# My Seiko SBQJ015 has arrived!



## safi_cz (Dec 28, 2007)

I will write my impressions soon


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## Bruce Reding (May 5, 2005)

An excellent choice. :-! I think this is one of the best values in HEQs today.


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## safi_cz (Dec 28, 2007)

Bruce Reding said:


> An excellent choice. :-! I think this is one of the best values in HEQs today.


Agree. Very good movement, titanium case with diashield coating + clear design = it is hard to find something better with price around 400USD.


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## kiwidj (Sep 24, 2007)

Congratulations! It's a beauty! Works on a nice strap too...:-!


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

*Congratulations! How is the crystal ?*

Any coating ? flat ? reflections ?


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## safi_cz (Dec 28, 2007)

*Re: Congratulations! How is the crystal ?*



Catalin said:


> Any coating ? flat ? reflections ?


Unfortunately, flat saphire glas *has no anti-reflective coating*. Case and titanium band pieces have diashield coating. It should prevent from scratches - sucessfully tested.


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## safi_cz (Dec 28, 2007)

I want to take photo of movement. How log it can be without battery?


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

safi_cz said:


> I want to take photo of movement. How log it can be without battery?


3 minutes... then you have to replace the battery and retrain the watch to the year, month, day, and of course time. But Seiko does not tell you how to do that... but HERE are the instructions...


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## safi_cz (Dec 28, 2007)

Eeeb said:


> 3 minutes... then you have to replace the battery and retrain the watch to the year, month, day, and of course time. But Seiko does not tell you how to do that... but HERE are the instructions...


Ok, lets do it  Im back in three minutes..maybe in four :-!


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## safi_cz (Dec 28, 2007)

safi_cz said:


> Ok, lets do it  Im back in three minutes..maybe in four :-!


I have a case opener, but I'm not able to open it - it is really hardly screwed o|


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## safi_cz (Dec 28, 2007)

Here are another two photos:


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## fstshrk (Mar 29, 2007)

Wow, I read the instructions on how to reset the calendar data. This is way too involved for my taste. I guess I would prefer moving the date by hand every now and then.


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## Artonthewrist (Apr 10, 2008)

Hello,

I was crusin around and found this article, I have a Seiko SLT077P1 which houses an 8f56 and in reading the article that you showed us in
the link (thanks by the by) the 8f56 also would have 3 minutes before
it needed retraining as well? I can read just looking for some confident
backup on my 6. And while I have your eyes, this watch that I have
was made in 02 and bought by me 2 months ago. This battery is suppose
to have 10year life, and I asked the seller to change to which he said
he would ( is in England ) do you think I should check anyway am also 
curiuos to look at the heart but was afraid to screw something up after
all I am an electrician but love watches.

It would be great to hear your take and
thank you in advance,
Dan



Eeeb said:


> 3 minutes... then you have to replace the battery and retrain the watch to the year, month, day, and of course time. But Seiko does not tell you how to do that... but HERE are the instructions...


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## mikeynd (Dec 11, 2008)

Anyone wonder why they had to discontinue such a awesome movement? The 8f56.What then replaced this movement? Sorry i don't mean to take away from the original poster..The watch is so sweet,and the movement is the best quartz you can find..


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

*Hmm, don't keep us any longer ...*



safi_cz said:


> I will write my impressions soon
> ...


And, how it is ???
How is the lume ?
Are there any serious problems with reflections on sapphire or dial ?
How is the size and the look ?
How is the bracelet ?


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

*Re: Hmm, don't keep us any longer ...*



Catalin said:


> And, how it is ???
> How is the lume ?
> Are there any serious problems with reflections on sapphire or dial ?
> How is the size and the look ?
> How is the bracelet ?


I have this version:









The lume is above average making the watch usable as a bed watch...
Here is a comparison shot:









You can locate the Seiko in this lighted pic:









(You notice the Swatch COSC Chronometer is just a bright...)

Reflections seem fairly normal. And it is a big heavy watch but the bracelet is quite flexible so you don't really notice.


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

*Re: Hmm, don't keep us any longer ...*



Eeeb said:


> I have this version:
> ...
> The lume is above average making the watch usable as a bed watch...
> Here is a comparison shot:
> ...


That is also a very nice model, maybe not as 'dressy' as *SBQJ015 *but the rotating bezel makes some TZ calculations easier ... however I believe I know two places where I can order the *SBQJ015 *while for your model I don't even know the code


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## Geoff in Philly (Jan 15, 2009)

great watch!


For you owners, where do you get the battery changed. Will Seiko USA do it?


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

*Re: Hmm, don't keep us any longer ...*



Catalin said:


> That is also a very nice model, maybe not as 'dressy' as *SBQJ015 *but the rotating bezel makes some TZ calculations easier ... however I believe I know two places where I can order the *SBQJ015 *while for your model I don't even know the code


It has been discontinued anyway... for about 6 months to a year if I remember correctly.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

Geoff in Philly said:


> great watch!
> 
> For you owners, where do you get the battery changed. Will Seiko USA do it?


Yes, you send it to California along with $50US.


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

*That's why I love solar watches*



Eeeb said:


> Yes, you send it to California along with $50US.


But I guess that will also cover new gaskets so maybe it's not that bad ...


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## safi_cz (Dec 28, 2007)

Preparing review. Meantime you can enjoy two photos:


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## rex (Feb 12, 2006)

*Nice catch! I have the same model...I know mine's a keeper!nt*

nt


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## Bruce Reding (May 5, 2005)

Great pics, and congrats! :-! I've had my eye on that model for quite a while.


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## tribe125 (Mar 7, 2006)

Great watch - and a bit of a bargain, all things considered -


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

*Hmm, I just hope ...*



safi_cz said:


> I will write my impressions soon
> ...


Hmm, I just hope that the review will not involve measuring the precision over the full duration of a year ...


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

*OK, safi does it again *

Hmm, this is the result - seems like a good job (but not for Google translate, which still has funny places):

http://translate.google.com/transla...5-high-end-quartz.html&num=100&hl=en&safe=off

Probably the most interesting parts are the link to video (which for me personally was the moment when I finally realized that unlike E510 the month+year are not user-settable on 8F) and the picture with the lume (which was requested by a lot of people around here).

Nice job!


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## Bruce Reding (May 5, 2005)

Agreed. A nice writeup by safi. :-! 

Also cements my opinion that if I were to get an 8F, it would be that model.


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## safi_cz (Dec 28, 2007)

Here is promised review. It took much longer than I expected.

https://www.watchuseek.com/showthread.php?p=1698334#post1698334


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## mayostard (Dec 31, 2007)

Does anyone have pictures of this movement with the battery removed? I've seen several shots of the 8F56 with the battery installed, but it's so big you can't see anything else!


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## safi_cz (Dec 28, 2007)

not, I tried, but without sucess<|


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

mayostard said:


> Does anyone have pictures of this movement with the battery removed? I've seen several shots of the 8F56 with the battery installed, but it's so big you can't see anything else!


You can also look into the Seiko SERVICE manual but you might want to also check:

http://www.pmwf.com/Watches/Seiko/TiPerpCalBackOpen.htm

http://www.pmwf.com/Watches/Seiko/TiPerpCalBatteryOut.htm

(in last one the movement becomes visible).


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## Gansan (Aug 21, 2008)

Great looking watch! |> |>


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## reverendkb (Dec 12, 2007)

Sweet watch. Very nice article. Love that Google translator. Thanks for the lume shot. Seiko is noted for its lume and this looks good. Certainly not a Monster or a Sawtooth, but excellent night visibility for a watch of its size, design and purpose. I'm thinking about one of these, but (I expect some flack here) I'm not sold on the GMT hand. Ergo, I'm leaning to an 8f32, possibly. Anyway, good job and thanks.


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

reverendkb said:


> Sweet watch. Very nice article. Love that Google translator. Thanks for the lume shot. Seiko is noted for its lume and this looks good. Certainly not a Monster or a Sawtooth, but excellent night visibility for a watch of its size, design and purpose. I'm thinking about one of these, but (I expect some flack here) I'm not sold on the GMT hand. Ergo, I'm leaning to an 8f32, possibly. Anyway, good job and thanks.


The 'new' models are kind of restricted in number right now, but I have seen used models selling as low as 50 US$ on ebay last week ... but if you travel a little the 8F56 GMT hand is very nice (as a home reference) ... the same if you use a 'fixed' reference time like GMT / Zulu ...


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## safi_cz (Dec 28, 2007)

Catalin said:


> The 'new' models are kind of restricted in number right now, but I have seen used models selling as low as 50 US$ on ebay last week ... but if you travel a little the 8F56 GMT hand is very nice (as a home reference) ... the same if you use a 'fixed' reference time like GMT / Zulu ...


To be honest, I have not found any practical usage for GMT hand  thank you all for your comments  I was thinking why Seiko made end pieces with such huge "plays" or digs between bracelet and case.

How many people buy Grand Seiko SBGF019 when SBQJ015 is perfect (including anti-reflective glass coating)?


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## bws (Feb 23, 2009)

*Re: Hmm, don't keep us any longer ...*

_Eeeb,_

_Wow, I like that watch. The bezel really sets it off beautifully. Reminds me of my Accutron Astronauts. What kind of accuracy do you get?_

_Thanks,_

_bws_


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

*Re: Hmm, don't keep us any longer ...*



bws said:


> _Eeeb,_
> 
> _Wow, I like that watch. The bezel really sets it off beautifully. Reminds me of my Accutron Astronauts. What kind of accuracy do you get?_
> 
> ...


The accuracy varies with temperature. At normal temperatures it will require some regulation to meet specs. I think this can be done by cutting some runs on the printed circuit board.


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## m2steven (Feb 2, 2009)

If that beautiful dog approves of that lovely Alpinist...I may have to get one. I love that watch....


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## mayostard (Dec 31, 2007)

I just got the SLT077. Fantastic piece. 

Since I travel a lot I absolutely love the independently settable hour hand. I've set the 24-hour hand to my home time and synced with USNO. 

I just realized, however, that daylight savings time starts next weekend for the US. Resetting the home time now isn't a big deal, but doing it again in a few months will ruin any long-term accuracy check.  Oh well, nothing is perfect I suppose.


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

mayostard said:


> I just got the SLT077. Fantastic piece.
> 
> Since I travel a lot I absolutely love the independently settable hour hand. I've set the 24-hour hand to my home time and synced with USNO.
> 
> I just realized, however, that daylight savings time starts next weekend for the US. Resetting the home time now isn't a big deal, but doing it again in a few months will ruin any long-term accuracy check.  Oh well, nothing is perfect I suppose.


Well, I hope my own SBQJ015 will arrive this week but the long-term accuracy check for all 8F is pretty much 'from DST to DST' (unless you keep the 24h hand on UTC, which does not have DST, but most people including myself will set it on 'home time' which is the easier/simpler way unless you have UTC/Zulu things to track ...).


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## safi_cz (Dec 28, 2007)

Winter time changes 29.3. in Czech Republic, so today I'm going to start accuracy check for one month (I will survive few days with "old-time" set gmt hand). Will you wear watch 12 hour per days during your accuracy check? (as it is mentioned in manual). I will let you know 2.4.09


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## safi_cz (Dec 28, 2007)

m2steven said:


> If that beautiful dog approves of that lovely Alpinist...I may have to get one. I love that watch....


Thank you  Lovely but pig-headed


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## inlanding (Feb 20, 2008)

I really enjoy this watch. It's been with me since December 2007 and during this time period (on and off the wrist), it's gained 11 seconds. I am very happy with that kind of performance for a reasonably priced timepiece. For me, it'd be a more complete package if it had a screw-down crown.

GMT is handy for me as Amateur Radio is one of my hobbies.

Glen


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## mayostard (Dec 31, 2007)

I'm surprised the SBQJ015 crown is not a screw-down, since the SLT077 has a screw-down. Having this is important IMO not so much for watertightness but for guarding against an accidental interruption of a long-term accuracy test.

The SBQJ does, on the other hand, seem to have a bigger crown. The SLT's crown is relatively tiny, and the knurling is not as aggressive, which makes it hard to actually unlock IMO.

Some other thoughts on these two models:

I like the SBQJ's hands more than the SLT's, though I appreciate the SLT's nod to tradition in this area.

I like the 24-hour indices on the bezel of the SLT better than on the dial as the SBQJ has it, though having them on the bezel implies that the bezel is rotatable; the SLT's bezel is in fact fixed.


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

safi_cz said:


> Winter time changes 29.3. in Czech Republic, so today I'm going to start accuracy check for one month (I will survive few days with "old-time" set gmt hand). Will you wear watch 12 hour per days during your accuracy check? (as it is mentioned in manual). I will let you know 2.4.09


Unfortunately 12h/24h is not easy, but I will try to never let the watch slip under 23 degrees Celsius 

2 quick extra questions related to your nice SBQJ015 review:

a) on my SBQJ015 the date can be changed from both positions of the crown;

b) on my SBQJ015 the date advances around 23:32 which is kind of strange for me - all my Citizen perpetual calendars advance precisely from 00:00:00 to 00:00:05 (some take like 1-2 seconds, some 2-3, a few times/year multiply that with the number of extra advances up to 4).


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## inlanding (Feb 20, 2008)

mayostard said:


> I'm surprised the SBQJ015 crown is not a screw-down, since the SLT077 has a screw-down. Having this is important IMO not so much for watertightness but for guarding against an accidental interruption of a long-term accuracy test.
> 
> The SBQJ does, on the other hand, seem to have a bigger crown. The SLT's crown is relatively tiny, and the knurling is not as aggressive, which makes it hard to actually unlock IMO.
> 
> ...


Yes, these subtle differences do make the world go 'round.

In the one year + I've been wearing the watch off and on in rotation with others, I never had a problem with the crown accidentally coming out.

It'd be great if the SBQJ had a screw-down crown - it does add that little bit of security should one end up getting thrown in the pool. ;-)

Glen


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

inlanding said:


> ...
> It'd be great if the SBQJ had a screw-down crown - it does add that little bit of security should one end up getting thrown in the pool.


I second that - and call me a 'conspirationist' but I believe it was done on purpose so that to not 'cut' into the separate market for 'desk divers'


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## mayostard (Dec 31, 2007)

Just out of curiosity, I've been watching my recently-acquired 8F56 SLT077... the date chages at 00:05:00 every night. Is this standard?


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

mayostard said:


> Just out of curiosity, I've been watching my recently-acquired 8F56 SLT077... the date chages at 00:05:00 every night. Is this standard?


You had better luck than I did - mine is around 23:32:00 ... so I am no longer that impressed with Seiko


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## junlon (Dec 30, 2007)

SBQJ015's the 24 hour/GMT marks are on the dial, inside the 12 hour marks. And the fonts are smaller. Not sure it is a bit too difficult to read GMT. What is your experience? (My eyes are getting old...)
In constrast, SLT077 got the 24 hour/GMT marks on the fixed bezel and it is easy to read.


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

junlon said:


> SBQJ015's the 24 hour/GMT marks are on the dial, inside the 12 hour marks. And the fonts are smaller. Not sure it is a bit too difficult to read GMT. What is your experience? (My eyes are getting old...)
> In constrast, SLT077 got the 24 hour/GMT marks on the fixed bezel and it is easy to read.


Yes, the bigger the writing the easier is to read - however for a really clear GMT read it is ideal to have a very long GMT hand pointing on the biggest (most exterior) possible circle (divided nicely in 24 segments) - so the even better Seiko design is the one from Grand Seiko GMT 

That being said the actual biggest obstacle is 'getting used to a 24 hours dial" - once you have that right, the size is no longer so important (since you only need a generic hour indication from the GMT hand, and then you get the minutes from the normal minutes hand).

The size might again be essential if you have a design where the offset to the GMT hand can be set in 30 (or even 15) minutes steps - in this case having a huge 24h dial sub-divided in 15/30 minutes could make a huge difference - but I do not know of any such design ...


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## sosh (Mar 18, 2009)

Hi all,have just recieved my SBQJ015 today.
Noticed in the instruction book the accuracy is quoted as + or - 20 sec per month,have read elsewhere in this forum it is per year.
Has anyone else noticed this?

btw, purchased from Seiya and was VERY happy with service and speed,even a discount after purchase due price change.


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## Guest (May 11, 2009)

What kind of strap is that? I think I see it somewhat regularly around this forum but I can't tell what it's made of. Is it leather or something else? Is it comfortable? Where can they be purchased?

Thanks!



tribe125 said:


> Great watch - and a bit of a bargain, all things considered -


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

Anyone have issues with the seconds hand not hitting the markers or the GMT hand being slightly out of synch? I hear it's a common problem on these watches.


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## RPF (Feb 28, 2008)

Not hitting markers - That's a common problem on most quartz watches, from $50 to $5k.

The 8Fxx is actually one of the better quartz on the market when it comes to the two attributes.

This is from experience with about 20 samples of every 8Fxx module other than the 8F58 made from the late 90s to 2007/08.


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

Good to hear, but isn't that problem due more to the way it is set in the factory than to the actual module ?


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

webvan said:


> Good to hear, but isn't that problem due more to the way it is set in the factory than to the actual module ?


Not always - some modules are more prone to alignment errors than others ...


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

ok, but no such problem on your SBQJ015 then ? There is one in the FS section but has both these problems :-(


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## South Pender (Jul 2, 2008)

RPF and Catalin: What's the cure (I know, I know; it's been discussed before)? One watchmaker told me that it's not the dial, but rather the setting of the hands. On a couple of my better watches, the second hand will hit the marks precisely for about 45-50 of them, but be off--maybe by .25 or so sec.--on the rest. Can this be completely fixed by an adjustment of the hands, or is it just something that can't be changed given the dial? Oh, I just remembered something: can this change with the actual position the watch is being held in?


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## RPF (Feb 28, 2008)

webvan said:


> Good to hear, but isn't that problem due more to the way it is set in the factory than to the actual module ?


Doesn't matter to the consumer. One buys a watch, not the module. So I'd say any 8Fxx watch (as an average sample) has a better chance of being superior in these attributes to a non-8Fxx watch of similar value.

If a particular sample isn't as you'd like, just avoid it.

Just because there is Yao Ming doesn't mean the average Chinese man is >2m tall.


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## RPF (Feb 28, 2008)

South Pender said:


> RPF and Catalin: What's the cure (I know, I know; it's been discussed before)? One watchmaker told me that it's not the dial, but rather the setting of the hands. On a couple of my better watches, the second hand will hit the marks precisely for about 45-50 of them, but be off--maybe by .25 or so sec.--on the rest. Can this be completely fixed by an adjustment of the hands, or is it just something that can't be changed given the dial? Oh, I just remembered something: can this change with the actual position the watch is being held in?


I have written about this many times. Nowadays I'm too lazy to repeat myself.

The simple answer is yes. It usually has nothing to do with the dial (not difficult to print things accurately on flat surfaces. Just look at the micro print.) And yes, position affects the hands.

If you're motivated, search my posts for a more complete answer.


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## mayostard (Dec 31, 2007)

I just got my SBQJ015 today. This watch is absolutely fantastic. As awesome as the SLT077 is, this piece is twice as good IMO.

Things I love:

* titanium! wow this thing is so light (it's my first Ti watch).
* diashield! 
* Drilled 22mm lugs
* Crown size and knurling is "just right"
* polished accents on the bracelet
* machined clasp and hinge
* beautiful dial and hands
* beautiful, simple bezel with brushed and polished surfaces

This watch wears larger than its 40mm size IMO. I think the trim bezel is a major reason. It also feels sleeker since it sits lower to my wrist than the SLT077.

This may be the most impressive piece I've owned on a first impression basis.

Things that would make it even better:

* screw down crown (this is a huge letdown IMO considering other 8F pieces (such as my SLT077) have it)
* flip lock clasp (not a huge deal IMO but I'm a belt-and-suspenders type of guy)
* lumed second hand. again, not a huge deal, but still noticable.

In regards to the diashield titanium: what do I do when I want to clean it up? With my steel watches (and untreated titanium equipment) I use a scotch brite pad on brushed surfaces and a cape cod cloth on polished surfaces, but either of those on diashield seem like a bad idea. Any tips?


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## mayostard (Dec 31, 2007)

A couple of other super-minor complaints.

* only two micro adjustment holes on the clasp
* lugs are short, fitting a zulu is quite difficult (but this watch is so fantastic on the bracelet and the zuly doesn't really suit it anyway IMO).


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## mayostard (Dec 31, 2007)

Overall, I am really, really loving this watch. It's just _right_.


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## Guest (Jul 11, 2009)

I set mine to the atomic clock a few months ago and it's only a fraction of a second off. The accuracy of this watch continues to amaze me.


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

hum...I was on the fence, looks like I need to go for it now ;-)


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## mayostard (Dec 31, 2007)

Loving this watch.


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## ppaulusz (Feb 11, 2006)

mayostard said:


> Loving this watch.


Very nice indeed!|>


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## MINIDriver (Apr 7, 2009)

This one is on my wish list! Congratulations on a fine piece!


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## Torrid (May 20, 2007)

I deal with GMT/UTC time code all the time in addition to my local time zone. I bought a G for this purpose, but it is a pain switching modes every 10 minutes. Maybe I'll give this one a second look. For these purposes where accuracy is extremely important, quartz is a definite plus.


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

Especially High Accuracy Quartz ;-) I wonder is it the only GMT HEQ ?


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## Beau8 (May 24, 2008)

Congrats~great looking piece! ;-)


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## mayostard (Dec 31, 2007)

I've had the SBQJ015 for just shy of five months now. Since I was about to move the hour hand back a notch for the end of DST, I decided to call USNO and see how it's doing.

It's gained about 2.5 seconds in five months. Not bad!


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

mayostard said:


> I've had the SBQJ015 for just shy of five months now. Since I was about to move the hour hand back a notch for the end of DST, I decided to call USNO and see how it's doing.
> 
> It's gained about 2.5 seconds in five months. Not bad!


Mine is at around 1 second since about March (but because now I am not wearing it almost at all I am using a small 'trick' - I leave it on my router which keeps it somewhere around 25-26 Celsius instead of the normal 22-23 - at that temperature mine would have also been around 3-4 seconds since then).


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## mayostard (Dec 31, 2007)

mayostard said:


> I've had the SBQJ015 for just shy of five months now. Since I was about to move the hour hand back a notch for the end of DST, I decided to call USNO and see how it's doing.
> 
> It's gained about 2.5 seconds in five months. Not bad!


Just checked again. 3 seconds fast. My watchbox is pretty close to the heater vent in this room, I wonder if that has improved its performance? I am still wearing it on average two days per week.


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## T. Wong (Apr 5, 2006)

webvan said:


> Especially High Accuracy Quartz ;-) I wonder is it the only GMT HEQ ?


I found my used recent Landtrek version here in Japan SBCJ015 and it is the Adventure 8F56 version....200m rated, ti, perpetual GMT, screwdown crown...the works! hahaha








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