Why The Glashütte Original SeaQ Costs $10,000

Designer Notes Subject 23
Glashütte delivered last year the first German high horology dive watch in years. But at 10,000 dollars, is this a worthy alternative to luxury dive watch such as the Rolex submariner who’s few thousand dollars less expensive? Find out here in this video.

[@Madmanmarque]

The SeaQ Pano has a newer movement with silicon hairspring and 100 hour power reserve. It also has a 21 carat rotor weight as opposed to the 39.5's tungsten. The bezel is ceramic.

[@DesignAtelier]

Thanks for the update there! Really helpful.

[@low-keyautummn5940]

They say that this watch looks better in flesh than in photos but you have made this look equally good in your video. Excellent job and a good review. Enjoyed it. Could you please do one for the bigger sibling, the Glashütte Original Seaq Panorama Date blue dial? Would love to see your thoughts on it. Cheers.

[@DesignAtelier]

This shows the glaring flaw of my reviews. There’s only so much I can do with available content. In a perfect world, I would prefer to have a hands on review of the watch. With pieces like the GO pano date, the devil is in the minutest of details. If I get a chance to see it in our island, I’ll definitely review it. Otherwise I’ll have fly to Florida to even see one.

[@low-keyautummn5940]

Lol, I can wait, not in a hurry at the moment. Thanks anyway.

[@yellowwducky]

With that movement, its a shame they didn't put on a see through caseback. That would really put this over the top in a wonderful way. That and get the reserve to be even into the 60s/70s range of hours and this would be a world beater.

[@DesignAtelier]

Yeah that would have been great. I guess they want you to buy the pano version instead.

[@saleendriver]

Being the owner of a Glashutte Original PanoMaticLunarXL, I can confirm everything you've said about this watch. It is a fantastic piece, very well built, very well finished. I love my Glashutte. Its worth every penny.

[@DesignAtelier]

One day I’ll have a seventies. Honestly I was not much fond of Glashütte until did more research on it. I have a better appreciation for it now than ever before.

[@dsong401]

Beautiful watch; just wish the 39.5 was available with display back. Date numerals could be a tad larger given the large hour numerals. Still, definitely on a different level of finish compared to the submariner.

[@erichhomerkel8272]

I have bought this watch watch a few months ago, feels very comfortable on the wrist, i love to watch the dial everyday, higher quality in my view then a submariner

[@TopSecretVid]

SeaQ Pano date in green is my Grail watch!!!

[@DesignAtelier]

Classy choice!

[@erich964]

Who would ever pick this watch over the blancpain 50 fathoms is beyond me

[@milesfisher1]

This video was superb. Bravo. Great take on the design and impressive production quality.

[@DesignAtelier]

Thank you so much. Some details may be left out since I don’t have the watch in hand. One day maybe if even see one in the wild.

[@1SaG]

... and if we're comparing real world prices, the SeaQ is something of a bargain. You can find this one for well under MSRP new, while you'll have to pay an insane premium for a Subbie if you don't want to wait a year or two.

[@DesignAtelier]

Waiting a year or two isn’t even real anymore for Rolex steel sports. But yes the seaq can be an alternative.

[@michaelbarton5169]

Such a beautiful piece, the 39.5. It's a shame the 42mm went with the awkward 4:00 date window and destroyed the symmetry.

[@Madmanmarque]

Totally disagree, The Pano Date is great right where it is. It's a hallmark of GO to have that two wheel date on the same level. Blancpain and A Lange & Sonne don't even do that!

[@jameshoward9700]

Nice presentation! I started out hating this watch - it's broken proportions, randomly polished bracelet and gawky hour hand turned me off. But the more I look at it, the more I like it. It's primitive in design terms (as befits a DDR generic skin-diver), but the anomalies give it charm and character. The rough edges have disappeared from most hyper-refined tool watches, often leaving them generic and anodyne. Not the SeaQ. Add to that the excellent build quality (JLC take note!) and solid movement and I think GO have a winner.

[@francescovallone6870]

Bravo! I think that watches w/t a diameter larger than 40/41 are not good looking, absolutely not elegant, childish. Unfortunately the gold versions are always large. Blancpain is an example. But why? We aren't all from Russia!!!!

[@DesignAtelier]

very subjective here.

[@francescovallone6870]

@@DesignAtelier yes it is indeed.

[@RedComet-uc5fn]

Man, that dial and bezel looks slick

[@DesignAtelier]

sure is!

[@darrenlee1480]

It's a new refreshing design compared to the Rolex sub

[@richardwilson3364]

Great review. I came here from the Timeless watch channel.

[@enriqueali]

At that MSRP I'm guessing very few will choose this over a similarly or lesser priced Rolex Submariner, no matter how refined, well-finished and exclusive they make the watch. And with the recently released new Sub model with an increased 70-hour power reserve, those modest advantages just got comprehensively trumped. I'm betting they'll have to significantly adjust their target sales number downwards

[@DesignAtelier]

Very very good points. I’m sure for them to compete with the likes of Rolex, they will need to step up their game now that Rolex rolled out the new subs. Regardless there is much we can appreciate from Glashütte original.

[@michaelkanger1355]

Then choose the SeaQ Panorama Date with the 36-13 movement with 100 hours power reserve and the glass case back with the impressive movement.

[@enriqueali]

@@michaelkanger1355 someone considering a sub-40mm dive watch is unlikely to cross-shop with a dive watch more than 43mm in diameter and almost 16mm thick.

[@richardclowes7428]

I would and i'll tell you why....it's more exclusive. I don't particualrly care about power reserve esp if I'm wearing the watch daily..besides setting your watch in the morning is a pleasurable experience...power reserve on watches is a bit like a cars 0-60 time...it's big dickery. I actually also quite like the fact that that the superior movement is behind a closed case...how effing cool is that...they put a closed back on to be true to the original and then put a highly finished movement behind it...that is the coolest thing ever...discrete luxury and far more classy than the most popular brand on Police seized crimainal property aucion sites.

[@JamesandRibble]

If you had to buy a new one of both the Sea Q 39.5 and a Sub tomorrow, you will be spending far more to get the Sub. Ignore MSRP. real world you will pay a huge premium to get hold of a new Subbie, but receive a discount on the Sea Q. P.S. I was in a meeting of about 20 people earlier this week, and I counted three Rolex Subs, One GMT, and one datejust (I work in the City and a Rolex is almost part of the uniform). Exclusive they are not. Get a Sea Q and I can almost guarantee you will never see another in the wild. 99% of Rolex wearers will never have heard of GO. The point is, they are completely different markets.

[@jonnieinbangkok]

The dial is too cluttered to be easily readable - a must for a dive watch, and the bezel width is too narrow making the timing numerals too small. The entire facing side of the watch is basically a mess.

[@DesignAtelier]

ok. i guess its just not for you. I can see where youre coming from. but i personally wont call it a mess.

[@unwokeneuropean3590]

I have very similar watch... hm a homage... and its very readable.

[@73maf53]

Love this watch 💙

[@stonker77]

Hi how about doing a video on Doxa Sub 300T or Fortis Marinemaster Chronograph? Thanks

[@DesignAtelier]

You mean the new doxa? Sure thing! Been meaning to make something about doxa.

[@charlieboylol527]

Great video

[@darrenlee1480]

Can u make a video on Baltic Aquascaphe?

[@DesignAtelier]

Thanks for your support. Let me see if there is enough information I can gather about it.

[@darrenlee1480]

@@DesignAtelier ty look forward to see ur new videos!

[@corneliusscipio777]

@@darrenlee1480 the Baltic Aquascaphe doesn't worth a video. 620 EUR Chinese watch with a miyota 9000s movement. Overpriced watch (with that money you can buy a Tissot Sea Star)

[@gynat5968]

Ive tried it on...Not worth the asking.

[@dimman77]

That is a pretty nice Vostok.