If you watch Long Island Watches UA-cam video introducing it, he flat out admits he made this to fill a void that the SKX left when Seiko discontinued it and replaced it with the 5KX. He doesn’t try to hide that it’s an SKX derivative, which I respect. They listened to what Seiko fans wanted, when Seiko didn’t, and gave it to them. Also, drilled lug holes. 😍😍
Just to add to what sicarii1138 said, I believe this watch is possible because of the strong SKX aftermarket. I wouldn't be surprised if most if not all of the parts of this watch outside of the movement and dial are the same parts that Long Island Watch sells for the SKX.
The new Seiko 5s are NOT replacements for the SKXs. They are replacements of the corresponding old Seiko 5 “sports watch” models. If you want an upgraded SKX-style real dive watch, you have to buy something from the Prospex line.
Shame on you Marc, the watch looks awesome on this video but decidedly average on yours ;D You need to work on close-ups and reflections... watching this I really want one now!
mark seems like a good dude. watch his videos and he's remarkably open about how he runs his business. bought a few watches from them and it's always been pleasant.
I totally agree. In the last year I have bought six Seiko watches and that new white-dial Orient USA 2. All zero regret ... Obviously got the bug ... I am 70 and having fun even though I drive a CAN $6000 2006 Hyundai Tucson ... which works just fine too.
Hey Nick, these bezel inserts are called dual-time bezels, not GMT! GMT are 24 hours, with a dedicated hand for tracking a different time zone! Love the reviews, keep up the great work!
I've purchased numerous watches from Marc at Island Watch. Always a great experience, never had a single issue over the years. Also, Marc seems like a great guy who is obsessed with watches just like us!
Long Island sell 700 skx watches a year so discontinuing the range represents a massive hit to the business so making his own range of improved skx models was a logical move , he's done a great job and should be applauded .
Love this watch. Seiko missed the boat. Marc knows what the watch community wants, Nobody mentioned the drilled through lugs - a great feature for us strap nerds.
These are brilliant. There are only two things I'm not so keen on. 1. I wish they had the blue Saturday and Red Sunday - I love this feature on Seiko's. The second one is a really minor point - I wish the day date window was framed a bit better. Otherwise, these are simply amazing!
You gotta review Spinnaker. I know this video is 2 years old. But I love that you're reviewing micro brands, and I'm wearing a Spinnaker Bradner on my wrist and it's awesome.
Deep Blue watch company has a very similar watch..now it is 40mm. Runs around 149.00 with a discount code. Believe its is called the Master 1000 auto. Worth a look I think. GIves you 300 meters vs 200.
Mark from LI explained the watch and designs: the Seiko SKX was his biggest seller by a truckload. That watch is discontinued so he tried to fill up the gap but also tried to fix the most heard downsides of the SKX: sapphire, movement, bezel and bracelet. If you keep that in mind, I think this is a fair deal if you want a watch that looks like an SKX
It is what it is.....an upgraded SKX for pretty much the same price as the outgoing SKX. Island watch are very honest about why they made it.....because loads of people asked for it. Job done.....good work Mark.
I like this design as a way of a little guy in the industry saying “I can do it, why can’t you?” Looking forward to more of these features at this price point from the big boys. Fingers crossed. GMT on a black 38mm would have had my money.
Ugly Front: Marc really focused on making this an skx replacement. That's clarified up front. Based on his new videos, hopefully there are more designs coming!
Got this watch in the mail today, it is just as you say. It is beautiful up close and my tired eyes can read the dial without glasses. Yes, there are some minor things with the bracelet but for the money you cannot go wrong. Great review. Just a note about the screws on the bracelet...they are way small, you will need something smaller than 1mm to get to them.
Marc ships the watches with a screw link tool, My ISL-28 came with one... surprisingly nice quality tool for a freebie. Maybe yours was brought before he begin shipping them with a tool or maybe in your excitement to check out the watch you missed the small tool also shipped along with it... I forget if my tool was loose in the packaging or attached to the watch box, either way its not an issue moving forward for others purchasing islander watches as he now provides the necessary tool.
Enjoyed the review Nick. It might have been helpful to watch Mark's introduction video of his line of watches. These watches are an answer to Seiko discontinuing the SKX line of watches. The watch community had hoped Seiko would have announced a next gen SKX with sapphire crystal, hacking and hand winding movement with a better bracelet. Since Seiko did not, Mark did. These watches are meant to fit any mod accessory that would fit a factory SKX. I believe the case is an exact SKX reproduction. SKX replacement is this line's Raison d'être .
Exactly. I enjoyed the video, but he should have done a little bit more homework on this one. You can't really fault a watch for resembling a seiko, when it's meant to be an upgraded replacement for the SKX while keeping its iconic look.
@@hambango Nick doing a review with no research not the first time and I'm sure not the last.He lost me with watch being too Thick!! Than he once again pulls out his over priced Omega next to a true Home Run from Marc he sure had his foot up his ass on this review 😂😂
Very fair and enjoyable recommendation, Nick. As a fan of what Marc's been doing at LI Watch, it's nice to see his efforts get such a glowing review in the community of watch aficionados like yourself.
Hey Nick, I recently purchased an #IL-10 from Long Island Watch. I had watched your review prior to getting it and your comments about the accuracy of the movement caused me some concern. Imagine my surprise when after checking it daily with the WatchCheck app my example clocks in at +0.08 seconds a day after one month. So I posted my results to the Seiko Mods FB page and a couple of folks there informed me that Marc does regulate his watches prior to sending them out. Not sure why yours is off by that much but, as you know, they can be regulated with little trouble.
Marc of Long island watch clearly stated that this watch was to replace the discontinued seiko SKX 007 and 009 range . Many Seiko fans were very upset that the SKX range was discontinued.. So of course it looks like a seiko. That was the whole idea. Its the upgraded SKX that Seiko foolishly did not make
First time visiting your channel. This is an excellent review, a long review but no unnecessary dwelling on irrelevant details. Very well done! Subscribing!
Early 60's face. Uncluttered and clean. The arrow in the circle logo looks lost without the company name. Usually thick goes with slow not fast. Killer lume. So many good points. So many short comings. What to do? Wait for the 2.0 I'm thinking. Full on Nick review! 👍
I've got the ISL-09, it's a stellar watch. Looks amazing in person. Mine runs +10 seconds per week, which is slightly better than my beloved SKX. Not too shabby!
👍 A really great value! The price is unbeatable with all of those features!!! Not to mention; that rotating bezel insert is Ceramic! I've bought many watches over the years from Marc at LIW. 🙂 A great watch dealer! Nice review, Nick!
marc made these to keep the skx mod community alive as they get harder to find, so you could put any quick adjust bracelet that would fit that watch on this.
@@ivermec-tin666 The islander SKX models are 100% compatible with all SKX mods. Also note worthy is that his islander Samurai inspired watch models are compatible with SKX bezel mods... there's much more SKX bezel/bezel insert mod options available on the market then Samurai bezel mods, so thats a welcomed feature to many. I just completed my first watch mod recently on an ISL-28 (silver dial with the dawn/dust bezel) which I upgraded to feature the Seiko LX bezel with a green ceramic bezel insert and orange minute hand, which turnt out amazing looking! the LX bezel with its aggressive angular stylings much better matches the angular case and bracelet of the Islander/Seiko Samurai. The LX bezel is perfectly designed to pair itself to a Samurai watch... which isnt possible outside of the islander watches since theres no LX bezel mods available for samurai models, so far the LX bezel mods are only being manufactured for SKX compatibility.
@@CVNOU go on Alibaba there's several watch companies that sell Seiko clones that's all it is. Is Islander a "Brand". I'm surprised Seiko doesn't sue. Save your money buy a Seiko turtle or better.
Thanks for the review Nick, great to see this one up close. As for which seiko ? I’m saying the marine master 200 for the dial, skx for the hands and case. Nice contrast between matt dial and gloss bezel too, but the clasp? ugh - nope. Wonder what it’s like on rubber strap, like the crafter blue?
Thank you @nickshabazz. I’m in the market for something similar!! I will be looking to pick one up soon. Also I know you did a vid on regulating watches, is this something you recommend that can be done w/o a chronometer is just eat the cost and take to a pro?
I bought the all black Islander with double dome sapphire, the nylon band was ok, my only slight complaint, it works, but could be better for $330. But since it was based on a Seiko design I had an Uncle Seiko black tropic strap which I forgot I bought several months back which I forgot. Put it on, cost me nothing more than what I paid for back then and didn't use. it fit perfect, and really make's the watch, also feels great, and Uncle Seiko makes good stuff.
This is a GREAT watch! If I haven't already modded my SKX with sapphire, I would not hesitate to pick this one up, and to have a ceramic bezel and hacking and hand winding! It's a winner! Way to go Mark! Keep this one available and I'm sure to buy one eventually!
I have handled a lot of watches . Marc is paying attention closely to the build quality . I purchased a 42mm Pepsi and it’s not bad . I’m pleasantly surprised .
“I have a problem” 😂😂😂 I’ve purchased two of these… Gave one away as a gift So I could justify buying another one! Mark has made the watch that we all wanted Seiko to make. And SKX with a sapphire crystal, A quality bracelet with solid end links and a milled clasp...Ceramic lumed bezel, And cool color choices...Upgraded hacking and handwinding...And it’s still a real dive watch...Seiko Turned The SKX into a dive ‘style’ Fashion watch Otherwise known as the 5KX…Mark is now the keeper of the SKX! All hail Mark! 😉
"Heavily inspired..." So much more accurate than, "homage." Personally, for $200, the San Martin line of watches is really tough to beat. At $60, the PD-1639 is amazing, but has lousy lume.
I have The Islander with the 60-minute dive bezel, it's a great watch for the price. By the way I'm picking up your southern accent I'm guessing Alabama?
Great looking watch. After servicing one of my autos last month, I've decided that I probably dont need more. Also, the servicing cost will probably cost three same ad the watch. I find it hard to justify sub $1k mechanicals... just my opinion anyway. This watch with quartz would cut ther cost, increase accuracy, and make it more reliable over time. Great review.
Yep, this watch is meant to take all the mods that people normally do to their Seiko SKX model watches (sapphire, nh36 upgrade, etc) and package them for direct purchase. It's the intersection between homage, mod, and microbrand. I love Mark and his channel. I hope to someday own one of these Islanders. Even though I'm a Rangers fan. Don't judge me. (NY sports fans will know what that means).
really like the watch: simple, big numbers, rocking lume. would like a better movement and bracelet but the one thing I don't care for is the etched long island image on the caseback. looks like a massive scratch at first glance.
Nice review! At this price I'm willing to regulate a watch myself. Part of the joy of relatively inexpensive watches for me is the option to learn things and to be able to maintain a watch without the risk of becoming very sad.
Great review. My perspective on this watch - and I believe this is at least in the ballpark of the truth - is that it's meant to be a better SKX, born in the wake of Seiko discontinuing the real SKX in favour of some Seiko 5s that *look* a lot like SKXs but only have 100M water resistance (sacrilege, obviously, burn them, etc.). So if what you want is a better SKX, this is a great watch, but if that's not really your bag it's perhaps not so impressive. I already have an OG SKX009, which I love (crappy 7S26 movement and all) but if I wanted something with an SKX007 kind of vibe I'd seriously consider one of these because in every measurable way it's better than the OG SKX. The only thing I really don't dig - sorry Mark, big fan of the channel, etc., please don't be upset - is the Long Island Watch logo on the dial. I generally quite like the LIW logo: just not slapped in the middle of a watch dial! Then, and this is purely a matter of preference, I'd probably get the dive bezel rather than the GMT bezel version simply because I'd find the dive bezel more useful in day to day life (although not for diving - it's just quite handy for timing things like meetings and presentations where you don't need split second accuracy).
The case is about 43 mm in diameter, same as the SKX. It's thick because it's modeled on the SKX cushion case, which by now is kind of a vintage design.
The TarrMan, you made me look at that, and you're right. Looks pretty cool in gold, and I swore to myself that there were only two or three gold watches I would ever wear, even if I won the Powerball! That peek at this in gold piqued my interest!
ok lets get this straight.... you got me in to knifes !!!. i'm in for WAY more than i should be, and i got a QC Drift coming too !!! and now you're pressuring me to go buy watches too ???? you evil evil man he he. Nah its all good, I'm as always very happy to watch your reviews, you bring up valid points, and this diver seems really tempting. this and the Baltic Aquascaphe are on my radar atm, have you tried the Aquascaphe by chance ?
Poor ol' Nick was *really* "stretching" to find stuff for the obligatory "Bad" and the "Ugly" comments that work *most* of the time in his very successful review-format ... :) Every other comment is spot-on ...
Thanks Mark for shipping this watch from New York instead of drop shipping it from China. I should have saved $200 by buying this model directly from WR Watches online with a couple more features including a milled bracelet!
@@ivermec-tin666 Here you go. Just look for the model you like best. www.alibaba.com/product-detail/SD1970-Stock-Supply-Stainless-Steel-Case_62234640308.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.0.0.19b771432OVRrm#reviewSubHeader
I have purchased several Steel Dive & San Martin watches from China. They are decent specs and quality. I do like shopping on Ali Express, but there are a few disadvantages including you will wait 3-6 weeks for your watch. Forget about returns. The finishing on them is ok, but certainly not refined. The bracelets are solid but not great. Almost all things made of steel are made in China, including "Swiss Made" watches. They have forums every year in Hong Kong where all the big manufacturers discuss how to maintain their "Swiss Made" monikers while still producing most of the parts in China. The questions is not whether it was made in Asia or not, but simply the quality of the product. They make MVMT watches in China, and they also do Omega case production. Guaranteed.
Seiko screwed the pooch killing and discontinuing the SKX007. BUT! The SKX faithful wanted a continuation. The Islander is a reincarnation or a continuation of the SKX but with all the refinements the watch buyers were begging and demanding. Hence the Long Island custom modifications per the buyer. The Seiko NH36 is a logical choice as the SKX used it. Thanks Marc for keeping the SKX alive but as an ISL.
Wow, nick... this is an excellent watch for the money. Sapphire crystal, hand winding & hacking movement, solid end links, screwed links, milled clasp! This blows the competition out of the water. Period. It’s a bit chunky and a bit large @ 43mm. I’d call this the civici elementum S35VN of watches. SKX007 but actually worth the price. It rivals $500 watches.
Well then, I'll be the first one to say that was a Long review. See what I did there? ;-) I would describe this as an SKX homage with common upgrades (sapphire crystal, hacking/winding movement, bracelet, lumed ceramic bezel), plus drilled lugs and applied indeces. This is the next gen SKX that Seiko made in an alternate timeline. The only real consideration is the lack of certification.
Why are seiko fans so angry? So many pissed off comments about criticisms made...it’s either defending the skx to the death or hating on someone with a Rolex.
@@megalomouthradio5839 Marc grew up helping out in his fathers retail store, hardware, IIRC. It's just too hard to make that model work in this era (the rent is too damn high).
Definitely one of the best values. Most clasps are stamped while this one is milled which is another upgrade from the regular seiko. Why buy a seiko 5 when you can get all of these upgrades for about the same price!
Actually,as far as function,I prefer my seiko five diver,simply because I don't like the screw down crowns-I have five autos,and only two winders,so I have to wind two daily,and it's alot easier without a screwdown crown,(yeah,I know,just buy a couple more winders)
Don't understand why big companies like Seiko are refusing to offer this type/quality of watches themselves , with the manufacturing power they have it should be even cheaper. They are getting outdone by small independent business. The only reasons I can think of is purely marketing strategies to justify the really overpriced watches of their more expensive lines. Love the watch but being an office diver the thickness is turning me off. Hopping/waiting for a more comfortable field type watch with this type of material from Marc :).
If you watch Long Island Watches UA-cam video introducing it, he flat out admits he made this to fill a void that the SKX left when Seiko discontinued it and replaced it with the 5KX. He doesn’t try to hide that it’s an SKX derivative, which I respect.
They listened to what Seiko fans wanted, when Seiko didn’t, and gave it to them.
Also, drilled lug holes. 😍😍
Just to add to what sicarii1138 said, I believe this watch is possible because of the strong SKX aftermarket. I wouldn't be surprised if most if not all of the parts of this watch outside of the movement and dial are the same parts that Long Island Watch sells for the SKX.
Everything is intended to be compatible. Also, ceramic bezel.
Exactly this is like a stock version of the skx with all the mods already on the watch that are commonly done for a really reasonable price.
Just continuing the skx legacy but I’m better form! I got my eye on an Islander.
The new Seiko 5s are NOT replacements for the SKXs. They are replacements of the corresponding old Seiko 5 “sports watch” models. If you want an upgraded SKX-style real dive watch, you have to buy something from the Prospex line.
Thank you Nick. Great review. Glad you are happy :)
Long Island Watch A model with faux patina would be amazing.
Please consider making one that's gold plated/filled.
Great job to Long Island watch!!! Great guy and a great company. Support Mark!
Shame on you Marc, the watch looks awesome on this video but decidedly average on yours ;D
You need to work on close-ups and reflections... watching this I really want one now!
@@bobbycalifornia7077 nice.
mark seems like a good dude. watch his videos and he's remarkably open about how he runs his business. bought a few watches from them and it's always been pleasant.
I totally agree. In the last year I have bought six Seiko watches and that new white-dial Orient USA 2. All zero regret ...
Obviously got the bug ... I am 70 and having fun even though I drive a CAN $6000 2006 Hyundai Tucson ... which works just fine too.
Hey Nick, these bezel inserts are called dual-time bezels, not GMT! GMT are 24 hours, with a dedicated hand for tracking a different time zone! Love the reviews, keep up the great work!
I've purchased numerous watches from Marc at Island Watch. Always a great experience, never had a single issue over the years. Also, Marc seems like a great guy who is obsessed with watches just like us!
Long Island sell 700 skx watches a year so discontinuing the range represents a massive hit to the business so making his own range of improved skx models was a logical move , he's done a great job and should be applauded .
Couldn’t agree more, Marc at Long Island Watch knocked others out of the park with this piece!
Marc is a good guy.
I just ordered one of his new yellow dial 38mm divers and it looks amazing it should be here soon I can’t wait
Jake Pheonix Did it arrive? What’s your opinion on the colouring in person??
Love this watch. Seiko missed the boat. Marc knows what the watch community wants,
Nobody mentioned the drilled through lugs - a great feature for us strap nerds.
@Mr. Shlock I believe he mentioned the screw down links of the bracelet but not the drilled lugs.
These are brilliant. There are only two things I'm not so keen on. 1. I wish they had the blue Saturday and Red Sunday - I love this feature on Seiko's. The second one is a really minor point - I wish the day date window was framed a bit better. Otherwise, these are simply amazing!
You gotta review Spinnaker.
I know this video is 2 years old.
But I love that you're reviewing micro brands, and I'm wearing a Spinnaker Bradner on my wrist and it's awesome.
"Why is he showing us an Omega?!?!" "I don't know......😏😎" Literal lol.
Deep Blue watch company has a very similar watch..now it is 40mm. Runs around 149.00 with a discount code. Believe its is called the Master 1000 auto. Worth a look I think. GIves you 300 meters vs 200.
Mark really knocked it outta the park with these Islander watches. Cant wait to get mine 👍🏻
Purchased 4 watches from Mark. Great guy to do business with. And his Islander mods are very good.
Knew you from your knife reviews but never realized you do watches occasionally! Subscribed👍🏻👍🏻
Mark from LI explained the watch and designs: the Seiko SKX was his biggest seller by a truckload. That watch is discontinued so he tried to fill up the gap but also tried to fix the most heard downsides of the SKX: sapphire, movement, bezel and bracelet. If you keep that in mind, I think this is a fair deal if you want a watch that looks like an SKX
It is what it is.....an upgraded SKX for pretty much the same price as the outgoing SKX. Island watch are very honest about why they made it.....because loads of people asked for it. Job done.....good work Mark.
I like this design as a way of a little guy in the industry saying “I can do it, why can’t you?” Looking forward to more of these features at this price point from the big boys. Fingers crossed. GMT on a black 38mm would have had my money.
Marc did. He even has the Pepsi available!
Just ordered this same one, but 38 mm. Very excited and looking forward to trying it!
Ugly Front: Marc really focused on making this an skx replacement. That's clarified up front. Based on his new videos, hopefully there are more designs coming!
Great, another one to add to the wish list. Man, I wish there was someone out there who would have warned me about getting into watches!
I think that The Nick actually wanted to get us into watches
@@thomash4578 Dang. Outsmarted by reverse psychology again!
If he's like me,he reached a saturation point with knives
This guy’s narration cracks me up. Good review!
Got this watch in the mail today, it is just as you say. It is beautiful up close and my tired eyes can read the dial without glasses. Yes, there are some minor things with the bracelet but for the money you cannot go wrong. Great review. Just a note about the screws on the bracelet...they are way small, you will need something smaller than 1mm to get to them.
Marc ships the watches with a screw link tool, My ISL-28 came with one... surprisingly nice quality tool for a freebie.
Maybe yours was brought before he begin shipping them with a tool or maybe in your excitement to check out the watch you missed the small tool also shipped along with it... I forget if my tool was loose in the packaging or attached to the watch box, either way its not an issue moving forward for others purchasing islander watches as he now provides the necessary tool.
Enjoyed the review Nick. It might have been helpful to watch Mark's introduction video of his line of watches. These watches are an answer to Seiko discontinuing the SKX line of watches. The watch community had hoped Seiko would have announced a next gen SKX with sapphire crystal, hacking and hand winding movement with a better bracelet. Since Seiko did not, Mark did. These watches are meant to fit any mod accessory that would fit a factory SKX. I believe the case is an exact SKX reproduction. SKX replacement is this line's Raison d'être .
Exactly. I enjoyed the video, but he should have done a little bit more homework on this one. You can't really fault a watch for resembling a seiko, when it's meant to be an upgraded replacement for the SKX while keeping its iconic look.
@@hambango Obviously ... it's a classic ... like a Zippo or a 30-30 or a Burberry ...
@@hambango Nick doing a review with no research not the first time and I'm sure not the last.He lost me with watch being too Thick!! Than he once again pulls out his over priced Omega next to a true Home Run from Marc he sure had his foot up his ass on this review 😂😂
That's alot of watch for the money. Saffire and screw links at $300. Impressed. It's attractive too.
Very fair and enjoyable recommendation, Nick. As a fan of what Marc's been doing at LI Watch, it's nice to see his efforts get such a glowing review in the community of watch aficionados like yourself.
Hey Nick, I recently purchased an #IL-10 from Long Island Watch. I had watched your review prior to getting it and your comments about the accuracy of the movement caused me some concern. Imagine my surprise when after checking it daily with the WatchCheck app my example clocks in at +0.08 seconds a day after one month. So I posted my results to the Seiko Mods FB page and a couple of folks there informed me that Marc does regulate his watches prior to sending them out. Not sure why yours is off by that much but, as you know, they can be regulated with little trouble.
Marc of Long island watch clearly stated that this watch was to replace the discontinued seiko SKX 007 and 009 range . Many Seiko fans were very upset that the SKX range was discontinued.. So of course it looks like a seiko. That was the whole idea. Its the upgraded SKX that Seiko foolishly did not make
Just ordered an islander and im excited!
Nice clean dial. This brand is smart for using Seiko designs and the dial / bezel look is amazing on this piece.
First time visiting your channel. This is an excellent review, a long review but no unnecessary dwelling on irrelevant details. Very well done! Subscribing!
The clasp has been upgraded since this video
Great review! And I say this with love- the fact that you sound like Frank Rizzo reviewing watches, makes it all the better 😁
Early 60's face. Uncluttered and clean. The arrow in the circle logo looks lost without the company name. Usually thick goes with slow not fast. Killer lume. So many good points. So many short comings. What to do? Wait for the 2.0 I'm thinking. Full on Nick review! 👍
I've got the ISL-09, it's a stellar watch. Looks amazing in person. Mine runs +10 seconds per week, which is slightly better than my beloved SKX. Not too shabby!
👍 A really great value! The price is unbeatable with all of those features!!! Not to mention; that rotating bezel insert is Ceramic!
I've bought many watches over the years from Marc at LIW. 🙂 A great watch dealer!
Nice review, Nick!
Nice review and congrats on 100K! I find it amusing you complained about the thickness and own a Planet Ocean.
marc made these to keep the skx mod community alive as they get harder to find, so you could put any quick adjust bracelet that would fit that watch on this.
I suspect that a strapcode quick adjust clasp might fit this bracelet. Marc would know.
@@ivermec-tin666 The islander SKX models are 100% compatible with all SKX mods.
Also note worthy is that his islander Samurai inspired watch models are compatible with SKX bezel mods... there's much more SKX bezel/bezel insert mod options available on the market then Samurai bezel mods, so thats a welcomed feature to many.
I just completed my first watch mod recently on an ISL-28 (silver dial with the dawn/dust bezel) which I upgraded to feature the Seiko LX bezel with a green ceramic bezel insert and orange minute hand, which turnt out amazing looking! the LX bezel with its aggressive angular stylings much better matches the angular case and bracelet of the Islander/Seiko Samurai.
The LX bezel is perfectly designed to pair itself to a Samurai watch... which isnt possible outside of the islander watches since theres no LX bezel mods available for samurai models, so far the LX bezel mods are only being manufactured for SKX compatibility.
my ONLY nag is i wish there was a tiny splash of color. Maybe some red text that says automatic like the SKX or a red second tip
If only Seiko gave us an upgraded 007 for $300, well basically that is the Islander
Still not a Seiko. that's all the matters. It's a Chinese copy you can find these on Aliexpress. Waste of money.
@@garmin1488 how is it a Chinese copy at all?
gjs It’s better than the SKX in every single way. Every single feature this watch has is better than the 007.
@@CVNOU go on Alibaba there's several watch companies that sell Seiko clones that's all it is. Is Islander a "Brand". I'm surprised Seiko doesn't sue. Save your money buy a Seiko turtle or better.
@@CVNOU except the caseback, love the Kanagawa wave.
Nice video. This is a 12 hour bezel though, not a gmt bezel.
Thanks for the review Nick, great to see this one up close. As for which seiko ? I’m saying the marine master 200 for the dial, skx for the hands and case. Nice contrast between matt dial and gloss bezel too, but the clasp? ugh - nope. Wonder what it’s like on rubber strap, like the crafter blue?
Thank you @nickshabazz. I’m in the market for something similar!! I will be looking to pick one up soon. Also I know you did a vid on regulating watches, is this something you recommend that can be done w/o a chronometer is just eat the cost and take to a pro?
I bought the all black Islander with double dome sapphire, the nylon band was ok, my only slight complaint, it works, but could be better for $330. But since it was based on a Seiko design I had an Uncle Seiko black tropic strap which I forgot I bought several months back which I forgot. Put it on, cost me nothing more than what I paid for back then and didn't use. it fit perfect, and really make's the watch, also feels great, and Uncle Seiko makes good stuff.
Is the bezel insert ceramic? And you forgot drilled lugs,which are important for a lot of us....
Ceramic bezel insert! 👍
So stoked for this one...I've been curious about that line...Thank you
This is a GREAT watch! If I haven't already modded my SKX with sapphire, I would not hesitate to pick this one up, and to have a ceramic bezel and hacking and hand winding! It's a winner! Way to go Mark! Keep this one available and I'm sure to buy one eventually!
All the Islander watches are great affordable watches with good features and again great value.
I bought one! Very excited. Can’t wait.
Oh Wow, you bought an Islander Watch! I been waiting for someone to make a review on those.
Nice ! I just bought a Bill Yao ParaDiver Gen. 3 , came regulated, if you regulate this watch you are in high clover for accuracy. Great review !
This is the SKX we all wanted. While Seiko was not listening, Marc was.
I have handled a lot of watches .
Marc is paying attention closely to the build quality . I purchased a 42mm Pepsi and it’s not bad . I’m pleasantly surprised .
“I have a problem” 😂😂😂
I’ve purchased two of these… Gave one away as a gift So I could justify buying another one! Mark has made the watch that we all wanted Seiko to make. And SKX with a sapphire crystal, A quality bracelet with solid end links and a milled clasp...Ceramic lumed bezel, And cool color choices...Upgraded hacking and handwinding...And it’s still a real dive watch...Seiko Turned The SKX into a dive ‘style’ Fashion watch Otherwise known as the 5KX…Mark is now the keeper of the SKX! All hail Mark! 😉
You could just pop the bezel off and remove the click spring to make it bi-directional.
Love the fact that you mentioned Belgrade 😃 I am from country where Belgrade is the capital city 😃 Thank you for interesting review 👍
Love the watch but would prefer better accuracy. But well done Marc and I think I'll get the 38mm Pepsi. And well done Nick
"Heavily inspired..." So much more accurate than, "homage."
Personally, for $200, the San Martin line of watches is really tough to beat. At $60, the PD-1639 is amazing, but has lousy lume.
Nick said it's a gem. I hear them selling out very soon.
I heard "watch is enough" not exactly glowing
I have The Islander with the 60-minute dive bezel, it's a great watch for the price. By the way I'm picking up your southern accent I'm guessing Alabama?
Based on information from LIW, the core is the Seiko SNK. A response to the reaction of Seiko action to the snk, fyi.
Another plus side is there are LOADS of after market parts for customizations to truly make your own watch.
Great looking watch. After servicing one of my autos last month, I've decided that I probably dont need more. Also, the servicing cost will probably cost three same ad the watch. I find it hard to justify sub $1k mechanicals... just my opinion anyway. This watch with quartz would cut ther cost, increase accuracy, and make it more reliable over time. Great review.
But then it would be a quartz watch. 🤮
@@DaveOpoien heh. My recommendation (if I did it all again) is to have a "grail watch" (or 2) and then, yes, make the rest quartz.
Yep, this watch is meant to take all the mods that people normally do to their Seiko SKX model watches (sapphire, nh36 upgrade, etc) and package them for direct purchase. It's the intersection between homage, mod, and microbrand. I love Mark and his channel. I hope to someday own one of these Islanders. Even though I'm a Rangers fan. Don't judge me. (NY sports fans will know what that means).
I'm from Alberta, so I got it. Flame alert!! 🔥 🔥
really like the watch: simple, big numbers, rocking lume. would like a better movement and bracelet but the one thing I don't care for is the etched long island image on the caseback. looks like a massive scratch at first glance.
Just because it a seiko mvmt can I expect it to run 10+ years like an skx would ?
Nice review! At this price I'm willing to regulate a watch myself. Part of the joy of relatively inexpensive watches for me is the option to learn things and to be able to maintain a watch without the risk of becoming very sad.
Great review ☺️ Love your other content also, subbed 👍
Great review. My perspective on this watch - and I believe this is at least in the ballpark of the truth - is that it's meant to be a better SKX, born in the wake of Seiko discontinuing the real SKX in favour of some Seiko 5s that *look* a lot like SKXs but only have 100M water resistance (sacrilege, obviously, burn them, etc.). So if what you want is a better SKX, this is a great watch, but if that's not really your bag it's perhaps not so impressive. I already have an OG SKX009, which I love (crappy 7S26 movement and all) but if I wanted something with an SKX007 kind of vibe I'd seriously consider one of these because in every measurable way it's better than the OG SKX. The only thing I really don't dig - sorry Mark, big fan of the channel, etc., please don't be upset - is the Long Island Watch logo on the dial. I generally quite like the LIW logo: just not slapped in the middle of a watch dial! Then, and this is purely a matter of preference, I'd probably get the dive bezel rather than the GMT bezel version simply because I'd find the dive bezel more useful in day to day life (although not for diving - it's just quite handy for timing things like meetings and presentations where you don't need split second accuracy).
Aaaaaand of course now I've just noticed all the other comments pointing out that this is meant to closely resemble the SKX. Sorry for the redundancy.
Arcade.ly, they do have variants with dive bezels. So now you know!
The case is about 43 mm in diameter, same as the SKX. It's thick because it's modeled on the SKX cushion case, which by now is kind of a vintage design.
Not a fan of top heavy watches but try it on a thick heavy Super Engineer bracelet to balance the weight out.
i have this same watch and i love it!
At 9:54 something made the watch look gold and I was like "OMG!!!". I really gotta consider this watch.
The TarrMan, you made me look at that, and you're right. Looks pretty cool in gold, and I swore to myself that there were only two or three gold watches I would ever wear, even if I won the Powerball! That peek at this in gold piqued my interest!
This os the SKX that Seiko should have made BUT DIDN'T! Love the lume & world tome bezel. Orderong mine asap!
Marc is a badass. I bought a 38mm in Pepsi and I absolutely love it. I have it on a nato.
ok lets get this straight.... you got me in to knifes !!!. i'm in for WAY more than i should be, and i got a QC Drift coming too !!! and now you're pressuring me to go buy watches too ???? you evil evil man he he. Nah its all good, I'm as always very happy to watch your reviews, you bring up valid points, and this diver seems really tempting. this and the Baltic Aquascaphe are on my radar atm, have you tried the Aquascaphe by chance ?
Poor ol' Nick was *really* "stretching" to find stuff for the obligatory "Bad" and the "Ugly" comments that work *most* of the time in his very successful review-format ... :)
Every other comment is spot-on ...
Thanks Mark for shipping this watch from New York instead of drop shipping it from China. I should have saved $200 by buying this model directly from WR Watches online with a couple more features including a milled bracelet!
If you can get a watch with these specs for $99 from China; do it. But, I don't believe you.
@@ivermec-tin666 Here you go. Just look for the model you like best. www.alibaba.com/product-detail/SD1970-Stock-Supply-Stainless-Steel-Case_62234640308.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.0.0.19b771432OVRrm#reviewSubHeader
I have purchased several Steel Dive & San Martin watches from China. They are decent specs and quality. I do like shopping on Ali Express, but there are a few disadvantages including you will wait 3-6 weeks for your watch. Forget about returns. The finishing on them is ok, but certainly not refined. The bracelets are solid but not great. Almost all things made of steel are made in China, including "Swiss Made" watches. They have forums every year in Hong Kong where all the big manufacturers discuss how to maintain their "Swiss Made" monikers while still producing most of the parts in China. The questions is not whether it was made in Asia or not, but simply the quality of the product. They make MVMT watches in China, and they also do Omega case production. Guaranteed.
Ahahaha you crack me up Nick. Looking forward to more reviews! Are you sure you're not Barry Kripke?
Good lume and a quick adjust clasp. Yes
How could you forget about the ceramic bezel lol That's a major plus.
I just bought the Pepsi version, and I just love it. A beautiful watch.
Greetings from Belgrade 😁
Seiko screwed the pooch killing and discontinuing the SKX007. BUT! The SKX faithful wanted a continuation. The Islander is a reincarnation or a continuation of the SKX but with all the refinements the watch buyers were begging and demanding. Hence the Long Island custom modifications per the buyer.
The Seiko NH36 is a logical choice as the SKX used it.
Thanks Marc for keeping the SKX alive but as an ISL.
Half links and quick adjust on a 300 dollar watch?? Are you reviewing a tag or something?
Good review thank you.
Marc is a great guy that runs Long Island Watch.
Wow, nick... this is an excellent watch for the money. Sapphire crystal, hand winding & hacking movement, solid end links, screwed links, milled clasp! This blows the competition out of the water. Period.
It’s a bit chunky and a bit large @ 43mm. I’d call this the civici elementum S35VN of watches. SKX007 but actually worth the price. It rivals $500 watches.
Bawwy Kwipke’s reviewing watches now. Cool.
Well then, I'll be the first one to say that was a Long review. See what I did there? ;-)
I would describe this as an SKX homage with common upgrades (sapphire crystal, hacking/winding movement, bracelet, lumed ceramic bezel), plus drilled lugs and applied indeces.
This is the next gen SKX that Seiko made in an alternate timeline.
The only real consideration is the lack of certification.
Nick where are these made ?
Why are seiko fans so angry? So many pissed off comments about criticisms made...it’s either defending the skx to the death or hating on someone with a Rolex.
Inferiority complex, makes people angry. Look st BLM.
Get you a man who talks about you the way nick talks about lume
This is amazing advice.
He would light up your life!
@@NickShabazz Hello. Is your watch black color? On the site ISL-01 is dark blue....I want to order but i dont want black)
I’m flying back to Long Island tomorrow....... maybe I’ll grab one over the weekend.
They are an internet dealer. Long Island Watch does not have a retail storefront. Just call them up.
First Name Last Name Yea. I watch his channel. Wasn’t sure if he had a store front or not though.
@@megalomouthradio5839 Marc grew up helping out in his fathers retail store, hardware, IIRC. It's just too hard to make that model work in this era (the rent is too damn high).
Hey Nick first and foremost thank you for the content . Not to be off topic but have you handled the blink blades spinxs by chance
LOL "Why is he showing an Omega...I don't know." Just bought one of these and now I'm shopping parts to mod it. :D
Did the clasp you have on this watch comes original or you changed it?
I swapped it for a quick-adjust clasp
Definitely one of the best values. Most clasps are stamped while this one is milled which is another upgrade from the regular seiko. Why buy a seiko 5 when you can get all of these upgrades for about the same price!
Actually,as far as function,I prefer my seiko five diver,simply because I don't like the screw down crowns-I have five autos,and only two winders,so I have to wind two daily,and it's alot easier without a screwdown crown,(yeah,I know,just buy a couple more winders)
Don't understand why big companies like Seiko are refusing to offer this type/quality of watches themselves , with the manufacturing power they have it should be even cheaper. They are getting outdone by small independent business. The only reasons I can think of is purely marketing strategies to justify the really overpriced watches of their more expensive lines. Love the watch but being an office diver the thickness is turning me off. Hopping/waiting for a more comfortable field type watch with this type of material from Marc :).