NSOW. Seiko 'Baby' Marinemaster Review.

My review of the Seiko SBDC063 Baby Marine Master, a relatively new dive watch loosely on a classic Seiko (the 62MAS) of the sixties.
This is a member of the Seiko Prospex line and is one of the cheapest Seiko dive watches fitted with a ceramic bezel, sapphire crystal and the 6R15 movement. This is a japanese domestic market version however there is a US domestic market SKU as well, the SPB079.
Here's my speaking notes if you are interested. For an slightly extended (and easier to read) version go here: www.notsoobviouswatches.com/2...
FUNCTIONS - TIME/DATE
SIMPLE 6R15 - HACK/HANDWIND/QUICK SET DATE
LEGIBILITY - INCREDIBLE
BIG FLAT DIAL - CLEAN HI CONTRAST INDICIES - FLAT AS A TACK CRYSTAL WITH AR
SIMPLE SWORD HANDS, MIN HAND LONG. COMBINED WITH MARKERS ON REHAUT
MONSTER HOUR OUT OF THE WAY BUT REALLY OBVIOUS
POWER RESERVE. 50 HOUR
VERSATILITY (WHO CAN IT FIT AND HOW CAN IT BE USED)
44mm X 51mm X 13.1 mm
ON THE BIGGER SIDE - VERY EASY ON MY 7.5INCH WRIST
LUGS SWEEP LOW, SHAPING THE WATCH TO WRIST AND HELPING 6.5 SHOULD OK
ROBUSTNESS
316L STEEL/SAPPHIRE
GREAT STEP UP FROM HARDLEX
NEW SEIKO’S DIASHIELD COATING ON THE CASE AND BRACELET,
NO IDEA WHAT THIS IS - APPEARS TO BE A COATING NOT A TREATMENT
SPRON 510 MAINSPRING CO-NI-CR-MO ALLOY NON-MAGNETIC ULTRA HIGH ELASTICITY AND STRENGTH, HIGH DURABILITY HEAT RESISTANCE.
STAINLESS STEEL BEZEL MY FAVORITE MATERIAL I THINK - GOLDILOCKS - HARDER TO SCRATCH BUT WONT SHATTER LIKE SAPPHIRE
200 M WATER RESISTANCE - AND SCREW DOWN CROWN
NO CROWN GUARDS BUT REALLY? IS THAT ACTUALLY AN ISSUE?
BANDS - A SIMPLE SILICON ACCORDIAN STYLE BAND - REALLY NICE HARDWARE
DRILLED LUGS - VERY CHANGEABLE.
QUITE HEAVY, LUGS NOT SUPER LOW COMPARED TO LITTLE POT BELLIED CASEBACK SO A BIT WOBBLY ON A NATO.
PRETTY MUCH ANYTIME - ANY PLACE
THE SLIGHTLY VINTAGE FEEL, SUBDUED COLOURS AND DISCRETION FROM ITS SLOPEY MAGIC VANISHING TRICK
LOOKS (TO YOU AND OTHER PEOPLE)
CLASSIC DIVER
BIG AND CHUNKY BUT NOT A LUMP
ITS A RETRO INSPIRED DESIGN BUT COULD BE MODERN
CARNIVAL OF COMPOUND CURVES, BARELY A STRAIGHT LINE TO BE SEEN
BUT ALSO NOT FUSSY - THE CURVES ARE LONG
THE SURFACES ARE BROAD AND RUN THE LENGTH OF THE CASE
ANGLED NOT FACETED
FINISHING AMAZING AT THIS PRICE
HIGH POLISH - DOUBT ITS SEIKOS ZARATZU -
CIRCULAR BRUSHING
DIAL
SO SIMPLE BUT BEAUTIFUL - BEAUTIFUL SPARSENESS
HANDS ARE SIMPLE A WORK WITH THE INDICIES
LUMABRITE FILLING GIVING UNIFIED LOOK
SILVERED INDICE/HAND SURROUNDS ADD A TOUCH OF CLASS
REHAUT MARKERS
LOOKING DOWN KIND OF OUT OF WAY
FROM ANGLE ADD INTEREST
BEZEL
SLIGHTLY THICK BEZEL (?) I THINK
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE BLUE - REALLY DEEP CYAN - TOUCH OF GREEN - A PETROL BLUE
DATE. OK. IN AT THE 3 - NICELY INTEGRATED
WHITE ON BLACK NOT AWFUL
BUT I THINK I WOULD HAVE PREFERED WHITE ON BLACK
SEIKOS LUMABRITE IS JUSTIFIABLY FAMOUS
CASE BACK CLASSIC SEIKO TSUNAMI AND SPEC SHEET
NICE BUT UNSPECTACULAR
LESS PRESNENCE THAN NOMINAL SIZE WOULD INDICATE
LITTLE POT BELLIED MVMT MEANS A LITTLE HIGH
HAVEN'T TRIED ON A NATO - WOULD GO FOR A THIN ONE ONLY
FEEL.
CONTROLS - OK - TYPICAL 4R/NH35 FEEL
IN THE HAND. HEAVY - SMOOTH - QUALITY - CLEAN .
ON THE WRIST. SOME HEFT BUT COMFORTABLE.
ALSO SITS NICE AN SNUG SO VERY SECURE.
BUILD.
CASE EXCELLENT -
THIS WOULD NOT BE AN EASY CASE SHAPE - THOSE COMPLEX CURVES REQUIRE GOOD MACHINING AND POLISHING
POLISH GREAT, BRUSHING FINE AND LIGHT
DIAL. LIKE THE CASE SIMPLE SO NOT A LOT OF OPPORTUNE TO SHINE
HANDS NICE OF SUBSTANTIAL
LUME VERY WELL APPLIED
INDICIES - WELL PLACED, NO FLAWS , EVERYTHING WHERE IT SHOULD BE
BEZEL. BUTTERY - THE RACHET ROLLS FROM CLICK TO CLICK
LITTLE BIT OF PLAY - MEANS WHILE IN THEORY EVERYTHING LINES UP, IN PRACTICE YOU CAN MISS
MOVEMENT. ITS A 6R15 SERIES. SO STILL WORKMANLIKE BUT MORE SO.
NOT ESPECIALLY ACCURATE - WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN
EASE OF OWNERSHIP
SPECTACULAR VALUE
ITS AN UNTOUCHED SEIKO CAN IT BE EASIER?
FINDING ONE. EASY
AUTHENTICITY. - 50:50 ON AUTHENTICITY WATCH
TRUE TO HISTORY. THE SBDC061 AND SBDC063 ARE BEST DESCRIBED AS INSPIRED BY THE 6159 RATHER THAN REISSUES
DESIGN (TRUE TO ITSELF). ABSOLUTELY - THE DESIGNERS HAVE NOT BEEN CONSTRAINED BY
ALL JUST - BETTER AND YET - IT HASNT DITCHED ITS ROOTS
TREADING THE LINE PERFECTLY IN MY VIEW.
POSITIONAL POWER - HOW IT WILL BE SEEN BY OTHERS
ITS A SEIKO - LIKE IT OR NOT THAT WILL LIMIT THE VIEWS OF THIS WATCH
FOR BETTER OR WORSE, NOT TOO HIGH, BUT NOT TOO LOW
LOCAL FOOTBALL STAR VS THE INTERNATIONAL WE SEE ON EUROSPORT
NOT A MALL BUY
SO WHAT’S THE VERDICT - SWIPE RIGHT (GOOD) OR LEFT (BAD)
SWIPE HARD RIGHT
GREAT LOOKS
WELL BUILT
REALLY SOLID VALUE
NOT SUPER COMMON BUT REALLY EASY TO LIVE WITH
THE TURTLE/SAMURAI AND MONSTER ARE GREAT VALUE
THIS IS JUST A GREAT WATCH
FOR NEW COLLECTORS - I REALLY RECOMMEND STARTING HERE IF YOU CAN

[@7rslender]

this is probably the best and most detailed review of this watch. You did a great job. I am wearing an SBDX017 and now think that I need the SBDC063 too. Nuts! I think I would mod the hands to that of the 6159-7000. Subbed by the way.

[@PeteMcConvill]

Much appreciated!

[@ericfreutel8240]

Gorgeous watch. Superb review. Thank you 🙏

[@rob6310]

Well presented.

[@Bob.martens]

Longines hydroconquest gets you 64 hours PR for 1000 USD.

[@PeteMcConvill]

Really? I missed that one. I just remembered theres a Tissot out there at 80 too so I probably just got that wrong.

[@jamesgarthur4897]

@@PeteMcConvill you can get the Chrono version of the Longines which is very well built & give even a Daytona a run for its money at JOMA SHOP for $1350.

[@jackpurcell274]

Very good critique, easy to see that you really enjoy this watch. I noticed the +25/-15 seconds and I was wondering how accurate is yours? The 4r36 in my turtle is about 5 seconds or so a day fast on wrist and about -10 seconds a day on the wonder and it shows the same +25/-15 in the literature

[@PeteMcConvill]

Thanks Jack. Depending on the position I'm getting between -10 to 15 sec per day on the timegrapher but I dont really track it. I only bought the timegrapher as a diagnostic tool for vintage stuff - if a watch is within 30 secs a day its good enough for me.

[@9748268343]

Beautiful review, as always. Have you checked new sumo? That has a 6r movement with 70 hrs reserve. I wonder what is the difference between two movements.

[@PeteMcConvill]

Hey Samir - thanks for the kind words. No, I dont love the Sumo. I like the case but cant really get into the bezel and markings. I'll look into the movement differences though - that is interesting.

[@markusf6964]

6R35 movement is thinner, 1 extra jewel and 20hours extra power reserve. accuracy of the 6r35 is still the same. specified +25 to -15seconds per day.

[@markusf6964]

The case of this Seiko is brilliant, but i would go for the plan black bezel. It's more enjoyable to wear in comparision to my MM300 SBDX001. In the new Seiko Fashion there are way to many color versions of this model. I like the gold hands and indices of the SPB105J1. Greetings from Melbourne.

[@PeteMcConvill]

I can see the classic good looks of the black bezel but as I said (and obviously bought) I prefer the blue. PS. I didnt know I have a viewer in the same city.

[@Bob.martens]

I wonder why Seiko doesn't use the magic Hardlex in their more upper range models.

[@PeteMcConvill]

Its so good its reserved for the people - the gentry have to suffer with sapphire.

[@jamesarthur6962]

Sorry Pete, for that price I think I could list at least 5 better alternatives ATM especially if your only a desk diver like most of us...pretty standard features. I need to send you some watches to review I think that I bought all under 1K USD that all have suprised me for you to review on your channel.

[@PeteMcConvill]

Very happy to borrow pieces for review. one of the challenges for starting a channel like this is in the early days Im kind of limited to the watches I can access. I do love this watch BUT I can see your point, is it "the best" at this price point? Hmm. Ultimately I think my Alpina is actually better OTOH I can buy the Seiko for 690 usd every day while the Alpina is often closer to $900 usd. What I would stand by is what I said in the video, that this watch at 690 usd is a far better option than a Samurai or Turtle at 350ish.

[@jamesarthur6962]

@@PeteMcConvill I am happy to loan you piece, most of my pieces in Australia are kept in Guardian Vaults in Melbourne & Sydney as I have many in LA & Europe. My insurance policy limits me to only having 35 pieces or $500,000 at any home at any one time across all locations - that was the best I could get with Lloyds of London. But I have been collecting for half my life, 23 years, to get around this I often leave my Rolex purchases in Australia with my AD whcih is Hour Glass until they keep calling my lawyer to shift them to the vault which recently happened.

[@jamesarthur6962]

@@PeteMcConvill I am happy to loan you piece, most of my pieces in Australia are kept in Guardian Vaults in Melbourne & Sydney as I have many in LA & Europe. My insurance policy limits me to only having 35 pieces or $500,000 at any home at any one time across all locations - that was the best I could get with Lloyds of London. But I have been collecting for half my life, 23 years, to get around this I often leave my Rolex purchases in Australia with my AD whcih is Hour Glass until they keep calling my lawyer to shift them to the vault which recently happened.

[@PeteMcConvill]

Thats a very kind offer. When you're in Melbourne next we should meet up. Best contact for me is [e-mail]

[@shipmate3577]

Hands metal color is a dull grey and doesn’t match the shiny indices outline shiny metal. That’s sh*t attention to detail by Seiko

[@PeteMcConvill]

I wouldn't call the hand surrounds dull ie matt. True they are more a satin to the indices gloss. Doesnt really bother me but we all have different things that piss us off.