Imagine Dragons! The SAN VII

2manywatches

Tyme Machine
Joined
Jul 23, 2019
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So, just before the world got shut down, I wound up breaking my fast on watch buying. Yes, I can hear the laughter – my moratorium on buying didn’t last that long, lol.

But, as always, justifications and rationalizations abound!

On this first one, yes, I had somewhat (and loosely) pledged to myself that buying was done, trailing into this year, BUT, the SAN VII, in meteorite, was one that had caught my eye and I did agree with myself that, should there be a tasty price drop, I’d try to snag one, if I could get the blue bezel version. I mean, I have SAN models in iterations 2, 3, 4 and 5 and so it appealed to me to get the seventh coming, especially since they amped up the dragon aspect.

With the SAN line originally seeming to be focused toward a fancied up diver series of sorts, the emerging dragon theme has become more dominant as the SAN has progressed, at least in my view, and the SAN 6 (which I did not like) was very full of scaling to reflect that notion, but the scales seemed more fish-like, and perhaps they were meant to be, haha, but on the 7, they have a more jagged, dragon armor-like appearance, and provide accents for the bezel edging, bracelet center links and even are found gracing the case back.

Of course, the whole dragon bit really dominates on this version, thanks to the VERY dragon themed (and polarizing) dragon head pushers and, when I saw the watch online (thanks to a post here announcing this latest model), I was, initially, firmly in the middle of the love ‘em or hate ‘em camp and, if anything, I was leaning more toward not liking them.

But, seeing a few reviews, the dragon noggins were growing on me, plus, there was the lure of a meteorite dial, and, at that time (before my beloved Deep Blue), I had no such watches, and I dearly loved the color combo of primarily silver, in muted grayish tones, with strong accents of slate (almost grayish) blue, along with some splashes of gold.

So, the SAN VII had captured my interest enough to price watch it, and, on a “one time only price drop” special (which may well be repeated and lowered further at some point, knowing Invicta, haha), I simply could not, and did not, resist.

So, here it is!

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Now, Invicta is forever undergoing various stages of identity crisis, which is part of what gives so many varied models, I suppose, and here things are no different, as attributes of a “deep sea” dive watch, seemingly inherent in being called a “subaqua,” are not as apparent on this seventh iteration (although, given that “noma” can refer to a horrid gangrene of the face, perhaps monikers alone are not always that helpful with Invicta).

Gone is the usual 500m WR, down to 200m on this one, and neither the pushers, nor crown, are screw down. Not that this is the one to pick anyway, I’d say, if strapping on scuba gear, but it’s just an interesting wandering away from usual hallmarks in the SAN line. It feels almost more of a new direction entirely, than a SAN sequel.

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The bezel design itself is again used to announce which version this is and, while the 3, 4 and 5 used raised bezel décor, the 6 relied on lumed pips (six of them, of course) and here that trend continues, with 7 lumed dots, one of which, like on the SAN VI, bears the Subaqua Dragon (“S” shaped as a dragon), which also orients the bezel to the 12 noon position.

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Again, leaving a bit of the supposed dive DNA behind, the original use of top ring riders on the bezel, the number of which defined the model version, was meant to provide “greater grip when using wetsuit gloves,” according to Invicta, and that aspect is not as pronounced here, although, at each pip point, the bezel is bulged, and those do provide solid leverage points to facilitate the very wonderful bezel operation. But, as I say, this is more of a full fledged fictional diver now, perhaps, so a bit of a moot attribute.

An added feature I really do like (and I like a LOT about this watch, now that I have it to really see and explore) is the use of seven polished “pillars” on the left case side that also proclaim this is the SAN VII, and, as is usual with complex Invicta case work, it is very well done, with the bezel points even lining up to almost appear that the pillars extend through the bezel itself, especially because they have rounded the bottom of the case as well, at those pillar points.

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I like also how the dragon “scale” theme is carried to the case back. The whole design is quite well tied together, although dragons and diving perhaps are not known to be synonymous, lol. But, as a dragon themed watch, if one likes dragons, it all works, or at least it does for me, and doesn’t seem cartoonish or silly (although I know there are those who would refute that, haha, based solely on the dragon head pushers). To my view then, this is kind of like a well-crafted skull watch, or other “themed” piece.

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Beyond the model line identifiers, let’s talk about the watch itself. Not Swiss Made, but a Swiss movement, the Ronda 550.C, meaning accurate, low maintenance quartz performance, which provides day, date, small running seconds, and a split time chronograph with 1/10’s of a second dial, large chrono second hand, and then a two-handed minute and hour counter, with 12 hours of timing on the final subdial.

No numeration on the little running seconds, but there is a marked inner chapter ring if one wanted to clock seconds with the chrono and it also doubles as the quick time reference for how many minutes past the hour, given that the time indexes are just applied markers, not numerals.

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Flame Fusion crystal, which extends above the bezel profile. Hour and minute hands are differentiated by length, and very slightly by width, but share a prominent arrow head type design. The chrono seconds hand, as on other Invicta models, has an “open window” to show the day, which is located centrally, between the upper subdials. Within the lower central subdial is the date, which is not a “big date” but is nicely legible.

The dial does denote a “Swiss Movement” in keeping with Invicta’s improved honesty over watch manufacture. And, no shame in that game, given that there are many brands that aren’t Swiss made, but case up Swiss engines, and are equally proud to state such. Similarly with non-Japan made watches, that showcase Japanese movements.

The meteorite? Well, coming off of my experience with the Deep Blue version of blued meteorite, where I very much feel I’m looking at some wild space rock, this is a tad underwhelming, and I’m glad the Deep Blue was my first one, or I’d not be super impressed with meteorite, haha. This seems almost more like textured aluminum, in appearance, and is largely broken up by competing dial elements.

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So, it’s less of a meteorite dial extravaganza, than what might be better termed a meteorite “accented” dial.

Sunlight sure doesn’t catch it, like the Deep Blue.

No complaints, and I do like the dial, but, again, it’s part of the hodge-podge here, a less than focused on diving “diver” that is accompanied by dragons and space rock. Seems they kind of threw everything at this design, in some ways, but, weirdly, it does stick the landing, so to say, in its final form, if one is not fussy about the disparate elements.

What “works” for me is just the wildness of the whole thing. As with many other Invicta models that I own, this one won’t be mistaken for some other watch and I do like owning watches that are not run of the mill.

For what I like in watch design, I’ve been lucky with this brand. There are “better” watches, in terms of specs, sure, but they have never tended to grab my interest as much (although I have certainly come to appreciate – and own – the traditional well made three hander, and simplicity is also elegance).

I’ll likely never own some of the rare watches I’ve seen and loved (designs aren’t really that exciting to me until soaring up to six figure price points), so Invicta has done well to create interesting stuff, while having the benefit of being super affordable.

I’d say what also works, exceedingly well, is the color scheme. Silver, blue and gold go very well together and, on the wrist, it’s even more attractive than I’d hoped. Slate blue bezel, with silver polished markings and those gold ringed pip points, same blue color on the dial elements and hands – it’s all quite pleasing.

And the interspersed gold avoids ostentatious bling while adding richer touches, thanks to the polished pillars, the prominent bracelet screws, gold outlined indices, and of course those dragon heads.

And, let’s talk about those! In the flesh, and on the wrist, they rather blend in to the design, and they don’t shout DRAGON HEAD, which is a relief. It was my main worry, to be honest, but they are just another element, and not a bizarre distraction. Yes, it’s some added architecture on the crown side of the watch and if you hate it, you hate it, understandable, but thus far they don’t get in the way of anything, and there’s no issues with working the chrono.

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That being said, they feel to be made of perhaps some kind of cast metal, and I do worry about long term endurance, especially the tiny details of the horns. Not sure what an accidental knock would do, in terms of damage, or if even the dragon heads themselves are subject to breakage, just given the design. You have to push on the “nose” to engage the pushers, and, while they don’t feel flimsy at all, I envision one day pushing that snout, only to have it snap off, yikes.

Time will tell, but I do like them as unique attributes on this watch, and so that went from a potential negative to, “okay, these are cool.”

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The crown is a bit fiddly. They have gone for a Swiss cross motif, which looks terrific, but, when swinging open the crown guard, the access to the crown itself is limited, or, for me, a tight squeeze to operate fluidly, because of the structure around the crown. It is operational, no worries, but as I say, a bit fiddly, especially with the cross shape being less friendly for cycling through time and day/date setting, versus a traditional knurled, round crown.

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Bracelet is well crafted, with the center links textured, as mentioned, and the side pieces are ridged, making it all look interesting. And, to pause there, I suppose that’s what I enjoy about this too, is that it’s just a lot of details packed into this watch, and Invicta is pretty darn good at that, for those who like to sometimes sport something other than a standard three hander. This is more of a time keeping event, haha.

Bracelet sized up easily with simple cotter pins, the clasp is machined, not stamped, and in typical kudos to Invicta with their large, hefty watches, the 52mm (19mm in height) case sits comfortably on the wrist. Outstanding bezel operation.

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Lume? What can one say, but…Invicta! Never their strong suit, but, at least in initial glow, before it rapidly fades, it is attractively applied, with the namesake seven dots being the highlight, of course, but also lume that rings two of the subdials. All subdial hands are lumed, as well as the main hands and indices. I particularly like how the Subaqua dragon is highlighted in its pip.

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So, at day’s end, while I wasn’t comfortable to buy this watch anywhere near the up and down pricing that has been ($450 to $600), to get it instead at a good sale price, well south of the lowest pricing I’d seen, well, for me it was worth it. A bit more than I like to spend for “Invicta” pricing, at around $350, but it’s a lot of watch for someone who is familiar with the brand, and sees it as having a place within a collection, and as one that is just flat out fun to wear. Add in being a dragon fan, and, yes, it’s a keeper.

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That weekend sale got me twice, actually, lol, and I’ll post up the other one soon.

Stay healthy everyone, in these crazy times. At least my watch purchasing is forcibly ended now, so that’s at least one way to stop buying. Maybe I can build an emergency shelter out of all of my watch boxes, once money for rent runs dry.

Thanks for reading! Keep on watching!
 
A lot going on with that Beast...the second hand with the frame for the day window is cool...congrats and super pics as usual...
 
Man those are stellar pics!!!! It really is a buffet or all things invicta but it works. I especially love the halo crown guard and the 12:00 pip. Cool color combo as well. Looks more comfy than I thought it might be
 
There is a lot going on with the new 7 and your GR8 pics-pick up every detail and as usual and make it an enjoyable tour.
I'm still fancied by a good set of ☄️striations and yours are standouts. You got a good one (to me anyway):cool:

As you pointed out there are exactly 7 impressive "Pillars" that IMO pay a slight homage to the SAS, case in cradle, another beloved design.
The ? Dragon pushers were a tough sell when we 1st saw them but I now understand them and they are growing on me as well.:wink:

Congratz & Enjoy!:shake:
 
Thanks! Yup, I've always liked that feature as well, and it's a great variation on a day/date, with the centered day.
 
Congrats to you as well! Yes it was one that I felt I need to give a chance, and I'm very glad I did.
 
Thanks! Yes, it parks very nicely on the wrist, after I fine tuned the fit.

Having the up front hardware can be felt at times. Doesn't dig into me, but I was being reminded at times that is there. So, I tightened up the fit by one more microadjustment point, just so it doesn't travel closer to the hand, and it's just fine now.

It has a great weight to it, on the wrist, for us fans of hefty watches.
 
As always, my thanks for new models always showing up here. It's getting a lot of wrist time, this one, and it's one of those that, the longer I wear it, the more I like it. So, a good score and I'm glad I gave it a chance.
 
I guess I'll start by echoing everyone else and congratulating you on your superb photos; as someone noted, they "take it to the next level." And they really DO, mon ami. (And I'm offically 'all jell-jell,' and sew fourth...)

However, as someone who loves to write, I'd really like to congratulate you on the amazing quality of the write-up you provided with this presentation. I personally would have placed it in the reviews section since, for all intents and purposes, you ticked off every item that makes a fine review what it's supposed to be, but that's just a minor issue in context of just how excellent this write-up really IS. As someone who routinely gets accused of "diarrhea of the keyboard," I have to say that your writing here is absolutely perfect; not too wordy, yet involved enough to convey the info and keep things interesting, something that not everyone can accomplish so easily. And this is no mere hyperbole, Michael; as someone who isn't all that fond of Invicta's 'more ornate' offerings, I don't normally stick around for their "descriptics" and "echovations," yet I did so here because the writing was very easy to enjoy and most entertaining.

As to the watch itself, well, I guess I need to borrow -- as you did -- from
Miloš Forman and Saul Zaentz's excellent work and note that, when one sees a watch such as this one, what can one say but...INVICTER! :)think:) I loved the SAN1. I liked the SAN2, though not enough to buy one of the many 'reboots' that Eyal & Company flooded the market with. I still love the SAN3, and will usually at least consider the purchase of each mechanical or automatic version I come across these daze. I have one SAN4, a lovely pink ditty in quartz that was gifted to me by my friends at the Susan G. Komen Foundation as an intended reward for my volunteering with them over a five-year period. SANs 5 & 6 did little-to-nuttin' honey for me, and I stayed away. And the SAN7 is almost certainly going to be the same, if only because, when it comes to Invicta, I prefer to spend my hard-earned 'bongo-bux' on the more classic, proven designs -- such as the Pro-Diver, Grand Diver, Ocean Ghost, and a few others, all automatics and/or mechanicals -- that I have come to genuinely respect and enjoy for their superior engineering and sustained excellent performance. Oh, and they look good, too... But are they as good as Rolexes, as some of the more, um, overly-enthusiastic Invicta collectors (AKA 'mental patients') have come to assert over the years? No, prolly not, but that matters not, because these specific models are certainly worth more than just the sum of their parts to those who're capable of appreciaiting them. (That, and I really, really like tweaking the collective noses of the snotnose brigade 'o haterz, all of whom compulsively lurk here, though they'd never admit it, not even to themselves... :lol:) But I digress...

I really like seeing all of the newly-inexpensive meteor we've been experiencing lately, but I've never been one for the plated variety, especially when Eyal & Company were running around, claiming to be the only ones in the world who knew how to gold plate meteorite. I've never seen the Deep Blue
blue version you mentioned in the above review, but I'll have to find it somewhere and take me a nice long look. Knowing MY luck, I'll just HAVE to have one...

And I've gone on long enough for this occasion. While this model is not really my cup 'o tea, I am always pleased to see a report from someone who has found a watch that he/she likes, and is very happy with. Sooooooo, with that in mind, please accept my sincerest congratulations on the occasion of your adding yet another "keeper" to the old collezioni!! May you truly enjoy the H-E-DOUBLE-Hockey-Sticks out of this latest in the SAN Series. (As to the 'NOMA thing,' I'm told that that is a creation made up from the first two letters in the names of Eyal's first two children. You know, like NOrman & MAry Lalo, or NOrma & MArty McFly Lalo, or...well, you get the idea... :wink:)
 
To me, at first glance, I was not impressed with this watch. However, your commentary and pics really bring this piece alive. Your pics are outstanding as are your thoughts on the detail features/elements of the watch. I’m still not sure it’s for me but I do have a new appreciation for this piece! Congratulations & enjoy!
 
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