I picked up mine from WR Watches in between promotions, so I got it for $170 USD, with an extra free tropic strap. I couldn't be more pleased with mine. I don't have the bezel back-play issue that you do, mine is running spot on, and I don't find the strap to be uncomfortable. It looks a bit plastic, but so did the original chocolate bar strap. You said it yourself several times in this video, this is Rdunae trying to replicate the original as close as possible, and I think they did an excellent job. The 19mm lug width seems to throw everybody into fits, but it's necessary to retain the look of the original. Plus, 19 mm straps are not that hard to come by anymore. If you're using a NATO or an elastic strap, it's a non-issue. I also have their 6105-8000 homage, which comes with a 20mm strap in a 19 mm lug, so it can be done. I'm pretty sure it is C1 and not C3, despite whatever AliEx says. It looks white in normal daylight, not that greenish tint, which wouldn't look right on this watch. People usually comment that the Steeldive is half the price, which is true, but it's not as refined as this watch. I find the proportions are a bit off, the finish is not as good, and the logo is super off-putting. This watch is for those who love the real 8110, but might not want to lay down the money for it, or those who are just disappointed with the Seiko CW reissues because of price and/or proportions. I would recommend going through WR Watches to pick one up, instead of AliEx. Their customer service is great, and they are always having promotions/sales.
Same here. I bought mine from WR Watches eight months ago. I changed the chocolate strap for the Tropic strap band and now is perfect. I don't have either any problem on mine with the back play bezel, it works perfectly. After eight months, really happy with it and to me, I said the best Captain Willard homage oute there, by far.
I bought this watch during new years sale when it was released. It's amazing and I payed only 15O,00 EUR. IMHO three (3) things rdunae could improve on the watch are: 1.) make the watch accept seiko 2.5mm fat spring bars 2.) the drill holes for the spring bar tips are too far from the edge. Please stick to Seiko standard because this makes fitting solid end links a nightmare. 3.) The angle of the crystals' chamfered edge is too steep. Hence it doesn't reproduce the characteristic double minute track distortion. Improve the crystal.
I bought this watch a few months back and couldn't be happier. It's easily one of my most worn watches since then. Another comment said it perfectly...I bought this watch because Rdunae has gone to great lengths to replicate the original, which for me made it easily worth the extra vs the Steeldive. And of course it's still much better priced and more faithful to the real Willard than the Seiko reissues. If that's what you're looking for then 19mm is a pro, not a con. But if you're not concerned about those little details the Steeldive may be a better option.
I just got my Rdunae R2X yesterday, they correct the arrow direction on the crown and the ar coating is clear now, but still has the domed sapphire crystal. Excellent watch, I am so glad I got it. Thanks again for the review.
I wish you were still making videos! Come back please! 😊 I bought this watch thanks to your review. It looks like a luxury watch; it’s surprisingly good looking. I think this would be, at minimum, a $3k watch if made in Switzerland. There are two difference I noticed, between the watch I received and the watch you reviewed. That is regarding the bracelet and the clasp. My bracelet is excellent. It exhibits none of the issues noted in the review. However, my clasp is very, very sharp. If one had to choose between the two issues, I’ll take this clasp issue. I was able to easily sand the edges down. Thanks again and all my best wishes for you in future.
I own this watch and it's a terrific homage of the vintage 6105 Captain Willard. There are others that mimic the style, but this one gets it right. The 19mm lug width, for better or worse, is correct. The case shape which includes the size and style of the crown guard is very accurate, as is the domed crystal with a beveled edge that refracts the minute markers correctly. The aluminum bezel insert and hour markers are also very good. The chocolate bar strap style is very close to the original as well. I have a largish wrist at 7.5 in, and found the original strap to be problematic as regards fit. I was able to source a 19mm OEM Seiko rubber strap and a 19mm Tropic strap so it fits me very well. I love mine. I also own a Steeldive in this style, but this is my favorite.
I just received this watch and the quality issues mentioned in your video have been resolved. My bezel has no back play, and the lock arrow on the crown now goes in the correct direction. The lug width is still 19mm but I see this as a plus since the candy bar strap has the same look and feel as the original 60’s models. P.S. I do very much enjoy your videos, they are very thorough, keep up the good work.
I got this one 8 months ago, brilliant watch close to the original. I changed the strap to an uncle seiko waffle which came with fatboy spring bars. Watch is now perfect.
I found it interesting that your knocks on the watch is what makes it the best homage to the original.. 19mm strap and the lock on the crown. Personally it’s why I like this watch better than any of the other homages.. other than the Merker (no longer made) that was also made with 19mm lug width.. And why in the world would you want a silicone strap? Softer, yes, but they look like what they are, cheap…
Nice looking piece! The dial looks well executed, the logo, the framed day window. I like the bevel of the sapphire. But it might be too close to the original Willard, the 19 mm lugwidth, the "wrongly" engraved crown. (Would’ve been a nice touch to have the crown the engraved the other way around). 50 year old Tritium would’ve stopped glowing by now I’d think, or significantly weaker. Half-life is 12 a or so. But radioluminescence is a nice thing to have One can get 2 SD1970 or a SD1970T (PT5000) and still can buy an original tropic strap… Thanks for the review! And I’d think you’re the one with the close pronunciation of the name "Rdunae".
Thanks for the review. It's a great looking watch, but hey, it's a Seiko hommage. But for me it's a copy rather than an hommage. What was the price in the seventies? It's a shame they didn't correct the arrow on the crown and went for a 20 mm. strap. The extra springbars delivered are 20 mm. Again, nice watch, but some missed opprtunities for me.
The Captain Willard isn't a turtle, it was released in '68 some 9 years before the turtle appeared. Rdunae isn't actually a word, it's from the abbreviation of the Latin phrase "Rome wasn't built in a day" how you pronounce it is anybodies guess, and I've noticed that many reviews are going with a similar pronunciation. The watch is very nice, perhaps most accurate homage to date (still in '24) if only there was a bracelet option, yes I'm aware that it didn't have a bracelet originally but it would have been nice. It's very similar to Heimdallr's Custom Made 6105 8110 with the ETA 2824-2 movement, that has a slightly different handset, no AR coating on the domed sapphire crystal, also has an aluminium bezel insert but the Rdunae's is more Seiko- like, the pip in particular. I understand that the current version (2024) has the lock arrow reversed on the crown which does make sense but is a bit of a shame. Very nice, excellent review thank you.
You are mistaken; Rdunae isn't an acronym (not abbreviation) of "Rome Wasn't Built In A Day", an acronym would be RWBIAD. "how you pronounce it is anybodies guess", the way I pronunce it is correct, not a guess. Regards, #WR4K
I bought mine 8 months ago and I don't have any back play on the bezel, works perfectly. By the way, this is by far the best 6105-8110 homage, no question about that.
Thank you for watching Michael. I appreciate the suggestion. Check out my Octopus Kraken Fifty-Fathoms homage review below, it may interest you. Regards, #WR4K ruclips.net/video/w-MOcH0sMl8/видео.html
The quality of the strap is a disappointment, but sourcing a 19mm tropic or waffle strap is not an issue. UncleSeiko has them in the OEM 19mm size, excellent quality, for a fairly reasonable price. Great review, thank you for the well done and thoughtful content.
Any watchmaker would adjust it for a very low cost, even demagnetizing it if necessary but I would send it back to the shop in order to get a new piece.
@@Stevenhufnagel'way better' has an awful lot of subjectiveness involved. If he is happy with his SD1970 (as I am with mine)...good enough is good enough...
@@kirkthebeerslinger Yes, it is subjective I guess, and you're right, if he is happy with the SD1970 then good enough. However, the Rdunae R2X 6105 is closer to the original Seiko 6105 from the crown placement, the size of the top crown guard, the bezel insert, the pip at the 12 mark on the bezel insert, the rounded corners wrapping to the 19mm band, which is the size of the original, the marking on the crown "lock and arrow", etc. All around the Rdunae captures the original in a more complete way. I had the SD1970 and sold it to get the Rdunae version because I wanted as close to the original as possible without having to drop the money to get a Seiko Propsex, which btw, is more like an homage than the homages. The SD1970 is a great looking watch and I like it, but the accuracy of the look of the Rdunae to the original Seiko 6105 was too much for me to pass on for the little in price difference.
@@stauguastine absolutely zero argument here. None of what you have said is disputable 👍. Have a great day and thank you for your comments - I think they will help others make a good choice as to what is important to them also...
How can you misunderstand the choosing of that fantastic "bad" stiff rubber strap, instead a "good" modern silicon strap?!? It's there because it is true to original diver straps of the '70. Exactly as the "bad" aluminum bezel is used on this fantastic watch instead a "good" modern ceramic bezel. This strap is a real must ad costs far more than a standard silicon waffle strap.
The strap is garbage. He’s right. It’s horrible, and they seem to have wedged a 20mm strap into the 19mm lugs. Getting it out was a nightmare and I had to use pliers and destroy the springbars. Once I put an Uncle Seiko TRUE 19mm strap on, the whole experience improved drastically. You can’t compare the aluminum to a ceramic bezel. It’s totally off point. And aluminum is still used today in some bezels.
19mm lugwith is personally a no go... - own >50 20/22/24 Nato straps and just one in 19 - dont like the rubber strap, looks quit cheap made - stock always a bracelet should come with. Not the cheapest watch... - what I really like ist the well looking logo at the dial.
@@watchreviews4k thank you so much for this review, I am adding this watch to my wish list based on it. I don't feel you sounded pompous at all. You did sound educated and informed in the review. Thanks again!!
This is on par with Steeldive 1970, except at least 12 "little" details. The price difference is due to details. If you can't see those details, Steeldive is the right choice for you 👍
Rdunae R2XBK:
www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003718497074.html?pdp_npi=2%40dis%21EUR%21%E2%82%AC%20225%2C68%21%E2%82%AC%20225%2C68%21%21%21%21%21%402101e9d316547870039834411ea209%2112000026921243745%21sh&spm=a2g0o.store_pc_home.productList_862512771.pic_0
I picked up mine from WR Watches in between promotions, so I got it for $170 USD, with an extra free tropic strap. I couldn't be more pleased with mine. I don't have the bezel back-play issue that you do, mine is running spot on, and I don't find the strap to be uncomfortable. It looks a bit plastic, but so did the original chocolate bar strap. You said it yourself several times in this video, this is Rdunae trying to replicate the original as close as possible, and I think they did an excellent job. The 19mm lug width seems to throw everybody into fits, but it's necessary to retain the look of the original. Plus, 19 mm straps are not that hard to come by anymore. If you're using a NATO or an elastic strap, it's a non-issue. I also have their 6105-8000 homage, which comes with a 20mm strap in a 19 mm lug, so it can be done.
I'm pretty sure it is C1 and not C3, despite whatever AliEx says. It looks white in normal daylight, not that greenish tint, which wouldn't look right on this watch.
People usually comment that the Steeldive is half the price, which is true, but it's not as refined as this watch. I find the proportions are a bit off, the finish is not as good, and the logo is super off-putting. This watch is for those who love the real 8110, but might not want to lay down the money for it, or those who are just disappointed with the Seiko CW reissues because of price and/or proportions. I would recommend going through WR Watches to pick one up, instead of AliEx. Their customer service is great, and they are always having promotions/sales.
Same here. I bought mine from WR Watches eight months ago. I changed the chocolate strap for the Tropic strap band and now is perfect. I don't have either any problem on mine with the back play bezel, it works perfectly.
After eight months, really happy with it and to me, I said the best Captain Willard homage oute there, by far.
I bought this watch during new years sale when it was released. It's amazing and I payed only 15O,00 EUR. IMHO three (3) things rdunae could improve on the watch are:
1.) make the watch accept seiko 2.5mm fat spring bars
2.) the drill holes for the spring bar tips are too far from the edge. Please stick to Seiko standard because this makes fitting solid end links a nightmare.
3.) The angle of the crystals' chamfered edge is too steep. Hence it doesn't reproduce the characteristic double minute track distortion. Improve the crystal.
I bought this watch a few months back and couldn't be happier. It's easily one of my most worn watches since then. Another comment said it perfectly...I bought this watch because Rdunae has gone to great lengths to replicate the original, which for me made it easily worth the extra vs the Steeldive. And of course it's still much better priced and more faithful to the real Willard than the Seiko reissues. If that's what you're looking for then 19mm is a pro, not a con. But if you're not concerned about those little details the Steeldive may be a better option.
I just got my Rdunae R2X yesterday, they correct the arrow direction on the crown and the ar coating is clear now, but still has the domed sapphire crystal. Excellent watch, I am so glad I got it. Thanks again for the review.
I wish you were still making videos! Come back please! 😊
I bought this watch thanks to your review. It looks like a luxury watch; it’s surprisingly good looking. I think this would be, at minimum, a $3k watch if made in Switzerland.
There are two difference I noticed, between the watch I received and the watch you reviewed. That is regarding the bracelet and the clasp. My bracelet is excellent. It exhibits none of the issues noted in the review. However, my clasp is very, very sharp. If one had to choose between the two issues, I’ll take this clasp issue. I was able to easily sand the edges down.
Thanks again and all my best wishes for you in future.
I own this watch and it's a terrific homage of the vintage 6105 Captain Willard. There are others that mimic the style, but this one gets it right. The 19mm lug width, for better or worse, is correct. The case shape which includes the size and style of the crown guard is very accurate, as is the domed crystal with a beveled edge that refracts the minute markers correctly. The aluminum bezel insert and hour markers are also very good. The chocolate bar strap style is very close to the original as well. I have a largish wrist at 7.5 in, and found the original strap to be problematic as regards fit. I was able to source a 19mm OEM Seiko rubber strap and a 19mm Tropic strap so it fits me very well. I love mine. I also own a Steeldive in this style, but this is my favorite.
I just received this watch and the quality issues mentioned in your video have been resolved. My bezel has no back play, and the lock arrow on the crown now goes in the correct direction. The lug width is still 19mm but I see this as a plus since the candy bar strap has the same look and feel as the original 60’s models. P.S. I do very much enjoy your videos, they are very thorough, keep up the good work.
Thank you for watching Bruce. Congratulations. Wear yours in good health. Regards, #WR4K
I bought a Heimdallr Captain Willard. Very pleased with it.
I got this one 8 months ago, brilliant watch close to the original. I changed the strap to an uncle seiko waffle which came with fatboy spring bars. Watch is now perfect.
I found it interesting that your knocks on the watch is what makes it the best homage to the original.. 19mm strap and the lock on the crown. Personally it’s why I like this watch better than any of the other homages.. other than the Merker (no longer made) that was also made with 19mm lug width.. And why in the world would you want a silicone strap? Softer, yes, but they look like what they are, cheap…
Thank you for watching David. Regards, #WR4K
One of the reasons I'm into watches now is 10+ years wearing resin-strapped Casios. Never again.
Nice looking piece!
The dial looks well executed, the logo, the framed day window.
I like the bevel of the sapphire.
But it might be too close to the original Willard, the 19 mm lugwidth, the "wrongly" engraved crown. (Would’ve been a nice touch to have the crown the engraved the other way around).
50 year old Tritium would’ve stopped glowing by now I’d think, or significantly weaker. Half-life is 12 a or so. But radioluminescence is a nice thing to have
One can get 2 SD1970 or a SD1970T (PT5000) and still can buy an original tropic strap…
Thanks for the review!
And I’d think you’re the one with the close pronunciation of the name "Rdunae".
Only negative I have is the 19mm strap... should have gone with a 20mm
Thanks for the review. It's a great looking watch, but hey, it's a Seiko hommage. But for me it's a copy rather than an hommage. What was the price in the seventies? It's a shame they didn't correct the arrow on the crown and went for a 20 mm. strap. The extra springbars delivered are 20 mm. Again, nice watch, but some missed opprtunities for me.
They are just trying to make a more accurate representation of the original
Steel dive not too bad of a watch less money nice watch too on the video content
The Captain Willard isn't a turtle, it was released in '68 some 9 years before the turtle appeared. Rdunae isn't actually a word, it's from the abbreviation of the Latin phrase "Rome wasn't built in a day" how you pronounce it is anybodies guess, and I've noticed that many reviews are going with a similar pronunciation. The watch is very nice, perhaps most accurate homage to date (still in '24) if only there was a bracelet option, yes I'm aware that it didn't have a bracelet originally but it would have been nice. It's very similar to Heimdallr's Custom Made 6105 8110 with the ETA 2824-2 movement, that has a slightly different handset, no AR coating on the domed sapphire crystal, also has an aluminium bezel insert but the Rdunae's is more Seiko- like, the pip in particular. I understand that the current version (2024) has the lock arrow reversed on the crown which does make sense but is a bit of a shame. Very nice, excellent review thank you.
You are mistaken; Rdunae isn't an acronym (not abbreviation) of "Rome Wasn't Built In A Day", an acronym would be RWBIAD.
"how you pronounce it is anybodies guess", the way I pronunce it is correct, not a guess. Regards, #WR4K
the bezel back play puts me off and its priced too high compared to the competition great review as always
I bought mine 8 months ago and I don't have any back play on the bezel, works perfectly. By the way, this is by far the best 6105-8110 homage, no question about that.
Hello, there, hope all is well, maybe you can review their homage of the fifthy fanthoms
Thank you for watching Michael. I appreciate the suggestion. Check out my Octopus Kraken Fifty-Fathoms homage review below, it may interest you. Regards, #WR4K
ruclips.net/video/w-MOcH0sMl8/видео.html
This is very close to the original I really like that as I can't afford 1300 dollars for the original
Best homage to the original . End of.
Thank you for watching. Regards, #WR4K
It’s $135.00 US. As of 8/31/2004
Better strap too. Resin is godawful. Easy to get a 19mm bracelet these days but I've heard that 20mm waffle straps fit fine.
@oktc68 ill definitely try to add a 20mm rubber strap😊
Hey! Could you review guanqin hydroconquest homage? Seems really good for the price :D
Thank you for watching Pawel. I appreciate the suggestion. Regards, #WR4K
The quality of the strap is a disappointment, but sourcing a 19mm tropic or waffle strap is not an issue. UncleSeiko has them in the OEM 19mm size, excellent quality, for a fairly reasonable price. Great review, thank you for the well done and thoughtful content.
Uncle seiko does 19mm waffle straps for this watch.
👍
Rdunae isn't actually a word, it's a Latin acronym for Rome wasn't built in a day. Beautiful homage but the off center logo triggers my OCD.
wouldn't that be RWBIAD ??
"Roma non uno die aedificata est" so it would be Rnudae 🤔
Are these connected to steel dive?
Thank you for watching. No. Regards, #WR4K
Not sure why they would make so much effort to get all the text of the original correct and then slap their logo on it.
do you want them to put Seiko name on the dial?
I had mine about 6 months when it started to run between 5 minutes to half an hour slow, very disappointing
Sorry to hear that. Regards, #WR4K
Any watchmaker would adjust it for a very low cost, even demagnetizing it if necessary but I would send it back to the shop in order to get a new piece.
So it cots a 1/4 of the original Seiko, right? I would save money to get the true "captain Willard"
more like 1/8 for that homage one, made by seiko. But original willard? Idk good luck finding one
My steeldive 1970. Was £70. Its fabulous. This watch is way too expensive
The quality of this one is way better than steeldive. Check out the comparison videos.
@@Stevenhufnagel'way better' has an awful lot of subjectiveness involved. If he is happy with his SD1970 (as I am with mine)...good enough is good enough...
@@kirkthebeerslinger Yes, it is subjective I guess, and you're right, if he is happy with the SD1970 then good enough. However, the Rdunae R2X 6105 is closer to the original Seiko 6105 from the crown placement, the size of the top crown guard, the bezel insert, the pip at the 12 mark on the bezel insert, the rounded corners wrapping to the 19mm band, which is the size of the original, the marking on the crown "lock and arrow", etc. All around the Rdunae captures the original in a more complete way. I had the SD1970 and sold it to get the Rdunae version because I wanted as close to the original as possible without having to drop the money to get a Seiko Propsex, which btw, is more like an homage than the homages. The SD1970 is a great looking watch and I like it, but the accuracy of the look of the Rdunae to the original Seiko 6105 was too much for me to pass on for the little in price difference.
@@stauguastine absolutely zero argument here. None of what you have said is disputable 👍. Have a great day and thank you for your comments - I think they will help others make a good choice as to what is important to them also...
How can you misunderstand the choosing of that fantastic "bad" stiff rubber strap, instead a "good" modern silicon strap?!? It's there because it is true to original diver straps of the '70. Exactly as the "bad" aluminum bezel is used on this fantastic watch instead a "good" modern ceramic bezel. This strap is a real must ad costs far more than a standard silicon waffle strap.
Thank you for watching Daniele. Regards, #WR4K
The strap is garbage. He’s right. It’s horrible, and they seem to have wedged a 20mm strap into the 19mm lugs. Getting it out was a nightmare and I had to use pliers and destroy the springbars. Once I put an Uncle Seiko TRUE 19mm strap on, the whole experience improved drastically.
You can’t compare the aluminum to a ceramic bezel. It’s totally off point. And aluminum is still used today in some bezels.
19mm lugwith is personally a no go... - own >50 20/22/24 Nato straps and just one in 19 - dont like the rubber strap, looks quit cheap made - stock always a bracelet should come with. Not the cheapest watch... - what I really like ist the well looking logo at the dial.
Your delivery is a little pompous, but overall a nice review.
Thank you for watching. Regards, #WR4K
@@watchreviews4k thank you so much for this review, I am adding this watch to my wish list based on it. I don't feel you sounded pompous at all. You did sound educated and informed in the review. Thanks again!!
To me this is on par with the Steeldive 1970 and thats a £100 cheaper with same movement .Its a no no from me
This is on par with Steeldive 1970, except at least 12 "little" details. The price difference is due to details. If you can't see those details, Steeldive is the right choice for you 👍
Steeldive is not a true replica to the willard, this one is.
@@sukhjitsingh6288 you are absolutely right 👍
I own both and Rdunae is much better than the Steeldive. If you have a close look of both you can see the difference.
Yeah, same movement, but the measures, finish case, dial, hands and crystal are much better on the Rdunae, huge difference between the two.