Hi there! Hope you are all fine.

I become to be interested in japanese watches.
I bought a Lord Marvel 36 000 a few month ago that is very nice. Stil waiting for a new crystal to show it to you.
I was tented with buying a SARB003 taht I find rather nice for a casual watch. I'm impressed by the quality of the dial and hands. I especially like the second hand tail. As for the movement, it's probably not the more prestigious from Seikosha.
Opinion welcome on the design, performance, etc. and the colour!

cheers

 

My question is what is stopping you from buying it? If you like it buy it. That is what is most important. Seiko makes phenomenal watches with seemingly endless variety for almost every price range.

As for this specific model... it is a very nice looking watch that looks balanced and would be a great daily wearer with the ability to be dressed up or down as needed. I personally wouldn't buy it because it doesn't scratch my current watch it but overall it is a great looking piece. I too like the tail of the seconds hand.

--Jake

 

My best buy in 50€ price range,whit seiko you can't go wrong, but vintage are still bargain,so if you are looking for good deal, seiko is best option.

 

I have both a SARB033 and SARB035 and find both stay mainly in the box, they do look great on my wrist but rarely prevail over the vintage pieces

 

One of these days I'm going to walk into a Seiko boutique and check them out in person. I unfortunately owned and destroyed many of their quartz watches in my youth. Can't get past the "cheap watch" stigma. I respect the hell out of them though and from all my reading, I know that I will be stunned at the quality when I see one in the metal. This is a very nice daily wearer.

 

Nice ones!

 

This my favorite SARB

 

@Jwit, well nothing really frigthens me, I spend so much money on watches that I'll have to wait a few weeks if I can. Jurisevac, I love vintage ones too but it's hard to find a decent one. Seiko dial tend to age badly.
As for a new one, it's a matter of making up my mind on what model and chosing the colour of the dial. The more i look at them, the more i like the white version. Any opinion on that Peatnick?
the Sarb is at 300 euros in Japan which is quite a decent price for the quality.
There are also some that are a bit more expensive. this video will show you what my dilemma is!

If find the SARX bracelet really beautiful but it's not the most important thing. I love the blue hands but I definitly like lumed dials. The blue lume on the white one is just gorgeous.
As for the Seiko movements, it's difficult to find and digest all the seiko versions. This is supposed to be a medium range movement. In the reviews I red, it is said not to have any complex compared to a basic 2824. I find it a bit sad that Seiko does not finish their medium range movement better. I also wouls have prefered a domed sapphite. I will probably replace it. One has to chose a Grand seiko to have really high grade finish. This said, I really find the case finish amazing and just the sweep secondh and shape is classy.

 

I think the biggest issue with older Seikos isn't that they age poorly so much as that many were someone's daily beater. Pretty much whatever class of watch you want, especially until the past few years, Seiko had a watch in that class that was cheaper than the corresponding Swiss watch that is now collectible.
Great watches but if you are spending 10% or 20% less you tend to be a bit less protective.
The other problem with vintage Seiko is that in Asian markets most notably South Korea (to my observation) the vintage buyers don't want a watch to look vintage, they want it to look like it did fresh out of the box before going on the wrist the first time. So a lot of vintage are redialed and obviously so even when done to absolute perfection. Obviously so because a 1970's watch isn't going to be that clean.
Then there are the ones that get modded like crazy ranging from swapping parts out to offering dial face colors Seiko never offered.

 

Here is an older model made for JDM sales. Seiko makes everything from inexpensive watches to high end stuff that comes out of the Shizuku-Ishi watch studio. The middle of the road Seiko watches such as the one I posted offer a lot of bang for the $$ buck

 

Hi arkstfan and voere

What is impressing at Seiko's it the range of the products. From the 5 series to the grand seiko. I can't think of any swiss brand having this range of quality. It's as if a swiss brand alone made swatches quartz to high end omegas. the quality of cases and dial on mid range watches from 300 to 700 dollars is truly stunning. I came across the one I showed a few days ago and if you think of a SARX, a swiss made case like this (if not made in China...) would cost more than 1500.
arkstfan, I agree to some point but, I don't think lord marvels and grand seiko were used as daily beaters in the 70's as they were rather expensive watches and mostly sold in Japan if I'm right.
I understand what you say about asian sellers. Some vendors in S. Korea are well known for refinishing watches - pretty well that said. But it's not my cup of tea. I think the only place where you can find fine examples is Japan. The problem is that, the 70's grand seiko begin to be well known and rather expensive. That's why the lord marvel is a good compromise. fine 5740 movement with a 36 000 bph.

I'm even thinking of bluing the screws. Doesn't it look terrific?

hardly worse finished than a king seiko 4500A. Of course the case design of a 70's king seiko is just perfect IMO. it's hard to realize how great it looks with a picture, you have to see it IRL. Very original yet classy and unique. By the way, what swiss brand made 36 000 bph movement in the 70's?

 

I love mine.

 

You have that one Garv?

 

I had it and have regretted selling it.

 

I do, and I enjoy it.

 

The easiest way to get over the "cheap watch" stigma is to go in and buy a Grand Seiko: the combination of the price tag and the quality of the finishing will do away with that forever. I bought my first as a low-profile traveller for when I was in the less salubrious neighbourhoods of Asia for work. Then it started to get out of hand...

 

Here's mine - Brightz:



It's the best $600 watch I've ever seen.

 

Go with a JDM version of whatever you choose. I had a JDM Seiko and it was killer! Great watches for sure.

 

thanks all for your answers. JDM for japanese domestic market I guess?
Rbob I love yours! I lookes at the finishing of the case and bracelet, simply stunning for this price range.
As for buying a Grand Seiko, I think this will be in a few month. Definitly not the same price, definitly not the same movement too I agree.
The only thing that prevents me from buying right on the Sarb is that I feel a little hesitating because of the chamfrain on th case side. I prefer the Brightz case and it's bracelet but prefer the Sarb dial and hands...

 

As a Seikoholic I say go for it! Seiko represent good value and I don't think that the SARB035 will disappoint. Btw I think the case is beautiful.