Its a bit of an unknown fact in the western world. All 8L movements are hand assembled by the same watchmakers who make grand seiko and credor automatics. All done at the morioka plant. They operate on a three tier level of certification. Bronze, silver and gold. Basic is 8L, mid tier us grand seiko, top tier is credor.
Amazing video. This really helps the community and even in my 8L35 watched I never knew what it really Looked like!!! Looks better than any ETA especially ones from Panerai
Really gorgeous dive watch. Just excellent execution and precision in the entire appearance of that edition. When you add the history behind it - its a great collectors piece from an important brand - and for a good price given what it represents. 👍
Thanks for the welcomed review of the 8L35. I own the Seiko Marine Master SBDX001 with that movement but alas it’s running over 15s fast. I bought it used from the SCWF about 14 years ago & have never had it adjusted. The time has come to do so. I needed this kick in the pants Bruce!
Class movement and great to see inside my (well, not mine, but you know) watch - doubt I will! The finish and precision of these high end Seikos is every bit up there with the big two Swiss. I'm loving my Willard and more so now I've checked out the Tokyo stripes!
Missed this when u posted 3 whopping years ago! Love these 8L movements and now paying attention to these in the more “upmarket” pieces like the SLA 017, 037, and related divers. While it’s sort of understandable why these movements tend to exhibit better timekeeping performance it’s a shame Seiko has seemed to lose their way putting enough attention into better regulation of the more mid tier stuff like the 6R15, 6R35, and related movements. I don’t believe this has been lost on Seiko’s fan base and especially the competition. Why would anyone put a thousand on more into a watch running perennially slow or always 10 plus seconds fast when there’s some good alternatives. After all, isn’t the timekeeping quality important too? Thanks for this great review!
Thanks for citing ur experience. Comparing GS SBGW231 to a Presage w/a 6R35 and dial down can’t do much better than -8 to -10 secs/day as measured in the morning. The GS does about +2 max daily pretty consistently when I first got it. I need to have a little better method to tracking accuracy but I generally try to track time by position and in the mornings when I get up and post on a scratch pad. So overall find a correlation between cost and accuracy. I’ll admit I may b doing this all wrong so ur mileage may b better.
Agree the 6R35 is so bad that I will never buy a Seiko automatic using that movement. I would like to get something cheaper for a beater though. Would a 4R be any better?
Great review! I just got the Seiko SLA075 with the 8L35 and unfortunately mine is running 12 to 13 seconds fast per day. I bought it brand new from my AD so I'm unsure if I'm going to keep it or return it. The movement however feels incredibly nice to wind and the second hand sweeps very smoothly. I was just a bit shocked that mine was running 12 to 13 seconds fast a day being that its a brand new updated and current 8L35 with the model I bought SLA075. The piece is extremely nice and it was also hand polished and finished in the Grand Seiko Studio. Thanks for sharing such great content. I found it interesting to see the 8L35 in all its glory.
I have a Seiko dive watch with the same 8L35 movement and find the accuracy at about +5 seconds per day which is very good for the price point. My watch is amazing and I’m very happy with it 👍
This is a fascinating video. I have wondered about the Seiko 8L35 movement's accuracy. This video confirmed for me what I suspected to be the truth. The 8L35 is a fine movement.
Seiko comes out with beautiful designs and I was a big fan of the brand till I bought a timegrapher. My seiko vintages are way more consistent in performance than the new ones. Looking for ways to fit in the older movements in the new cases.
Their flagship Tunas have this movement which is kinda scary with the monocoque cases which means if you brought it back to your watch maker to have it regulated, they would need to send it to Seiko to have it opened from the front.
Best part is it’s real in house movement unlike eta clones which I happen to own lots of them. I acquired my first 8L35 SLA21 brand new 2300$ including tax I guess it’s a keeper.
Because the COSC certification was developed by the Swiss only to certify Swiss watches as a marketing initiative for the Swiss watch industry. Japanese movements are, by definition, ineligible. It's also worth noting that COSC certification applies to the movement outside of the watch, not what a customer would get inside of a finished watch case.
Dear Bruce, Please make your usual comprehensive review for the Full Crown Specifications, dial colors, Sapphire Crystal, Diver Certification, stainless steel bracelets OEM from Seiko, price and availability. Many Thanks & Best Regards.
Bruce Williams fair play mate! Got to be ruthless, can’t keep them all! That blue coral sumo is gorgeous, I’d have one myself if it was just a touch smaller! So are you just down to the gmt master, this new seiko reissue, coral sumo and your new GP now then?
@@ThatKiddmg so true, you need to be ruthless sometimes. The GP unfortunately was snapped up before I had the budget to buy it lol. So I am down to my Rolex, a couple Seikos, and a couple gshocks. I am on the waitlist for a couple other Rolexes. Hopefully the first one drops soon because I am ready for another watch!
@@BruceWilliams Bruce don't play the Rolex game ,just get a VC over seas are a AP royal oak, better Watches and you don't have to play the wait and see game just my 2 cent
@@phillippugh2161 a Royal oak is def on my mind. I really like Rolexes as well, they will be excellent gifts for my children one day. So Rolex this year. Maybe RO next year
Hello, Kindly confirm if the 8L35 is the same movement as the 9S55 ? If there is a difference what it might be ? Because I read that it is based on the 9S55 but couldn't understand what that means exactly. Thank you so much
This watch is assembled in Grand Seiko facility, anyone who thinks Seiko would release this watch with un-adjusted non-decorated movement doesn't know shit.
I have/had five 8L35s. None is in the acceptable range for the price point. All mine are in 9 - 14 s/d. But I have admit all of them have very small deviation in all 6 positions. In my opinion, Seiko is just too lazy to regulate their movements, which is unacceptable providing they want to charge Swiss level price, Or it just me being so unlucky.
Hua Qiu Not good. If the Swiss can produce a sub $1,000 COSC certified watch then Seiko with their technology certainly should be able to for those high prices!
Yikes that is the opposite of my experience . Were they all brand new? I know some older MM300s that are all in need of a service get passed around the forums in a sick game of musical chairs. Who is going to get stuck with the service cost? Neverending 'catch and releases'
@@BruceWilliams I purchased two of them brand new from local AD. One is a used 62MAS in mint condition less than a year old. One is used MM300 less than 6 month. I couldn't remember the last one. Having said that 8L35 is good movement. As I mentioned, they all have very tight six position deviation better than a lot of mine Swiss Made on pair of that I've seen on new Rolex. Rolex is by far the most consistent even for some decade old one. Based on these small sample observations, my opinion is that Seiko just too lazy to regulate their movement. And since they has such loose spec for the price point, what would they?
@@BruceWilliams hello Bruce but the watch you wear in the vid does not look like rolex gmt but it is a Chrono with a dark case ..and a lovely bracelet => please what watch is it ?
8l35b surely has a good decoration than 8l35a, make it somewhat on par (a bit under due to lack of color, but this is acceptable) with same price range open caseback Swiss. Bravo for Seiko for this. But accuracy is still terrible then. Someone can say “oh my watch is accurate few secs only” but it is not warranted to do that. Maybe others are not accurate, or maybe that watch someday will have terrible accuracy by some factors. Still don’t understand why Seiko left it like that why they can regulate it. Compared to any swiss at that price point, it is a shame.
TBH Bruce, in the german watch forum there is plenty of people that have really bad accuray borderline close of being out of the -10s/+15s factory specs. Its sad, but its not such a rare thing. My MM300 (SBDX017 from late 2016) is good at about +6s/d, its basically COSC, but if you spend that much, it should be better regulated, at least -5s/+10s out of factory. The movement itself is ofc pretty great. Albeit i think they could upgrade it now, the original 9S movement is advancing now. 50h PR is not bad though and so i think its good enough right now.
My sla051 is 10-15 sec fast a day Its newish, i hope it settles in a bit, but the aesthetics of the watch make up it. There is no other option for this watch
I don't really understand Sieko, why they concealing the movement behind the solid case back?, as for the accuracy, when it's new this movement is very accurate, but the big question is for how long? if the movement does not have any feature for keeping that accuracy the accuracy will dropped down dramatically.
@@BruceWilliams sssh don't let our secret out on the 300 seamaster 42 let the sub guys keep waiting in line 😉, I have a seamaster Bruce and I'll put my mm300 up against it any day , there both accurate as hell my seikos are more legible and the loom is much better and last longer. But the haters gonna hate . I will say you could get a spring drive GS diver for about the same money used but to each their own love turtles too. Oh you forgot to mention that the 8l movement looks way way better then the one in most Rolex ,and I love my 1601 buuuut
Thanks for the review. Still I would not be so much optimistic as to the budget Seiko wathes. If you attentively trace the second arrow of the watch on this macro video - you will definetly notice two things: dust on it and its harshly cut profile. The markers of the watch is far from being perfect as well. It is not a suprize for me that Japenese guys are very economic in materials and in their budget watches they used metal plated hands made of cheap plastic)). The shining of the movement done by lazer as well does not mean that we see Geneva straps. I wish Japenese were magicians... but they are not. At any rate in this class. So... we are are speaking about cheap budget watch. Overestimated one.
Wow! I can't believe you opened up your new watch for us; what a beautiful movement. I loved the macro shots. Thank you so much Bruce :)
Haha I wanted to see it probably more than anyone 👍👍
thank you. appreciate you going the extra step to share the inside.
I agree it's dedication like this that lifts this channel to the next level.
Its a bit of an unknown fact in the western world. All 8L movements are hand assembled by the same watchmakers who make grand seiko and credor automatics. All done at the morioka plant. They operate on a three tier level of certification. Bronze, silver and gold. Basic is 8L, mid tier us grand seiko, top tier is credor.
setter55 who doesn't know that? It's in every press release year after year.
Whoa i learn something new today
Grand Seiko isn’t Med-Tier lol
@@ChromeMan04 grand seiko is between longines and omega, which is exactly mid tier in every way
@@ChromeMan04 I think/hope he meant mid tier in seiko overall - Seiko, grand Seiko, credor
I love my Seiko SLA017 very much. Thanks for sharing the movement!
Amazing video. This really helps the community and even in my 8L35 watched I never knew what it really
Looked like!!! Looks better than any ETA especially ones from Panerai
how do you know it look better from any ETA?
@@דןשלמה-ו7נ search for panerai brooklyn bridge
Pure class.
Yes, I'd have a glass case back on there. How often will I dive - never. How often would I want to see that movement - a LOT. Stunnnnning. Gorgeous.
Thank you Bruce!
Thanks Bruce. Your sage comments help me with buying the SLA 069, I’m expecting it soon (8L35).
Thanks for the watchmaker recommendation in Sugarhouse. Mine is in downtown SLC and I was looking for something closer. Thanks!
Chris Howard at Fankhauser. He is busy all the time because he is GOOD
Thank for sharing this...wear it in good health
Thanks Bruce! So happy to hear this info. I love the SLA divers that’ve got 8L35s
Just now getting this video on my recommended. Thanks for sharing.
Really gorgeous dive watch. Just excellent execution and precision in the entire appearance of that edition. When you add the history behind it - its a great collectors piece from an important brand - and for a good price given what it represents. 👍
Well stated man!
That's is really a big jump on a decoration level from 8l35a to 8l35b.
Beautiful piece
Thanks for the welcomed review of the 8L35. I own the Seiko Marine Master SBDX001 with that movement but alas it’s running over 15s fast. I bought it used from the SCWF about 14 years ago & have never had it adjusted. The time has come to do so. I needed this kick in the pants Bruce!
It needs to be demagmetized
Damnit Bruce! I love that watch! I need one to go with my Marinemaster 300.
Beautiful movement!
Great movement, Great watch and Great brand. I also have the same Rolex as you have Bruce but Seiko is still my favourite brand.
Thank you for showing us. Definetly I knew that movement is really high end!
Thank you for a good analysis and good look at a beautiful watch engine.
Amazing finishing. Awesome!
8L35 is a gorgeous and solid movement!
Awesome man! Very gutsy of you to open it up ! Thanks!
Wow stunning movement indeed!
Awesome Bruce, that was really interesting & informative!
Great shoutout to Sugar house in SLC, I live in Murray, I am still far away from a solid collection but I love my seiko 5 and turtle padi edition.
Thanks Bruce, interesting and unique content as usual.
I have three 8L35 formidable accuracy and very reliable
Thanks, that looks great. And not having a transparent case back, no problem it's meant to be worn.
That was really Cool Bruce thanks for the effort 👍
Class movement and great to see inside my (well, not mine, but you know) watch - doubt I will! The finish and precision of these high end Seikos is every bit up there with the big two Swiss. I'm loving my Willard and more so now I've checked out the Tokyo stripes!
Gorgeous movement!!!
I just got my first 6R watch, now I have to get this? ;)
Missed this when u posted 3 whopping years ago! Love these 8L movements and now paying attention to these in the more “upmarket” pieces like the SLA 017, 037, and related divers. While it’s sort of understandable why these movements tend to exhibit better timekeeping performance it’s a shame Seiko has seemed to lose their way putting enough attention into better regulation of the more mid tier stuff like the 6R15, 6R35, and related movements. I don’t believe this has been lost on Seiko’s fan base and especially the competition. Why would anyone put a thousand on more into a watch running perennially slow or always 10 plus seconds fast when there’s some good alternatives. After all, isn’t the timekeeping quality important too? Thanks for this great review!
I had a 4r that was very accurate
Thanks for citing ur experience. Comparing GS SBGW231 to a Presage w/a 6R35 and dial down can’t do much better than -8 to -10 secs/day as measured in the morning. The GS does about +2 max daily pretty consistently when I first got it. I need to have a little better method to tracking accuracy but I generally try to track time by position and in the mornings when I get up and post on a scratch pad. So overall find a correlation between cost and accuracy. I’ll admit I may b doing this all wrong so ur mileage may b better.
Agree the 6R35 is so bad that I will never buy a Seiko automatic using that movement. I would like to get something cheaper for a beater though. Would a 4R be any better?
Great review! I just got the Seiko SLA075 with the 8L35 and unfortunately mine is running 12 to 13 seconds fast per day. I bought it brand new from my AD so I'm unsure if I'm going to keep it or return it. The movement however feels incredibly nice to wind and the second hand sweeps very smoothly. I was just a bit shocked that mine was running 12 to 13 seconds fast a day being that its a brand new updated and current 8L35 with the model I bought SLA075. The piece is extremely nice and it was also hand polished and finished in the Grand Seiko Studio. Thanks for sharing such great content. I found it interesting to see the 8L35 in all its glory.
It's little extra bonuses like these that I subscribe to this channel! 😀😀😀👍👍👍
I have a Seiko dive watch with the same 8L35 movement and find the accuracy at about +5 seconds per day which is very good for the price point. My watch is amazing and I’m very happy with it 👍
Gorgeous Porglorge striping on those plates.
Thanks for sharing. Nice movement with great accuracy. 👍
Cool! SLA 025 and SLA 017 next!!!
Very beautiful
Hope he resealed it properly for the same WR rating! Thanks for sharing - lovely movement and impressive accuracy!
Yes, that is why I go to him. Make sure to get a proper pressure test afterward
Bruce Williams Yes, good point about pressure testing.
This is a fascinating video. I have wondered about the Seiko 8L35 movement's accuracy. This video confirmed for me what I suspected to be the truth. The 8L35 is a fine movement.
@Rafael Herschel Yes, Rafael, I believe what you say. I have often thought to have a couple of my watches properly regulated. You give good advice.
thanks for opening the can to share with us!
Just wow.
Seiko comes out with beautiful designs and I was a big fan of the brand till I bought a timegrapher. My seiko vintages are way more consistent in performance than the new ones. Looking for ways to fit in the older movements in the new cases.
nice one thanks. close to purchasing one.
Their flagship Tunas have this movement which is kinda scary with the monocoque cases which means if you brought it back to your watch maker to have it regulated, they would need to send it to Seiko to have it opened from the front.
thanks.for the video Bruce. My Seiko SARL004 keeps beating with its 8L35 movement
How + 10 is inaccurate? It is accuret. Please explain, thanks i am planing to buy 1 in few years
My 8L35 is +10s a day. I used to have some cheaper turtles all within COSC.
Great video! I wonder if you can get a sapphire display back for this watch?
very nice..
Nice watch man.
Best part is it’s real in house movement unlike eta clones which I happen to own lots of them. I acquired my first 8L35 SLA21 brand new 2300$ including tax I guess it’s a keeper.
Cool, I'll certainly never see it in person.
Nice Steeldive!
And a slab of metal covers that glorious machinery.....
Bruce always taking things up a notch!!!! WOW
Question - If Seiko movement has so superior time keeping performance. Why their movement not Chronometer Certified ?
Because the COSC certification was developed by the Swiss only to certify Swiss watches as a marketing initiative for the Swiss watch industry. Japanese movements are, by definition, ineligible. It's also worth noting that COSC certification applies to the movement outside of the watch, not what a customer would get inside of a finished watch case.
Hi Bruce, can you do a review on the SPB151J1 ?
Why is there two gaskets (theres another one inside besides the movement)?
Love it but pricey❗️👨🏼💻 Good review Bruce as usual and ty❗️
Great video thanks a bunch
Great to find watch enthusiasts in SLC
My SBDX014 Emperor Tuna has been super accurate
I like the new MM300 more
Holy shit that’s an insane movement
Bruce which is the cheapest Seiko Model with 8L35 movement❓🙏🏻
Probably the long discontinued Credor Phoenix, which I bought second hand about 13 years ago. It sold new for about $1000.
Fun fact about 8L35 movement; it had a magic lever! The rotor winds the movement in either direction! (:
The Swiss auto wind system is better, Seiko even switched from magic lever to standard Swiss auto wind system in its upgrade from 9S55 to 9s65 in GS
Dear Bruce, Please make your usual comprehensive review for the Full Crown Specifications, dial colors, Sapphire Crystal, Diver Certification, stainless steel bracelets OEM from Seiko, price and availability. Many Thanks & Best Regards.
are the markers applied or stamped?
Bruce did you sell your Marine Master with your daughter’s birth year/month in order to purchase this reissue? Cheers
Yes I did end up doing that. I knew this was the one for me. In fact I currently only own two seikos after the purge. This and a blue Coral sumo
Bruce Williams fair play mate! Got to be ruthless, can’t keep them all! That blue coral sumo is gorgeous, I’d have one myself if it was just a touch smaller! So are you just down to the gmt master, this new seiko reissue, coral sumo and your new GP now then?
@@ThatKiddmg so true, you need to be ruthless sometimes. The GP unfortunately was snapped up before I had the budget to buy it lol. So I am down to my Rolex, a couple Seikos, and a couple gshocks. I am on the waitlist for a couple other Rolexes. Hopefully the first one drops soon because I am ready for another watch!
@@BruceWilliams Bruce don't play the Rolex game ,just get a VC over seas are a AP royal oak, better Watches and you don't have to play the wait and see game just my 2 cent
@@phillippugh2161 a Royal oak is def on my mind. I really like Rolexes as well, they will be excellent gifts for my children one day. So Rolex this year. Maybe RO next year
Is that watch shockproof or shock resistant?
So. Is it an accurate movement?, I got confused, I wasn't sure if you were trying to say it was accurate or 6 secs too fast.
It’s beautiful, just awsome!
Did you measure the dial diameter? Thank you.
Hello,
Kindly confirm if the 8L35 is the same movement as the 9S55 ?
If there is a difference what it might be ?
Because I read that it is based on the 9S55 but couldn't understand what that means exactly.
Thank you so much
Do you think its possible to swap this movement into a Seiko Presage? I kind of wish those came standard with these.
Seiko always underestimated their accuracy. Probably due to mass production. My 6R15 running at +4/-2 spd. And there're days I get +1/-1 spd.
This watch is assembled in Grand Seiko facility, anyone who thinks Seiko would release this watch with un-adjusted non-decorated movement doesn't know shit.
You didn't tell us, does it have an instant date jump?
If you are asking if the date setting has the quick-setting mode, then the answer is YES.
I have/had five 8L35s. None is in the acceptable range for the price point. All mine are in 9 - 14 s/d. But I have admit all of them have very small deviation in all 6 positions. In my opinion, Seiko is just too lazy to regulate their movements, which is unacceptable providing they want to charge Swiss level price, Or it just me being so unlucky.
Hua Qiu Not good. If the Swiss can produce a sub $1,000 COSC certified watch then Seiko with their technology certainly should be able to for those high prices!
Yikes that is the opposite of my experience . Were they all brand new? I know some older MM300s that are all in need of a service get passed around the forums in a sick game of musical chairs. Who is going to get stuck with the service cost? Neverending 'catch and releases'
Huh dude my 4r turtle is more accurate then what you just quoted and all six of them ......rrrrrrright😉
I share the same experience with @hua qiu for my two tuna even they were brand new
@@BruceWilliams I purchased two of them brand new from local AD. One is a used 62MAS in mint condition less than a year old. One is used MM300 less than 6 month. I couldn't remember the last one. Having said that 8L35 is good movement. As I mentioned, they all have very tight six position deviation better than a lot of mine Swiss Made on pair of that I've seen on new Rolex. Rolex is by far the most consistent even for some decade old one. Based on these small sample observations, my opinion is that Seiko just too lazy to regulate their movement. And since they has such loose spec for the price point, what would they?
Hello what do you wear on your wrist ...? Please do wristwatch check :-)
Today I am wearing my gmt master 2
@@BruceWilliams hello Bruce but the watch you wear in the vid does not look like rolex gmt but it is a Chrono with a dark case ..and a lovely bracelet => please what watch is it ?
8l35b surely has a good decoration than 8l35a, make it somewhat on par (a bit under due to lack of color, but this is acceptable) with same price range open caseback Swiss. Bravo for Seiko for this. But accuracy is still terrible then. Someone can say “oh my watch is accurate few secs only” but it is not warranted to do that. Maybe others are not accurate, or maybe that watch someday will have terrible accuracy by some factors. Still don’t understand why Seiko left it like that why they can regulate it. Compared to any swiss at that price point, it is a shame.
Link doesn't work
I guess you were lucky, my SLA017 is at +7 Seconds per day.
How could this cost as much as a GS !?
Its GS quality made in the same production facility
TBH Bruce, in the german watch forum there is plenty of people that have really bad accuray borderline close of being out of the -10s/+15s factory specs. Its sad, but its not such a rare thing. My MM300 (SBDX017 from late 2016) is good at about +6s/d, its basically COSC, but if you spend that much, it should be better regulated, at least -5s/+10s out of factory. The movement itself is ofc pretty great. Albeit i think they could upgrade it now, the original 9S movement is advancing now. 50h PR is not bad though and so i think its good enough right now.
I think your daughter was calling for you, haha 5 😎
My sla051 is 10-15 sec fast a day
Its newish, i hope it settles in a bit, but the aesthetics of the watch make up it.
There is no other option for this watch
I don't really understand Sieko, why they concealing the movement behind the solid case back?, as for the accuracy, when it's new this movement is very accurate, but the big question is for how long? if the movement does not have any feature for keeping that accuracy the accuracy will dropped down dramatically.
Best bang for the buck in the watch world my opinion of course. Hopefully the naysayers will now shut up
Lol that will never happen because 'you could buy a seamaster for that price' 😂
@@BruceWilliams sssh don't let our secret out on the 300 seamaster 42 let the sub guys keep waiting in line 😉, I have a seamaster Bruce and I'll put my mm300 up against it any day , there both accurate as hell my seikos are more legible and the loom is much better and last longer. But the haters gonna hate . I will say you could get a spring drive GS diver for about the same money used but to each their own love turtles too. Oh you forgot to mention that the 8l movement looks way way better then the one in most Rolex ,and I love my 1601 buuuut
Nice watch. First!
I wish we could see it in positions other than default....
..its called geneve stripe's..
No it’s not because it’s not from Geneve you freak 😂
Thanks for the review. Still I would not be so much optimistic as to the budget Seiko wathes. If you attentively trace the second arrow of the watch on this macro video - you will definetly notice two things: dust on it and its harshly cut profile. The markers of the watch is far from being perfect as well. It is not a suprize for me that Japenese guys are very economic in materials and in their budget watches they used metal plated hands made of cheap plastic)). The shining of the movement done by lazer as well does not mean that we see Geneva straps. I wish Japenese were magicians... but they are not. At any rate in this class. So... we are are speaking about cheap budget watch. Overestimated one.
Mine 8L35 is +14s/day.