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TPllama
35
Nov 20, 2017
So, here are my thoughts on this watch. I've held off for some time to let my opinion season and develop, and I feel that I know what I think of the watch now. For reference, I have the blue model, sp-5042-02. Also, since I have the larger Cahill model (sp-5033-01) I will be making comparisons with that watch.
This is a good watch, and a great deal even with the nato strap. I didn't honestly care for the suede leather anyway; I'm not a fan of colored (ie not brown/black. I know those are 'technically' colored) leathers. Just my take. The nato is pretty good quality, and I really enjoy the way it looks in sunlight. It compliments the dial nicely. It is also very comfortable. Not as nice or comfortable as the 43mm Cahill, but still nice. Between the better nato and its leather band, the 43mm Cahill wins here.
The case of this watch is nicely done. The fit and finishing is solid, the brushing is not overdone, and the watch has a nice weight to it for a smaller diver. The watch is a bit chunky, but nowhere near as much as the 43mm Cahill. I noticed that the caseback on the 43mm version is taller and more gently rounded than the midsize. The bezel on the midsize is also smaller in proportion to the watch. Both of these give the midsize the illusion that it is smaller than its 14mm height suggests.
Both the full and midsize Cahills have a wonderful wrist presence, but the 16mm height on the larger model makes it just a *bit* less aesthetically pleasing. Also, the 38mm seems to match my medium-small wrist better, but that's neither here nor there. Ymmv. In my opinion, if the larger model came in at 14mm tall, it wins. As it is, I have to give this to the midsize.
As others have said, the crown is solid. Just a smaller version of the full size. It screws in firmly. There is satisfying feedback when changing positions with the unscrewed crown. Also, the hand winding mechanism feels better than the full size.
The dial is nicely done. on the 02 model, the blue is very pleasing, and varies considerably depending on the lighting. I really love this aspect of this watch. In the sunlight, it really comes to life. The indices on the watch are very tasteful. They are raised from the dial slightly, giving the dial some depth. I love the color of the indices as well. The markers are a near bone white, ringed with brushed steel. The effect of this is great; in the sunlight the steel lights up, and in a darker setting (ie indoors) the bright white indices seem to pop off the now dark navy dial. I enjoy just looking at this watch. The minute markers are good, but nothing great. They're legible, but the 43mm model is better here. The yellow markers every 5 minutes are okay, but only appear yellow in brighter light. You can't see much of a difference between them and the minute markers indoors. Here I say it's a tie with the larger model. The indices on the larger model are not as strikingly white, but there seems to be a reason for that. More on that later. Both watches are a joy to look at, and I often find myself just staring at the watch to enjoy it's beauty. That's part of the reason I own a watch, and checking this box is critical for me.
The hands are nice. I prefer those of the 43mm model, but that's just me. The midsize has sportier, more modern looking hands, whereas the full size is a bit more elegant and refined. Just my preference. I do appreciate the sword-style minute hand on the midsize having a colored/filled tip; it gives the hand a nicer look, in my opinion. The lume on the full size model does not extend into the tip. I appreciate the contrast between the blue dial and the yellow second hand. I do wish that the second hand had a tapered tip, but that's a minor point. Solely based on my aesthetic preferences, I give the 43mm the edge here, but it's close. They're really two similar but different styles.
I really love the domed crystal on both watches. The way it plays with the light compliments the textured dial nicely. My only complaint here is that my model came with a smudge under the crystal. I'm not happy about this, but it isn't the end of the world. The smudge ONLY appears in brighter light (ie sunlight), and only at an oblique angle. Indoors or head on, you'd never guess it's there. However, it is disappointing. It can be fixed, but I don't want to do that to a brand new watch. Major props to Massdrop for helping me out with the issue. Things have been settled, and I'm pleased with the outcome. Even with this considered, I still enjoy the watch.
The bezel is decent. Not great, not bad, better than okay. It reflects the light nicely, but durability isn't very high. I scratched it recently when I accidentally bumped it on a paper towel dispenser. It is an incredibly tiny chip, but it is there. That's to be expected from an anodized aluminum bezel. At least that's what I assume the bezel is. The full size wins here, hands down. A lumed, ceramic (I believe) bezel? Yes. Putting that on the midsize probably isn't practical, and that's okay. The bezel is appropriate for the style, and I do like it. Also, as a small point, I believe it is 90 clicks, vs the 120 of the full size. As has been mentioned elsewhere, the bezel action on the midsize is noticeably stiffer than on the full size.
The midsize wins the movement category, on hacking seconds alone. If that doesn't matter to you, then it's very close. I think the second hand movement on the midsize (seiko nh 35) is a little smoother than the full size (miyota 8215). The latter seems to experience what I can only call a tiny stutter every now and then. Or maybe not. It just seems weirdly off sometimes. Timekeeping on both is solid. I'm about +20 sec per day on both (maybe +16 on the midsize +/- 2 sec). That is acceptable to me. I've heard that this watch can fall in the range of under +/- 10 sec per day, which is great. Mine doesn't, but I'm cool with that. I may regulate both later on. The movements both look nice, but I find I that display casebacks are neither here nor there to me. I'd almost prefer the durability of a metal caseback. I will say that I enjoy getting the rotor on the full size spinning rapidly by flicking my wrist. If the timing is right, it will go so fast it shakes the watch. My inner child likes that. The midsize won't play ball with me on this, though... Overall, the movement on the midsize seems just a bit higher quality. One last point here: hacking seconds. It's a super convenient feature if you need accurate time to within 10 seconds.
On to lume. It kind of sucks. It works, and it's okay, but it is nothing to write home about. If you charge it, the lume is clearly legible even in low light. It will not charge well from just ambient lighting, though, unless that light is sunlight. Can you read it just from indoor ambient light? Yes. Is it easy? Not really. The full size really blows the midsize out of the water here. It's lume is just miles ahead of the midsize. I can wear the full size around my house at night, and read it no matter what room I'm in. I can charge it before a long car trip (~1 hr) and read it pretty much the entire way. I haven't tried it, but I'm pretty sure this watch won't do that. BUT... that's okay. Because... I'm fairly convinced that this is what allows that lovely bone white color on the indices. Remember when I stated that the 43mm Cahill didn't have that nice bone white cast on the indices? That seems to be because of the thicker lume. So, I say pick your poison. I like both watches, and I'm glad I have both. If you NEED great lume, though, this one isn't going to cut it.
So... if you made it this far I'm sorry you had to read so much. I've been thinking about this since I got the watch, and thought I'd throw my thoughts out there. My review is really just what I would have wanted to know prior to buying the watch. For some final thoughts... I really like this watch. It is tasteful, and I enjoy wearing it. In general, the watch just seems to be of slightly lower quality than the full sized Cahill. Given the different price ranges, though (~$400 msrp vs ~$230 msrp, $130 vs $80), that is to be expected. For what it is worth, though, I find that I wear the midsize more than the full size. That is largely based on the wrist profile; the midsize just matches my wrist proportions better. Both watches are very comfortable, though. Also, hacking seconds. Overall, I think this is an excellent and beautiful watch. If I had to pick just one, I'd probably go with the 43mm Cahill, but it would be a very tough choice. It's nice to own both, so I don't have to make the choice lol.
Should you buy this watch? I say yes. It punches well above its weight, to throw in a cliche. Should you buy it if you have other watches? Probably, if you can justify another watch. To me, it is unique, and such a solid deal. Should you buy this watch if you own or are set on the 43mm Cahill? For me, yes, but it is close. They are different enough, and both are great watches. If you have a big wrist, I'd say probably not, though.
Some pictures (lume shots are at full charge. Note that the 43mm is much brighter. I threw in a pic of the lume showing through in full daylight on the 43mm. If you want more pics of the 43mm, I reviewed that watch on its page. The pic of the smudge is last. I may update this later with a few more pics, as I have a couple bands on the way for this watch):
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TPllama
35
Nov 20, 2017
TPllamaMan, that review is bigger than I thought. Sorry for the scrolling to reach the other posts. I just hope it helps more people than it angers lol.
PetrosD
3702
Nov 21, 2017
TPllamaI think it's a great review. Gives people a lot of insight.
WAKTOSHA
119
Nov 22, 2017
TPllamaI believe you are right about the 43 being a little bit more quality. The Seiko movement is definitemy way better though. I don't like the Spinaker engraved on the side either. Once you think about the movement, the little bit less quality of the 38 becomes to just over the quality of the 43. Btw, I was the one whom mentioned the 90 click bezel. If it weren't for the better movement though, I would have gotten the 43.
WAKTOSHA
119
Nov 22, 2017
TPllamaI forgot to mention that I had a couple of black specs on the underside of my crystal. I just couldn't live with that, so I took care of that problem. At $65, it was worth cleaning it instead of returning it. Yes this watch is nowhere near perfect, but at this price I am just going to be happy and enjoy my watch!