I agree with you, this is the one to get. There are so many panda dials out there, and because of the bluish tint to the solar cells on the Seiko, a lot of them look better than Seiko's one. This colourway offers something different and the blue solar cells work better with the caramel dial imo.
I was looking for a white dial version in December,and they were rare then. I ended up buying from a Japanese retailer a JDM version SBDL085 for $620 USD. Watch is fine except a little small for me. The other colour variations are cheaper and still available. I see the golden one SBDL089 for $530 and the blue and black versions still available at that price too.
I love this colour better than the white and it’s readily available. Just paid $625 AUD on sale online shipped to my door. You can’t beat that price. That’s £365!
Lovely looking watch, but I just wonder why Seiko can't do screw down crown and pushers for £600 when Pagani Design do them on a 90 quid watch. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the PD is any where near the quality of the Seiko, but I do sometimes wonder if Seikos are now just too pricey for what you actually get ??
I was lucky enough to walk into a local jewellery shop and grabbed the only white panda they've had in, I probably wouldn't have spent that kind of money without seeing and handling it, the watch imo would have benefitted from being scaled up a fraction and it's a little overpriced but I love it.
Just purchased a mint Year old one which will be delivered this week......Absolutely love the colourway and that gorg textured Dial......And the Bezel is coated Stainless Steel ;)
Im normally not a fan of Gold/Yellow dial watches... but with the Rage of the Paul Newman Rolex Daytona and all the Homage watches like the Alpha, OceanX, Gigandet etc... Ive owned a few them and then Sold them. I have been looking for a "Racing" type Chronograph that will really be my go to Watch. This particular with this almost Mustard/Gold Dial is mesmerizing in a way I cant describe. I want something that is noticeable on the Wrist but not crude. This IMO is far better than the more expensive White dial. Seiko really did a nice job with this one. I love the Legible Tach on the Bezel as opposed to the outer edge of the dial like many others do. So Im torn between a Nezumi Voiture, this Seiko and the gorgeous FORZO Enduratimer which as a Plethora of Dial Colors. Decisions..... Decisions....
Very nice looking watch. The texture of the dial is great, so is the colour. The blue colour of the sub dials, would probably bug me after a while. I like the fact that Seiko used a ceramic dial and a sapphire crystal and that everything lines up. The bracelet does look good. Would I get it? I’m not sure. Thanks Gary for the review.
Nothing wrong with the colourway. I like it. I fully agree with your conclusion about the watch Gary. It is a handsome and very appealing watch. Seiko are still a little bit behind Citizen when it comes to incorporating solar cells without them becoming noticeable. In my opinion they could have done away with the date window at all. When you consider it being a Seiko without too many compromises in terms of specs I don't think it's unreasonably priced. Let's be honest, people are raving about the white version because it reminds them of the Daytona.
this is so weird. i'm not a watch person by any means. i pretty much just strolled past a seiko store where i live (India) and picked up the what i now learned through YT is the white panda version, because me and my husband simply liked it. the dial is small enough to fit it my wrist and i just liked the look of it on me and have been loving it so far. if you're a big/tall guy with strong wrists I guess it might end up looking a bit small. however, it is quite hefty weight-wise, so eventually, i might try to get the strap exchanged to a black leather strap. for now though i'll just enjoy it as it is. as a complete layman as far as watches are concerned I'm very happy with it.
Thanks for the great review Gary. I actually just tried on on in my local jeweller's today! I really took to the colour way straight away, it's a nicer colour in person.but 630€ seems a bit pricey as the bracelet feels a bit cheap/tinny. I've been spoiled by my mako v3 quality bracelet. I think I'll wait to pick up a pre owned piece at a good price. If there was a version with a strap the money you save could be spent with uncle Seiko
It’s nice but up against some tough opponents at that price from Tissot and Certina. Although they’re not solar, the Certina Eta Precidrive movements are a step up.
Thank you, Francis and Gay Thank you, Gary. Great video! If this one gives you the tingles and you'ld wear it on the rare occasion that you are not reviewing another watch.... I think it is worth buying. I prefer the Golden Panda. Wait, perfect alignment - I think you have to buy this. This would be a keeper for me if I didn't have one that fit the somewhat dressy, grab in a pinch, Solar Catagory.
Something I noticed when you weighed the Watch Gary. You were careful to not scratch the Clasp when putting it on the Scales. I would lay a Cleaning cloth over the Scale then Tare the Scale to reset the weight of the Cloth. Might help you when filming someone else’s Watch and not wanting to Mark it.
When these were released I was seriously considering the panda. Unfortunately my ocd couldn't deal with the visible solar cells. Seiko could learn something from citizen on that front.
I agree: this is the most attractive of the bunch. But for the price it should be perfect. And it isn't, I agree with most of your comments and like to add: don't give me that useless 24hr register. Give me a 2-register chrono with the date at 6 o'clock. Perhaps make it meca-quartz to get rid off the 'soft' pusher and the 'lazy' reset. Anyway, available at Sakura for € 437 at the time of writing. I've been very tempted, but I'll pass.
Head of the watch looks good but it seems to be let down by the bracelet and clasp which looks like the one on my SARB033. Should have been updated don't you think?
Is it just me or is the golden version the only dial that has texture to it? For me it’s so much more interesting than a white dial panda, and likely available for less money too!
My preference would be for the blue dial, it kind of disguises the solar cells and has a few nice red accents. I had a couple of opportunities to buy the blue one at a good price but I just couldn't bring myself to spend that much on this watch.
I saw this variation on Amazon and loved it. But I already have a sapphire-blue earlier version - also a solar but not a Prospex - and couldn't bear to set it aside in favour of this one. But if I were you...
I have this watch, and I love it, but it isn't without gripes, although mine are slightly different to yours. I wish the date wheel was colour matched, Zelos can do this for less than half the price, why can't Seiko?! And the clasp is too flat, it needs tapered edges. The end links are fairly standard for Seiko, they rarely make them fit the watch, it seems to be intentional 🤷, if you think those are bad you can't have seen a Sumo, I was convinced the seller had sent mine on the wrong bracelet!!
Great looking watch and the fact everyone else seems to be heading over to the white dial version, would lead me to go for this one, but as you say, at 500 hundred plus pounds, ouch.......
I bought one for myself 👍 The bracelet adjustment isn't the best but overall I'm satisfied... Any idea why the second hand (bigger ones) stops at 12? The small second hand at 9 side seems to be working fine.... But not sure why the main second hand stops exactly at 12
Bit torn on this one, there's a fair bit to like about it but there just something that doesn't make me want to cough up the cash for it. Maybe when the price drops pre-owned it would make more sense
Off-topic but I was curious of what you think about reviewing the Invicta Pro Diver? I just got an Invicta Pro Diver 8928OB for *$45!* From Amazon US. For the price, this watch is amazing! ☺️ OBVIOUSLY it has its negatives, such as weak lume, but when you take into account that it has a Seiko NH35A movement, then it's well worth the price for us watch newbs who want to dip our toes in the water of the watch pond. 😁 Nevermind, I just checked your page and you made a video on the Pro Diver not long ago. 🤣 I'll go watch now! 😁 I know you left the name of the watch out of the title, but that is what made it not show up on the search list when I typed your channel name and Invicta in search engine. 😋
If you want a Rolex Daytona homage I would suggest the Pagani Design , unless you have to have Seiko on the dial ; and are willing to pay an extra $400.00 for it.
Hi, I just picked up the Panda version. My watch is a SSC813 and yours is SSC813P1. Is there any difference in the watch as I purchased a Strapcode bracelet that matches the case but having a hard time fitting the new bracelet. The bracelet was made for this watch and matches the watch much better. Thanks for the review.
It’s a very handsome watch with no obvious cheap features but the bracelet fit is unacceptable at this price, and I have a problem with the price for a quartz, I know it’s solar but we know firms price gouge for solar. Would it have killed them to colour match the date window to the sub dials and centre it?
the gold is nice, but I really think the blue with the red accents is the nicest. Love the red on the tachymeter and the 2 red hands. Any way you could get that one in for review? And regarding the solar cells, on wrist you really don't notice them (I have the white panda version). The biggest problem w/the watch (other than the price :/) is that the chrono dial is the smallest of the 3 and it's quite hard to read.
Speedtimer has a Prospex symbol but it is only 100m water resistant, the only watch with such a low number for a divers watch I just checked the range and they are all 200m worst still a push pull crown and pushers that sounds like a lot of trouble if you go for a swim. Ps Great video
Screw in crown only stops the crown accidentally being pulled out (this has never happened to me or anyone I know). I think 100m water resistance is fine for a watch that you wear every day or on holiday and go in the sea/pool but maybe if you’re actually diving you’d want more (and a clearer dial). Prospex is not just dive watches- it’s professional specifications- so the idea of this (and the original Speedtimer) would be a racing chronograph. Ps The above is not intended to be a usual narky RU-vid response, just sharing my Seiko /watch geek knowledge opinions 😄👍🏽
As the owner of a bracelet Bulova Lunar Pilot, this Seiko looks so much better than the new Bulova Lunar Pilot Limited Edition...the ugly gold plated $995 model.
I am considering a chronograph as a springtime wedding anniversary present but this one is not what I’m looking for. It has a lot going for it except the 24 hour subdial. Why Seiko, why?
Congratulations on running two informative and interesting watch channels, ILW and ILW2, which I believe will steadily rise in subscribers. I am a San Martin tragic, owning 4 of them and counting. I know with San Martin, I am getting the best. But alas! This time should I win the giveaway( thank you so much for your generosity), I am going to pick the Cronos. They have been knocking on the San Martin door for a while, so I will give them a chance to prove themselves as a quality microbrand or an also ran. Cheers Gary and the rest of the Subscribers on ILW and ILW2.
I like the appearence of the goldenen panda. But 650 euros retail price in germany are just simply to much. The SSC769P1 price as an alternative dropped to 250. Which is more realistic slso for the golden Panda. Snd the movement is basicly the same or almost the same. Like the Orient Neo 70s. For almost 700 bucks retail I would expect a perfect bracelet. I would say let's wait and see where the price goes.
Good review. Really nice looking semi retro dial. However, as with most Seiko chronos and dive watches 'WAY OVER PRICED'. Citizen do quartz solar divers and chronos for a third of the price of this one. ...Keep up the good work! 🇬🇧😎👍
Its a lovely watch but that bracelet just doesn't match the case, it would drive me mad!! And for £600 it's not exactly small change, it's shame as it's almost a perfect watch.
I'm usually not a good fan, but I like the color way. At that price though... Hard pass. With Seiko's track record of cutting corners and qc issues.. I just don't have faith that I'll get a good example for that layout of cash. I can think of quite a few pieces I'd get before I'd give $700 to Seiko.
they used the big dial to mirror the hour hand!? wtf what a waste and joke. don't you ever wish you could shake the watch designer? what were you thinking!?
