# Seiko SBQL007 (8F33)



## shtora (Jan 11, 2009)

Hello!

Does anyone here have a SEIKO SBQL007? Or a "real life"- photo, at least?

I strongly wanted to buy a new accurate SEIKO with perpetual calendar, day and date, in order to replace my SEIKO 5 as a daily watch. I started searching the net and finally found the model, which looks almost like my SEIKO5, and covers the rest of the criteria: SBQL005 (http://www.dealingtime.com/upload/files/55/My Watch Pictures/Seiko/percal-25jul07-4.jpg), but it was discontinued and not available. 
Currently the only 8F33 model in production is SBQL007 (and the almost identical SBQL009). Even if I neglect the lack of dark dial and lume, I am still not sure it looks the way I want. The only images I have are:










and at

http://watch-tanaka5.sub.jp/seiko/SBQL007/

But none of them gives me enough information what the watch looks like "in reality".

So, if anyone has photos of the watch or even wristshots, please share them with me and help me.


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## gaomx (Jul 9, 2009)

my SBQL007 is on the way. I will get it next week.


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## MINIDriver (Apr 7, 2009)

Chino Watch in Tokyo Japan has them for US$278 (Including shipping):

http://c-watch.co.jp/ww/sbqk079.html

Nice watches but a little too small for my taste with their 36mm cases.

I would have to see real life wrist shots to compare. They are very affordable.


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## ChronoStop (May 18, 2009)

The SMD008 is available cheap, $60, but is not eveyones style.


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

Can't see it anywhere for that price and is it HEQ ? Google couldn't find me any info on what movement it has.


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## ppaulusz (Feb 11, 2006)

ChronoStop said:


> The SMD008 is available cheap, $60, but is not eveyones style.


I like it except the magnified glass over the date window...


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## ChronoStop (May 18, 2009)

webvan said:


> Can't see it anywhere for that price and is it HEQ ? Google couldn't find me any info on what movement it has.


Sold on ebay by Inventory Adjusters for $63, but they keep showing up there.
It is an 8f33.


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

Interesting, seems they've run out, will keep on eye on it.


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## Cobalt (Jan 27, 2008)

fwiw, I have 2 watches that are quite similar to that one, and I love them. Terrific overall performance. |>


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

To the SMD008 ? What refefence ? It does seem to be a bit larger than the Exceed and SBQL007 at 37mm, every mm counts !


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

gaomx said:


> my SBQL007 is on the way. I will get it next week.


Any luck with that ? any real pictures ?

For a good review you will need at least one month but don't keep us waiting so much - let's start with 2-3 pictures and first impressions ;-)


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## gaomx (Jul 9, 2009)

Catalin said:


> Any luck with that ? any real pictures ?
> 
> For a good review you will need at least one month but don't keep us waiting so much - let's start with 2-3 pictures and first impressions ;-)


I have returned it. Because the second hand is far away from marker.


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## gaomx (Jul 9, 2009)

gaomx said:


> I have returned it. Because the second hand is far away from marker.


With the first view of this watch, it is very small.
Unfortunately, I did not get a perfect one.
The second hand is far away from marker. 
The movement 8f33 is not a a good one. The location of second hand 
changes too much. Its location is different by one third scale when I change the direction of the watch. The weight of second hand impacts the location of it 
very much.
I have to return it.


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## gaomx (Jul 9, 2009)

I am disappointed with 8F33 movement. 
I do not buy this movement again. 
The time keeps within 1/10s after one day time. 
I have only one day to check this, and I only distinguish 1/10s with my eyes.


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

Are you sure you can see 1/10th of a second with your eyes ? Besides what are you comparing it too ? I've been checking my vintage Twin Quartz agains my Casio RC GW-M5600 and http://www.bipm.org/fr/practical_info/time_server.html and unless it's a second it's really hard to tell as neither of these is really accurate to more than that.

Anyway thanks for the pics.


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

gaomx said:


> I am disappointed with 8F33 movement.
> I do not buy this movement again.
> The time keeps within 1/10s after one day time.
> I have only one day to check this, and I only distinguish 1/10s with my eyes.


I think that anything under 1/2s is highly subjective and generally (as I already said) any HEQ review done after less than one month is way too hurried.
That being said I am not surprised by the seconds-hand alignment problems since my own 8F56 is only average in this regard, and generally with the design used by the entire 8F family to get perfect alignment you need a copy with an incredibly good gear train.


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## Fatpants (Sep 6, 2007)

gaomx said:


> With the first view of this watch, it is very small.
> Unfortunately, I did not get a perfect one.
> The second hand is far away from marker.
> The movement 8f33 is not a a good one. The location of second hand
> ...


Firstly, I think you meant to say that the movement in your watch "wasn't a good one", not every 8F in existence, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt as it appears English isn't your native language. Secondly, the "problem" you mention is nothing more than a short trip to a watchmaker from sorting, and in no way reflects on the ability or quality of the movement. If you had have visited a reputable watchmaker, he/her would have been able to reseat the seconds hand in a matter of minutes; sending the watch back seems a bit of a knee jerk reaction to me.


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

Fatpants said:


> Firstly, I think you meant to say that the movement in your watch "wasn't a good one", not every 8F in existence, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt as it appears English isn't your native language. Secondly, the "problem" you mention is nothing more than a short trip to a watchmaker from sorting, and in no way reflects on the ability or quality of the movement. If you had have visited a reputable watchmaker, he/her would have been able to reseat the seconds hand in a matter of minutes; sending the watch back seems a bit of a knee jerk reaction to me.


I doubt any amount of simple operations can correct problems like variable/gravitational backlash in a traditional quartz - the only solution to that is a very tight and perfectly-formed gear train (and the 'very tight' part might be something that 8F movements have avoided by design in order to achieve 10/8 years of battery life).

That being said the only models (that I know of) which have a very large percentage of success in the seconds-hand alignment are:

- E510 'by design';

- 'small seconds' (where the problem still exists but is hard to see), including chronographs that move 5 steps/s in the chrono part;

- very high-end JP models where probably human inspection (and the obsession with perfection) removes the less-than-perfect samples.


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## gaomx (Jul 9, 2009)

Reply to questions above.
1. I think I can distinguish the difference about 1/10s. This does not mean I can make make sure whether the time is 1.5s or 1.6s. I set two watch at the same time. one of them is a radio controlled watch, and just sync with JP's station. Adjust the time of sbql007 carefully, and make them change second at the same time. The 1/10s difference between them can be noticed.
2. I do mean 8f33 is not a good movement. because the second hand can stop at different location of the second marker. The difference may change 1/3 scale at most.
So I do not think it is a good one. This problem can be observed easily when you change the direction of watch. 12 o'clock marker is above or 6 o'clock marker is above.
3. As to my watch. If the hand is set carefully, the location of the second hand should deviates +- 0.15 scale. In fact, it is set +0.1 - +0.2 font of the marker, which causes the second hand almost stops in the middle of the two markers between 2 o'clock and 5 o'clock location.
4. The watch were bought in JP, because there is no one sold out of JP. It can not be repaired out of JP. At least, it can not be fixed in China. I have to return it to JP.


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## gaomx (Jul 9, 2009)

Reply to questions above.
Sorry, send twice for network delay.


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## Catalin (Jan 2, 2009)

gaomx said:


> Reply to questions above.
> ...
> 2. I do mean 8f33 is not a good movement. because the second hand can stop at different location of the second marker. The difference may change 1/3 scale at most.
> So I do not think it is a good one. This problem can be observed easily when you change the direction of watch. 12 o'clock marker is above or 6 o'clock marker is above.
> ...


Gravitational backlash is very rare in movements where the seconds hand is directly geared to the minutes hand - so in your case it might have been a copy (or an entire batch) with VERY poor quality control.

That being said, quality control has clearly gone down in the middle-level segment at Seiko - of all the pictures that I have seen on the net (like 50 or so) there was only one SBQL007 where the seconds hand was looking very well aligned and my own SBQJ015 is not impressive either ...

On the other hand *gaomx *will certainly have a surprise when he will see swiss quartz models (some of them not even HEQ) being sold for *10x* of the price of SBQL007 and having the same alignment problems


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## ChronoStop (May 18, 2009)

webvan said:


> Can't see it anywhere for that price and is it HEQ ? Google couldn't find me any info on what movement it has.


The Seiko SMD008 with 8f33 movement is back on ebay starting at $60

http://cgi.ebay.com/SEIKO-PERPETUAL...ches?hash=item48374b041e&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

Thanks, was about to bid on it...but unfortunately they don't ship to Europe :-( It does look a bit odd, a bit "Breitlingish", no ?


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## Sperry (Jan 12, 2009)

webvan said:


> Are you sure you can see 1/10th of a second with your eyes ?


Ask any banjo player if 10 notes a second is fast. They'll snort their reply.
22~24 notes per second is more like it, for _fast_ picking.

Some people can hear 1/10th second intervals. It goes to reason some can
time the interval, or compare the interval, with a known source.

Being a new guy here, it's fair for me to state I'm not taking sides,
but keeping open-minded, trying to respond rather than react.

Coincidentally, my Wegner runs +1/10th sec/day.


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

yeah, I've got good rythm too, I was able to bust a watch that was sold to me as a 36000bph as being a 28800, even the owner of www.36000bph.com was impressed ;-)

Having said that deciding a watch is off by 1/10th of a second a day after a couple of days is not something I could do, even using my RC Casio and the BIPM website. For a start you'd have to sync your watch perfectly in the first place.

Anyway that wasn't really the subject of this topic so let's move on back to the 8F33 that I won't be getting anytime soon it seems :-(


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## Grandad (Feb 15, 2010)

Hello - my first post so rather unsure. I own a Seiko SBQL007 so if you still have any questions about it I may be able to help. The photos posted seem to me to be a good likeness. Cheers


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## shtora (Jan 11, 2009)

Thank you , Grandad!

I have Hamilton's and Tissot's autos on my mind recently, so I have lost some of my interest in the SBQL007. However, if it goes upper in my wishlist again, I hope to learn more about the watch from you.
Thank you once again!


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## SeikoSam (Jun 14, 2010)

I just got this watch, after trying to find earlier SBQL versions for ages, I finally decided that its time to give up and "settle" for this one. And when I got it from Chino (btw as usual, Chino was awesome, superfast shipping even though I live other side of the globe) today, I must say I am positively surprised how good it looks! 

It has the super neat, clean "GS-look" dial and the somewhat thin hands are not too small for the watch as I was afraid... Granted, it is not a watch for low-light conditions due lack of lume, but it is a more dressy watch anyway. Great for office and to wear with a bit fancier clothes in some special ocasions. 

The seconds hand hits all the markers spot on (at least for my eyes) and the bracelet seems like a high quality one, and looks awesome. 

I am very pleased that I finally have a 8F33, perpetual calendar with day/date and a clean classic Seiko dial  Highly recommend this one for anyone who is thinking about getting one, grab one while they are available.


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## lamdy (Oct 20, 2010)

shtora said:


> Hello!
> 
> Does anyone here have a SEIKO SBQL007? Or a "real life"- photo, at least?
> 
> ...


I just got one, and here is my pic. not so clear.

I must say, it is the best good looking watch I ever own. and it is super cheap. 
Sapphire Glass
10 year battery life
+/-20sec/per year
and good looking~~
beat other watches. solar/kinetic/radio wave and so on. 
such technology help nothing about accurate of the watch.


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## SeikoSam (Jun 14, 2010)

lamdy said:


> beat other watches. solar/kinetic/radio wave and so on.
> such technology help nothing about accurate of the watch.


Umm, what do you mean that radiocontrol doesn't help in accuracy? That they are usually rated +-15secs per month?


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

SeikoSam said:


> Umm, what do you mean that radiocontrol doesn't help in accuracy? That they are usually rated +-15secs per month?


I believe the 'accuracy' was in reference to the inherent ability of the watch to keep good time.

You can take a watch that looses 48 seconds per day and hack it every half hour. The watch will never be more than a second off. But that doesn't make it an accurate watch in most senses of the word.


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## powerband (Oct 17, 2008)

*Any Additional Comments on this Watch?*

Reviving an older thread.

Anybody has additional comments about this watch?

Just ordered one from Seiya and should be shipped soon.

I like the precision of this quartz, as well as its understated simplicity.

Thanks,


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## gsmcquarrie (Mar 28, 2011)

Mine is the SMD008 with an 8F33 movement. I found it for about USD $160 in a couple of places. Some are asking as much as $270 which is about what I paid for mine new! (11 years ago) Currently, mine is keeping lousy time, gaining ~40-60 spy. I am debating whether to send it in to the service center and have the circuit replaced. It kept time well within specs for about the first two years I owned it and then drifted off. Apparently, this is very common.


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## powerband (Oct 17, 2008)

gsmcquarrie said:


> Mine is the SMD008 with an 8F33 movement. I found it for about USD $160 in a couple of places. Some are asking as much as $270 which is about what I paid for mine new! (11 years ago) Currently, mine is keeping lousy time, gaining ~40-60 spy. I am debating whether to send it in to the service center and have the circuit replaced. It kept time well within specs for about the first two years I owned it and then drifted off. Apparently, this is very common.


Yes, that can be annoying when the claim is +/- 20 sec per year. Your watch's deviation of about 4 seconds per month is still not bad by any standard outside of HEQ.

As I understand it, the 8F33 is not truly an HEQ (?).

Are you wearing yours for at least 8 hours a day regularly?

Thanks,


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

Unfortunately the 8Fxx movements dating back to 2000 or so are all way out of spec, empirical observations point to a 8 spy/year speeding up and the difference between room and warm (around 32 dC) is only around 40spy (they slow down when warm) so there's generally no way to keep them within the +/- 20 spy range unless you exposed them to really warm temperatures! With pattern cutting you can slow them down once by a maximum of 26spy.


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## gsmcquarrie (Mar 28, 2011)

Yes, I wear it regularly, but it still is keeping poor time. The other annoying aspect of this particular watch is that it is supposed to have a 10 year battery life. I have had to change batteries twice now in the time I've had the watch. (1/5yr~)


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## ki7 (Aug 9, 2011)

Okay, mine is a 8F56, but anyway. It was made in 1999 and went of in the last 40 days only 2 seconds to fast. This would sum up to 18 sec/y, so it's in the specs. If it stays like this in the winter.
I wear it 24-7.

gsmcquarrie, do you play around with the calender feature a lot? I've heard it really sucks the batterie empty.


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

Pretty good performance, do you wear it each day?


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## gsmcquarrie (Mar 28, 2011)

ki7 said:


> Okay, mine is a 8F56, but anyway. It was made in 1999 and went of in the last 40 days only 2 seconds to fast. This would sum up to 18 sec/y, so it's in the specs. If it stays like this in the winter.
> I wear it 24-7.
> 
> gsmcquarrie, do you play around with the calender feature a lot? I've heard it really sucks the batterie empty.


I only use the calendar function occasionally, but I have really been disappointed in the battery life, I have had to replace the battery twice, at about 5 years. (not the 10 claimed.) and to do that, I had to send it in to COSERV to have it done.


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## artec (Oct 31, 2006)

I bought an 8F56 SLT081 directly from Inventory Adjusters for $99.99 shipped. I sized it but never wore it. It has a perpetual calendar and a GMT hand and it's luminous. I bought it by mistake, thinking it was an 8J, like my GS. I should have known better, of course, but I thought, what the hell, it's a hundred bucks.
What do I do now!


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

Time it ! ;-)


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## ronalddheld (May 5, 2005)

Keep it a while longer or sell it to some worthy forum member?


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