. It’s big (44mm) and thick and the proportions might be a little off but who cares. I bought mine in late April 2011 and it was delivered on the bracelet. I really didn’t like the look of it on the bracelet and it wasn’t very comfortable to wear. Too heavy. The rubber strap looks quite unique. Some love it, some hate it. I think it looks awesome! In the beginning it was quite hard and stiff but it softened up over time. I know some people who put their rubber straps in a coffee mug and then fill it up with boiling water to give it a rounder shape but I have never tried that. The details and the finish of the SBDX001 are great. The bezel is lovely to turn and the 8L35 movement runs so accurate and smooth. The sweeping of the hands are not far from behaving as smooth as on a Spring Drive Seiko. One other thing I really love about the watch is the one piece monocoque watch case. For me that’s a sign of a true diver’s watch. Also it has amazing lume!

From left to right: Seiko SKX011J (modified), SKXA35 and SBDX001.

An arm shot.

A lume comparison between the three.

I sold it because it was too big for me to wear as an everyday watch and to have it sitting around in the drawer waiting for summer vacation didn’t feel good. A watch like this should be worn with love every single day. But it was just one of those that I had to try. It does cost a little more than the more common SKX-divers but the extra money spent does make a big difference when it comes down to all the details.

The SBDX001 was recently replaced by the SBDX017 which looks pretty much the same but has got some upgrades on the movement and has also got the new dia-shield treatment on the watch case and bracelet. There are also two limited editions of the Marine Master, the SBDX003 and SBDX012 with nice gold details, which are tributes to the original Seiko 6159-7001. The SBDX003 is my favorite and it has a given place in my future collection of keepers to come.

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