SLA023: unmatched case, the best bezel I've ever felt, the best handset in history, and one X I'd rip off
A proud moment, bros
A grail piece. I've wanted this watch since 2015, when I first saw the SBDX001 and the 017 and couldn't afford either, because I was a factory pleb with minimal funds. So the blue SLA023, a March 2021 J1, is a proud moment. £2,800 retail, I paid £2,500, and it turns up in an underwhelming cardboard box. Nearly three grand, bros. For the money, Seiko don't care. Get rid of it immediately. Then you take the watch out and forget all about it.
Japanese warlord
44.3 mm wide, 15.4 mm thick, 50 mm lug to lug, 20 mm lugs, 222 grams with all the links in. A tall boy and a heavy one. It's top-heavy, it's a flopper, but it wears a hell of a lot smaller because of its tiny dial. If you can wear an SKX, you can wear the Marinemaster.
The case is unmatched, in my opinion. Brushed midcase, Zaratsu polish on the top of the flanks, drilled lugs, faceted everything. This is not a shopping mall Seiko. Next to the Sinn U1, the German is a powerhouse, but extremely basic compared to this Japanese warlord. My only gripes: the Diashield makes the steel look grey, and I've put a hairline scratch on that Zaratsu. Pure pain.
Bezel, dial, hands: for the beeeech
The ceramic bezel is my favourite bezel action I've ever felt. Still is. The navy sunburst dial is almost black indoors and bursts bright in the sun, with a gold seconds hand and a gold 300m. In every kind of light it offers you something else. And the handset: best handset in the history of wristwatches. If we could just remove this Prospex X, the watch would be absolutely perfect. Give me a pip instead of that bare painted triangle, too. The lume? Like a Christmas tree. He glows, bro. Only Mr Jun's Tuna out-glows it.
The bracelet everyone hates
Everyone says the Marinemaster bracelet is rubbish. To me it's not. This is what it's supposed to be: massive long links. One-piece links pretending to be three, pins and collars that'll scare you half to death when you size them, and a thick stamped clasp with poor micro adjust. The on-the-fly extension is great, though. I absolutely love it, even after flirting with a Hexad, the SBDX017 rubber and a Tropic.
The glaring flaw
The 8L35 is hand assembled, MEMS parts, 50 hours, rated +15/-10, and not regulated. Why don't they regulate it? Mine's run anywhere from +3 to +6. Fine, but pay three grand for a watch that might not run within five seconds and you'll be fuming. Then a seatbelt buckle dented my bezel and Seiko wanted £500 for a new one. Heartbreak.
Verdict
This is the end of the road for Seiko before LX, and LX at £5,400 is absurd. One year in, was it worth buying? Yes. A pure joy to own, more pleasure than any watch I've ever had, even if I had Planet Ocean or Pelagos money. Next to the SBDX001 I'd still take the OG for the finishing, and next to the Island Green I can't choose. But this is my favourite Marinemaster of all time. Never give up, bros.
