# My comparison of Stowa Marine Auto vs Steinhart Marine 38



## Gaddy (Jan 8, 2013)

For a brief period, I owned both the Stowa Marine Automatic and the Steinhart Marine 38, so I thought I should get some pics of them together and give my thoughts on each. I bought the Steinhart new and ended up selling it when the Stowa with the exact specifications I wanted came up on the used market. This isn't a perfect comparison since it's the Stowa without date.

When the Stowa first arrived, I thought I might have made a mistake because, in dimmer indoor lighting, the dial appears boring next to the Steinhart. The Stowa silver dial looks very plain without good lighting. The Steinhart's pearl white dial still shines, and the raised numbers and engraved logo make it stand out.










However, under direct sunlight the Stowa dial really sparkles in a way that can't be captured in a photo, while the Steinhart can get too shiny. The Stowa has heat-tempered blue hands rather than the chemically induced on the Steinhart, and I do like the bluest angle of the Stowa better than the Steinhart. Straight on they look similar. I wasn't sure if I would like the blue crown on the Steinhart but I did, as well as the blue rotor which I felt dressed up the movement, though the Stowa movement (which is the same movement) has an advantage with its blued screws.










The case and strap on the Stowa feels much more natural to me, the biggest reason I'm pleased to have gotten the Stowa. At 13mm, I think the Steinhart's case is too thick for a 38mm watch. The Stowa at 40mm and 10mm sits better on the wrist for me and the strap is so comfortable. The Steinhart strap and deployment clasp looks great but felt very stiff to me.










In conclusion, for half the price with the same movement, I think the Steinhart is a good deal and has some advantages over the Stowa. Perhaps others would find it more comfortable. It's important to me how a watch feels on the wrist. That's why I spent more than twice as much to get an Oris Artelier Date over a Hamilton Jazzmaster Viewmatic when I tried them both on, and that's why I know I would have shelled out more for the Stowa over the Steinhart if I could have tried them both on before buying. If I could, I would take the Steinhart dial, Stowa case, Stowa hands, Stowa blued screws and Stowa strap. But the hands and screws aren't that big of a deal. What it boils down to is if the Steinhart had the Stowa case, I would take it and save the money.


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

Correct me if I am wrong but the Steinhart movement is believed to be a standard ETA 2824 and not an elabore with an Incabloc shock protection whilst the Steini comes with a regular Etachoc ? Right ?
If so both using an ETA 2824-2 but Stowa uses the more elaborated ?


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## soundfanz (Apr 15, 2012)

Thanks. Great looking watches both.
Like the looks of the Steinhart more, if it was the same case size as the Stowa, it'd be perfect.


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## eliz (Apr 5, 2012)

stuffler said:


> Correct me if I am wrong but the Steinhart movement is believed to be a standard ETA 2824 and not an elabore with an Invabloc shock protection whilst the Steini comes with a regular Etachoc ? Right ?
> If so both using an ETA 2824-2 but Stowa uses the more elaborated ?


Correct.


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## makoto (Sep 19, 2013)

thanks for sharing your views and pictures


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## CM HUNTER (May 16, 2011)

Seems like the only positive that you liked about the Steinhart over the Stowa is the pop of the white dial. If it was the Stowa auto white with date, then you would have had that pop along with all of the other features that frankly blow the Steinhart away. 

Yes the Steinhart costs half the price, but knowing that you are getting the quality German made case (Fricker), flame blued Swiss made hands (Universo), the German made dial (Schatzle), the higher quality movement etc... seems to make obviously more watch and therefore easily worth the extra money.


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## Gaddy (Jan 8, 2013)

CM HUNTER said:


> Seems like the only positive that you liked about the Steinhart over the Stowa is the pop of the white dial. If it was the Stowa auto white with date, then you would have had that pop along with all of the other features that frankly blow the Steinhart away.
> 
> Yes the Steinhart costs half the price, but knowing that you are getting the quality German made case (Fricker), flame blued Swiss made hands (Universo), the German made dial (Schatzle), the higher quality movement etc... seems to make obviously more watch and therefore easily worth the extra money.


Pretty much, but it's the dial as a whole. I'm not sure if the Stowa white dial has the pearl white look of the Steinhart, but I also like the raised numbers and logo better on the Steinhart. I think the Stowa numbers and logo look a little plain. Of course, I also like the price of the Steinhart better. The Stowa does give you the better quality that makes it worth the money. But a lot of those are small details that don't stand out that much. I wouldn't pay the additional $500 just for hands that are flame blued rather than chemically induced or blued screws that no one ever sees. If the case/strap of the Steinhart felt as comfortable as the Stowa, I'd say save the money and get the Steinhart. But the Stowa is a much better fit/feel on the wrist for me.


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## flyingpicasso (Jun 28, 2010)

I've never cared for Steinhart's dial/font/handset on this model. (I do like the smaller size, though.) To my eyes the Stowa looks like a watch worth more than its asking price, but the Steinhart looks like a watch worth less than its asking price. Clearly I think you made the right choice between the two.


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## MateuszK (Jan 7, 2015)

Ah yes, thank you for that this is exactly what I needed, as I am considering the two too. I too like the Steinhart Dial better, but for me the 40mm case and the fact that it is much thinner is a very important fact. Plus for some reason Stainheart is not fully waterproof, and Stowa is up to 5ATM. Not that I am planning to go swimming with it but I wouldn't want to damage my watch by splashing water onto it while washing hands;/ If I am not mistaken there is now something like 150 Euro difference between these two, which I can't deny it a considerable amount of money but I guess not that much to get the watch you want


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## Eugene Hot (Jun 30, 2020)

Vintage Stowa Marine









Favorite Stowa and Steinhart Marine keeps perfect time and passed 10 atm tests since 2012


















Examples of trench wrisrtlets from 1915.


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## Batboy (Dec 2, 2020)

Gaddy said:


> I'm not sure if the Stowa white dial has the pearl white look of the Steinhart, but I also like the raised numbers and logo better on the Steinhart. I think the Stowa numbers and logo look a little plain.


Since this thread has been revived, I'll add my agreement to this comment. In the metal, the Steinhart Marine has a better-looking dial and, in my eyes, looks more premium on the wrist. 

While I'd usually pick Stowa over Steinhart, this marine watch is an exception. I voted with my wallet and wasn't disappointed; I'm glad I chose a Steinhart Marine over the Stowa equivalent. I think the Marine watch is Steinhart's best-kept secret.


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## Eugene Hot (Jun 30, 2020)

Unfortunately, there are no marine chronometers on the Steinhart website now, there are only luxury chronographs. So the Stowa hegemony is not threatened by anyone.


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## Batboy (Dec 2, 2020)

Eugene Hot said:


> Unfortunately, there are no marine chronometers on the Steinhart website now, there are only luxury chronographs. So the Stowa hegemony is not threatened by anyone.
> View attachment 16361757
> 
> View attachment 16361759


Woah! Steinhart stopped making marine watches⁉ I thought Steinhart's marine watches were among its best looking (and virtually on a quality par with Stowa). I wonder why they stopped making them?


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## Eugene Hot (Jun 30, 2020)

For a long time Steinhart Marine chronometers was unavailable. Now you can see new model with *ETA Unitas 6498-1* in 42 mm case
*MARINE CHRONOMETER 42 white arabic*


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## Erik_H (Oct 23, 2006)

Eugene Hot said:


> For a long time Steinhart Marine chronometers was unavailable. Now you can see new model with *ETA Unitas 6498-1* in 42 mm case


How is this information about a Swiss watch relevant for the Schauer and Stowa forum?


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## Batboy (Dec 2, 2020)

While I agree @Eugene Hot's info wasn’t about Schauer and Stowa directly, Steinhart marine watches are (at least on this side of the pond) a common alternative to Stowa’s marine chronometers. Plus, the original post compared them.

Incidentally, I have lost count of the number of Rolex threads in non-Rolex forums, and all those MoonSwatch threads aren’t in the Swatch sub-forum


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

Both, Stowa and Seinhart, do not offer marine *chronometer* watches. At least I do not know of any. But I have to admit, Stowa did not ever say so, only Steinhart is sailing under a false flag.


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## Batboy (Dec 2, 2020)

@StufflerMike You are (as usual!) correct. I guess Steinhart used “chronometer” in the sense of marine chronometer, not COSC chronometer. I can forgive them


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

Batboy said:


> @StufflerMike You are (as usual!) correct. I guess Steinhart used “chronometer” in the sense of marine chronometer, not COSC chronometer. I can forgive them


Conceptual there is no big difference between a marine chronometer and a COSC chronometer. Unlike an ordinary watch, the (official) chronometer must meet the highest standards of accuracy. Officially, a watch can only be called a chronometer if its movement has passed a test by the responsible state testing agency with the corresponding criteria for chronometers. Steinhart is misusing the term. If you can forgive them, that‘s fine with me. The Steinhart Marine isn‘t a chronometer, whichever way you look at it. To trim a 6498-1 to chronometer specs would ask a lot.


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## Eugene Hot (Jun 30, 2020)

It is probably more correct to call a marine wrist watches in this style deck or boat watches. I like small second's subdial in Steinhart Marine watches in style of old marine chronometers. Several marine dials for illustration. Every one are precision, only Sewills has C.O.S.C. certificate.














































































If we talk about the marine line Stowa/Steinhart, with the central second, I first of all remember not marine chronometers, but pilot watches British Royal Air Force Mark7A from 1940 specification A.M.6B/159





























Russian marine watches for comparison:
Chronometer








Deck chronometer








current Marine wrist watches



















KIROVA CHRONOGRAPHS AIRFORCE & NAVY 30-40-s









AIRFORCE & NAVY 30-s


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## TickTockX86 (Feb 10, 2021)

Eugene Hot said:


> View attachment 16521566


Tell me more! This is lovely, "Made in Poland"


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## Eugene Hot (Jun 30, 2020)

Zegarki G. Gerlach - gerlach.org.pl


G. Gerlach Watches




gerlach.org.pl


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## TickTockX86 (Feb 10, 2021)

Eugene Hot said:


> Zegarki G. Gerlach - gerlach.org.pl
> 
> 
> G. Gerlach Watches
> ...


Thanks yeah I did some poking around. There is a Big Date version, too. Do you own that watch you posted? Experience with it? Thanks.


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## Eugene Hot (Jun 30, 2020)

The watches are beautiful. Designed and assembling in Poland, parts and movements are from China. I prefer ETA movements and don't like date function - there are a lot of watches in rotation. Started and went.


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