Beast from the East -- Seiko Marinemaster Hi-Beat

Status
Not open for further replies.

timecat

Tyme Twister
Founding Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
5,004
Busted out of the NBZ recently and been on a little bit of a tear!

I've been wanting this watch ever since I saw it for the first time at the Seiko Boutique here in the city. I tried it on almost every time I went to the boutique, but refused to knuckle under and pay full retail. Finally I found a used one in almost new condition for a 25% discount off retail, so I grabbed it. And that was after waiting and watching for months, bidding on eBay, etc. It was a long wait but worth it, as I am absolutely delighted with this watch!

When most of us think of Seiko, we think of Monsters, Turtles, Samurai and Shogun. This MarineMaster line is a whole different level in Seiko's vast offerings of functional sport watches.

A few specs: The watch is 48MM, but plays a little smaller on the wrist. The case is monobloc (one piece) Titanium. Bracelet is titanium as well so it's pretty light, or as one reviewer put it, pretty much brings it back to the normal weight of about a 44MM stainless watch. I believe the case is about 20MM high, and looks like that when it's on the wrist, although somehow it doesn't bother me.

The watch is 1,000 meters water resistant.

The movement is the Seiko 8L55, which is a Hi-Beat or 36,000 BPH automatic movement made by Seiko. It's an unadjusted version of a Grand Seiko Movement, and the second hand is very smooth as a result. So far it's running about +9 seconds per day, which is a little disappointing as I was expecting perfection, but I've decided I can live with it. Indicated specs for this movement are -10/+15, so it is performing within Seiko's specs. It's just a little unnerving when 2 of my Presage Cocktail Times operate regularly at +0!!!! Power reserve is 55 hours, which means it can sit for 2 full days when fully wound and be ready to roll.

Model number is SBEX005.


This is the way the dial looks most of the time. There is a wave pattern on the dial that you can only see in bright, direct light, but mostly it just looks black or dark blue with no pattern.
View attachment 15119

I love this angle when looking at the watch. It just looks like a well built, ready for anything kinda timepiece.
View attachment 15120

This phone pic does not do the bezel justice--it really plays with the light nicely.
View attachment 15121

Rather pedestrian-looking clasp....however, underneath it is a brilliant ratcheting system that can be used for minor sizing adjustments on the fly or as a full on wetsuit extension.
View attachment 15122

View attachment 15123

This is the beast of a case! All one piece--any repairs have to go in through the crystal.

View attachment 15124

View attachment 15125

View attachment 15126

Japanese wave pattern called Seigaiha....
View attachment 15127

Seiko lume is crazy good and this watch is certainly up to par. I took this photo yesterday around 8pm after being at one bar and going to a different club to hear some live music. The watch had almost no exposure to the sun and I was only outdoors for a few minutes. When I got to the live music place I looked down at my watch and wow, it was lit up! This photo doesn't really capture the full brightness, but I thought I would include it as evidence of Seiko's lume prowess.
View attachment 15128

View attachment 15129

It's probably not the absolute brightest lume of any of my Seikos, but it's the most beautiful to look at underneath that sapphire crystal.

Thanks for lookin' WITS!
 
Great pick up, Robert. This one is bad to the bone. I can see why you finally broke down and grabbed one. Congrats, and enjoy!
 
SEIGAHA tickles my guilloche fancy-

awesome review...looks like rich man's 1 watch collection-

may U enjoy long time TC
 
hey very good Robert! Very happy for you. I recall you looking at that one. Seiko is you watch spirit animal (lol)
 
Top of the Seiko line with the Marine master. I have the original MM and love it. Enjoy this beauty Robert and make sure you wear it often.
 
That dial is beautiful TC. I know what you mean about the LumiBrite under a sapphire crystal. Wear that beauty in the best of health.

SBEX005-1-768x564.jpg
SeikoSBEX005-5.jpg


http://oceanictime.blogspot.com/2016/10/seiko-propex-professional-1000m-sbex005.html

Below is the lume under sapphire on my pedestrian SUN019

27494681777_628a0f16bd_h.jpg
27494688447_75f1662eab_h.jpg

 
Wow! That thing is awesome. I love that watch. Unfortunately, out of my price range right now. Maybe someday...
 
Wow, beast for sure! That's awesome Robert! Monoblock case and high beat too, Yahtzee!
 
Congrats man! That is a great looking watch you have there.
 
WINNING!
That dial is the absolute sickest!
I like, I want, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme!
You busted out of the NBZ and landed in the Iconic Diver Zone, You're killin' 'em Robert, Good Job!
 
Robert - I see you've posted 11 LWIG threads since 2/20. If you've been in the nbz, it's been a very rewarding one. :wink:
 
Super nice!! love the dial, congrats.
 
Robert - I see you've posted 11 LWIG threads since 2/20. If you've been in the nbz, it's been a very rewarding one. :wink:

Ha ha! I didn't know the NBZ police were out!
74106e-GTA5%2028-09-2016%2022-54-22-375.jpg



Truth be told, April was a rough month for me. If you look back at my LWIG posts in April, there were actually 2, but those were both watches I had bought or committed to the month before. In fact, I remember you and I both lamenting in Lee's Picks around tax time that there was something we couldn't buy because it was coming at a bad time.

But one way or another, my eBay sales of no-longer-cherished watches always seems to bail me out. I feel like the secondary market for watches is alive and well.
 
↑↑↑↑↑↑

I need to follow your advice and unload a bunch of mine using the same route. The only difference is the funds won't be used for more watches.

giphy.gif
te3hBBO.jpg
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom