Picked one of these up in blue earlier this year for just $400 AUD and instantly wondered why these models seemed to be almost entirely absent from the TH-cam watch community. THIS is where your Seiko value is at, these days.
Its because its a quartz/solar. There's been a recent surge in interest though finally. Solar/perpetual calendar/radio/etc... are just such better tech horologically speaking and have none of the expensive maintenance costs. My personal goal is to have all solar watches with the quality/finishing of higher tier watches (at least the presage line, which is where the finishing bang/buck is).
@@stevenkelby2169 I ordered mine from Sakura Watches... just checked, and they're still coming in at less than $460 AUD including tax and shipping to Aus.
I'm curious for anyone who owns one, are there any compatible bracelets out there? I'm willing to spend to put a nice bracelet on this and have it be my GADA watch. The bracelet it comes with is not great-feeling
This is a great looking watch . As I get older I find my taste in watches is narrowing down to exactly this : smooth bezel , uncluttered dial, minimal complications : Aqua Terra , OP / DJ , most of GS and plenty of Seiko and Citizen
Always enjoy learning about watches I didn’t know about. I did not realize Seiko made radio controlled solar quartz watches. This one is a beauty. Thanks!
Much nicer than the other one you showed, doesn't need anything else on the dial, the only way to improve it can see is to make it in 38mm. A one watch collection?
I own this model and the white dial and they are perfect . I get radio signal in the south of England so runs perfectly . To be honest since having these I haven't worn my automatic . Could be my "one and done watch ".
Quartz Seikos are amazing. My daily is a titanium SUR373. I like mechanical watches, and own several, but I kinda view them as toys. The Seiko is an accurate, lightweight, and comfortable tool that I rely on for the time.
I dont blame you Gary - This model is gorgeous and I prefer this version. I would say this is the true baby grand seiko - not the Sarb033 (although that is an epic watch)
The watch head is a real winner - great everyday/ sports look, super accurate and solar. What’s not to love? I’d be happy with the body of the bracelet, but I might try to swap out the clasp, perhaps the end-links too? Or, more likely, I’d throw it on a nice bit of leather. Thanks for putting this on my radar. Keep up the good work and keep well :-)
Still loving my blue 305. Syncs every night here in Spain. I think it has the quality we miss in fairly priced Seikos these days. Excellent service from Sakura too. Regards
Just got the blue dial version in yesterday. Love it. It really is a great looking watch and I just love the absolute precision of it. Less than $300 to the US
The dark green one looks beatiful in a simple way, and it's a solar quartz. I wasn't planning on getting another watch any time soon but these are too good to pass up
Lovely watch, Gary. You might want to check Seiko SAGZ081. Similar specs with an improved clasp. That being said, I like yours better as I prefer less cluttered dials. And one more thing I'm not very fond of when it comes to SAGZ081 is the fact they are made of titanium but that's personal preference I guess.
Very nice. Really like that second hand hitting the mark. The band doesn't do the watch justice. Probably hard to find a non metal band to go with it. Thanks for the video 👍
Thanks for pointing this one out. I was in the market for a simple black dial daily solar watch with super clear sapphire. I have a chronomaster on the way but this one checks all the boxes so I ordered it as well and will decide when I get both which one to keep. This one even has radio control (mostly a gimmick but its nice). It'll definitely be a bargain if its close enough to win out vs the Citizen.
Gary - I think it’s better than the 307. I do like the range (esp. the titanium SBTM217 but just has too much text on the dial) but features and specs bump up so close to my Oceanus that I can’t quite justify it … yet … V best G
I think this one counts as a perpetual calendar is because of the radio control, and it should keep the date correct as long as that radio signal is active, so it should go past 2100 with no issue. Mechanical watches have the 2100 limit due to skipping a leap year, and you can account for that with gears. But with a radio controlled quartz, not a problem. And this is much better looking than the one you sold on, the 12 and 6 just didn't match the rest of the watches look.
Display (Country with radio signal transmitting station) - Display position JJY (Japan) - 9-second position BPC (China) - 8-second position WWVB (U.S.A.) - 53-second position DCF (Germany) - 1-second position MSF (UK) - 0-second position
I picked this watch up in Japan, and my absolute first thought was where is the sapphire crystal? It's a really nice watch, a true sleeper. I love it as much as some of my Grand Seikos.
Only watch I have ever re purchased is my seiko sea urchin I know it’s a simple watch compared to the stuff available now but I really like mine wears well on leather and a nato
Was going to say the same. The Oceanus appears to be higher quality and thinner though: Seiko has pressed clasp and hollow end links. Nice to see the second hand hitting all the markers on this Seiko.
Does the radio controlled synchronisation work in UK. Is it like Casio Multiband 6 in that it works in multiple geographical regions? I'm just wondering how you set the location.
Just had the blue version delivered...do you just press the small button and let it do its thing for automatic setting of time amd date? All the hands are just whizzing in different directions?
That desolate dial leads me to a big old no I'm afraid. Other than that, a cool watch. Dimensions and mass are spot on. I do think you should buy a JDM Casio Oceanus OCW-T200S-1AJF and compare. I think you might be surprised with the result.
Would it have killed them to colour match the date ? Does anyone know why radio watches are not available in 36mm cases? Why yes, I do have a terminally skinny wrist, however did you guess?
Hey Gary, I've always wondered, but never been able to find an answer: why is the pressed clasp such a big issue? What does the milled clasp bring in terms of quality or feel? I've got an SRPB49K1 with a pressed clasp and a ton of other watches with milled clasps but never felt like the Seiko has a bad clasp.
I prefer milled because they help to balance the weight of the watch case as they are heavier, ive also had pressed clasps deform in the past and it’s a sign of a manufacturer cutting corners to save money.
I own this exact watch and the pressed clasp makes a very audible squeak anytime the watch moves on your wrist, and it just feels very cheap to hear metal squeak like that on your wrist. I'm looking to get a milled clasp online to replace it tbh
How are these two watches remotely similar? The new one is very classic seiko with hand inserts like the citizen chronomaster. Looks much nicer with no experimental modernism. I get that the series might be the same but it's like you forgot dial design is an actual part of a watch.
Same movements, same dimensions, same applied indexes (mostly), same clasps, similar bracelets, identical crystals, same branding, both have dark dials, both quartz, same price, same WR, same weight, same split pins, same quality of finishing, same case backs
This is easily the best dial in the SBTM line up. I would get it in a second if this was made in Titanium. Not a fan of the dial on the current SBTM Titanium model (SBTM341).
Not sure why they have "International" and JDM version when they both have the same exact price. Why not just make it all JDM if its the same price anyway.
I decided against the astron mostly because the dial seems like it might be a bit too reflective/gauche for a daily. If thats not an issue, I'd have leaned astron because I prefer the lighter titanium weight (I still might if I come around on the dial).
I'd personally prefer watch dial not to look like abbreviations dictionary, at least the one on a dressier side. There are caseback and manual for those purposes. But Seiko will never agree😅
This channel starting to become my least favorite video by video, because each time I think I don't need another watch or I need to wait some time before I look at another one; this guy has the audacity to show me something actually incredible and force me to look at it for 10 minutes. Which then leads me to scrolling through listings of watches and buying them. STOP CHALLENGING MY SELF CONTROL. I get it, you win already lol Before anyone asks, I do have too many watches, but I share them with friends and family, so they all get good wrist time.
i owned this one...great watch, but getting the radio signal to work was a losing battle for me. Also the clasp sucked ass. Nice watch otherwise though
Gary, have you been looking at the SBXY061??? The SBXY061 looks amazing. Can't stop looking at that watch. The Sagz081/Sagz083 is a prettier watch than SBTM.
The SBTM239 and the Sagz081 are the same watch. One is titanium and one is stainless steel. The rest of the differences are too minor to list. I'd highly recommend either of these watches. I'm smitten. TY!@@ilikewatches
Picked one of these up in blue earlier this year for just $400 AUD and instantly wondered why these models seemed to be almost entirely absent from the TH-cam watch community. THIS is where your Seiko value is at, these days.
Ooh where from? I'm Aussie and keen but can't find a decent price.
@@stevenkelby2169Sakura watches currently has it for $411au. Have bought from there and service was exceptional.
Its because its a quartz/solar. There's been a recent surge in interest though finally. Solar/perpetual calendar/radio/etc... are just such better tech horologically speaking and have none of the expensive maintenance costs. My personal goal is to have all solar watches with the quality/finishing of higher tier watches (at least the presage line, which is where the finishing bang/buck is).
@@stevenkelby2169 I ordered mine from Sakura Watches... just checked, and they're still coming in at less than $460 AUD including tax and shipping to Aus.
I'm curious for anyone who owns one, are there any compatible bracelets out there? I'm willing to spend to put a nice bracelet on this and have it be my GADA watch. The bracelet it comes with is not great-feeling
I love that Japan embraced Quartz, so we have the chance to find gems like this Seiko. Stunning!
Great little watch, And im starting to like quartz watches more and more
The SBTM321 with a blue dial is also worth considering. This watch offers so much for the money! Thanks again for the great videos.
Reminds me of my Casio Oceanus T200, which is built to a very high standard. The Seiko is a beautiful watch and looks better without the numerals.
This is a great looking watch . As I get older I find my taste in watches is narrowing down to exactly this : smooth bezel , uncluttered dial, minimal complications : Aqua Terra , OP / DJ , most of GS and plenty of Seiko and Citizen
Always enjoy learning about watches I didn’t know about. I did not realize Seiko made radio controlled solar quartz watches. This one is a beauty. Thanks!
Much nicer than the other one you showed, doesn't need anything else on the dial, the only way to improve it can see is to make it in 38mm. A one watch collection?
I own this model and the white dial and they are perfect . I get radio signal in the south of England so runs perfectly . To be honest since having these I haven't worn my automatic . Could be my "one and done watch ".
Quartz Seikos are amazing. My daily is a titanium SUR373. I like mechanical watches, and own several, but I kinda view them as toys. The Seiko is an accurate, lightweight, and comfortable tool that I rely on for the time.
I dont blame you Gary - This model is gorgeous and I prefer this version. I would say this is the true baby grand seiko - not the Sarb033 (although that is an epic watch)
The watch head is a real winner - great everyday/ sports look, super accurate and solar. What’s not to love? I’d be happy with the body of the bracelet, but I might try to swap out the clasp, perhaps the end-links too? Or, more likely, I’d throw it on a nice bit of leather.
Thanks for putting this on my radar. Keep up the good work and keep well :-)
I don't see this as a rebuy but more like an upgrade. This one looks great 👍
Still loving my blue 305. Syncs every night here in Spain. I think it has the quality we miss in fairly priced Seikos these days. Excellent service from Sakura too. Regards
Just got the blue dial version in yesterday. Love it. It really is a great looking watch and I just love the absolute precision of it. Less than $300 to the US
Love my Casio titanium S100, which has similar function, but this is really nice from Seiko, with definite SARB influence.
The dark green one looks beatiful in a simple way, and it's a solar quartz. I wasn't planning on getting another watch any time soon but these are too good to pass up
Hi Gary. Have noticed the increased volume level in this video. Long may it continue 😀👍
Lovely watch, Gary. You might want to check Seiko SAGZ081. Similar specs with an improved clasp. That being said, I like yours better as I prefer less cluttered dials. And one more thing I'm not very fond of when it comes to SAGZ081 is the fact they are made of titanium but that's personal preference I guess.
This version looks MUCH better than the one you sold...IMO!
I will consider this buying for myself this christmas. Thank you for the review. Cheers!
Very nice. Really like that second hand hitting the mark. The band doesn't do the watch justice. Probably hard to find a non metal band to go with it. Thanks for the video 👍
beautiful watch, great find. love seeing these quartz watches
Makes me wish we could receive the radio signal down here in New Zealand!
Looks the kipper’s knickers! Enjoy it!
I like browsing JDM at Sakura. Given it has sapphire and a second hand that isnt hitting 1.5, 2.5 etc I think its a great watch at the money
Very nice Seiko. There are some very nice JDM Seiko's.
Thanks for pointing this one out. I was in the market for a simple black dial daily solar watch with super clear sapphire. I have a chronomaster on the way but this one checks all the boxes so I ordered it as well and will decide when I get both which one to keep. This one even has radio control (mostly a gimmick but its nice). It'll definitely be a bargain if its close enough to win out vs the Citizen.
Gary - I think it’s better than the 307. I do like the range (esp. the titanium SBTM217 but just has too much text on the dial) but features and specs bump up so close to my Oceanus that I can’t quite justify it … yet … V best G
I think this one counts as a perpetual calendar is because of the radio control, and it should keep the date correct as long as that radio signal is active, so it should go past 2100 with no issue. Mechanical watches have the 2100 limit due to skipping a leap year, and you can account for that with gears. But with a radio controlled quartz, not a problem. And this is much better looking than the one you sold on, the 12 and 6 just didn't match the rest of the watches look.
Not sure how….i think it may be pre programmed as you can’t alter the watch more than a day forward or back…so I think the watch has the dates pre set
@@ilikewatches That's kind of a bummer, thought the whole thing was set via radio. Oh well, I won't be here in 2100 to find out anyways, lol!
Very nice watch! It's nice to see sapphire crystal from Seiko at this price point. Even the clasp look SARBish from afar! 😄
It is not just a sapphire crystal; it has an unbelievable AR coating! This watch is very under-rated.
Bought mine a year ago. Replaced the stamped clasp with a milled one, love it!
May I ask where you bought it from? Thank you very much!
Please tell us how you changed the clasp. Was it by changing the whole bracelet?
I agree that this is a nicer dial. At the risk of asking a dumb question what about the lettering at 11, 12 and 2.00?
Display (Country with radio signal transmitting station) - Display position
JJY (Japan) - 9-second position
BPC (China) - 8-second position
WWVB (U.S.A.) - 53-second position
DCF (Germany) - 1-second position
MSF (UK) - 0-second position
Lovely watch that is
Looks perfect other than it being 40 mm.
I picked this watch up in Japan, and my absolute first thought was where is the sapphire crystal? It's a really nice watch, a true sleeper. I love it as much as some of my Grand Seikos.
Picked up a quite similar SBMT291 - what a beautyful watch. Radio-controlled solar-quartz-movement (7B75) in a lightweight titan-case.
Does the date quick change at midnight on yours?
The 323 look way better. 👌
Only watch I have ever re purchased is my seiko sea urchin I know it’s a simple watch compared to the stuff available now but I really like mine wears well on leather and a nato
What a great pick up.
Only gripe for me is the text above the 12 marker, being right biased.
Great looking watch! But I disagree about it needing more text on the dial. I like the clean look.
This is almost identical to the Casio Oceanus t200 except that has a better clasp and is about £50 more expensive.
Was going to say the same. The Oceanus appears to be higher quality and thinner though: Seiko has pressed clasp and hollow end links.
Nice to see the second hand hitting all the markers on this Seiko.
In the Seiko's favour, it doesn't say "anus" on the dial!😄
I agree with the crystal comment. Have an SBTR027 and constantly think it has no crystal. Year on and it still amazes me
Yup, has to be seen to be believed
Does the radio controlled synchronisation work in UK. Is it like Casio Multiband 6 in that it works in multiple geographical regions? I'm just wondering how you set the location.
Occasionally…I have to leave it by a window
I can't believe it has a Timex case back! I hope it's more precision-fit.
This is like finding the Sarb033 before it became a cult classic
A Seiko quartz that hits its indices?
Fill out your lottery ticket chief. You’ve got ‘the one’.
Lol
I could see owning this in a 3 watch collection but not as a sole watch.
Just had the blue version delivered...do you just press the small button and let it do its thing for automatic setting of time amd date?
All the hands are just whizzing in different directions?
Worth every cent! ❤
That desolate dial leads me to a big old no I'm afraid. Other than that, a cool watch. Dimensions and mass are spot on. I do think you should buy a JDM Casio Oceanus OCW-T200S-1AJF and compare. I think you might be surprised with the result.
Great videos bro love the content keep it up
Would it have killed them to colour match the date ?
Does anyone know why radio watches are not available in 36mm cases?
Why yes, I do have a terminally skinny wrist, however did you guess?
Could have the "Perpetual Calendar" text at the bottom like my SBQL005, I like how it looks.
Man, that is something Gary !, I think I want one but why why why did you put a push on case back on this SEIKO ???
I think they don’t want to encourage people to open up some watches…
Yeah I guess, but for me it looks like penny pinching not to have a screw case back, I might have to get over myself and just get one anyway though 😄
I like it. Looks about as good as a SARX035.
Hey Gary, I've always wondered, but never been able to find an answer: why is the pressed clasp such a big issue? What does the milled clasp bring in terms of quality or feel? I've got an SRPB49K1 with a pressed clasp and a ton of other watches with milled clasps but never felt like the Seiko has a bad clasp.
I prefer milled because they help to balance the weight of the watch case as they are heavier, ive also had pressed clasps deform in the past and it’s a sign of a manufacturer cutting corners to save money.
I own this exact watch and the pressed clasp makes a very audible squeak anytime the watch moves on your wrist, and it just feels very cheap to hear metal squeak like that on your wrist. I'm looking to get a milled clasp online to replace it tbh
put the model number in the description or title so people can easily find it
SBTM 323
I would like to see this nice watch with a VH31 movement 😊
Hows the comfort on this bracelet? Looks to be a true 3-link right?
I had three goes with the Alpinist SARB017: after four years away I might be ready for my fourth encounter!
Lol
😂solar atomic in titanium, almost identical face SAGZ083. GREAT WATCHES!
I am not that experienced with watches, but: these two watches look very, VERY different to me
Does it sync with American time signals? Is there an English language Instruction Booklet? Yes, it is beautiful...
Yes, there are online manuals
@@ilikewatches thanks
@@ilikewatches it will NOT sync in USA
FFS seiko.. you couldn’t have added a milled clasp for £10 extra…. Other than that, a solid model. But personally I’d opt for a Casio Oceanus.
Wouldn't take much money or time to put a milled clasp on it yourself.
Better than the prior one with 6-12 on the dial
That is a proper nice watch
How are these two watches remotely similar? The new one is very classic seiko with hand inserts like the citizen chronomaster. Looks much nicer with no experimental modernism. I get that the series might be the same but it's like you forgot dial design is an actual part of a watch.
Same movements, same dimensions, same applied indexes (mostly), same clasps, similar bracelets, identical crystals, same branding, both have dark dials, both quartz, same price, same WR, same weight, same split pins, same quality of finishing, same case backs
This is easily the best dial in the SBTM line up. I would get it in a second if this was made in Titanium. Not a fan of the dial on the current SBTM Titanium model (SBTM341).
Oh hello that is nice
I was searching for stop buying seiko and saw this lol
lol…
The new one is definitely better than the old.
Not sure why they have "International" and JDM version when they both have the same exact price. Why not just make it all JDM if its the same price anyway.
This or Astron SSJ 005?!
Not handled the Astron
@@ilikewatches I'm buying Astron tomorow but now when I saw this one? 🤔
I decided against the astron mostly because the dial seems like it might be a bit too reflective/gauche for a daily. If thats not an issue, I'd have leaned astron because I prefer the lighter titanium weight (I still might if I come around on the dial).
That off center text at the 12......oy!!!!
yes the jdm build quality is inherently better in most products
I'd personally prefer watch dial not to look like abbreviations dictionary, at least the one on a dressier side. There are caseback and manual for those purposes. But Seiko will never agree😅
I might be a little thick here , but i keep hearing JDM.
What does it stand for ?
Japanese Domestic Market…only available in Japan
@@ilikewatches Cheers, I do get some second hand watches from Japan .Really look after there watches , great quality and well described.
SBTM295
&
SBTM311
PFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!
This channel starting to become my least favorite video by video, because each time I think I don't need another watch or I need to wait some time before I look at another one; this guy has the audacity to show me something actually incredible and force me to look at it for 10 minutes. Which then leads me to scrolling through listings of watches and buying them. STOP CHALLENGING MY SELF CONTROL. I get it, you win already lol
Before anyone asks, I do have too many watches, but I share them with friends and family, so they all get good wrist time.
lol…sorry…I’ll try to show more crap watches from now on!
What's JDM mean?
Japanese domestic market
Seiko sbtm 323
Seiko sbtm323
Pressed clasp, solar quartz. No thanks.
I own it and it's really worth getting one just to see the super clear coating. It's really very cool. You can always swap out the clasp
This would be perfect if it was titanium
SBTM341
the 12 and the 6 on the first watch are grotesque - too big and an infantile font.
i owned this one...great watch, but getting the radio signal to work was a losing battle for me. Also the clasp sucked ass. Nice watch otherwise though
Yeah it’s a bit fickle here too
Gary, have you been looking at the SBXY061??? The SBXY061 looks amazing. Can't stop looking at that watch. The Sagz081/Sagz083 is a prettier watch than SBTM.
It looks incredible but the price….
The SBTM239 and the Sagz081 are the same watch. One is titanium and one is stainless steel. The rest of the differences are too minor to list. I'd highly recommend either of these watches. I'm smitten. TY!@@ilikewatches