# Stowa Marine Classic 36 Handwound - Thoughts & Photographs



## singularityseven (May 1, 2020)

I've been wanting to check out this watch in person for months now, and Stowa was kind enough to loan me this watch to review.

Video Review





*CASE*

This case is 36mm in diameter, 45mm from lug-to-lug and an incredible 8.5mm in height. The case is entirely polished, and the finishing is excellent. The lugs gently curve down towards the wrist, and show off some of that excellent mirror polishing. The lugs do extend beyond the perfectly flat case-back, and I've found watches that do this to always be comfortable. There is a narrow bezel that seats the slightly domed sapphire crystal. The onion styled push-pull crown is polished, and is almost as tall as the case itself, so is very easy to grip and operate. The crown design suits the watch perfectly. Flipping it over, you have a screw-down case-back with a large exhibition window. The window is very welcome here, as it shows off the top grade ETA/Peseux 7001 movement. This watch is rated for up to 50m of water resistance.


















































*DIAL*









The dial is best aspect of this watch, and the vintage pocket watch inspired deck watch design is perfectly executed here. The base of the dial is listed as an enamel finish, but isn't made of enamel. I think this finishing is pretty convincing, and the entire dial has the warmth that you get from enamel and ceramic.

















The entire dial is printed; you have a printed railroad style minute track with a triangle marker for the 12 o'clock, and filled rectangular markers for each increment of five. You then have printed Arabic numerals, in a font almost identical to their vintage Marine observation pocket watches.

















The seconds sub-dial is at the 6 o'clock and instead of an Arabic numeral for 6, you have a short rectangular marker instead to balance out the empty space. The sub-dial is beautifully recessed, and has a printed seconds track. The seconds track is accented by Arabic numerals for every 10 second increment, and well proportioned ticks for every 5 seconds.

















































The quality of printing on all the elements is excellent, and beyond anything you'd expect from a $1000 watch. If the impeccable printing doesn't make you a believer, then you have to look at the hands. The hands are temperature blued steel, and are finished to perfection. These hands are incredible, and unfortunately my photographs cannot do them justice.









The center stack is very neat, and also finished in the same brilliant manner as the rest of the hands. I'm speechless at the level of finishing offered on this dial.

*MOVEMENT*

















































This watch uses the very slim Peseux/ETA 7001 and measures an impressive 2.5mm in thickness. I believe this is the top grade variant, and has wonderful decoration that is on full display thanks to the exhibition case-back. The impressive clean room standards of the dial extends to the movement as well, and there's not a visible particle of dust or dirt to be seen here.

*ON THE WRIST (6.25")*









































I have a 6.25″ wrist and I intentionally requested the 36mm version of this watch. I think I could've pulled off the 41mm option too, but I thought the slightly smaller case would suit this design better, and I was very pleased with how it turned out. The 45mm lug-to-lug width sits comfortably on my wrist, and the 8.5mm height gives it a beautiful sense of elegance. The case-back is perfectly flat, and allows the slightly curved lugs to gently wrap around the wrists. Overall this watch gets a 10/10 for comfort and there's nothing they could have done better.

If you can't tell from all the superlatives above - I loved this watch, and I'd like to add a Stowa to my own collection soon.

Even Bella loved it...









Thanks for reading/watching!

☕


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## jmariorebelo (Jan 14, 2019)

I've been waiting for this one! Great stuff as always.


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## leastonh (May 29, 2012)

What an absolutely stunning watch. Thank you for posting this, I'm in awe of the quality and looks. As someone who isn't particularly into dress watches, this has blown me away.

I hope you enjoy it for many years to come


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## Stowie (Jul 6, 2020)

VERY nice watch shots! Closeups look amazing


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## Buramu (Oct 19, 2015)

Thanks for this review. This is the best review (and photography) of the M36KS I've seen to date!


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## Tribonian (Jan 1, 2020)

Thanks for a fantastic review. I've been thinking about a Stowa for a while and now I'm probably going to give in to temptation.

But surely this review has highlighted a much more interesting topic - can we do "Watches and Cats"? Bella is delightful.


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## SSK877 (Oct 19, 2017)

I'm curious as to the _dial_ diameter, as opposed to the case diameter. Any chance of getting a measurement?


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

SSK877 said:


> I'm curious as to the _dial_ diameter, as opposed to the case diameter. Any chance of getting a measurement?


Drop Stowa an email and ask. That's a least what I would do.


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## singularityseven (May 1, 2020)

jmariorebelo said:


> I've been waiting for this one! Great stuff as always.


Thank you very much!



leastonh said:


> What an absolutely stunning watch. Thank you for posting this, I'm in awe of the quality and looks. As someone who isn't particularly into dress watches, this has blown me away.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it for many years to come


Thank you very much for reading, but just to clarify - this is not my watch, but was loaned to me for a few weeks to review. I am not a dress watch person either, but this one definitely stole my heart. And this isn't technically a dress watch since the origins of this watch were purely practical! But I understand what you mean, given the dimensions and water rating.



Stowie said:


> VERY nice watch shots! Closeups look amazing


Thank you for reading/looking!



Buramu said:


> Thanks for this review. This is the best review (and photography) of the M36KS I've seen to date!


Thank you Buramu, that is very kind of you to say.



Tribonian said:


> Thanks for a fantastic review. I've been thinking about a Stowa for a while and now I'm probably going to give in to temptation.
> 
> But surely this review has highlighted a much more interesting topic - can we do "Watches and Cats"? Bella is delightful.


Thank you very much for reading. Watches & Cats seems like a great idea, but Bella is very picky about the watches she wishes to spend time near. She is not a fan of most watches I own or review 



SSK877 said:


> I'm curious as to the _dial_ diameter, as opposed to the case diameter. Any chance of getting a measurement?


Unfortunately I did not measure that, and the watch is back with Stowa now. So as @Mike Stuffler suggested, it might be best to ask them directly.


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## fracture. (Aug 11, 2018)

Man, what a watch, I absolutely love it, it’s pretty much perfect in my opinion. It’s the best looking watch Stowa offers right now. 

Thank you for the great review, this is the first one I’ve seen of this watch, although you could slow down a little bit, feels like you’re rushing to say everything you’ve written down - just my observation.


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## DEV1ST8R (Sep 8, 2019)

Amazing photography! And well-written review! If I wasn’t worried about 36mm being too small, I’d have probably already put one of these on order.


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## singularityseven (May 1, 2020)

fracture. said:


> Man, what a watch, I absolutely love it, it's pretty much perfect in my opinion. It's the best looking watch Stowa offers right now.
> 
> Thank you for the great review, this is the first one I've seen of this watch, although you could slow down a little bit, feels like you're rushing to say everything you've written down - just my observation.


Thank you very much for watching, and for the feedback. I have been told about my pace. And that is exactly right - I'm trying my best to get through all the information in a short period of time. I've noticed that videos under 5 minutes do best with people. I will have to figure out how to prepare my material in a more concise manner. Thanks though, I appreciate it.



DEV1ST8R said:


> Amazing photography! And well-written review! If I wasn't worried about 36mm being too small, I'd have probably already put one of these on order.


Thank you very much! They do have a larger case size, with a Unitas movement. I personally love the idea of a Unitas movement in this more than the 7001 since it is a bit more historically accurate.


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## fracture. (Aug 11, 2018)

Yeah, I actually thought you might talk fast because you want to keep the videos short. In that case it’s a style and not a fault, I think!

To me, the UNITAS movement does look nicer, but the watch is not even close to as refined as the 36 mm. The negative space on the dial is used much better with the 36, the font is correct (1 is different on subdial and main dial with the larger one, making it plain ugly as it’s a mistake), ...


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## SSK877 (Oct 19, 2017)

singularityseven said:


> Unfortunately I did not measure that, and the watch is back with Stowa now. So as @Mike Stuffler suggested, it might be best to ask them directly.


No problem, I'll drop them a line.

I find dial diameter to be a useful dimension to know, as it contributes to the overall on-wrist presence. For example, the case diameter of my Antea KS is 35.5mm, while my SNK807 is 37mm wide. However, the Antea looks larger on-wrist, because the dial diameter is approximately 31.5mm, while the dial on the SNK is only 30mm.

Oh, and nice review and photos!


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## Buramu (Oct 19, 2015)

If my calculations are correct, the dial is even a mm or two wider than the dial of my Speedmaster Pro. With a lug to lug of 45mm it should look pretty stylish on my fairly round 7.4" wrist.

My good news for today is that I have green light from the S.O. to order this watch for christmas. Good times! 

Now to decide if I want it on the black strap or maybe dark brown or even stone-gray.

Edit: and the order has been placed - yay!


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## SSK877 (Oct 19, 2017)

Wow! Quick response from Stowa! The diameter of the dial is "approx. 32,5mm". That's quite wide for a 36mm watch so, along with the white dial, it _should _wear significantly larger on-wrist, I would think. Since I only bought my Antea a few months ago, I think I'll have to wait a while longer for my next purchase...


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## Buramu (Oct 19, 2015)

SSK877 said:


> Since I only bought my Antea a few months ago, I think I'll have to wait a while longer for my next purchase...


Another stunning watch. I can't think of many brands that have such a diverse bandwidth of desirable watches in their collection as Stowa.


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## singularityseven (May 1, 2020)

SSK877 said:


> No problem, I'll drop them a line.
> 
> I find dial diameter to be a useful dimension to know, as it contributes to the overall on-wrist presence. For example, the case diameter of my Antea KS is 35.5mm, while my SNK807 is 37mm wide. However, the Antea looks larger on-wrist, because the dial diameter is approximately 31.5mm, while the dial on the SNK is only 30mm.
> 
> Oh, and nice review and photos!


Thank you!



Buramu said:


> If my calculations are correct, the dial is even a mm or two wider than the dial of my Speedmaster Pro. With a lug to lug of 45mm it should look pretty stylish on my fairly round 7.4" wrist.
> 
> My good news for today is that I have green light from the S.O. to order this watch for christmas. Good times!
> 
> ...


Congratulations! I look forward to hearing your thoughts once you receive it.


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## feline (Mar 22, 2020)

Nice review, thank you for the write-up.


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## NedHill (Nov 8, 2020)

Excellent video and photos! Seriously, the watch companies should hire you for their marketing team. They usually have so few photos and so few close-up ones to highlight their products.


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## Jonathan T (Oct 28, 2020)

I'm so torn on the sizing! I have a 6.5" wrist that is quite flat about 50-51mm across. I had my heart settled on a 36mm but a L2L of 45mm feels small (i have an Archimede watch that is L2L of 44mm, 40mm case diam and it feels small on my wrist). so then i thought maybe the 40mm marine classic is better with an L2L of 48mm. but then it's a slippery slope because i'm like maybe i can try to make the Marine original with its gorgeous unitas movement work. but that's an L2L of 50mm so that's pushing it. Argh!


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## Roningrad (Aug 2, 2018)

Thanks S7 for the straightforward review love it! Great pic shots BTW! 

I love the MO36. Could have bought this if it was already available before I purchased my Flieger A classic. Well, I’ve been contemplating to flip the said watch and make a run at the MO36.


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## singularityseven (May 1, 2020)

feline said:


> Nice review, thank you for the write-up.


Thank you for reading!



NedHill said:


> Excellent video and photos! Seriously, the watch companies should hire you for their marketing team. They usually have so few photos and so few close-up ones to highlight their products.


Well it sucks that you were banned, because those were very kind words. Thanks!



Jonathan T said:


> I'm so torn on the sizing! I have a 6.5" wrist that is quite flat about 50-51mm across. I had my heart settled on a 36mm but a L2L of 45mm feels small (i have an Archimede watch that is L2L of 44mm, 40mm case diam and it feels small on my wrist). so then i thought maybe the 40mm marine classic is better with an L2L of 48mm. but then it's a slippery slope because i'm like maybe i can try to make the Marine original with its gorgeous unitas movement work. but that's an L2L of 50mm so that's pushing it. Argh!


The 36mm will wear like a small-ish dress watch on your 6.5" wrist. And given the 50mm lug-to-lug on the larger ones, that might wear a bit too big. So for us under 6.5", I think the 36mm is the best option given the design. A 38mm with a Unitas would be the perfect watch for me, but given the size of the Unitas movement, that would be impossible without some serious in-house movement modification.



Roningrad said:


> Thanks S7 for the straightforward review love it! Great pic shots BTW!
> 
> I love the MO36. Could have bought this if it was already available before I purchased my Flieger A classic. Well, I've been contemplating to flip the said watch and make a run at the MO36.


Thanks for the kind words. The Flieger A is a beauty, so don't flip that if you don't have to  You can always have 2 Stowas!


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## feline (Mar 22, 2020)

For some reason the close-up photos look a lot nicer than the actual watch, not that the actual watch is not pretty, but not as pretty as the photo.


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## ErzengelG (Jun 17, 2018)

A 36 watch with a large plain white dial won't look too small on a 6.5 inch wrist. In case of any doubt, take the central second version of it.


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## Jonathan T (Oct 28, 2020)

Just curious what are people's thoughts: Is a small seconds more truer to the spirit of the marine chronometer watch than central seconds? Just asking because Stowa has this 36 handwinder (small seconds) which is the subject of this review but they also have the regular marine 36 (central seconds) that you can upgrade to handwound (eta 2804)? i can't decide which one would be nicer.


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## Buramu (Oct 19, 2015)

Jonathan T said:


> Just curious what are people's thoughts: Is a small seconds more truer to the spirit of the marine chronometer watch than central seconds? Just asking because Stowa has this 36 handwinder (small seconds) which is the subject of this review but they also have the regular marine 36 (central seconds) that you can upgrade to handwound (eta 2804)? i can't decide which one would be nicer.


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## nedh (Sep 30, 2014)

Excellent photos! Thank you for such an in-depth review.


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## ErzengelG (Jun 17, 2018)

Jonathan T said:


> Just curious what are people's thoughts: Is a small seconds more truer to the spirit of the marine chronometer watch than central seconds? Just asking because Stowa has this 36 handwinder (small seconds) which is the subject of this review but they also have the regular marine 36 (central seconds) that you can upgrade to handwound (eta 2804)? i can't decide which one would be nicer.


Difficult question! On one hand, the KS is closer to the historic original, which also had small seconds. On the other hand, the 36 JS dial looks a bit too crowded with the small seconds sub dial, while the historic original had a large white dial for legibility.


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## feline (Mar 22, 2020)

I agree that this is a really pretty watch. Does the case get scratched easily?


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## Jonathan T (Oct 28, 2020)

ErzengelG said:


> Difficult question! On one hand, the KS is closer to the historic original, which also had small seconds. On the other hand, the 36 JS dial looks a bit too crowded with the small seconds sub dial, while the historic original had a large white dial for legibility.


yeah speaking of proportions , I wish I could wear the marine original which seems better proportioned but I fear the 50mm lug to lug and 22mm wide strap will be too big for my 6.5" wrist. 50mm is the width of my wrist


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## Buramu (Oct 19, 2015)

Jonathan T said:


> yeah speaking of proportions , I wish I could wear the marine original which seems better proportioned but I fear the 50mm lug to lug and 22mm wide strap will be too big for my 6.5" wrist. 50mm is the width of my wrist


To my eyes the Small Seconds subdial is much better positioned on the 36 mm than on the MO, where it sits too low and awkwardly close to the bezel. But that's probably subjective.


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## ErzengelG (Jun 17, 2018)

My wrists are the same size as yours and I'm happy with the Marine 36. If it looks a bit on the smaller side, You can complement it with a nice strap.


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## Buramu (Oct 19, 2015)

Just out of impatient curiosity, does anyone know what the current lead-times are for this model? I know the website states 3 weeks, but I have no experience with how accurate those numbers are.

I can't wait to get this gem.


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## SSK877 (Oct 19, 2017)

Jonathan T said:


> yeah speaking of proportions , I wish I could wear the marine original which seems better proportioned but I fear the 50mm lug to lug and 22mm wide strap will be too big for my 6.5" wrist. 50mm is the width of my wrist


I have the same size wrist as you. As I mentioned previously, I own the Antea KS and it fits me _perfectly_. If I was trying to decide between the MO and the MC36, I would not hesitate to go with the MC36. I also have a Dan Henry 1939, which has a L2L length of 49.2. It absolutely maxs out the width of my wrist and I personally would not go _any wider. _

I hope that helps with your decision.


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## brational (Sep 25, 2020)

Buramu said:


> Just out of impatient curiosity, does anyone know what the current lead-times are for this model? I know the website states 3 weeks, but I have no experience with how accurate those numbers are.
> 
> I can't wait to get this gem.


When I ordered in September to Midwest USA the 2-3 week estimate was accurate. I think it was 11 days or so.


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## Buramu (Oct 19, 2015)

brational said:


> When I ordered in September to Midwest USA the 2-3 week estimate was accurate. I think it was 11 days or so.


Exactly what I wanted to hear


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## Jonathan T (Oct 28, 2020)

SSK877 said:


> I have the same size wrist as you. As I mentioned previously, I own the Antea KS and it fits me _perfectly_. If I was trying to decide between the MO and the MC36, I would not hesitate to go with the MC36. I also have a Dan Henry 1939, which has a L2L length of 49.2. It absolutely maxs out the width of my wrist and I personally would not go _any wider. _
> 
> I hope that helps with your decision.


thanks for that! After a long winding road I ended up not going for a Stowa. I ended up putting a deposit down for a 40mm 99.1 Dornblüth!
After I went down the Dornbluth rabbit hole there was no turning back haha
For me, a a deck watch is supposed to be bigger and legible. The 36 MC would not do justice. Plus the small seconds subdial is bigger and feels more proportioned to the 40mm dial. The subdial on the 36 seemed too small for me. The customization options for the Dornblüth are just amazing - it was fun customizing.

Of course the price tag is a bigger blow and I have to wait 6 months (they only make 100-120 watches a year) not 3 weeks 😖 But I believe in the adage that you buy the watch you really want or else you get buyers remorse. I only want one marine style watch ever in my collection and this one will be the special one!

many thanks to the OP for the original review of the 36 MC and everyone else who chimed in with advice that helped with the decision process!


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## singularityseven (May 1, 2020)

Jonathan T said:


> thanks for that! After a long winding road I ended up not going for a Stowa. I ended up putting a deposit down for a 40mm 99.1 Dornblüth!
> After I went down the Dornbluth rabbit hole there was no turning back haha
> For me, a a deck watch is supposed to be bigger and legible. The 36 MC would not do justice. Plus the small seconds subdial is bigger and feels more proportioned to the 40mm dial. The subdial on the 36 seemed too small for me. The customization options for the Dornblüth are just amazing - it was fun customizing.
> 
> ...


Congratulations on the Dornblüth! If you had the budget for one, you clearly made the right call!


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## watchnerdlol (Apr 1, 2020)

Jonathan T said:


> yeah speaking of proportions , I wish I could wear the marine original which seems better proportioned but I fear the 50mm lug to lug and 22mm wide strap will be too big for my 6.5" wrist. 50mm is the width of my wrist


i have a 5.9" wrist but the width of my wrist is 50mm, same as yours. It sounds weird and i'm wondering if i'm measuring the width of my wrist wrongly


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## ThisHobbyBankruptsMe (Dec 9, 2020)

If this thing were a 38mm with an automatic movement, I'd buy it today.

I have the Marine 40 with a Top movement and it's fantastic, but the bottom of the dial does seem empty without a small second sub-dial.
And yes, I know there's a 41mm version that does have a sub-dial, but it's a manual and almost double the price.


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## SHAZO (Mar 27, 2021)

singularityseven said:


> I've been wanting to check out this watch in person for months now, and Stowa was kind enough to loan me this watch to review.
> 
> Video Review
> 
> ...


A real sleeper watch-Love the idea of owning a great STOWA in this category.


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## and_ren (Jun 14, 2021)

I don't know if it's your photography or the watch, but I've just added this to my list. Thanks for the share.


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## SHAZO (Mar 27, 2021)

ThisHobbyBankruptsMe said:


> If this thing were a 38mm with an automatic movement, I'd buy it today.
> 
> I have the Marine 40 with a Top movement and it's fantastic, but the bottom of the dial does seem empty without a small second sub-dial.
> And yes, I know there's a 41mm version that does have a sub-dial, but it's a manual and almost double the price.


 I totally agree about the dial- the 36mm's dial looks much better, I think it's that the numerals take up more space on the 36. Slightly larger numerals on the 40 would solve the problem I think.


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## Buramu (Oct 19, 2015)

SHAZO said:


> I totally agree about the dial- the 36mm's dial looks much better, I think it's that the numerals take up more space on the 36. Slightly larger numerals on the 40 would solve the problem I think.


I also find the hands on the 40 a bit too thin. The hands on the 36 are proportionally perfect to my eyes.


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## mrk (May 13, 2013)

This I think is the Marine I want now not the standard seconds version! Great review and excellent macros showing the quality. I have the Bronze Vintage 35 HW and within a day knew I wanted the 26 Marine too and this has to be it.

Your movement will be magnetised, I demagnetised mine using a £15 Amazon unit and has since been +4s a day.

These 36mm Stowas wear much bigger than the number suggests. My Hamilton Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical is 36mm for example but the Stowa just looks and feels bigger thanks to the minimal bzels and all dial front as well as the decent 44mm+ lug to lug and lug curve.


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## Aspiniou (Sep 6, 2015)

I've encountered your video on YT and it really made me want this exact model as my everyday/dressy 36mm piece. Been looking for one for some time, and I think I'm getting close to pulling the trigger.... 
1000 Euro is a bit much though, I'm wondering if I should hold on until Black Friday (i don't know if Stowa has any sales?)


First I was considering a Junghans Max Bill 34mm handwinded for that, but seeing that it has no sapphire (i don't feel like paying separately to have sapphire fit there), I dismissed it. The next in line would probably be Nomos, but I don't particularly dig their style. Wondering what other 34 - 36 mm no-vintage, 50m WR, silver/white alternatives are there for about $1000.


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## Buramu (Oct 19, 2015)

Aspiniou said:


> I've encountered your video on YT and it really made me want this exact model as my everyday/dressy 36mm piece. Been looking for one for some time, and I think I'm getting close to pulling the trigger....
> 1000 Euro is a bit much though


I feel this watch is absolutely worth its asking price. Out of all my watches, the Marine 36 KS immediately became my favorite, and it still is today, over a year after getting it. The finishing is top quality, the movement (Peseux 7001) is a lot more interesting than the typical ETA/Sellita you will find in comparable watches and it's a stunning example of a classic German design.

Don't settle for second choice


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## Thom986 (Apr 25, 2021)

Quite sure, it will be my next watch. So much in love with the spec and the pics. It will perfectly fit my current collection.


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## rifmon (Apr 28, 2015)

Love this watch. When you look at the photo of Stowa's vintage deck watch, the placement of the small seconds and Arabic proportions and hands are so close to that watch. The pocket-watch sized crown is also in line. If you block out the lugs in a photo, it states to look like a mini pocket watch.


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## Calumets (Apr 11, 2019)




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## rifmon (Apr 28, 2015)

Buramu said:


> I feel this watch is absolutely worth its asking price. Out of all my watches, the Marine 36 KS immediately became my favorite, and it still is today, over a year after getting it. The finishing is top quality, the movement (Peseux 7001) is a lot more interesting than the typical ETA/Sellita you will find in comparable watches and it's a stunning example of a classic German design.
> 
> Don't settle for second choice
> 
> ...


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## rifmon (Apr 28, 2015)

Hi Buramu,

I just received this watch and love it with the stock hand stitched black. I also purchased a distressed grey strap from Stowa and it's nice but I'm not loving the combo probably due to the off white sticking contrasting with the pure white dial. 

I like that brown strap you have. What is that strap? It looks great on this watch!


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## Buramu (Oct 19, 2015)

rifmon said:


> Hi Buramu,
> 
> I just received this watch and love it with the stock hand stitched black. I also purchased a distressed grey strap from Stowa and it's nice but I'm not loving the combo probably due to the off white sticking contrasting with the pure white dial.
> 
> I like that brown strap you have. What is that strap? It looks great on this watch!


It’s a Rios Tobacco strap. Matches wonderfully with the watch


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## rifmon (Apr 28, 2015)

Thanks. It certainly does! I never heard of the company. I looked them up and their prices are very reasonable.


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## Thom986 (Apr 25, 2021)

I still want one. ^^


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