REVIEW: The Time Sonar Re-edition, SRPJ41 (and 43, 45, 47)

[HiBeat]

Oct 16, 2022 16:12:55 GMT -8 dapellegrini said:

Thanks peterr - I really like it on the Rally bracelet too - its going to stay that way for a while.  The brushed bracelet fits fine with the "tumbled" case.  It's all a bit thick / heavy, but next to something like a modern Turtle you could call this a woman's watch...  

Embrace the Slim Case.

It is unisex now but so is a New Turtle or a Rolex Yachtmaster nowadays, too.

The SRPJ41 case dimensions are darn near perfect and the comfort is up there with the best of them.

[HiBeat]

Dammit I am getting this much closer to opening the box my SRPJ41 came in.   But then I see the prices some dudes are willing to pay for one and I think "flip it before you grip it" or as Steve Miller would sing "go on take the money and run."

[dapellegrini]

LOL, if you know you will love it open it!  I am the opposite, I have an extra SPRJ43 waiting for an owner that will love and wear it - to pay what I paid (retail + tax and shipping).  I think I could get near double at the moment if I wanted - but I don't want to be that guy.  Call it PTSD from the Rolex line.

[peterr]

i got my time sonar, or whatever we want to call it.

it's beautiful. the colors are what i would call muted. the orange is very browned-out
compared to any orange-dialled watch you might have on hand, and the turquoise is
grayed-out, as well. this is not a criticism, just objective evaluation from a life-long
artist. the colors will not set off any alarms, and i imagine the original sports brighter
colors.

It's a keeper, and, it's the fattest watch i'll have, 13.6mm, width is 42.3mm, 45.7mm
lug-to-lug. But man, is that dial appearing to be set so deeply in, it looks, oddly and
beautifully, as if the dial were sitting just a few mm higher than the caseback. There is
a sunburst effect on the dial, which causes me to rotate my wrist to and fro so as to
observe the effect.

There is no number printed on the caseback, the card says it's # 257, that's a prime
number, so i'm happy about that, but i do wish the number were on the watch.

This finish, well, it's as if if were left out in the wind for 3 years. It's ethereal, somehow.
Maybe it looks as if it were polished with flannel obsessively. It's duller than a normal
shiny seiko, which i highly, highly approve of. I think i'm going to leave this case stock,
and not carve it, which is high praise.

I put it on a nice, flattish shark's mesh bracelet with a ratcheting divers extension,
as is my preference. This bracelet has been bead-blasted, and then polished by wear
and tear, and it matches the case perfectly. The bracelet that comes with it is ridiculously
prosaic, if that's possible.

Bezel alignment is not off enough for complaint. The bezel operates beautifully, and it looks
as if the hands will be bright enough to tell time in the dark, but i'll see about that tonight

This is my first new seiko 5, and i'm glad i went for it.

[dapellegrini]

Check the back again for a number - you can kind of make out mine here - on the metal caseback outer ring part

[peterr]

thanks so much for that hint, it was hiding in plain site amidst the tumbled effect:)

[HiBeat]

Oct 17, 2022 6:13:14 GMT -8 peterr said:

i got my time sonar, or whatever we want to call it.

it's beautiful. the colors are what i would call muted. the orange is very browned-out
compared to any orange-dialled watch you might have on hand, and the turquoise is
grayed-out, as well. this is not a criticism, just objective evaluation from a life-long
artist. the colors will not set off any alarms, and i imagine the original sports brighter
colors.

It's a keeper, and, it's the fattest watch i'll have, 13.6mm, width is 42.3mm, 45.7mm
lug-to-lug. But man, is that dial appearing to be set so deeply in, it looks, oddly and
beautifully, as if the dial were sitting just a few mm higher than the caseback. There is
a sunburst effect on the dial, which causes me to rotate my wrist to and fro so as to
observe the effect.

There is no number printed on the caseback, the card says it's # 257, that's a prime
number, so i'm happy about that, but i do wish the number were on the watch.

This finish, well, it's as if if were left out in the wind for 3 years. It's ethereal, somehow.
Maybe it looks as if it were polished with flannel obsessively. It's duller than a normal
shiny seiko, which i highly, highly approve of. I think i'm going to leave this case stock,
and not carve it, which is high praise.

I put it on a nice, flattish shark's mesh bracelet with a ratcheting divers extension,
as is my preference. This bracelet has been bead-blasted, and then polished by wear
and tear, and it matches the case perfectly. The bracelet that comes with it is ridiculously
prosaic, if that's possible.

Bezel alignment is not off enough for complaint. The bezel operates beautifully, and it looks
as if the hands will be bright enough to tell time in the dark, but i'll see about that tonight

This is my first new seiko 5, and i'm glad i went for it.

Amazing review Peter, thank you.    You might just have lifted the packing tape of my outer carton with this.

"I think i'm going to leave this case stock, and not carve it, which is high praise."     Yes sir, praise from on high for sure.

[peterr]

nah, i'm not in any kind of high place, but don't have a natural affinity
for skx case architecture. everybody has their things, but it all seems to 
be working with this watch. all it lacks is the ability to push a button that
resets the second hand to zero, and that's not really a lack, in my book.

i still have it on, and i'm loving it

[inboost]

This contest we're having this month (October 2022 for all you future readers) is tough to stick to when you've got one of these you can put right on! I'm amazed at your self restraint HiBeat!

peterr - if it's not too much trouble can we have a photo on the bead blasted mesh adorned SRPJ41? I agree with all of your comments, so I bet your bracelet choice is going to be amenable to me as well! I've still not purchased a band specifically for my SRPJ41, so I'd love to see what you've created here. I have a bead blast cabinet at work so I'd be able to recreate the look without much effort.

Meanwhile, I'm pretty tempted by the Uncle Seiko razor wire bracelet.

Inboost

[dapellegrini]

inboost, my Bulova here is on that Razor Wire bracelet:

wristsushi.proboards.com/post/265272/thread

I like it, though the clasp is a little flimsy compared to other options at this price point.  Doesn't bother me - and I bet some well placed adjustments with a pair of needle nose pliers would at least tighten it up.  I find the bracelet itself very comfortable.

[inboost]

I knew there was someone close at hand to blame for my desire to buy that bracelet!

Thanks dapellegrini good to know it would be a good candidate!

[HiBeat]

Oct 17, 2022 17:01:41 GMT -8 inboost said:

I knew there was someone close at hand to blame for my desire to buy that bracelet!

Thanks dapellegrini good to know it would be a good candidate!

Here is my only RazorWire Uncle Seiko bracelet, on my SKX171:

[HiBeat]

OK OK OK dapellegrini inboost peterr

Today I was able to handle the SRPJ41 at a Prospex AD     Wow that is such a gorgeous execution.   Everything you guys said about it is so true.

The case finish surprised me, I will describe it differently from anything I have seen so far.  I will say it looks like a vintage watch that has lost its high shine on the polished surfaces but is otherwise perfectly preserved.    That is supposed to be a high compliment to the Seiko Design Team.

[dapellegrini]

Now that it appears Seiko has released their "main line" and non-limited Time Sonar re-editions, it is clear how much better these limited edition collaborations are, at least to me...  The SRPJ45 and SRPJ47 are now available and more closely mimic the dials of the vintage watches - but in a more classic SKX case:





I still mulling over my thoughts on these...  They appear to be non-limited and $315 MSRP - so a lot cheaper out of the gates

[dapellegrini]

FWIW one example of each of these should be arriving this coming week.  Will add comments when I have received them

[inboost]

I messed up and posted this in a different thread about this watch, but it really belongs here!

Now this bracelet ticks all the boxes for me. I'm very taken with it!

One note to prospective new owner, the supplied 'fat' spring bars are unable to interface with the watch case as the lug holes are too small. I've reused the originals and they work well enough, but some of his custom fat bars with narrow pin ends would be the right way forward. The bracelet has crept a bit away from the end link due to this fitment and thats why you see a bit of a gap between the end link and the first link.

Be forewarned - sizing this bracelet requires one's tongue to be held just right while all the little links are threaded back into place.

Uncle 6309 / SRP 22mm Razor Strap

Uncle modified fat spring bars

[saldog]

Nov 6, 2022 6:56:04 GMT -8 inboost said:

I messed up and posted this in a different thread about this watch, but it really belongs here!

Now this bracelet ticks all the boxes for me. I'm very taken with it!

One note to prospective new owner, the supplied 'fat' spring bars are unable to interface with the watch case as the lug holes are too small. I've reused the originals and they work well enough, but some of his custom fat bars with narrow pin ends would be the right way forward. The bracelet has crept a bit away from the end link due to this fitment and thats why you see a bit of a gap between the end link and the first link.

Be forewarned - sizing this bracelet requires one's tongue to be held just right while all the little links are threaded back into place.

Uncle 6309 / SRP 22mm Razor Strap

Uncle modified fat spring bars

That looks smashing! Like it was made for it. Except for the end pieces I guess. But it is decidedly non-preppy!

[dapellegrini]

I also really like that bracelet - I have it on my Bulova Parking Meter.  Its very comfortable / easy to wear and has a great aesthetic.  

[dapellegrini]

Teaser - The 45 and 47 have arrived...  I'm going to wait for a nice moment during the day to open them up and document the whole thing.  First impressions after making sure I received the correct items: The boxes are standard entry level Seiko.  The cases are high polish - more soon...

[dapellegrini]

First, an update.  I (finally) pulled the SRPJ43 out of the box, swapped the bracelet out for a Strapcode Beads of Rice, and gave it a good looking over.  Curiously this one is high polish on the sides of the case and the bezel - unlike the tumbled look of the SRPJ41.  The top of the lugs on this version (the most limited at 500 examples made) is brushed, also unlike the "41"







With that one finally out and set, it was time to dig into the standard versions.  These have a lot more lume, and share the polished flanks and brushed top surfaces of the SPRJ43

The boxes are the cheap / standard Seiko variety.  Definitely not as nice as the limited editions





Also unlike the special editions - we get an instruction booklet... FWIW





And here they are with tags and stickers still on





Note there is some inner box damage from rattling around on their trip from Dubai to the US.  Also note, the date wheels on these are in english and arabic instead of kanji

And here is a closer look at the set



















The transulcent dial on the 45/47 has a vinyl / record groove texture that is larger than the 41/43 version - the end result is you can see the date and day wheels more clearly on the 45/47.  The 41/43 has a more blurred look with a finer texture.