- 1/7/14
- 558
- 40
- 0
This is my first rep, and my first review, so please be gentle!
Watch was from Toro, and arrived in the UK in super quick time. It was packaged well, and looked beautiful in the flesh.
I set about resizing the bracelet and came across a problem. My usual a screwdriver (1.4mm) was too big. It took me a few days to get a good quality 1mm driver, but that got the links out easily.
In the meantime, I took off the bracelet to try it on a NATO. the solid end links were such a tight fit that even a local watch smith could not get the bracelet off the problem was that it uses fat, single shouldered spring bars, which are hard to get purchase on. I replaced them with double shouldered ones, for easy removal as I am waiting on a leather strap to complete the look. The micro adjustment spring bar at the clasp end failed as soon as I tried to remove it (spring broke inside) so that has to be replaced with a spare 18mm spring pin.
The bracelet is well made, the end links are a good fit, and the gap at the clasp is smaller than others I have seen. Not lost any ceramic balls from the locking mechanism yet...
The watch itself, then, is nicely put together. I would compare e quality to that of a Seiko gen. I haven't held a gen BB so can't compare feel, but it feels the right weight, and of good quality. Dial printing is clear and crisp. Crystal is nicely domed and no distortion but is very reflective compared to my AR costed gens. If it is AR coated then it is not well done! Hands and markers are good, although hands seem slightly lighter than the markers. Not sure if this is a V1 or V2 but the pearl looks good to my eyes, and is centred acceptably for me.
The bezel is very tight and has a fair bit of play. I don't use it so this doesn't worry me, and my Seiko beater also has a stiff bezel so nothing worries me. I can't see to get bezel and dial markers to line up to my satisfaction but I think this is more my eyes than a problem with the dial. The crown is also quite gritty to unscrew, but hand winding feels fine and does not activate the rotor or feel gritty.
Lume? Well it has some. It is not applied as well on the sticks as on the dots and hands, and is nothing to write home about. I aren't fussed, it is better than all my non-seiko gens!
Timekeeping is acceptable, it is as accurate as my gen ETA 2858 watch, I aren't fussy to the second!
Overall I am really pleased for the price I paid, and although there are little problems, the thing is beautiful, and will look even better when I get it on its leather strap.
Watch was from Toro, and arrived in the UK in super quick time. It was packaged well, and looked beautiful in the flesh.
I set about resizing the bracelet and came across a problem. My usual a screwdriver (1.4mm) was too big. It took me a few days to get a good quality 1mm driver, but that got the links out easily.
In the meantime, I took off the bracelet to try it on a NATO. the solid end links were such a tight fit that even a local watch smith could not get the bracelet off the problem was that it uses fat, single shouldered spring bars, which are hard to get purchase on. I replaced them with double shouldered ones, for easy removal as I am waiting on a leather strap to complete the look. The micro adjustment spring bar at the clasp end failed as soon as I tried to remove it (spring broke inside) so that has to be replaced with a spare 18mm spring pin.
The bracelet is well made, the end links are a good fit, and the gap at the clasp is smaller than others I have seen. Not lost any ceramic balls from the locking mechanism yet...
The watch itself, then, is nicely put together. I would compare e quality to that of a Seiko gen. I haven't held a gen BB so can't compare feel, but it feels the right weight, and of good quality. Dial printing is clear and crisp. Crystal is nicely domed and no distortion but is very reflective compared to my AR costed gens. If it is AR coated then it is not well done! Hands and markers are good, although hands seem slightly lighter than the markers. Not sure if this is a V1 or V2 but the pearl looks good to my eyes, and is centred acceptably for me.
The bezel is very tight and has a fair bit of play. I don't use it so this doesn't worry me, and my Seiko beater also has a stiff bezel so nothing worries me. I can't see to get bezel and dial markers to line up to my satisfaction but I think this is more my eyes than a problem with the dial. The crown is also quite gritty to unscrew, but hand winding feels fine and does not activate the rotor or feel gritty.
Lume? Well it has some. It is not applied as well on the sticks as on the dots and hands, and is nothing to write home about. I aren't fussed, it is better than all my non-seiko gens!
Timekeeping is acceptable, it is as accurate as my gen ETA 2858 watch, I aren't fussy to the second!
Overall I am really pleased for the price I paid, and although there are little problems, the thing is beautiful, and will look even better when I get it on its leather strap.
