I’ve had the Willard for over a month now and it’s keeping all other watches in the box. Very accurate and I must be lucky as everything lines up nicely.
I've had the 143 for about 2 months now and absolutely love it. Bezel alignment and operation is spot on. As far as accuracy I was a little concerned initially when it was gaining about 10 to 20 seconds per day. However, I discovered if I leave it overnight in the '9 up' position then it is almost perfect. During the last 4 weeks it has been within 1 second overall! Great fit on my 7" wrist.
I have been concerned about the accuracy of the 6R35 as well. A lot of people on the watch forums report a wild variations in range and it's a little disappointing that at this price range Seiko will only stand behind -15/+25 spd when we all know they have the technical abilities with the 8L35/SLA releases.
Got the Willard last week, was real excited, then after two hours wearing I noticed the hands were misaligned. In Australia these are $1,800, for that money I’d expect the quality control inherent in something like a Vostok. By the time I figured six to eight weeks for warranty assessment and repair, I just pulled the movement and popped the handset myself. But i still love it.
Engineer Wannabe I did buy it at an AD, they’re the ones gave me a six to eight week turnaround. I’ve done it several times in other watches, got all the tools,took about twenty minutes. It’s just annoying that it should have been an issue in the first place. Apart from that, the watch is very high quality, and keeping spot on time. Like a Turtle made by obsessives.
Strangely, my SPB151J1 wears perfectly on the metal bracelet but becomes uncomfortable and cumbersome on the rubber waffle strap I bought for it. It is a lovely watch
I went watch shopping at the weekend with the intention of buying the SPB143, unfortunately they didn’t have it in stock, they had the brown/gilt dial on the rubber strap. Personally didn’t like how it wore and was a little bit disappointed. Tried on the SPB151 as they had it in stock. Never cared for it, kinda thought it was ugly. However, damn that thing wears well!! That would be my pick of the bunch. I’ve had my mind changed so much from trying watches on. I know it’s been tempting with lockdowns etc. but try before you buy as you may be disappointed or pleasantly surprised.
I bought the 149 last week. The bezel is aligned perfectly however the bezel was having a similar issue in the 4 to 2 locations while turning as yours did. I put it underwater and turned it about 40 times and it is fine now. A GREAT watch, I'm getting +3.5 on the wrist. (However... YMMV!)
I know this sounds silly but just try it , wash the watch in warm soapy water ( screw down the crown 🤔) and spin the bezel while it’s all soapy and rinse while again spinning the bezel (repeat if necessary) and I bet you will feel and hear a difference , it won’t fix the alignment 🙄 , but where it gets hard to turn will be better
Yeah this is pretty silly. I am all in for their push to go upmarket, but the requirements of doing that mean they need to iron this all out. That said, watches costing a lot more still have issues like this. Rolex have these problems occasionally too. At that price they should be perfect. My Oris 65 has a bezel with too much play. I got a quartz Tag in the 90s as a gift that the seconds hand was misaligned from day 1. At the end of the day, basically all watches are mass produced and have imperfections
DeanoTXR53 I’m not saying qc issues are completely avoidable. I’m saying they should be the exception, not the rule, and they should definitely be completely fixed under warranty.
@@Ferien7 Fair point, are Seiko not fixing these for customers? I had seen complaints but no follow ups about contacting Seiko. Also, I've seen a lot of photos of people's new SPB on WUS and the majority look to be aligned. That said, it seems like 50% of those bought by youtubers aren't. Bad luck there
I really like the Capt Willard's indeces and seconds hand design way more than the SPB 14x series. It also looks like there was a more generous dose of lume on the Capt Willard, but not sure if you noticed that as well. As always, it's the small details the make all the difference!
The small details do make a huge difference. The Willard overall feels more premium because of these small details. As for lume, I didn't notice a significant difference between the 2 models. That said, the Willard does have wider (but shorter) indices
Seiko QC is the reason I sold all my Seiko's. If I do buy a Seiko in the future it will be one of the cheaper ones under £250 as QC issues don't matter when spending such amounts.
I too have no Seikos in my collection now. Really sad but the QC issues are insane....I'm sure I'll have another Seiko soon but I'll go over it with a fine toothed comb before I buy it 😅
@@engineer_wannabe I buy most of my watches online and I have had to return so many Seiko's due to misalignment, I just gave up. I actually like the SPB147 and have been considering it over the original BB58.
If there was a watch governing body much like in the auto industry, there would have been a recall issued by now on Seiko. The QC issues just don't stop and the prices just keep rising, but yet Seiko takes no action themselves. Thank you for pointing out these flaws.
You are lucky! I have had a number of Seikos (including 2 of the watches in this video) and almost all of them had alignment Issues. Unfortunately Seiko has too many QC issues for me nowadays, especially considering the price of some of them.
The bezel jump appears too often it would seem. I had the same issue with my MM200 Reduced and it soon got worse. Now only about 50 clicks with 2 spots at 12 and 8 no clicks at all.
Great Video I have the Willard unfortunately my bezel does not line up. You would think Seiko would get there QC act together. I’m waiting on my AD’s phone call say my SPB 149 has arrived fingers crossed 🤞 it’s alignment is on the mark. Thanks for the comparison 👍
I have the grey 62mas, will be getting a Capt Willard next. Selling the SBDC059 and SBDC061 , SBDC053 i own. The 2020 models are a worthwhile upgrade to me compared to the 2018 models
Good to see all three in a row like that, thanks. I like the 143. Though not sure I'd sell my SBDC061 to and pay extra for it. I like a Seiko 4 o'clock crown, a framed date window, and my wrist is large. Though the SBDC061 is not perfect either, but hard to match at that price point.
Thank you for watching, yeah if your wrist is large, I’d keep the SBDC061...that is an excellent watch at a great price point! I used to have a similar model but my wrist is small so these smaller pieces are what I have been asking for...the price hike is a bit frustrating
Hey man, I figured why the bezel action is different and "iffy" or looser on the 149 as I ran into the identical issue. There were apparently 2 different runs of the bezel; I assume the CNC machine's blade was changed during the middle of their run. In order to correct the 149, (ironically machined better but resulted in a looser bezel) I believe all you need is a slightly thicker bezel gasket as my 149 bezel can literally be half-removed if I pry it with my fingers. The bezel spring may also be a little warped so straighten that out as well. The stock gasket is 0.7mm in diameter, while you can find aftermarket ones at 0.8mm (same gasket size as skx). Msg me for the pictures of differences and I'll show you what I mean.
Wow, that's some really deep insightful stuff there. You a watch-maker? But I fear, Seiko just can't make a good diver, at any price. Something has gone seriously wrong over the years in their assembly line of sports watches. They must know what happened and surely put it right, even if it's expensive to do?
This is fascinating....Yes the way I corrected my bezel was by prying it off and straightening out the spring. It works to a satisfactory level now but I'll look into a thicker bezel gasket as well! Thank you very much for sharing!
@@engineer_wannabe I realised that even the bezel notches on the underside are not evenly machined, hence the increased noise at 45-55 position. If you look at the underside of the bezel, you'll see that the inner circumference will be thinner/thicker compared to the other portions of the bezel so the click spring hits at a different part of the notched grooves. I believe this is not the case for the 143/145/147.
@@gmshadowtraders Not a watchmaker, but at this point a better eye than many others it seems due to my work with micro-detailed QC. You're correct about something being off in their assembly line; you can actually tell that the calibration is off on everything that requires concentric measurement/printing/machining. For example, the MM200 suffers from a off-calibrated chapter ring as you can match the minute markers to 12 but the 6 marker will ALWAYS be off. This also applies to the 63mas bezel insert as you can align the 12 marker to the pip but the 3/9 markings will always be skewed to one direction on the bezel. This being a common factor in all their dive watches leads me to believe that it's their dial-pressing machine that is off-calibration as their markers are pressed and not applied.
It's pretty easy and straightforward forward to regulate these Seiko movements by any competent watch repairman, and they respond very well to regulation. A pity about the QC, perhaps you were just unlucky
They are well-sized and have several good design points. However as you said, I have also identified several QC issues from the brand new watches in the stores. Which is quite a shame...
Hi Pisanu Kr. The bracelet is fairly hefty at 96g. The watch alone is 85g. I have mine on an Admiralty Grey NATO strap which I think looks really good. Hope this helps.
It is hard to believe that Seiko does not get this work with a $1,300 watch but it is absolutely embarrassing when this happens with a limited edition watch for about $4,000. I sold my SLA017 too, but for another reason. In my opinion it was just too thick. However, I still have an SLA033. I just wished the diameter as well as the lug-to-lug width would be a bit smaller.
Would help to know your wrist size, just to get a proper perspective. Dive watches in general are meant to wear on the larger size, the two smaller ones look fine to me. But the Willard kind of overhangs just tiny bit, at least from the angle you took the video
Glad to hear you have a perfect sbdc109. I have the sbdc107 and 101, all JDM. One with the same bezel alignment issue. Another one runs really fast per day like 24 seconds. They really need to improve the QC.
@@clairestudio2024 I was really surprised with the accuracy of my Willard. If I leave it on my wrist it loses less than 2 sec./day. It took about 3 weeks to settle in to that. My only other watches that gets that kind of accuracy are my Stowa Flieger and Oris Aquis. My Squales and Seiko Alpinist run between 10-15 seconds fast. You should send yours in for service. I think it may be out of spec.
House RN i may give the sbdc101 one month to settle and see what happens. The 107 already on my wrist one month and gain 8 second just like out of box. Nothing change at all. Maybe the “settle” thing not for every watch. Hope the 101 will slow down within 10 seconds.
@@clairestudio2024 Maybe it's just my imagination but I thought my Willard did change some over time. I do know that mechanical watches run differently depending on the position they're in. That probably all I was noticing. I've been so busy cuz of work that I haven't had a chance to really keep tabs on accuracy this week. I just set it again after we've been talking about it.
House RN You are right. i have heard that new watch need “breaking in” time from different source. But never happen to me on my collection no matter swiss or japanese brand. This time I hope it will happen once to me and i don’t need to open the case back. Thanks a lot for sharing your experience. Willard is a really good choice!
Nice. I bought the Willard last week from Japan. Unfortunately the dam bezel doesnt line up with the indices. Drives me nutz lol. I took it to a watch guy and am hoping he can align it for me. I hate when they dont line up. Bugs me every time I look at it.
That pisses me off, assuming that it is noticably misaligned. I have heard guys moan when a bezel was misaligned by a distance unnoticeable to the naked eye.
I really want to get into seiko but i just cant. I do love these retro watches they have produces recently. But why people would consider spending this sort of money on a watch with such poor build quality. Misaligned bezel with a faulty mechanism! Thats just pathetic. Also the clasps looks ugly and cheap. Overall they are nice looking watches but this does not excuse the other issues.
Mid range however they do come at considerable cost. Not sure whether their bezels are ceramic/sapphire or plain aluminium. If aluminum, they are cutting costs and present really low standard watches. The bracelets, heard the sound they make in the presentation, nothing solid and those horrible clasps, tin can. While the mechanisms might be great the finishing of the product is below average. There are lots of micro brands out there that cost half the price that beat these 3 easily. I believe the total cost for a better finishing would be around $50/$60 and I'm sure each and every one of the potential buyers would be more than willing to pay. No idea why Seiko, a colossal company don't seem to realize this.....
I agree with you on most of your points. I do have a feeling Seiko knows exactly what they are doing though...(Except for the QC issues). Thank you for watching, my friend!
@@engineer_wannabe thank you for sharing, good health and keep posting:)ps haven't given up hope on Seiko, not yet, and I do hope to see in their mid to high at least a Helson or a Zelos type of bracelet/clasp. Must have said that a dozen times in the channels that I've subscribed.
@@trevbarlow9719 true which is why I don't want one. The Seamaster/Planet Ocean/Rolex just few years back upgraded their bezel inserts. When I bought my 1st Sub and SeaDweller(1220m) back in 1988 there were just aluminum and no one those days would think of a different insert. If were to buy now my 1st one and had the option between an early edition at 20% of the price of the new I would still buy the one with ceramic. If I could afford both, then I would do that. No matter how good the black bay is for me atm is a no go.
I simply believe its too shorthanded to speak of QC issues here. All these (midrange price point) SEIKOs are completely made by robots that simply cant do without considerable tolerances. And SEIKO obviously tolerates/ is forced to tolerate these tolerances regarding case finishing and accuracy. Never forget SEIKO is a mass producer while ROLEX, OMEGA et al produce for considerably narrower markets. There‘s only the solution to buy at local dealerships and to inspect your object of desire in person.
If seiko wanna move up market that’s totally fine. But don’t charge $1000+ and still have the same shitty QC as you had on your $200 models. I have an affinity for this brand because like many people I started out in this hobby with Seiko, but their pathetic QC is embarrassing and makes me not even want to support thr brand.
They still didn’t get it right. 13.1mm is way too thick for a 40.5mm diameter watch. They need to go back to vintage size and proportions imo. Definitely not worth $1200.
you really have no idea what you are talking about. First I have to witness you jamming a way too big pinpusher in your 5 KX and blaiming Seiko instead of using the right tool and now the matt dial feels mor "premium" than the sunburst dia which is way more difficult to produce. This channel is misleading.
In models SPB149J1 and SPB143J1 apart from the non-focusing bezel, the problem is also the quite big hole between the watch case and the bracelet, it gives the impression of a poor fit, and the bracelet apparently works in this place.
I’ve had the Willard for over a month now and it’s keeping all other watches in the box. Very accurate and I must be lucky as everything lines up nicely.
I'm really happy to hear that man! It's a beautiful piece
I've had the 143 for about 2 months now and absolutely love it. Bezel alignment and operation is spot on. As far as accuracy I was a little concerned initially when it was gaining about 10 to 20 seconds per day. However, I discovered if I leave it overnight in the '9 up' position then it is almost perfect. During the last 4 weeks it has been within 1 second overall! Great fit on my 7" wrist.
I have been concerned about the accuracy of the 6R35 as well. A lot of people on the watch forums report a wild variations in range and it's a little disappointing that at this price range Seiko will only stand behind -15/+25 spd when we all know they have the technical abilities with the 8L35/SLA releases.
Got the Willard last week, was real excited, then after two hours wearing I noticed the hands were misaligned. In Australia these are $1,800, for that money I’d expect the quality control inherent in something like a Vostok. By the time I figured six to eight weeks for warranty assessment and repair, I just pulled the movement and popped the handset myself. But i still love it.
Good on you for fixing it yourself! Bad hand alignment would drive me crazy. It's one of the reasons I insist on buying at ADs for myself
Engineer Wannabe I did buy it at an AD, they’re the ones gave me a six to eight week turnaround. I’ve done it several times in other watches, got all the tools,took about twenty minutes. It’s just annoying that it should have been an issue in the first place. Apart from that, the watch is very high quality, and keeping spot on time. Like a Turtle made by obsessives.
Ah I see.
Yeah man it's such a nice timepiece overall!
Strangely, my SPB151J1 wears perfectly on the metal bracelet but becomes uncomfortable and cumbersome on the rubber waffle strap I bought for it. It is a lovely watch
I enjoy willard spb 151 and 153..for 151 i change the bracelet with waffle rubber. It looks good. Remind me to apocalypse now (1979)
I went watch shopping at the weekend with the intention of buying the SPB143, unfortunately they didn’t have it in stock, they had the brown/gilt dial on the rubber strap. Personally didn’t like how it wore and was a little bit disappointed. Tried on the SPB151 as they had it in stock. Never cared for it, kinda thought it was ugly. However, damn that thing wears well!! That would be my pick of the bunch. I’ve had my mind changed so much from trying watches on. I know it’s been tempting with lockdowns etc. but try before you buy as you may be disappointed or pleasantly surprised.
Really wise words! Always try before you buy!
Thanks for your insight my friend :)
I bought the 149 last week. The bezel is aligned perfectly however the bezel was having a similar issue in the 4 to 2 locations while turning as yours did. I put it underwater and turned it about 40 times and it is fine now. A GREAT watch, I'm getting +3.5 on the wrist. (However... YMMV!)
That’s a great tip! Thank you so much!
I know this sounds silly but just try it , wash the watch in warm soapy water ( screw down the crown 🤔) and spin the bezel while it’s all soapy and rinse while again spinning the bezel (repeat if necessary) and I bet you will feel and hear a difference , it won’t fix the alignment 🙄 , but where it gets hard to turn will be better
Thanks for watching and for the tip!
Exactly, worked for me.
These 2 watches are on my radar for my next purchase
Thanks for the video
Please do a long term comparison video on both
Will look forward to it
Also, misalignments and qc issues at this price are completely unacceptable.
Yeah it's really disappointing. They are hurting their brand pretty badly
Yeah this is pretty silly. I am all in for their push to go upmarket, but the requirements of doing that mean they need to iron this all out. That said, watches costing a lot more still have issues like this. Rolex have these problems occasionally too. At that price they should be perfect. My Oris 65 has a bezel with too much play. I got a quartz Tag in the 90s as a gift that the seconds hand was misaligned from day 1. At the end of the day, basically all watches are mass produced and have imperfections
DeanoTXR53 I’m not saying qc issues are completely avoidable. I’m saying they should be the exception, not the rule, and they should definitely be completely fixed under warranty.
@@Ferien7 Fair point, are Seiko not fixing these for customers? I had seen complaints but no follow ups about contacting Seiko. Also, I've seen a lot of photos of people's new SPB on WUS and the majority look to be aligned. That said, it seems like 50% of those bought by youtubers aren't. Bad luck there
I really like the Capt Willard's indeces and seconds hand design way more than the SPB 14x series. It also looks like there was a more generous dose of lume on the Capt Willard, but not sure if you noticed that as well. As always, it's the small details the make all the difference!
The small details do make a huge difference. The Willard overall feels more premium because of these small details.
As for lume, I didn't notice a significant difference between the 2 models. That said, the Willard does have wider (but shorter) indices
Seiko QC is the reason I sold all my Seiko's. If I do buy a Seiko in the future it will be one of the cheaper ones under £250 as QC issues don't matter when spending such amounts.
I too have no Seikos in my collection now. Really sad but the QC issues are insane....I'm sure I'll have another Seiko soon but I'll go over it with a fine toothed comb before I buy it 😅
@@engineer_wannabe I buy most of my watches online and I have had to return so many Seiko's due to misalignment, I just gave up. I actually like the SPB147 and have been considering it over the original BB58.
Got the grey SPB143 and really like it. Hesitant though if I should've gotten the blue SPB149 instead. That dial somehow looks crisper. Tough choice!
I personally prefer the SPB143 over the 149 but you’re right, very tough choice!
If there was a watch governing body much like in the auto industry, there would have been a recall issued by now on Seiko. The QC issues just don't stop and the prices just keep rising, but yet Seiko takes no action themselves. Thank you for pointing out these flaws.
You're welcome! The QC issues are a real bummer to me and I do hope the end of such issues are in sight.
I wonder how much that steel bezel insert will get scratches over time
Maybe I am lucky. I own 4 Seiko Divers. The 143, 153, 125 and 53. No alignment issues
That's great to hear. Maybe I was just the unlucky one here haha
You are lucky! I have had a number of Seikos (including 2 of the watches in this video) and almost all of them had alignment Issues. Unfortunately Seiko has too many QC issues for me nowadays, especially considering the price of some of them.
Wow they all look huge on your wrist.
I think 38mm is biggest you can wear for a diver.
Thanks for the head-to-head comparison of these watches! I didn't realize you were from the GTA, as I'm in South-West Ontario. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for watching! Yes sir, happy to meet another Canadian. I hope you and your family are keeping well!
The bezel jump appears too often it would seem. I had the same issue with my MM200 Reduced and it soon got worse. Now only about 50 clicks with 2 spots at 12 and 8 no clicks at all.
My seiko willars drilled lugs were not drilled through all of them , but keeping it beautiful watch
All look great but the Willard is top of the list for me. Hope to pick one up this year.
Yeah man, The Willard seems to be a small step above the 62MAS. I whole heartedly recommend it! Just make sure it's a good example first lol
Hopefully the misaligned bezel is an easy fix
Great Video I have the Willard unfortunately my bezel does not line up. You would think Seiko would get there QC act together. I’m waiting on my AD’s phone call say my SPB 149 has arrived fingers crossed 🤞 it’s alignment is on the mark. Thanks for the comparison 👍
I'm sorry to hear that...I hope your 149 is in perfect spec!
Thanks for watching :)
I have the grey 62mas, will be getting a Capt Willard next. Selling the SBDC059 and SBDC061 , SBDC053 i own. The 2020 models are a worthwhile upgrade to me compared to the 2018 models
I agree with you entirely. Congrats, my friend! Enjoy!
Thanks for this reviews I'm looking at all these at this moment
You're very welcome, thanks for watching. Let me know which one you go for 😁👍
@@engineer_wannabe definitely leaning towards the Capt Willard
Excellent choice!
Good to see all three in a row like that, thanks. I like the 143. Though not sure I'd sell my SBDC061 to and pay extra for it. I like a Seiko 4 o'clock crown, a framed date window, and my wrist is large. Though the SBDC061 is not perfect either, but hard to match at that price point.
Thank you for watching, yeah if your wrist is large, I’d keep the SBDC061...that is an excellent watch at a great price point! I used to have a similar model but my wrist is small so these smaller pieces are what I have been asking for...the price hike is a bit frustrating
Great honest review, now I’m crushed 😞 I was saving up for the SPB143J1
Thanks Miguel, Don't give up on the 143. It's still a great watch! Just a few things to look out for before you call it your own 🙂
Always enjoy your uploads 👍
Thank you very much. That's very kind of you to say!
Will release on november spb183 capt willard 55th anniversary, limited edition 5500. Blue dial extra rubber band lol.
Hey man, I figured why the bezel action is different and "iffy" or looser on the 149 as I ran into the identical issue. There were apparently 2 different runs of the bezel; I assume the CNC machine's blade was changed during the middle of their run. In order to correct the 149, (ironically machined better but resulted in a looser bezel) I believe all you need is a slightly thicker bezel gasket as my 149 bezel can literally be half-removed if I pry it with my fingers. The bezel spring may also be a little warped so straighten that out as well. The stock gasket is 0.7mm in diameter, while you can find aftermarket ones at 0.8mm (same gasket size as skx). Msg me for the pictures of differences and I'll show you what I mean.
Wow, that's some really deep insightful stuff there. You a watch-maker? But I fear, Seiko just can't make a good diver, at any price. Something has gone seriously wrong over the years in their assembly line of sports watches. They must know what happened and surely put it right, even if it's expensive to do?
This is fascinating....Yes the way I corrected my bezel was by prying it off and straightening out the spring. It works to a satisfactory level now but I'll look into a thicker bezel gasket as well!
Thank you very much for sharing!
@@engineer_wannabe I realised that even the bezel notches on the underside are not evenly machined, hence the increased noise at 45-55 position. If you look at the underside of the bezel, you'll see that the inner circumference will be thinner/thicker compared to the other portions of the bezel so the click spring hits at a different part of the notched grooves. I believe this is not the case for the 143/145/147.
@@gmshadowtraders Not a watchmaker, but at this point a better eye than many others it seems due to my work with micro-detailed QC. You're correct about something being off in their assembly line; you can actually tell that the calibration is off on everything that requires concentric measurement/printing/machining. For example, the MM200 suffers from a off-calibrated chapter ring as you can match the minute markers to 12 but the 6 marker will ALWAYS be off. This also applies to the 63mas bezel insert as you can align the 12 marker to the pip but the 3/9 markings will always be skewed to one direction on the bezel. This being a common factor in all their dive watches leads me to believe that it's their dial-pressing machine that is off-calibration as their markers are pressed and not applied.
You can easily fix a missaligned bezel. Look on line how.
It's pretty easy and straightforward forward to regulate these Seiko movements by any competent watch repairman, and they respond very well to regulation. A pity about the QC, perhaps you were just unlucky
Yeah, I do hope I was unlucky. Hopefully first batch issues :)
what color lume is the spb149 j1
green
They are well-sized and have several good design points. However as you said, I have also identified several QC issues from the brand new watches in the stores. Which is quite a shame...
There are so many QC issues on these new watches...it is staggering. It really makes me sad
Thanks for sharing 😊 great watches
Thanks for watching again man :)
Nice watch which I eye it for a while. How about the weight? Is it wearing hefty with the bracelet?
Hi Pisanu Kr. The bracelet is fairly hefty at 96g. The watch alone is 85g. I have mine on an Admiralty Grey NATO strap which I think looks really good. Hope this helps.
Nice review. I sold my SLA017 because of miss aligned bezel! It’s BS that they can’t sort this out!
Thank you very much and I'm really sorry to hear that ☹
It is hard to believe that Seiko does not get this work with a $1,300 watch but it is absolutely embarrassing when this happens with a limited edition watch for about $4,000. I sold my SLA017 too, but for another reason. In my opinion it was just too thick. However, I still have an SLA033. I just wished the diameter as well as the lug-to-lug width would be a bit smaller.
And of course you told the potential buyers of this misalignment? 🤣 for sale $6k Seiko with misaligned bezel.
Thanks for all the comparison wrist shots! We have the same wrist size so this guide is perfect, I might just go with a second captain willard :p
Glad I was able to help in some way 😄
Would help to know your wrist size, just to get a proper perspective. Dive watches in general are meant to wear on the larger size, the two smaller ones look fine to me. But the Willard kind of overhangs just tiny bit, at least from the angle you took the video
Good point, Thank you very much. I'll mention my wrist size on following videos. (6.25inches by the way 😄)
@@engineer_wannabe almost the same as mine ( 6.5"), good to know, thanks! 👍🏼👍🏼😃😃
Oh man, the last thing I need is another watch, but that Willard looks so good.
It is reaally good! lol.
Thanks for the comment Amin, I thoroughly enjoyed your review of the SPB147!
@@engineer_wannabe thank you!
I saw them all, Willard is the best looking the others dissapointed me a little don’t know why
Agreed, the Willard did feel more refined to me too 🙂
Engineer Wannabe they look better on youtube where Willard feels very good
My SBDC109 bezel doesn't do that. It aligns perfectly. I think that the Japanese domestic versions of these watches are better quality.
Glad to hear you have a perfect sbdc109. I have the sbdc107 and 101, all JDM. One with the same bezel alignment issue. Another one runs really fast per day like 24 seconds. They really need to improve the QC.
@@clairestudio2024 I was really surprised with the accuracy of my Willard. If I leave it on my wrist it loses less than 2 sec./day. It took about 3 weeks to settle in to that. My only other watches that gets that kind of accuracy are my Stowa Flieger and Oris Aquis. My Squales and Seiko Alpinist run between 10-15 seconds fast. You should send yours in for service. I think it may be out of spec.
House RN i may give the sbdc101 one month to settle and see what happens. The 107 already on my wrist one month and gain 8 second just like out of box. Nothing change at all. Maybe the “settle” thing not for every watch. Hope the 101 will slow down within 10 seconds.
@@clairestudio2024 Maybe it's just my imagination but I thought my Willard did change some over time. I do know that mechanical watches run differently depending on the position they're in. That probably all I was noticing. I've been so busy cuz of work that I haven't had a chance to really keep tabs on accuracy this week. I just set it again after we've been talking about it.
House RN You are right. i have heard that new watch need “breaking in” time from different source. But never happen to me on my collection no matter swiss or japanese brand. This time I hope it will happen once to me and i don’t need to open the case back. Thanks a lot for sharing your experience. Willard is a really good choice!
Thanks for this comparison/overview!🤑
Thanks for watching :)
I'm new to this channel. there is no way I can spell out the website you mentioned.
Haha I should have mentioned that a link will be in the description 😅
Fine review. Well done.
Thank you very much! Appreciate that you took time to encourage me!
Nice. I bought the Willard last week from Japan. Unfortunately the dam bezel doesnt line up with the indices. Drives me nutz lol. I took it to a watch guy and am hoping he can align it for me. I hate when they dont line up. Bugs me every time I look at it.
I hear you! I hope it works out for you man!
That pisses me off, assuming that it is noticably misaligned. I have heard guys moan when a bezel was misaligned by a distance unnoticeable to the naked eye.
@@trevbarlow9719 yeah its noticeably misaligned. I can see it from 6 feet away.
i like your honest review, really disappointed when you mention about the bezel misalignment.
Thank you for watching! I was pretty disappointed as well
Review the new releases spb 189 spb 191
Nice looking watches.
They really are!
I really want to get into seiko but i just cant. I do love these retro watches they have produces recently. But why people would consider spending this sort of money on a watch with such poor build quality. Misaligned bezel with a faulty mechanism! Thats just pathetic. Also the clasps looks ugly and cheap. Overall they are nice looking watches but this does not excuse the other issues.
This is so hard, do I go for Willard or 62Mas SPB143?? Help!!!
62mas.
@@uesugikaru well too late already went for Willard. Bought both but Willard was too good in person
@@Killua_Overwatch was torn between the two went with the 143. got it for under 1000usd.
@@uesugikaru it’s a great watch but it feels so generic compared to the green Willard. Idk the Willard just edged it for me.
There is, I've seen printing on the minute track misaligned... Seiko QC just finds new ways to eff things up
How does the SPB143 compare to the seiko SLA017 ?
It's a lot thinner, but has the ugly X lol. They are also both shit in terms of QC. I know because I owned both.
Mid range however they do come at considerable cost. Not sure whether their bezels are ceramic/sapphire or plain aluminium. If aluminum, they are cutting costs and present really low standard watches. The bracelets, heard the sound they make in the presentation, nothing solid and those horrible clasps, tin can. While the mechanisms might be great the finishing of the product is below average. There are lots of micro brands out there that cost half the price that beat these 3 easily. I believe the total cost for a better finishing would be around $50/$60 and I'm sure each and every one of the potential buyers would be more than willing to pay. No idea why Seiko, a colossal company don't seem to realize this.....
I agree with you on most of your points. I do have a feeling Seiko knows exactly what they are doing though...(Except for the QC issues). Thank you for watching, my friend!
@@engineer_wannabe thank you for sharing, good health and keep posting:)ps haven't given up hope on Seiko, not yet, and I do hope to see in their mid to high at least a Helson or a Zelos type of bracelet/clasp. Must have said that a dozen times in the channels that I've subscribed.
That really would be a nice improvement :)
The Tudor black bays use aluminum inserts. Even the 58.
@@trevbarlow9719 true which is why I don't want one. The Seamaster/Planet Ocean/Rolex just few years back upgraded their bezel inserts. When I bought my 1st Sub and SeaDweller(1220m) back in 1988 there were just aluminum and no one those days would think of a different insert. If were to buy now my 1st one and had the option between an early edition at 20% of the price of the new I would still buy the one with ceramic. If I could afford both, then I would do that. No matter how good the black bay is for me atm is a no go.
nice video
I simply believe its too shorthanded to speak of QC issues here. All these (midrange price point) SEIKOs are completely made by robots that simply cant do without considerable tolerances. And SEIKO obviously tolerates/ is forced to tolerate these tolerances regarding case finishing and accuracy. Never forget SEIKO is a mass producer while ROLEX, OMEGA et al produce for considerably narrower markets. There‘s only the solution to buy at local dealerships and to inspect your object of desire in person.
Rolex manufacture 1.2 million watches a year
Misaligned bezel again? For a $1000 watch no less, this is the reason i stopped buying seiko divers
If seiko wanna move up market that’s totally fine. But don’t charge $1000+ and still have the same shitty QC as you had on your $200 models. I have an affinity for this brand because like many people I started out in this hobby with Seiko, but their pathetic QC is embarrassing and makes me not even want to support thr brand.
if the bezel feeling is completly different then its a fake
That’s very unlikely...these came directly from the Seiko warehouse to a Seiko Authorized Dealer
I got the Steeldive.
rich man
Though these watches aren't mine, I do have far more than I deserve to have.
SPB151 is too big. I take the other two.
They still didn’t get it right. 13.1mm is way too thick for a 40.5mm diameter watch. They need to go back to vintage size and proportions imo. Definitely not worth $1200.
U will never be happy will u? Jesus Christ
Niklas Anda it’s perfect dimensions lol
Try it on for yourself before you say it's too big. Dimensions on paper almost never give the full story. Having said that, 13mm is fine.
you really have no idea what you are talking about. First I have to witness you jamming a way too big pinpusher in your 5 KX and blaiming Seiko instead of using the right tool and now the matt dial feels mor "premium" than the sunburst dia which is way more difficult to produce. This channel is misleading.
I’m sorry, but I’ve never owned a 5KX 🤔
Regardless, have a great day!
In models SPB149J1 and SPB143J1 apart from the non-focusing bezel, the problem is also the quite big hole between the watch case and the bracelet, it gives the impression of a poor fit, and the bracelet apparently works in this place.