Seiko Superior Automatic Diver’s 200M Canvas Strap SRP497K1-NS1 Men’s Watch

You can never argue with a Seiko. It’s hard to beat Seiko in its affordability; the built and its general cool looks. Looking for value in mechanical watches? The Seiko mechanicals kind of define it and there is at least one mechanical watch for every budget. Absurd to incredibly affordable – the Seiko Superior comes somewhere near the mid-point on the scale. It’s Superior, for the finishing is of a higher grade than the traditionally built SRP series watches.

The Seiko Superior Automatic Diver’s is placed fairly high in the Seiko’s product category and quite low in premium. Still, there’s no shortage in its features, its wildness and its rarity. You could just be one of the 2500 lucky guys the world over to own one!

No, wait. Perhaps you would like to hear first why it’s called the Stargate II?

The Stargate name comes from the v-shaped bezel-pip resembling the prop from Stargate the movie (and TV series). Its case finishing is the same as with the Seiko Prospex Sumo (JDM). It’s better for what purpose? This is not something you would consider to be dressy or formal, but it matches with most of the casual outfits. This doesn’t also include business casuals.

The 4R36 Stargate is the 7S36 model (2010) upgraded to 24 jewels (one jewel extra) and hack and manual wind features. Or, as they call it – The Stargate II is aesthetically a tribute to the legendary 6105, the venerable and vintage Seiko diver from the ‘70s. The new Stargate’s case design resembles that of the old legends! Both are asymmetrical but near to the cushions’.

It’s the crown guard area that carries the maximum similarity. There are subtle differences that makes the Stargate II look nicer with a tad smaller size and therefore, more acceptable socially. Factory work or playing Polo, you don’t need to change with the needs.

Among the stark differences, the most obvious would be the slightly smaller hour markers and the rectangular loupe over the day/date window. Then slowly, you come to the Montre Seiko chronographe strap, which is essentially a nylon pass-through strap with a fixed metal buckle and two metal rings. One holds the strap into place and the other fitted below the buckle end to secure the tail doesn’t hang free. The British Ministry of Defence (MOD) commissioned the trademarked (by International Watchman, Inc.) design in 1973. It’s also called the G10 as they appear in the MOD requisition catalogue. In a civilian life, it will last almost as long as the watch.

But this NATO comes with a difference. It’s not entirely canvas but a mix of canvas and leather, the latter firming the ends and the mid-area. Now, that sure doesn’t come with too many watches!

Citizen Altichron Eco-Drive Promaster BN4026-09E Men’s Watch

This is a watch that might alter your very preferences. Under normal circumstances, people start with simple digital quartz watches, then analog quartz watches, analog and digital complications and finally, to mechanical. This one makes you go back to the days when sci-fi tech ruled the roost. The only difference is, this time it’s more of tech-luxury than absurd sci-fi.

The Citizen Altichron Eco-Drive Promaster BN4026-09E Men’s Watch comes from a different arena of fine, complicated watch-making. It’s the Japanese advanced technology and micro-electronics that does the wonder; their technological innovations this time create a primacy named the Promaster Altichron. The Promaster family is a popular name to professionals – divers, airmen, climbers and deep-sea daredevils alike. The name Altichron is an old one, though.

This 2013 Citizen Promaster Altichron, besides its compass and altimeter is water resistant up to 200 m. But those come later, what strikes you immediately is its dial layout!

Original, masterful and dense without appearing overcomplicated, it is poles apart from the first Promaster Altichron, even in the overall built, finish and quality, which is many more times superior not from its predecessor but also than the similarly priced extreme tool watches.

The Montre Citizen Homme is a 5-hands watch, with the 6th one at 9’0 clock (power reserve indicator) solely up to your consideration. The dial offers maximum information at a glance, through different simple functions with complex logic behind them. Al that makes the Altichron a cluster of several instruments put together, thus lessening your load while you fly or climb. As long as you feed the Eco-Drive movement with sufficient light, the watch will never stop working. For best results, charge it up fully before wearing and the deficits resulting from regular use shall be too low to detect.

The ALTIMETER is as accurate as digital ones but shows the readings in analog format on the graduated exterior scale of the power reserve dial. There are three hands that offer the readings as combinations of 1000, 100 and 2.5 m. It measures altitudes between 1,000 and 10,000 meters whereas the COMPASS works best when the watch is kept horizontally. One push of the button and you know the directions!

But well, it won’t be fair to further water down the absolutely original and technologically advanced surprises the Altichron brings. So let’s end by saying the Altichron’s innovative design delivers the beauty of a mechanical watch while being on the opposite side of it. It’s generous in its size, light due to the titanium and everything in its works perfectly and in sync.

What use might the usual urban guy find of it? Nothing much, but it’s always cool to get a piece of technology that’s complete and perfect to its last detail!