Why did you pick a Submariner over a Seiko Spring Drive Diver?

[Green Arrow]

Been looking at the Seiko Spring Drive Divers and was wondering if you considered that instead of a Submariner, and why you chose the Submariner.

[Brny11]

Originally Posted by Green Arrow

Been looking at the Seiko Spring Drive Divers and was wondering if you considered that instead of a Submariner, and why you chose the Submariner.

I feel that people like GS on this forum but are not yet believers in the brand as a competitor of Rolex In terms of being on same level. The brand is gaining some traction - got a low offer from a top TRF seller for trade in last year on my GS. Got 30% more offered recently for same watch. Indicative of the industry as a whole, but nice to see appreciation in value for GS.

To directly answer your question though, have you seen the GS divers in person? They are gigantic on the wrist. Possibly wear larger then deep sea. IMO, they are cool, but not as much history or status as any Rolex diver, let alone the SubC. For GS, I’d argue the Snowflake and some of the LEs might make its way into a Rolex collection, but IMO only a true GS lover can grab a GS diver.


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[Rolexavidfan]

For GS, it’s just the spring Drive snowflake and perhaps a hi-beat Blue Dial. And for Seiko, it’s the SLA017J (62mas reissue). These are the iconic pieces for the GS/ Seiko brand similar to the Sub, GMT and Daytona.


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[Jim Smyth]

My favorite diver........

[Old Expat Beast]

For actual diving, I'd probably choose a Marinemaster over a Sub or a GS diver, especially the 2018 LE green with sapphire crystal and ceramic bezel. I have one, and a Rolex Sub, but the Seiko gets all the wrist time.

[nektar]

I believe that less than 10 people use their Subs for diving in that forum. I do not belong to that small group

[askdanny]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

For actual diving, I'd probably choose a Marinemaster over a Sub or a GS diver, especially the 2018 LE green with sapphire crystal and ceramic bezel. I have one, and a Rolex Sub, but the Seiko gets all the wrist time.

Interesting comment. Would you care to expound? Is that because the green Seiko is cheaper and so it lends better as a beater when diving? Or is it truly a better watch for that sport?


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[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by askdanny

Interesting comment. Would you care to expound? Is that because the green Seiko is cheaper and so it lends better as a beater when diving? Or is it truly a better watch for that sport?


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It goes to 300 metres like the Sub, it's about 1/3 the price, lume is way better (also has bezel lume up to 20). Seiko has a long history of making quality dive watches going back to the 1960s so the heritage is there, and on the wrist, I find the dial more attractive to the eye. Case cutting and finish is also better to my eye.

[ras47]

I've never been able to get past the price of the GS line. I'm so used to Seiko's costing less than $1000 that I can't see the brand commanding such high prices. The GS line may be well worth the price. I guess I'll always see Seiko as a bargain brand.

[Green Arrow]

Originally Posted by Jim Smyth

My favorite diver........

Wondering how people make the decision between one of these or the Marine Master vs. the Submariner or Sea Dweller.

[the_natural]

Originally Posted by ras47

I've never been able to get past the price of the GS line. I'm so used to Seiko's costing less than $1000 that I can't see the brand commanding such high prices. The GS line may be well worth the price. I guess I'll always see Seiko as a bargain brand.

You should look more closely at a GS. All I'll say is that it ruined Rolex for me, so be careful.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by ras47

I've never been able to get past the price of the GS line. I'm so used to Seiko's costing less than $1000 that I can't see the brand commanding such high prices. The GS line may be well worth the price. I guess I'll always see Seiko as a bargain brand.

I won't try to convince you otherwise, but such a position is based on ignorance of the brand and its history.

For whatever reasons, Seiko has only recently begun to import their top-tier watches to the US.

Seiko is a world-class watch house and they have the history to back that up for anyone willing to pursue it.

[DoctorA]

Because it’s rolex!

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by ras47

I've never been able to get past the price of the GS line. I'm so used to Seiko's costing less than $1000 that I can't see the brand commanding such high prices. The GS line may be well worth the price. I guess I'll always see Seiko as a bargain brand.

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=629049

This thread might help

[eco8gator]

The GS watches are amazing for the money.

The Seiko team gives a lot for less than the Rolex price point. You either get SD or a 36k bph movement, couple that with amazing finishing and very bright lume and you get one heck of a package.

I do wish they would use 904 so their watches had a bit more weight...

[Pentameter]

Originally Posted by Green Arrow

Been looking at the Seiko Spring Drive Divers and was wondering if you considered that instead of a Submariner, and why you chose the Submariner.

I love GS and I LIKE their divers, but they're usually big in size, and almost all are made out of titanium, which I'm not super crazy about, although I would consider one if they made it a bit smaller. Regardless, while similar, I feel the Sub has a cleaner, more classic design than the GS divers do. Also, they're a lot harder to get serviced. Not the biggest deal, but it's something of a concern.

Overall though, I feel like GS is THE most underrated brand in watches.

[asiparks]

Originally Posted by eco8gator

The GS watches are amazing for the money.

The Seiko team gives a lot for less than the Rolex price point. You either get SD or a 36k bph movement, couple that with amazing finishing and very bright lume and you get one heck of a package.

I do wish they would use 904 so their watches had a bit more weight...

yeah, not sure you'd notice the difference that you're imagining you might.....

I like GS, but I'm not a fan of the look of the Divers, it's just an aesthetic thing. But I don't like the Submariner either so.....

[subprimero]

For Seiko divers I prefer the Prospex Marine Master watches to the Grand Seiko models.
The 1000m "darth tuna", 600m spring drive and 300m mechanical are very cool watches.

[Brian Page]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

It goes to 300 metres like the Sub, it's about 1/3 the price, lume is way better (also has bezel lume up to 20). Seiko has a long history of making quality dive watches going back to the 1960s so the heritage is there, and on the wrist, I find the dial more attractive to the eye. Case cutting and finish is also better to my eye.

So I've been quite curious about this model. How is the fit and finish compared too the seikos we all know in this country for divers of the $200 variety? - I've got the skx 0007 or whatever that reference is that has the crown in the same position, and don't get me wrong it's a cool watch but it's a $200 watch and it has continued to run fine without service for over 10 years. But the movement certainly doesn't feel like a Rolex movement when manually winding it etc. as well as the crown screwing down. I do understand the Seiko Japanese stuff is different but does it feel like more of a quality piece?

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by Brian Page

So I've been quite curious about this model. How is the fit and finish compared too the seikos we all know in this country for divers of the $200 variety? - I've got the skx 0007 or whatever that reference is that has the crown in the same position, and don't get me wrong it's a cool watch but it's a $200 watch and it has continued to run fine without service for over 10 years. But the movement certainly doesn't feel like a Rolex movement when manually winding it etc. as well as the crown screwing down. I do understand the Seiko Japanese stuff is different but does it feel like more of a quality piece?

Way ahead of SKX and SRP, etc. I'd say the fit and finish of the green MM (SLA019) is close to Grand Seiko quality, and the movement is basically an undecorated GS movement. I never owned the standard MarineMaster (now discontinued at least for the time being) but I've read that the SLA019 has improved finishing, lume fill, etc as well as the upgrade to sapphire and ceramic.



I did an incoming with better pics here: https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=613934

[Brian Page]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Way ahead of SKX and SRRP, etc. I'd say the fit and finish of the green MM (SLA019) is close to Grand Seiko quality, and the movement is basically an undecorated GS movement. I never owned the standard MarineMaster (now discontinued at least for the time being) but I've read that the SLA019 has improved finishing, lume fill, etc as well as the upgrade to sapphire and ceramic.



I did an incoming with better pics here: https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=613934

Thanks Adam!

[GB-man]

I hope GS releases a diver closer to 40-41 mm preferably no date. I find the current offerings a touch large. I really like that green Seiko adam has. Much prefer those hands to the ones on the GS.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by Brian Page

Thanks Adam!

You're welcome Brian. The drilled lugs and extra silicone strap are also worth noting

[superstarmar]

For me Rolex was the premium brand when I was growing up .
I had a Seiko diver’s at 20 and my first Sub at 32....
Oh , I had a Tag Heuer diver’s in between ...

[DCheeta]

As much as I love GS, I’m just not a fan of the aesthetic of their divers. I do however love the higher end Prospex divers, namely the SLA017 and SLA019.

I feel that the SLA019 (the green Marinemaster that Adam mentioned) compares favorably. I own both the SLA019 and a Submariner.

For me the green MM300 is both my DSSD and my Hulk, all in one watch, if that makes sense.

I’m not sure what point I’m trying to make, so I’ll just post a pic and shut up.

[Rocket launcher]

The seiko is a homage watch compared to the Rolex Sub

[Rashid.bk]

The Seiko is nice, and I even considered the MM300, but then I saw the price. Lots of nice watches at that price, like Omega. If purely buying a watch to seriously use to dive and abuse as a tool. The Seiko is a decent option but still a bit expensive and the green MM300 is very difficult to find.
The Rolex is well just that and when I put it on, I feel a certain way and can dress with it a certain way, the Seiko just doesn't insight those same emotions. I would pick the Submariner every time.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Green Arrow

Been looking at the Seiko Spring Drive Divers and was wondering if you considered that instead of a Submariner, and why you chose the Submariner.

i would take the GS. I love the watch, i like the brand variety, and Spring Drive is just cool.

FWIW i think the finishing on the GS is superior too, but for a tool watch that matters less.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Rocket launcher

The seiko is a homage watch compared to the Rolex Sub

is the sub an homage to the fifty fathoms?

Only so much you can do to a round watch with a black dial/bezel and a diving scale. A close look would show the massive differences between a sub and the rest of the similarly looking non rolex divers out there.

[stockae92]

To OP, I say depends on what other watches you have and what "stage" you are at in watch collecting.

For me (and where I am at), I would go GS diver, unless its an older Sub with something significant like model (serial number) of your birth year.

And some people like people recognizing how much money you spent, and some people don't like that. I happened to like the "stealth" of GS.

And I have never complimented other people with their Sub, nor received compliment when I had my Sub. But I have talk to people with Sinn, Kobold, Anonimo, GS before about their watches.

But I bet you will get better treatment walking in a Porsche dealer with a Sub on your wrist than a GS.

Anyway, it can play out differently, get what you like, that fits you and your life style. But from a pure watch making point of view, get the GS. Its the better watch and a batter made watch. No question about it.