Review of the 116600 SeaDweller

[kilyung]

A lot has been said recently about the new ceramic SeaDweller 116600 (aka SDc, SD4k). Good or bad, like or dislike - this write-up is solely my impressions of this piece after a week on wrist... about as useful/meaningful as a one night stand with Kate Upton. A quick Google search will produce some really good reviews (and fantastic pictures) of this watch (and Kate for that matter).

As most of you know, these days I tend to be biased towards precious metal Rolexes. Why? I don't wear my watches as tools (beyond tracking time/day/date). My work environment tends to be a board room so durability isn't an issue. Of greater importance to me is desirability - to be frank I buy what I buy because it looks hot! So when I saw the 116600, my attraction was purely an aesthetic consideration.

Let's get right to the argument, is the 116600 better than the DSSD or SubC? Quite honestly, why does it matter? If you think the SubC is better, then it is. Similar if you think the DSSD is top dog, then it is. IMHO it's a silly thing to get worked up over what's "best". It's entirely subjective. Purely on a technical basis, it could be argued that the DSSD > SDc > SubC based on depth rating and HEV. But I don't know anyone who would tax the depth rating of any of these pieces. So I reiterate, there is no "better" watch. Some think Kate Upton is hot while others would prefer a Scarlett Johannson - by the way, I'm equally split on that question. Some like the fantasy of whirling around in the sky in a P-51 Mustang or Spitefire (arguably two of the sexist planes of all time) vs flying balls to the wall in a F-15 Eagle. Different strokes for different folks. And if you're lucky enough to have both, well you're very fortunate.

Case:
The case is pretty thick as can be expected for a watch with this depth rating. The caseback is taller so it means the case sits a bit further away from the wrist than a Sub. This clearance helps distance the lugs from the wrists. This means the bracelet wraps across broader wrist sizes without appearing to flare outward from the case. This taller caseback also helps with comfort as the wrist contact area is smaller than a Sub.



The 116600 obviously has the HEV which I will never need but is an interesting talking point. Kind of like having run flat tires on your luxury car... can anyone say AAA? It also breaks up the monotony of the polished case side nicely.



Let's talk about the lugs. Much has been said about the lugs. Square lugs. Thinner lugs. Old lugs. New lugs. Have you seen the photo shoot comparing Kate Upton's legs to Kylie Minogue's? IMHO it's about the whole package. It'll either work for you or it doesn't. In my case, I have/love the old thin lugs on the 14060m/16610 as well as the big square lugs on the newest models. I love how both lugs look wrapped around my wrist. I do want to opine that (to my eyes) the case looks smaller than the SubC and more closely resembles the old cases.



Bracelet:
Not much to be said about the bracelet. It's the standard SubC Glidelock clasped bracelet. The endlinks are slightly different but help to better integrate the bracelet to the "smaller appearing" case. Similar to the DSSD, I removed the diver extension as I find that doing so is much more comfortable on my 6.5" wrist but the extension is an added bonus if you want to play at being Jacque Cousteau. I should point out that being a precious metal guy I like PCLs. However I'm reminded of how nice BCLs are when the bracelet still looks so new. The BCL looks "right" on this watch - like Al Pacino's stereotype movie roles.







Bezel:
The graded ceramic bezel isn't anything special as we've become quite comfortable with ceramic bezels at this point. The graded markers obviously have some utility but I've found that they help break-up the shine of the ceramic bezel a little and integrate well with the compact feeling of the dial.



It makes the watch look smaller than it really is - sort of like why I wear black pants. When I look at a Sub, with its clean bezel, the dial draws me in and makes the entire face (with bezel) appear larger. The 116600 bezel (while busy) pulls my vantage point out more and makes me take in the entire face - lending the impression of a smaller face. Look at your smartphone and focus and a single point. Now try to look at the entire face of your phone. Does one perspective "feel" larger than the other? That's what I see with the 116600.



Crystal:
The biggest difference is the lack of a cyclops or dome. Granted, it's a little harder for my aging eyes to read the date but I'm used to not having a date on my watches so it's not an issue for me. Besides it's in the DNA of this model. A domed crystal would have been cool but I sometimes find reading the time on a domed crystal a little hard... You can't pull your eyes away. I love the raised crystal. It imbues a classic air to the watch and sometimes reflects light in a colorful spectrum. Sure it's more prone to chipping but where's the joy in life without some risk, right?



Dial:
So this is the fascinating part of the watch for me. The 'flat' dial - depending on lighting - looks flat, polished, black, brown, or gray. It's a changing look that I would have associated more with the sunburst dials but it truly looks different every time I move my wrist. Pictures just don't capture the subtlety of this dial. As I mentioned with the bezel, despite sharing the same movement as the SubC and having the same dial face diameter it appears smaller because of the bezel.





Conclusion:
This watch appeals to me for what it does... look the part of a badass watch. Yes it is a badass technical watch. Maybe not as durable as its predecessor but it looks the part. Will it displace any of my other Rolexes? Nah but they all have their attractions and I have enough love to go around... that includes Kate, Scarlett, and Kylie.