Opinions on Seiko's "Black Monster" please

7

72jroberts

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Mar 16, 2012
Messages
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And I know that they have the Orange Monster, too.
Charlie Mike's thread got me thinking again on how I have been wanting a new watch. I like the idea of an automatic winding watch.
Im not willing to spend 3K on a watch yet. perhaps never, but I want to get something different. Ive got a Pulsar, two different Casio's, and an Ironman-just to let you know my watch background.
Let me know what you think about watches in the $200-$400 dollar range.
Thanks for your thoughts and opinions.
John
 
If, by "Black Monster" your referring to the old Seiko automatic dive watch. I have had one for over twenty years and it's still going strong. And yes, I do dive with it. Mine still has the same band it came with. I don't think you could kill this watch and it's pretty accurate too as long as you wear it.
 
The Black Monster is a great watch. I picked mine up a couple years ago along with two of the newer Seiko 5 "Neo Monsters", which aren't true divers watches as they're only rated to 100m, whereas the real Monsters are rated to 200m. If you plan to get one you better act fast as the Black and Orange Monsters were recently discontinued and replaced with newer and more expensive versions. I think the casings are the same but the dial markers are slightly different. They also use a different movement.
I got all of mine at Creation Watches for under $200 each with free 3 day shipping.

Here are some pics:

Black Monster (Model SKX779K1-4) and Black Neo Monster (Model Seiko 5 Sports Automatic NEO Monster SNZF53K1)


Here's a stock photo of my other Neo Monster (Seiko 5 Sports Automatic NEO Monster Divers SNZF47K1):
 
SChief454 said:
If, by "Black Monster" your referring to the old Seiko automatic dive watch. I have had one for over twenty years and it's still going strong. And yes, I do dive with it. Mine still has the same band it came with. I don't think you could kill this watch and it's pretty accurate too as long as you wear it.
Click to expand...

Hi SChief, is your Black Monster the same one as in my photo? My understanding is that the model I have (which is the one I know of as the Black Monster) was released around 2001.
 
The case is different but the face looks the same. I would think by now they have updated the movement.
 
SChief454 said:
The case is different but the face looks the same. I would think by now they have updated the movement.
Click to expand...

They did with the new Monsters.

51sOuV16UCL.jpg

Oh, I should add that I have one and love it. I've had it for a number of months and haven't had any issues. It has great lume and is quite accurate for an automatic at this price point. I've lost about 30 seconds in a bit over a month.
 
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I have one of the Seiko 200m automatic diver's watches. What people say about them is true, after 10+ years it's still going strong. Very luminous markers, more than any other watch I have seen. The only thing about it I would change would be to give it a little more power reserve. If you wear it every day, no problem but if you take it off, after about 1-3/4 to 2 days max it will stop. Not a problem for most people, but I don't like wearing a watch over the weekend and it's a pain re-setting every Monday morning. Mine is about 6 seconds fast per day.
 
My pleasure, and sorry, just realized the link I provided wasn't specific. The one I got was the Diplomat Men Double Metallic Silver / Black Watch Winder 31-401 and it was actually bought off Amazon for about $55. I've been using it since Feb 2012 with 2 Monsters on it and it's still running quietly. I looked at a YouTube review and the guy made several updates advising that his started making grinding noises and finally died, presumably because his watches were too heavy for the motor.
 
Thanks for your replies. The Black Monster is such a great looking watch. caught my eye right off.
Im inclined to get one in the next month or so.
Thanks again,
John
 
I've been a watch collector/enthusiast for quite awhile. I bought an orange Monster back when they first got to be popular. I liked it so much that I bought a black monster to go with it.

Back then the Monsters had the 7s26 movement and could be bought for around $100. The watch is big but not too big by today's standards. It has a good movement that is robust but usually just so-so accuracy. The bracelet is unusual but very comfortable. The adjustment process of the bracelet can be tricky if you aren't prepared for it but if you are prepared it is one of the easiest bracelets to adjust. Orange and black were the standard production models. They have also produced limited editions that I know of in blue, red, yellow, and I think white. There are some current monster models with an updated movement but they are much more expensive, I think closer to $300.

P1000040d.jpg



I eventually bought a black Sumo and an orange Sumo. They are bigger than the monster and with a better movement. They also have bold styling but a little more conventional. I liked my Sumos better than my Monsters so I sold the monsters.
 
I won't wear a watch like that without a sapphire crystal. The Black Monster has a mineral glass crystal. No go for me.
 
The crystal on the Monster was nearly a deal breaker for me as I wanted a sapphire crystal but I went ahead and bought one anyway.

Best watch I have ever owned. I wear it daily. I am a street cop and have beat the heck out of my Monster. The crystal looks nearly as good as it did the day I bought it. The band has held up superbly as well. Scratched all up but very solid and has never come off or broken after years of foot pursuits, tussles, soakings, banging it against everything you can think of..........very solid watch.

I think I have had mine for about five years now. The accuracy, out of the box, was a bit fast but settled down nicely. I never re-set it and it is keeping up with the atomic clock web site.

Should it ever die, get lost, or torn up beyond repair, I'll get the newer version.
 
I've been wearing my Black Monster daily for over 5 years, and it has never failed to live up to the hype!

Swimming, hiking, playing in the snow, at the office or at a black tie event, it always looks great. Doesn't even have a scratch.
 
I have had the older version of the Seiko Monster for at least five years and maybe as long as ten. It has the best lume of any watch I've owned and that includes a couple of expensive Omegas, a Doxa, a Tag Heuer, an Oris, and a whole bunch of Citizens.

The knock you hear on it is that the mineral crystal can scratch, but I've never scratched mine. (Admittedly, I don't wear it every day.) I wish you could hand wind it to get it started and I once had it develop condensation under the glass when skiing in very cold weather. I have worn it for hours in pools, lazy rivers, and in the ocean and even in hot tubs with no issues.

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