Seiko SBFG001 Review

[sshark]

On Saturday I was supposed to shop for shirts. However, in the earlier part of the day, I went out with my Dennis to check out the watch shops. And by the end of the day, I bought no shirts but Seiko SBFG001.



Seiko SBFG001 has the 80s retro look (which captured my heart) but has the features of present day i.e. world time and radio signal atomic time synchronization. This is indeed what I have been waiting for. I am almost pulled the trigger on Casio GW-S5600-1JF.

It wears comfortably but this photo gave the impression that it is almost as big as my hand. Believe me it is not. I trust it is the lightning effect and not my photography skill that caused this



For those who are familiar with digital watches will almost instantly know what this watch is capable of by reading the specs.
   

• Automatic or on demand radio controlled atomic clock sync (Japan, USA, UK, Germany) 5 bands. Automatic radio reception status if watch is automatically sync with the towers at 2:00am or 3:00am if 2:00am fails and finally stops at 4:00am. ** This is not tested as there is no radio controlled atomic clock sync within this region **
• Solar charging system (3 month power reserve and 11 months in extended Sleep power reserve mode)
• Built in backlight (EL:Electroluminescent Light)
• Hardlex mineral crystal
• Pseudo solid stainless steel bracelet. From my observation, the metal pieces are bended and glued to make each link looks solid. There is a tell tale line on the side of each link.
• Charge level indicator with charge warning
• Count down timer (9 hours 59 mins maximum)
• Chronograph 1/100 sec increments (10 hours)
• Dual time display.  Switching between local time and home time is simple
• World time for 32 cities around the world
• Automatic adjustment for DST time
• Perpetual calendar
• Alarm (up to 3 alarms can be set) 24 hour based. No chime and snooze. The alarm will last for 10s.

The pushers are fantastic. The pushers went in firmly and effortless and that gave you an affirmative feedback. I can’t find this feeling with the Casio watches. Pressing the Casio buttons was like pressing a stuck button.

Also, the bracelet is not made of solid links. Each link is folded and "glued" to make it looks like solid link. If you examine carefully, u can see a line on the side of the link.

[duniajam]

Congrats bro! Nice watch 

Thanks for sharing...

[gapper]

great catch! 

btw sshark, synchronizing the atomic timer isn't impossible here in Malaysia. believe it or not, i managed to sync. my MTG few weeks back (17/8).
but mine is multiband 6 (capable to sync atomic signals fr. Europe, North America, Japan and China), it's hard to get it sync'ed here... but not impossible. in fact, it's hard to get it sync over taiwan too, i guess it's pretty much location dependent. if you live somewhere higher, u might get to sync. but again, weather, interruption of others frequencies might blocking it. try to face ur watch somewhere near the window facing north, and setup auto synch over the nite and see.



anyway... welcome another atomic watch owner... hehe...

[sshark]

I could try but there r 2 immediate obstacles.

1. My watch doesn't recognize China radio controlled atomic clock sync. I doubt we are able to receive Japan's signal
2. I am a lot further to the south than KL hence further away from China. I presume u r in KL.

[gapper]

sshark,
not sure about seiko atomic radio synchronization method mate... does your seiko indicates the atomic signal strength? mine has the signal level indicator when activating the synchronization mode, it tells level3 sometime.. n sometime level1.

and yes, i'm at selangor to be precise.

[chrisyen]

i dun think malaysia can get the signal...
according to citizen watchmaker... even sabah hard to get

[sshark]

Yes it does have the signal indicator. So far it is offline. Will check out it later. Will update if any new discovery.

[gapper]

chris,
i never expect it's sync-able too... as i gotten my m5600 few years back (multiband 5), it does shows the signal level1-2 but never get it sync'ed b4...

perhaps.. maybe it's hungry ghost festive that made my watch sync-able this month??!! 
and the frequencies level indicator shown collision of signal between the spirits of gshock then... kekeke... j/k

watever.. i just shared what i've experienced. pics attached shown the successful GET record... i will upload the photo of the signal leveling indicator when i'm free... hope some sifus may shed some lights on why the signal level indicating there's signals.

[Scott C.]

Congrats

Do show show next time ya 

[sshark]

My experience with this watch time sync. I have tested it with Germany and UK signals. It worked well (for manual synch) in both instances. It will take @ least 5mins to synch. The manual says it will take about few mins to as long as 19mins to complete the process. The downside of it is its reception is very weak. You need to be in the right direction and place to synch successfully and you shouldn't move (according to the manual). So best if it can synch @ night but the watch has to be in the right section of the house not just near the window.

Also, I would like to hear those who had experienced with Casio radio time synch.

[ZhaoYun]

The size is really BIG ! But I like the technology to sync with Atomic clock !

[sshark]

It is not really tat big. Some how in photo it looked big. Like they say, u look fatter in the photos

[danny]

...... Like they say, u look fatter in the photos

  That's a good one.

The pictures were very likely taken with a wide angle lens.

 

[sshark]

Guess so... it was taken with my iphone.

[takashi78]

Can you move around when sync?
Or you need to just stand there?

[sshark]

According to the manual u hv to be still