I've dubbed it "Land Shark" for its compass bezel and
200m WR.
Model number:
SKZ211K1
Movement: 7S36, 23 jewels
Case: Stainless steel with solid stainless
steel screw-down back
Bracelet: solid link stainless steel with
solid end links
Inner rotating bezel is actuated with the crown at 9:00
Seiko "Hardlex" mineral crystal
200m water resistant
42mm diameter without crowns (50mm with crowns)
15mm thick
Lug width: 22mm
Why
I bought this watch: It's absolutely cool looking! I think it's one of
the most unique and toughest looking watches in my collection. The
first time I saw a picture posted on the forum
I knew I had to have it. Aside from the great looks, it's also a
beautifully made Seiko with high-quality case, bracelet and dial work.
I've examined the watch through a loupe, and everything is top-notch,
even under magnification. I've worn nothing else for a week and I'm
still excited when I look atmy wrist.
Okay, I'm going to
take it apart piece by piece and tell you about the watch.
The case:
As mentioned above, it's beautifully finished, and the 42mm diameter is
my most preffered
size. I really like the all-polished and very simple Seiko 5 case back.
The watch sits very well on my wrist, with the lugs curved nicely
around my arm.
The crown at
4:00: This crown screws down. It's smaller than the usual
Seiko diver crown, and
little harder to use. However, the knurling makes for a decent grip and
it's not all that big an issue to me.
The crown at
9:00:
This crown doesn't screw down. It's bigger than the normal crown, and
is signed with a beautiful Seiko 5 emblem. This crown and its guard are
a big part of this watch's signiture look.
The outer
bezel:
The bezel has a very small, tight knurling pattern, which goes with the
knurling on the crowns, and helps give the watch a very pleasing "tool"
look. The smaller knurling is more difficult to grip than the more
aggresive pattern on my SKX009, which makes it seem somewhet difficult
to turn. But I've compared them one after another and I think it's more
of a feeling than a fact. The good thing is that there's less chance of
moving it unintentionally. The bezel markings are simple numbers from 5
to 60, with no triangle at 12:00. I really like the look, which
givesthe watch less of a traditional diver look.
The inner
bezel:
This is perhaps the most problematic part of this watch, and if you're
a very picky person please make note. The inner bezel has compass
markings, and can be used to determine approximate direction on a sunny
day. Hereis the basic instructions for using it ("Borrowed" from the
Internet.):
********************************************************************************
HOW TO USE THE
COMPASS DIRECTIONAL RING
If
your watch is equipped with a compass directional ring, it gives
approximate compass readings. Locate the sun and then follow these
steps:
1. Point the hour hand at the sun (see diagram).
2.
WHEN IN A.M. TIME - Rotate the compass directional ring until S (South)
is past the hour hand and halfway between the hour hand and
12:00.
WHEN
IN P.M. TIME - Rotate the compass directional ring until S (South) is
before the hour hand and halfway between the hour hand and 12:00.
Adjust
the compass directional ring every hour to reflect changes in the sun's
position. When reading the compass directional ring, make sure the hour
hand is always pointed towards the sun. When the hour hand is at 12:00
noon, S (South) should also be at 12:00.
********************************************************************************
Basically
it's a big hairy pain to use. Also, on my watch, the compass
bezel is VERY loose. As the watch moves slightly on my wrist it
actually causes the crown to move and change the location of the bezel.
It has been rotating around 180 degrees on its own every day. Because
it's so easy to rotate, and the crown at 9:00 does not screw down, it
doesn't "feel" like it will be 200m water resistant. If you're planning
on actually scuba diving, you'd be betteroff
with a Monster or SKX007. For me these issues are not a problem, but I
wanted to make sure I mentioned them for prospective buyers.
The dial and
hands:
The dial is matte black with white markings. The inner compass makes
the dial seem very deep, which I like. I'm a sucker for internal
bezels.
The gap between the dial and compass bezel is almost invisible, and
very even. My favorite thing about this dial is the arabic numbers at
6, 9 and 12, which are another design detail that keeps this watch
looking fresh and not at all like a standard diver. The arabics and the
bold stick markers at the remaining 5-minute intervals are luminous.
The day and date wheels are black to match the dial, and the chrome
frame around them helps the eye find them quickly. I always say that
white date wheels on dark dials don't bother me, but I'm really
likingthe way this one looks.
The
hands are the #1 defining feature of this watch for me. The dark yellow
stands out beautifully against the matte black of the dial, and they
reach right out and grab your attention. The minute and hour hand are
filled with lume, and thesecond hand has a luminous triangle near the
tip. Like most Seiko watches, the lume glows bright and long.
The Bracelet:
Don't let the fact that this is a Seiko 5 fool you! Although the 5 line
is infamous for it's cheap folded bracelets, this one is a top quality
affair. The links are all solid, as are the end links. They're a
comfortable yet substantial 3mm thick. The clasp has a 2-button
latchand
Seiko signed flip lock, and is almost the equal of the Monster clasp.
It's comfortable and doesn't rattle at all. I'm quite impressed with
the quality!
The movement
The 7S36 is basically the venerable 7S26 with 2 extra jewels, and aside
from "23 Jewels" marked on the dial, it works exactly the same. It
can't be hand wound, and doesn't hack, but it does purr along smoothly
without any
trouble, and given Seikos history with watch movements,
will probablym do so for decades to come. The surprise is that this is
one of my most accurate watches over a week of contsant wear. It has
gained only 13 seconds since last Saturday. Of course your results may
vary, but most Seiko movements should gain a minute or less per week
straight from the factory.
I hope
this review helps anyone who's considering the purchase of this model.
If you have questions about anything I haven't covered, please let me
know and I'll try toanswer.