KVW’s Overdue Review of the Seiko MM300 SBDX001 Marinemaster

A look at a near-mint OG SBDX001 Marinemaster MM300. Bonus content: how to change the bezel gasket on an MM300!
There’s an MM300 in my watch box again! I've owned two of these, and I didn't think I'd own another. Well, I was wrong. About a great many things.
Bonus! "How to change a rotating ring gasket on an MM300!" segment in the middle.
PSA: This video contains sub-optimal levels of editing, usually none. We have zero script, no planning, basic editing, etc. Same for the sound - if you can hear anything count that as a win. Even if that "anything" is tuneless humming. I did pump up the volume though. YMMV if you choose to blow part of your life on this. No Refunds. Enjoy!
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No ammonites were harmed in the making of this video.

[@conorwhitworth5182]

The uneven lume is so utterly charming. Definitely hand applied. A modern masterpiece for sure. The handset has to be one of the very best from any watch at any price point.

[@ranmoto6741]

This can be a perfect one watch collection, such a beautiful timepiece.

[@mcbreezy29]

Just picked up an SBDX001 last month. My dream watch!

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

enjoy it!

[@MERKAMGCLK]

MAJOR CONGRATS! I too aquired an original SBDX001 earlier this year. When I opened the box the first thing that entered my mind was, " Where have you been all my life." These are made at the Grand Seiko factory by the same master watch makers.

[@paultowns9880]

Wow! Thats a beauty. Congratulations Spencer.

[@GapBahnDirk]

I had my SBDX001 overhauled at a Seiko service centre in Thailand. Complete overhaul USD$135 (5,000 Baht). New escape wheel and pinion, pawl lever with jewel, barrel bridge, gaskets, spring bars. Polished bracelet and clasp. Tested to 5bar. It probably has some MEMS parts in it now.

[@mikes.4136]

The SBDX001 is a classic. It really is a tank, but it still looks elegant. Congratulations, on your new acquisition.

[@mizeni]

Love the style and finish of that beauty. Really enjoyed your review and we got a free gasket-changing tutorial!

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

free things are good!

[@ph69jbl]

If Spencer says is a pain in the neck to resize the mm300 bracelet due to the crazy pin & collar system … makes me feel much better since every time I do that I feel like I am doing a brain surgery while I am balancing on a rope over the Grand Canyon

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

IT SUCKS

[@Zeus-kj7nn]

Took two links out and reconnected in five minutes. No problem.

[@theenavybluemonster]

I got a SBDX017 earlier this year and I love it way more than I thought I would. I wear mine on the OEM rubber strap or other rubber straps. The bracelet is ok. Would love to see the SBDX001 in the metal someday to compare.

[@gabriel_lim82]

The sbdx001 is probably one of the best seiko watches ever made. I'm fortunate to own one and enjoy wearing it

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

I looked at mine yesterday, and your comment swung me to wear it today.

[@jamessmith6402]

Thanks Spencer that Seiko is a fabulous watch 👍

[@davew8841]

A lovely watch! And a useful video. I replaced the damaged bezel gasket on my modified sea urchin today. And it was still stiff to move. I'll go back in tomorrow and grease it some more!

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

Make sure you didn't pinch the gasket - that is by far the most common reason bezels lock up after a gasket change. Stretch the gasket out some (not much) so that it takes a bit of finagling to get it into the gasket channel inside the ring. That will help it hold where it is supposed to be, rather than getting pulled out and pinched.

[@davew8841]

Thanks! The person who had modded it for me a few years ago, had gotten the gasket caught between glass and bezel, and it wouldn't turn. I ordered a new one and decided to tackle it myself. First time. And successfully now!

[@WristWatcher]

Why do you think the watch is so big? I know i love the design, do you think its to obtain the professional 300m water resistance for saturation diving without any helium escape valve? I know these crystals are very robust unlike regular sapphire crystals. Im curious what you think of the new Seiko SPB455 which is the 62mas, but now has "divers 300m" water resistance. Just curious why grand seiko divers and mm300s are a bit bigger is all. Great video btw! 😊

[@jump7548]

People complain about the bracelet, but I found that it's actually fairly solid.The extension was enough to get over my drysuit, as a matter of fact. Unfortunately, I maimed the clasp quite badly while I was very drunk. Now it lives on an isofrane. edit - I have actually had the extendion bend during a dive. I agree not completely safe; better on rubber.

[@2quoope]

Ok Spencer if you ever decide to sell it I want first dibs! Great video man!

[@KevG1962]

I used to own one of these. Fabulous watch and no X on the dial!

[@chrisgreenwood271]

I fitted a clasp from a Seiko monster bracelet to my SBDX001 years ago, never had an issue.

[@sheila9358]

Great review..more of these

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

Can do!

[@123drphilgood]

“I think I’m gonna have to pop that off of there and geese that seal” 😂😂😂

[@neelsengupta662]

That's a keeper!!

[@babysit]

I have a "seiko 7n42-0bx0" my dad gave it to me after showing him your cool watches :D so many cool ones he still wears a Seiko Diver today little did I know :)

[@CoolWatchesOnly]

Love this watch, bought an homage of it, (the Heimdallr mm300) and I fear I need to buy the original now🤦‍♂🤣

[@masterwatch]

there is something nice about that first generation MM300, it does look good.

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

It really does have something doesn't it.

[@mohnnadmercedes8246]

Wow its looks pretty when bezel is out! Is there a mod for flat bezel 😬 i know its odd but I think it’s gonna looks good

[@SideWalkAstronomyNetherlands]

:) I finely got an extra link for the San Martin SN0107, a friend in the UK gave it, and the extra links to me, he held a lottery, he reviews watches, so I won one last month. These watch bands from Asia are always too short, and you cannot for the world order extra links. So I know what you talk about with these tiny screws in the links, and that pin in the clasp...But finely it fits.. Great watch. Applied indecies , they have edges, gilded. Dark clock face. Printed logo, so no in-your-face logo. Happy watch owner :) I had the glass in my Pulsar 2001 quartz replaced...lol, and it chipped again, not much, but well... inside again, so the housing must have had a blow in the past, and there is tension on the glass.. I can see it because I know it is there. But it still looks great..a totally bling free watch :)

[@aaroncostello8812]

People really loved the 'Italian Chrono' bracelets for their 300m Tunas. Strangely, this is the reason they are still somewhat expensive even though there are many other bracelet options for the Tuna now. I have two MMs...an extremely early one from 2000 and a later one from 2014. I wear the one from '14, but the '00 is a safe queen. Both great watches. Be reeeeaaallly careful with the crown. Early MMs were infamous for cross-threading and stripping the stem tubes.

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

You don't use the patented KVW Crown Preservation System?? It's not really a system though. It's my method to preserve the crown & tube threads, and I'm sure you don't need it at all. So, this is for anyone reading who might need the info. Push crown in and, keeping gentle pressure, turn the crown backwards until you feel the *click* of the crown and tube threads meshing, then turn forwards and gently firm the crown down.

[@2quoope]

Wow the Italian Tuna is awesome! What reference is that?

[@WristWatcher]

Wanna know something crazy about these mm300s? Discontinued. Hold onto them!

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

That's some good advice!

[@Dadication3]

Love that one.

[@Supercruze]

The MM300 is an insanely good watch for the money and the SBDX001s in good condition are becoming harder and harder to find. The bracelet makes these watches very heavy so I wear mine on the rubber strap. I have the SBDX017. A keeper for sure. Enjoy. Would love to hear you thoughts on a tool to remove the winding weight on these 8L35s.

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

I made a tool. I saw it recently, I'm sure.

[@setter55]

Lovely example, I own a 017, (2016 model). The lume looks lumpy on it, similar to a 001. But the lume plots have much thinner borders than the 001. Is it possible that some early 017"s had hand apied lume?

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

I thought they were all hand-lumed to be honest. But being wrong is my middle name.

[@setter55]

@@SpencerKleinVintageWatch I've heard that they stopped the hand luming soon into the production of the 017. The 001 does have much thicker bordered markers too. I've owned quite a few modern seiko divers, lume on all is very smooth and uniform. Yet my 017 is lumpy like the early model.

[@BiffTannenBTTF]

I hope you can get ahold of the 6119 5 sports reissue. I'd love to see your take on it.

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

Thank you for reminding me! I'll do that, like right now.

[@dyslexicbien]

Why is the box "prospex" when its not?

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

"Prospex" was from before the whole big X thing.

[@miked5789]

Looking for an MM300 atm. I find the 001's command a premium over the 017/SLA021. The average prices are about 25-35% higher.

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

No kidding, I didn't know that!

[@cmitt8883]

What? Spencer likes watches? These are so nice. Wish my twig wrist could pull it off!

[@aaroncostello8812]

Yeah, if your wrists are much under 7" they are hard to pull off.

[@wolfdna788]

I had one of these in 2017 and flew from dallas to Chicago to trade for a Breitling blackbird and it went discontinued and shot up in price like 2 weeks later. Horrible

[@alexmoloz]

Great watch! I wish I had larger wrists

[@MohammedKhaled-ju7gy]

If you have 14 cm wrist. You can still wear this.

[@woodentulike2no]

So I had this exact model Seiko about 8 or 9 years ago that I sold like an idiot and recently picked up the SLA 047 is the closest I could find and I'm head over heels and love thanks for a great look back at an awesome marinemaster

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

You're welcome!

[@roadgent7921]

Would be better if they did this with a 7C46 movement and hands and Tuna bracelet. 😊

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

Well, what's interesting is that to me the MM300 kind of looks like a Tuna without the shroud, though it doesn't need a shroud at all.

[@roadgent7921]

@SpencerKleinVintageWatch Also the hands...you remember your 6105 vid where it'd been fitted with service 6309 hands...much more balanced and better suited to the dial? This MM dial is very similar to the 6105. Add a quartz mvt and you have a rockin piece. 🙂

[@professorredfox]

Hello! I’ve been trying to reach you via email for a quick question about my speed timer. Please let me know the best way to reach you! Thanks ❤

[@heljestrand]

Could have sworn you had a jewel like 6159 years ago?

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

Oh sure, I've had a few. But I never wore them in part because they were so nice. I'm looking for a good 6215 that's worn enough to wear but not so much it's distracting.

[@MrPINKFL0YD]

Very overpriced

[@seanhickling7340]

It's probably just me but this looks like a really 💩 submariner homage

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

I'll answer this today!

[@djdelarosa25]

Wouldn't greasing the bezel ratchet surfaces just make it accumulate gunk, in turn accelerating wear?

[@SpencerKleinVintageWatch]

Yes, but it's going to get there anyway. This is a tiny amount of grease; I hope it'd be fine. But I'll check it just to be sure.