Stowa Seatime (2009 WUS Edition)

[skywatch]

Since I first saw the Stowa Seatime about 8 years ago, it has had one of those resonances that keeps pulling me back, although I generally don't like large chunky tool watches. Most of my collection is under 40mm wide and under 12mm thick, and this one busts both of those limits. It's also heavy, at around 113g with the strap (~103g without).


I recently saw this barely-worn WUS edition Seatime and made a fair offer. I decided to ignore my misgivings about the bulk and try it out.




Despite my preference for smaller watches, the Seatime has one of my favorite dials. Clean, crisp, high contrast, beautiful symmetry. The ring on the inside of the numerals gives a clear track for the hour hand. The guage-like dial matches the geometric angles of the watch, unabashedly machine-age and almost brutalist (like post-war Soviet architecture.)






Around the time I discovered watch forums (2009) the special edition Seatime had just sold out on WUS and I regretted missing the chance, although I wan't yet spending that much money on watches. The WUS edition was numbered uniquely from 1-100 on the dial, had a red bezel (a bit of a metallic rust-orange in some light), red seconds, sapphire display back and 300M WR. Later standard versions of the Seatime changed the case material to titanium, which dropped the weight by 13g. The weight difference didn't seem that much, and I like the SS bead blast finish.


Interestingly, I see more of the Seatime Prodiver for sale used, and I wonder if it's because it has an extra 2mm thickness at 15.6mm. The Prodiver has a bit more lume and thicker plongier minute hand, but lacks the clean numerical font that attracted me at the start. It makes up for those things with its many cool color combinations.




I am very happy to say that despite the weight and size, the Seatime stays in place on my wrist, whereas some of the other heavy watches I have owned tended to rotate around to the side. I think the shape of the bottom of the watch, and the downward slant to the stubby lugs may help with this stability. In any case, it's very comfortable on my not-huge wrist.




Specs:
~ Movement ETA 2824-2
~ 316L sandblasted and brushed stainless steel case
~ 3mm thick flat sapphire crystal
~ Sapphire engraved screwdown displayback
~ Matte black dial and black date wheel with nickel hour and minute, red seconds hand
~ Date at 6 o'clock position
~ 300m WR
~ SuperLuminova C3
~ Signed screwdown crown
~ Unidirectional 60-click red bezel
~ Black Buffalo leather 22mm strap with red stitching, signed S/S buckle.


DIMENSIONS:
~ Length: 50.79mm
~ Width: 42mm
~ Width including crown: 45.83mm
~ Bezel width: 42.26mm
~ Dial/Crystal width: 31.81mm
~ Thickness: 13.58mm
~ Crown: 7mm diameter
~ mass 113g w/ strap. 103g w/o







If I were to find some negatives about this particular edition of the Seatime, it might be that the bezel has no lume pips on it, and the bezel material itself is just anodized metal (aluminum I think.) Ceramic bezel and some lume would be a good upgrade. Some people will prefer the way the Stowa bracelet blends in with the chunky case - but I generally can't stand bracelets so it doesn't bother me that this doesn't have one. The buffalo strap is very soft and pliable, shows no signs of wear, and has a nice matching red stitch, Of course, maybe a Iyonk will find its way over to this watch - it would be a reasonable place for one.


This is my third Stowa and I remain a fan. (My other two are the Antea 390 which I bought direct from Stowa, the other is the Ikarus pilot with metallic gray dial.) All three watches share an unfussy meticulous quality, very well articulated and engineered.

[CFR]

Thank you very much for the very informative review.

Beautiful diver. Enjoy your new Stowa.

[Henry Krinkle]

Nice review Robert. I know what you mean about the Seatime drawing you in. I feel much the same about it. I have come close many times, but the size always makes me nervous

[skywatch]

Nice review Robert. I know what you mean about the Seatime drawing you in. I feel much the same about it. I have come close many times, but the size always makes me nervous

Indeed, and you've seen pictures of me wearing 34mm vintage watches that fit me just fine, so I have hesitated for years. Yet it's actually very comfortable, doesn't look like a hockey puck, doesn't slide around pinching arm fur. It's quite satisfying, and fills a gap in my hoard shall we say?

[tribe125]

I like it.

Am I right in thinking the dial design is a Jörg Schauer original? I've seen vintage Seatime models (some first-hand in the Stowa museum) but don't recall a dial like that.

I know that Jörg Schauer has dug into the archives of dial maker Weber & Baral, so maybe he was inspired by something in there.

I really don't know. It's not impossible that Jörg Schauer would answer the question, if asked.

[FuzzyB]

Excellent review, Robert! And fantastic pictures! It looks like it fits your wrist perfectly.

I've always wished that Stowa would let you mix and match elements from the Seatime and Prodiver. And add some additional dial color options to the Seatime. What I really want is the dial layout of the Seatime, the case of the Seatime, the hands of the Prodiver, and a robin's egg blue from the earlier Prodiver. Is that too much to ask?

The points you make about the Seatime make me think that it would be the better option if (or when) I actually go for one of them. The more unique dial of the Seatime outweighs most of the unique options of the Prodiver.

Thanks for the excellent writeup!

[skywatch]

Excellent review, Robert! And fantastic pictures! It looks like it fits your wrist perfectly.

I've always wished that Stowa would let you mix and match elements from the Seatime and Prodiver. And add some additional dial color options to the Seatime. What I really want is the dial layout of the Seatime, the case of the Seatime, the hands of the Prodiver, and a robin's egg blue from the earlier Prodiver. Is that too much to ask?

The points you make about the Seatime make me think that it would be the better option if (or when) I actually go for one of them. The more unique dial of the Seatime outweighs most of the unique options of the Prodiver.

Thanks for the excellent writeup!

Thanks Brian! I vaguely remember that Stowa has had a few special edition Seatimes with different colored dials, and they also had replacement bezels in several different colors (can't find those on their website anymore.)

They do have the Black Forest Edition Seatime, otherwise only the Black dial left with the numbers. All the pretty colors just come in ProDiver now.

[FuzzyB]

I have been tempted by the Black Forest Seatime due to the lime green accents and the interesting bezel design. They've offered some nice prices on it, too. I've emailed Stowa several times in the past inquiring about other colors (or bringing back some of the interesting options they've had in the past) and the answer has always been wait and see and we hope to offer them, too.

[skywatch]

I like it.

Am I right in thinking the dial design is a Jörg Schauer original? I've seen vintage Seatime models (some first-hand in the Stowa museum) but don't recall a dial like that.
I know that Jörg Schauer has dug into the archives of dial maker Weber & Baral, so maybe he was inspired by something in there.
I really don't know. It's not impossible that Jörg Schauer would answer the question, if asked.

I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if Jörg came up with this one. I love it in part because it's so original. A quick image search shows the original Seatimes looked like these:

[tribe125]

I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if Jörg came up with this one.

That's my assumption, in the absence of any other information.