The Coutura!!! This is the line that got me hooked on watches at 8 years old. Saw my first watch in a mall watch shop as I was running around playing. The sub dials got my little eyes to light up! Since then, I've been in love with watches. Particularly chronographs. Thank you Coutura!
Jody, The Coutura line was introduced in the USA back in the '90's. For that time, it was considered avant-garde in style. Back then the Coutura line and the Sportura line was considered the step up from the now called Essentials line. The Coutura line was popular enough, but I agree with you. It really doesn't grab me either. But I will admit that the SNE565 does get my attention with the silver dial and blued hands. Here's a funny tidbit, the Coutura line's ambassador was Jimmy Johnson (NASCAR champion). For his 7th championship victory, he did a collaboration with Seiko in 2017 for a Limited Edition watch. Thus the SSC505 was born. The SSC505 was part of the Essentials line, Not the Coutura line that he was the ambassador for. Two years later in 2019 they finally came out with a second watch as part of the Coutura line, the SSC697.
@@elgatto3133 yes, he was the ambassador for Coutura, like Novak Djokovic is the ambassador for Astron. At Seiko, when you are a brand ambassador, they give you a product line that is all yours.
This might be a symptom of my age/generation, but I actually see something nostalgic and 'daggy-but-cool' about the general styling. I agree the dial could be cleaned up a little, but I kinda think the bracelet is a bit nifty! Having said that, there would only be one or two colourways that I'd go for, based on personal preference. Maybe one of the blues 🤔
These definitely need a design refresh, maybe to look more like the Casio Edifice line. Or scrap it altogether and invest the money into improving the QC of the Prospex line.
I kinda feel the opposite, like some 90s retro going on but current edifice are going to age rapidly. But I have coutura owner bias so disregard as needed
I remember scavenging through my old man’s sock drawer for some pocket change for the shops and seeing watches like this! That was back in 01, 02’ 🤣 it has that look that certain da’s would wear. Each to their own!
@@tugbutker1951 Yeap, I owned one similar, it was not a Coutura, but the more advanced model in titanium and ceramic, is was old but that one still looked amazing. I bought it in the beginning of the 2000's and keep it with me till last year were I was robbed of almost all my watches more than 15+ (mostly G-Shocks), including the Seiko.😕
Love that checkerboard dial! Pull that out and use it on a normal sized watch all by itself without the subdials so you can see it play in the light and that'd be a winner! Seems like it'd be an excellent standalone feature on a sporty but classy 3 hander.
For a line that was firmly rooted in the design trends of the turn of the millennium (and not in a good way), it's surprising this line is still around.
Nice review. This has me wondering why I never considered a Coutura - until I look closely at it. Then I remember. It is like Seiko took all of the elements of a watch that I don't care for and put them into one watch. Having now seen one in detail I am confident that their target customer is not me.
It's quirky enough to be a good seller in my opinion. The bracelet reminds me a bit of my Mates Tag Heurer. perhaps they could call it the armadillo. Overall I actually like it .
On the plus side, I'm sure it will be reliable with Solar power, but for me too big, too heavy and the dial too busy. The bracelet looks well done but not to my taste. I've got a couple of Seikos from the Seventies and Eighties on integrated bracelets, they can (could?) do it well.
"The Moral Implications of Integrated Timepiece Bracelets in the Early to Mid 21st Century." I think i have my doctoral thesis there. Also, pretty sure the last thing i want to get a whiff of is a Predator's Armor. Wheeeyeew!
Never cared for the Coutura that much, while I love the dial, the rest of it is a mess. But I know the designer still has a job, he went right to Invicta after leaving Seiko.
I have 2 39mm couturas, 1 auto, one quartz and I love em. (Both 90s basic 3 handers. Open heart is only visual shock) Both second hand and cheap as chips. Got my brother a larger solar. I may be bias!
Impressive Specs however yes this looks dated with how it's over stylized. Looks more like a LEGO Bionicle turned into a watch and a watch you'd mainly find in shopping malls.
I’ll never buy another watch with integrated bracelet again I have exactly 7 inch wrists also, I got a Movado Luno sport on sale a few years ago. Oh sure, they give you “half links” but they are more like three-quarter sized links so it is impossible to get a fit that is not too tight or too loose. I planned to keep it, so I took drastic measures and used a dremel tool to bore out about 2 mm from inside the band and now it is fine. Any future watch I get will have a clasp with micro adjust holes, like my perfect fitting Tactical Frog V2
It's getting scary now with the timing. For YEARS I was "automatic only" and "traditional design only". Now that I am also into Eco-Drive, CASIO solar, and SEIKO solars and stumbled upon a few cool Couturas, here you are... Oh boy 😅
I have a similar coutura. It really is a great watch. The finishing is ridiculous and the solar perpetual calendar movement is spot on. Biggest dislikes are that its a fully integrated bracelet. So no chance of changing it. Other issue being it has no micro adjustments or half links. Never can really get the perfect size.
you know how omega took a moonwatch and made a plastic swatch version? this is like seiko found a $20 chinese "sports watch" for teenage boys, and lovingly rendered it as a well-made watch. it does have a certain hefty humvee presence though. and if you're leaning that way, the predator band is near perfect. i can admire this without wanting to wear one
I was gifted a kinetic about a year ago; SNP008. It's a Coutura Kinetic. I love that watch. It's weighty, but wears very well. And the two-tone case/bracelet with the white dial...gorgeous. Plus it has a sleep-mode after 24hrs that other kinetics don't have. Really cool.
I know what you mean about the bracelet, but something about the way it articulates makes me really like it. Everyone was raving about the H. Moser Streamliner bracelet, and it's not that far off (except for the $35,000 difference in price).
I think your summary of this watch is absolutely spot on mate! Very odd styling and seems to want to be a bit of a dress/sports design - looks to have been designed by committee if you know what I mean?
Bracelet looks like it comes from the early 2000s, TAG Heuer had a similar design thing going then called Kirium and it's as fugly now as it was then. But I just cannot get into that 3-dial layout and I feel the same about Seiko's regular chrono range as well as Casio's Edifice. Weird overlapping subdials with raised rims that go part way round.... Perhaps this line is aimed at the bling-bling market, which is quite massive actually. They have spare cash and zero taste and would buy that thing
I like a lot the design except for the sub dials I hate complications, love 3 hands, if they made a simple coutura I would buy it, love the “predator armor” bracelet 😆
Absolutely agree with your verdict. This line of watches use some "tricks" that are intended to make these watches look expensive, but in the end they just make for a watch, screaming for attention and in a very dated manner at that.
I have the Seiko SSC573P Coutura Perpetual, and I love it. Yes it has an integrated bracelet (I hate them), and a no adjustment clasp (I hate them), but I absolutely love it. It's comfortable on, and I won the jackpot, as far as sizing goes.
For something with very similar specs, but much more conventional looks and a normal non integrated bracelet, the closely related Sportura range is worth looking at. I have an SSC357, which I like a lot.
Watches of this style are the most common in Cash Converters ! LoL I don't mind the dial, but I hate the amount of early 2000's chrome polish and the integrated bracelet is a huge negative for me. It looks like it was designed to match the Toyota Alphard....
Why are you so down on 90s style and so in love with retro from the 60s/70s? The answer is if you lived through it the first time you don't appreciate it the second time around. This style looks more suitable for the Asian markets that appreciate very masculine styles like these
I agree they are very busy and not to the majority of watch enthusiasts taste...but you do get a lot for your money. Solar movement, sapphire, ceramic, integrated bracelet etc. Perhaps the cortura team need to get some support from the Presage team and get the design slimmed down and cleaned up. This would be an excellent opportunity for Seiko to go after the integrated bracelet space and take on the Tissot PRX line!
I wouldn't buy one of these personally, yet at the same time I totally get why Seiko made it. This is a watch that mallgoers in Japan would definitely enjoy.
Well done Jody for the fair and honest review as you've covered all bases and the size and design make this one a pass for me with paying anything over $300 AUD would be too steep.
I love Coutura watches ive got the Seiko SSG009 coutura and it still amazes me when i look at it having some really cool design elements. They certainly don't get the love they deserve...
I’m already a Seiko fan but personally I like the design a lot ( even if it’s abit dated...but so am I😉), only thing that’s ever stopped me is size- it’s just too big for my embarrassingly puny arms :(
It’s a watch stuck in time made for clients who’s tastes are stuck in time too IMHO. However fashions always repeat given time we are told. Please help us! In summary you’ll love it or hate it. Most I believe will be the later. Nice review Mr M.
Excellent overview Jody. That date in the corner of the red subdial looks like it's trying to hide. It's not so bad and I'm a Seiko fan but I think Casio do a far better job at this type of solar powered watch than Seiko do. Some of the Edifice range for example the also a bit dated Edifice Slim Line EQB-1000AT-1ADR, solar powered, sapphire crystal, even Bluetooth is a far nicer watch, it's a very good price AND the bonus, you can change the strap or bracelet. Casio just does these retro chrono dials better.
I have to agree with the review, and in addition, when it comes to textured dials, I'd rather see more dial than complications. Get rid of the subdials at 3 and 9, and leave the date where it is, and I think I'd like it a lot more.
Great content. The Casino Lineage range are worth a look the 700d or 610d have chronograph, timer, etc.... Sapphire crystal, solar charging & atomic clock.
Fangio, Stewart , Prost, Senna, Mansell, Schumacher. It should be noted that Sir Jackie usually wore a white helmet with his tartan ring at the top. Perhaps the artist thought a blue helmet would stand out more easily against Stewart's white race suit.
I like it. A bit busy for my taste (but my most important watch is a G-Shock GA-1000 A1, so go figure) , and the second hands were scratched on the bare metal. That's ugly. No adjustment on the clasp - what?? Good point on the weight vs non-adjustability. And the black version says "INVICTA" on the side of the case. I like the black dot on the crown. I like the red energy reserve, but that is not a priority for me. The timer component would be more important to me and thus larger, central and red. But its cool. Mostly. No water resist?
I never liked the look of this watch. I would have never watched a review of it either if not for you being so entertaining. I always give you a thumbs up for the video and not the watch. Sometimes it's both! I tried one of these on before and it rivaled my Gshock Mud Master, Suunto watches and Garmin watches for how big it looked on my small wrists. I own 12'ish Seiko watches so this is by no means a slam on them but this one is just not for me. If I had bigger wrists then maybe.
I was also thinking late 90's early 2000's when I saw it although from memory I think they were usually in the 38-40mm range and the larger Seiko and Citizen dive watches were worn by men who's proportions made them look like regular sized watches. Smaller watches seem to be becoming more popular at the top end of the market, I have a feeling that we are going to be seeing fewer watches much lager than 42mm unless they are dive watches and I wouldn't be surprised if we saw the late 90's styling creep back in.
I got myself a Seiko Arctura Kinetic Chronograph, circa 1980’s, got it for $125.00 Canadian about 6 years ago,…..since then it’s gone up in value to the point that the one I have, which is a top of the hill edition, now can be found for close to $1,000. on EBay, won’t sell though. It’s a beautiful piece, especially in the 2-tone , Sapphire crystal top and bottom and automatic movement.
Very good review, a lot of truth in your assessment..i was given one as gift..its hard to wear as you stated to heavy to wear loose and unadvosable to weat tight..if only i could rplace the braclet with a strap😢 i would actually at least wear it around the house 😅
Would be interesiting to see a review of the Orient golden eye 2 ( FAG03001B0 ), it's a relatively cheap watch, at about $150 US, with great dimensions (38.5mm diameter, 45mm lug to lug, and only 11.something mm thickness) and sapphire crystal. Not many people seem to know about it tho, and there are very few reviews. Maybe it's because of the somewhat controvesial 'golden eye', the skeletonised window in the dial (the open heart), but the split opinions would make the review all the more interesiting, in my opinion :).
I want one, but I don't like the style with the dial that looks like a part crescent moon 🌙 not sure if the gold with blue silicon strap suits my style but I'll buy that and the two tone even if they sit in a drawer every other day than a leap day
Love my Coutura different addition to my collection and I am a big boy (8 inch wrist) so don't mind my weighty watches also it was a steal on sale price 😁
I'm not sure what it is with Japanese owned brands, but they all have at least some big gaudy watches like this. I guess they must still be popular somewhere in the world but I have never seen anyone wear them. My biggest beef is with Citizen-owned Bulova. They have their awesome 262 kHz quartz movement, but have been slowly discontinuing every non-tacky watch that uses it apart from the Lunar Pilot.
I had a courtura SNP007 with a much cleaner dial for a while. Got it at a thrift/pawn shop for 80 bucks. I've had more compliments on that watch than any other, absolutely loved it. until i lost it... :(
I wish Seiko would fix the Coutura line. They should keep the Predator (!) style, unjunk the dial, and - as you say - make the diameter smaller. They’d wind up with a fun, elegant watch. At its present size, I suspect the dial is so large, the designers simply can’t resist adding so much crap. “Oh look, we have room for a drawing of a pony! And a laser pointer!”
They could have put more lume in the markers rather than outside them in a small ‘pip’. Would have been better imo. Shame about the design and lack of bracelet adjustment otherwise it would be a great watch for the price.
yeah, all the features, all of them, stirred and rolled into one beefy-boi package, with all the finishing being BOLD, albeit not exactly sophisticated. (Basically a 'Seiko Edifice', yeah?) Imagine if they kept the dial, the indices (but all being the same length, obviously), the date window being okay where it is, but with a border, thinned out the hands, thinned out the text, downsized the case to 41mm; and threw everything else in the trash. Would look great IMO!
Funny thing is everything you said about the bracelet being horribly dated is the same way I feel about the Omega Seamaster Professionals bracelet… and I own one! Dated designs are not safe in ANY price bracket 😅
As a big guy with a 9 inch wrist a lot of "normal" sided watches look like ladies watches on me, so I tend to by watches that are over 40MM. 42MM works for me, but some of the giant 50mm+ watches look cartoonish.
Jody, I am Seiko fan having a few. My friend , your comments on this watch were extremely kind. That Seiko is dirt ugly, but hey, to each their own.....
I’ve always been a bit perplexed by the Coutura line. It’s very much it’s own thing which you have to admire at least in theory but in practice, it’s just got too much going on for me and as you mentioned, feels very 90s. Great to get a look at another side of Seiko though so thank you to Paul for lending it in. Love the T shirt too 🏎🏁
Admittedly I’m new to watches… but I don’t understand why you’re saying that this looks dated. Every other watch I’ve seen looks like a throwback to earlier times. Before researching Seikos I thought this looked pretty good! So… what does a “modern” watch look like? My other choice would be the GMT Sharp Edge. Is that “modern”?
I've always thought the Coutura line was Seiko's concession to the fashion watch market, far too mid-2000s bling and a bit out of place for the rest of Seiko as a brand.
The Coutura!!! This is the line that got me hooked on watches at 8 years old. Saw my first watch in a mall watch shop as I was running around playing. The sub dials got my little eyes to light up! Since then, I've been in love with watches. Particularly chronographs. Thank you Coutura!
Jody, The Coutura line was introduced in the USA back in the '90's. For that time, it was considered avant-garde in style. Back then the Coutura line and the Sportura line was considered the step up from the now called Essentials line. The Coutura line was popular enough, but I agree with you. It really doesn't grab me either. But I will admit that the SNE565 does get my attention with the silver dial and blued hands. Here's a funny tidbit, the Coutura line's ambassador was Jimmy Johnson (NASCAR champion). For his 7th championship victory, he did a collaboration with Seiko in 2017 for a Limited Edition watch. Thus the SSC505 was born. The SSC505 was part of the Essentials line, Not the Coutura line that he was the ambassador for. Two years later in 2019 they finally came out with a second watch as part of the Coutura line, the SSC697.
Jimmy Johnson was a seiko brand ambassador?!
@@elgatto3133 yes, he was the ambassador for Coutura, like Novak Djokovic is the ambassador for Astron. At Seiko, when you are a brand ambassador, they give you a product line that is all yours.
@@pedrorother Sportura , it was the line of Kinetic powered watches for Seiko.
@@pedrorother great metal band. 🤘
@@pedrorother I was thinking the same. They are pretty big guys , they can wear it 😂
This might be a symptom of my age/generation, but I actually see something nostalgic and 'daggy-but-cool' about the general styling. I agree the dial could be cleaned up a little, but I kinda think the bracelet is a bit nifty! Having said that, there would only be one or two colourways that I'd go for, based on personal preference. Maybe one of the blues 🤔
These definitely need a design refresh, maybe to look more like the Casio Edifice line.
Or scrap it altogether and invest the money into improving the QC of the Prospex line.
I kinda feel the opposite, like some 90s retro going on but current edifice are going to age rapidly. But I have coutura owner bias so disregard as needed
I remember scavenging through my old man’s sock drawer for some pocket change for the shops and seeing watches like this! That was back in 01, 02’ 🤣 it has that look that certain da’s would wear. Each to their own!
It is very much a “dad” watch
@@tugbutker1951 Yeap, I owned one similar, it was not a Coutura, but the more advanced model in titanium and ceramic, is was old but that one still looked amazing.
I bought it in the beginning of the 2000's and keep it with me till last year were I was robbed of almost all my watches more than 15+ (mostly G-Shocks), including the Seiko.😕
I thought you meant district attorney
Love that checkerboard dial! Pull that out and use it on a normal sized watch all by itself without the subdials so you can see it play in the light and that'd be a winner! Seems like it'd be an excellent standalone feature on a sporty but classy 3 hander.
The line of Seiko watches that only a mother could love.
The 90s and early 2000s aesthetic that went out of fashion in the west is still pretty popular in Japan.
It's definitely not Haute Coutura.
For a line that was firmly rooted in the design trends of the turn of the millennium (and not in a good way), it's surprising this line is still around.
Not one of Seiko’s greatest triumphs 👍 thanks Jody good review
Nice review. This has me wondering why I never considered a Coutura - until I look closely at it. Then I remember. It is like Seiko took all of the elements of a watch that I don't care for and put them into one watch. Having now seen one in detail I am confident that their target customer is not me.
It's quirky enough to be a good seller in my opinion. The bracelet reminds me a bit of my Mates Tag Heurer. perhaps they could call it the armadillo. Overall I actually like it .
On the plus side, I'm sure it will be reliable with Solar power, but for me too big, too heavy and the dial too busy. The bracelet looks well done but not to my taste. I've got a couple of Seikos from the Seventies and Eighties on integrated bracelets, they can (could?) do it well.
"The Moral Implications of Integrated Timepiece Bracelets in the Early to Mid 21st Century." I think i have my doctoral thesis there. Also, pretty sure the last thing i want to get a whiff of is a Predator's Armor. Wheeeyeew!
Never cared for the Coutura that much, while I love the dial, the rest of it is a mess. But I know the designer still has a job, he went right to Invicta after leaving Seiko.
He will fit perfectly there 😆
I have 2 39mm couturas, 1 auto, one quartz and I love em. (Both 90s basic 3 handers. Open heart is only visual shock) Both second hand and cheap as chips. Got my brother a larger solar. I may be bias!
90's TAG flashback. It's comin' back eventually!!!
Reminds me of 10 year old Acura models. The angular grill and tail on those cars were hideous. Same as this watch.
Impressive Specs however yes this looks dated with how it's over stylized. Looks more like a LEGO Bionicle turned into a watch and a watch you'd mainly find in shopping malls.
I’ll never buy another watch with integrated bracelet again I have exactly 7 inch wrists also, I got a Movado Luno sport on sale a few years ago. Oh sure, they give you “half links” but they are more like three-quarter sized links so it is impossible to get a fit that is not too tight or too loose. I planned to keep it, so I took drastic measures and used a dremel tool to bore out about 2 mm from inside the band and now it is fine.
Any future watch I get will have a clasp with micro adjust holes, like my perfect fitting Tactical Frog V2
It's getting scary now with the timing. For YEARS I was "automatic only" and "traditional design only". Now that I am also into Eco-Drive, CASIO solar, and SEIKO solars and stumbled upon a few cool Couturas, here you are...
Oh boy 😅
Me too! Almost exactly.
I have a similar coutura. It really is a great watch. The finishing is ridiculous and the solar perpetual calendar movement is spot on. Biggest dislikes are that its a fully integrated bracelet. So no chance of changing it. Other issue being it has no micro adjustments or half links. Never can really get the perfect size.
You nailed the biggest flaws in the design.
The dial itself, reflective squares, are very interesting. I could see that aspect adding some fun to their other lines
you know how omega took a moonwatch and made a plastic swatch version? this is like seiko found a $20 chinese "sports watch" for teenage boys, and lovingly rendered it as a well-made watch. it does have a certain hefty humvee presence though. and if you're leaning that way, the predator band is near perfect. i can admire this without wanting to wear one
Good comment!
I was gifted a kinetic about a year ago; SNP008. It's a Coutura Kinetic. I love that watch. It's weighty, but wears very well. And the two-tone case/bracelet with the white dial...gorgeous. Plus it has a sleep-mode after 24hrs that other kinetics don't have. Really cool.
I know what you mean about the bracelet, but something about the way it articulates makes me really like it. Everyone was raving about the H. Moser Streamliner bracelet, and it's not that far off (except for the $35,000 difference in price).
I think your summary of this watch is absolutely spot on mate! Very odd styling and seems to want to be a bit of a dress/sports design - looks to have been designed by committee if you know what I mean?
Bracelet looks like it comes from the early 2000s, TAG Heuer had a similar design thing going then called Kirium and it's as fugly now as it was then. But I just cannot get into that 3-dial layout and I feel the same about Seiko's regular chrono range as well as Casio's Edifice. Weird overlapping subdials with raised rims that go part way round....
Perhaps this line is aimed at the bling-bling market, which is quite massive actually. They have spare cash and zero taste and would buy that thing
It's a suburban father's day gift. Plenty of guys would like this. You know the type of guy
It seems to be designed for the bling-bling market. Dare I say it's Invicta by Seiko?
I like a lot the design except for the sub dials I hate complications, love 3 hands, if they made a simple coutura I would buy it, love the “predator armor” bracelet 😆
Absolutely agree with your verdict. This line of watches use some "tricks" that are intended to make these watches look expensive, but in the end they just make for a watch, screaming for attention and in a very dated manner at that.
I have the Seiko SSC573P Coutura Perpetual, and I love it. Yes it has an integrated bracelet (I hate them), and a no adjustment clasp (I hate them), but I absolutely love it. It's comfortable on, and I won the jackpot, as far as sizing goes.
For something with very similar specs, but much more conventional looks and a normal non integrated bracelet, the closely related Sportura range is worth looking at. I have an SSC357, which I like a lot.
I have to agree with you. That line has just never looked good to me. Dials always seem too busy and just a bit big for me.
Watches of this style are the most common in Cash Converters ! LoL
I don't mind the dial, but I hate the amount of early 2000's chrome polish and the integrated bracelet is a huge negative for me.
It looks like it was designed to match the Toyota Alphard....
The watch review was amazing as usual... But the T-shirt is just perfect... Love it!
Why are you so down on 90s style and so in love with retro from the 60s/70s? The answer is if you lived through it the first time you don't appreciate it the second time around. This style looks more suitable for the Asian markets that appreciate very masculine styles like these
The dial reminds me of the LG Nexus phone from the android 4 era.
Pocket shot looks good though. How wide was it at the clasp, asking for a friend?
I agree they are very busy and not to the majority of watch enthusiasts taste...but you do get a lot for your money. Solar movement, sapphire, ceramic, integrated bracelet etc. Perhaps the cortura team need to get some support from the Presage team and get the design slimmed down and cleaned up. This would be an excellent opportunity for Seiko to go after the integrated bracelet space and take on the Tissot PRX line!
I wouldn't buy one of these personally, yet at the same time I totally get why Seiko made it. This is a watch that mallgoers in Japan would definitely enjoy.
Well done Jody for the fair and honest review as you've covered all bases and the size and design make this one a pass for me with paying anything over $300 AUD would be too steep.
I love Coutura watches ive got the Seiko SSG009 coutura and it still amazes me when i look at it having some really cool design elements. They certainly don't get the love they deserve...
Fangio, Stewart, Prost, Senna, Mansell & Schumacher..?!?!
Jody, your shirt is AWESOME!
I’m already a Seiko fan but personally I like the design a lot ( even if it’s abit dated...but so am I😉), only thing that’s ever stopped me is size- it’s just too big for my embarrassingly puny arms :(
It’s a watch stuck in time made for clients who’s tastes are stuck in time too IMHO. However fashions always repeat given time we are told. Please help us! In summary you’ll love it or hate it. Most I believe will be the later. Nice review Mr M.
I agree with you. No love for the esthetics.... Or the size, personally.
Excellent overview Jody. That date in the corner of the red subdial looks like it's trying to hide. It's not so bad and I'm a Seiko fan but I think Casio do a far better job at this type of solar powered watch than Seiko do. Some of the Edifice range for example the also a bit dated Edifice Slim Line EQB-1000AT-1ADR, solar powered, sapphire crystal, even Bluetooth is a far nicer watch, it's a very good price AND the bonus, you can change the strap or bracelet. Casio just does these retro chrono dials better.
I have to agree with the review, and in addition, when it comes to textured dials, I'd rather see more dial than complications. Get rid of the subdials at 3 and 9, and leave the date where it is, and I think I'd like it a lot more.
Argos called they want their watch back
Great content. The Casino Lineage range are worth a look the 700d or 610d have chronograph, timer, etc.... Sapphire crystal, solar charging & atomic clock.
Are those f1 drivers on your shirt? It looks like Senna, Prost, Mansel, Schumacher and Fittipaldi.
Fangio, Stewart , Prost, Senna, Mansell, Schumacher. It should be noted that Sir Jackie usually wore a white helmet with his tartan ring at the top. Perhaps the artist thought a blue helmet would stand out more easily against Stewart's white race suit.
I like it. A bit busy for my taste (but my most important watch is a G-Shock GA-1000 A1, so go figure) , and the second hands were scratched on the bare metal. That's ugly. No adjustment on the clasp - what?? Good point on the weight vs non-adjustability. And the black version says "INVICTA" on the side of the case. I like the black dot on the crown. I like the red energy reserve, but that is not a priority for me. The timer component would be more important to me and thus larger, central and red. But its cool. Mostly. No water resist?
I never liked the look of this watch. I would have never watched a review of it either if not for you being so entertaining. I always give you a thumbs up for the video and not the watch. Sometimes it's both! I tried one of these on before and it rivaled my Gshock Mud Master, Suunto watches and Garmin watches for how big it looked on my small wrists. I own 12'ish Seiko watches so this is by no means a slam on them but this one is just not for me. If I had bigger wrists then maybe.
I was also thinking late 90's early 2000's when I saw it although from memory I think they were usually in the 38-40mm range and the larger Seiko and Citizen dive watches were worn by men who's proportions made them look like regular sized watches. Smaller watches seem to be becoming more popular at the top end of the market, I have a feeling that we are going to be seeing fewer watches much lager than 42mm unless they are dive watches and I wouldn't be surprised if we saw the late 90's styling creep back in.
I love my red dial solar powered perpetual calendar/chronograph. Fitment can be hard tho
I got myself a Seiko Arctura Kinetic Chronograph, circa 1980’s, got it for $125.00 Canadian about 6 years ago,…..since then it’s gone up in value to the point that the one I have, which is a top of the hill edition, now can be found for close to $1,000. on EBay, won’t sell though. It’s a beautiful piece, especially in the 2-tone , Sapphire crystal top and bottom and automatic movement.
Very good review, a lot of truth in your assessment..i was given one as gift..its hard to wear as you stated to heavy to wear loose and unadvosable to weat tight..if only i could rplace the braclet with a strap😢 i would actually at least wear it around the house 😅
Would be interesiting to see a review of the Orient golden eye 2 ( FAG03001B0 ), it's a relatively cheap watch, at about $150 US, with great dimensions (38.5mm diameter, 45mm lug to lug, and only 11.something mm thickness) and sapphire crystal. Not many people seem to know about it tho, and there are very few reviews. Maybe it's because of the somewhat controvesial 'golden eye', the skeletonised window in the dial (the open heart), but the split opinions would make the review all the more interesiting, in my opinion :).
if they remove the complications and make the dial clean with only 3 hander. i think it will be beautiful
I want one, but I don't like the style with the dial that looks like a part crescent moon 🌙 not sure if the gold with blue silicon strap suits my style but I'll buy that and the two tone even if they sit in a drawer every other day than a leap day
It's heading into Bulova territory- way too busy for me.
Oh my god I love your t-shirt! I recognized all of them haha. That was a fun video. You gotta know what you don't like to enjoy what you do like!
Love my Coutura different addition to my collection and I am a big boy (8 inch wrist) so don't mind my weighty watches also it was a steal on sale price 😁
Remind me of a Seiko Arctura I had in the noughties. An acquired taste but unfortunately it's just too soon for this particular style to be revived.
I just looked that one up, it has some pretty clean lines! But I could only imagine these shapes working as relatively thin 38-40mm watches
I'm not sure what it is with Japanese owned brands, but they all have at least some big gaudy watches like this. I guess they must still be popular somewhere in the world but I have never seen anyone wear them. My biggest beef is with Citizen-owned Bulova. They have their awesome 262 kHz quartz movement, but have been slowly discontinuing every non-tacky watch that uses it apart from the Lunar Pilot.
Thxs for the video, im with you, no thank you to that one
I had a courtura SNP007 with a much cleaner dial for a while. Got it at a thrift/pawn shop for 80 bucks. I've had more compliments on that watch than any other, absolutely loved it. until i lost it... :(
I'll take the blue version, it looks very symmetrical.
I agree, I like it
Spare a thought for us in the UK Jody as we are about to enter the longest, toughest winter in living memory. ☹️
I wish Seiko would fix the Coutura line. They should keep the Predator (!) style, unjunk the dial, and - as you say - make the diameter smaller. They’d wind up with a fun, elegant watch. At its present size, I suspect the dial is so large, the designers simply can’t resist adding so much crap. “Oh look, we have room for a drawing of a pony! And a laser pointer!”
Helloooo and welcome back to Just One More Seiko!
They could have put more lume in the markers rather than outside them in a small ‘pip’. Would have been better imo. Shame about the design and lack of bracelet adjustment otherwise it would be a great watch for the price.
Man I love this channel.
yeah, all the features, all of them, stirred and rolled into one beefy-boi package, with all the finishing being BOLD, albeit not exactly sophisticated. (Basically a 'Seiko Edifice', yeah?)
Imagine if they kept the dial, the indices (but all being the same length, obviously), the date window being okay where it is, but with a border, thinned out the hands, thinned out the text, downsized the case to 41mm; and threw everything else in the trash. Would look great IMO!
I have a Seiko Couture Solar Perpetual, it's the heaviest in my collection, doesn't get much wrist time.
God, I've wanted a coutura for some time. Unfortunately it is so bloody big. It's very quirky to me. Much thanks for reviewing one.
Funny thing is everything you said about the bracelet being horribly dated is the same way I feel about the Omega Seamaster Professionals bracelet… and I own one! Dated designs are not safe in ANY price bracket 😅
A dial only a mother could love. Not my cup of tea but I’m happy for anyone who is a watch they love.
Not a watch for me, but even more unforgivable were those shorts! 🤔
The design just shouts 90's Oakley to me..
And I kinda like it 😁
Very large presence I'll stick with my Orient Neo Solar it's a bit more wearable
Agreed, it is almost like they bet each other who can make a watch so bad and get the public to still buy it!
Im a big fan of the carbon race dial coutura. Check that one out with strap
I like the dial design, but I’ve never cared for the “alien armor” bracelet style from the 90s.
As a big guy with a 9 inch wrist a lot of "normal" sided watches look like ladies watches on me, so I tend to by watches that are over 40MM. 42MM works for me, but some of the giant 50mm+ watches look cartoonish.
That's one fugly watch with a face only a mother could love!
Jody, I am Seiko fan having a few. My friend , your comments on this watch were extremely kind. That Seiko is dirt ugly, but hey, to each their own.....
I’ve always been a bit perplexed by the Coutura line. It’s very much it’s own thing which you have to admire at least in theory but in practice, it’s just got too much going on for me and as you mentioned, feels very 90s.
Great to get a look at another side of Seiko though so thank you to Paul for lending it in.
Love the T shirt too 🏎🏁
Admittedly I’m new to watches… but I don’t understand why you’re saying that this looks dated. Every other watch I’ve seen looks like a throwback to earlier times. Before researching Seikos I thought this looked pretty good! So… what does a “modern” watch look like? My other choice would be the GMT Sharp Edge. Is that “modern”?
I hope you're gonna review PD's Nautilus homage soon. We'd love to hear what you think about it.
I love the look of it, although it's really not my style. It's even bigger than my Casio Duro--way too big for me.
Really gotta find out where you get your shirts.
I've always thought the Coutura line was Seiko's concession to the fashion watch market, far too mid-2000s bling and a bit out of place for the rest of Seiko as a brand.
Can we get a review of the Baltany 1926 Tribute? It's supposed to be a homage to the original Rolex Oyster, and it looks beautiful.
With you there Judge Jody I don't like em. Watch 5 ..Price 6 ..Scouse Paul 10
I think these are beautiful watches, but sadly never wanted one due to the size...and the price. BTW, I always enjoy your videos!
There's just too much happening on that dial...
Like the comparable Citizen Eco-Drive chronos... technically superb, but it's a Dad Watch.
If I’m not mistaken, there is a gunmetal version of this watch that has always caught my eye.
It looks like something a Cylon would wear, so I'd go with timeless :)
I can't handle watches where it looks different bits were just 'thrown on' the dial. Lol.