Monster Movie Review
Dot Liljenquist
What drew me to the Orange Monster over, say, an SKX007/9 was its rugged styling with the chunky scalloped bezel made of brushed steel, and bright orange dial. The color was so bright that it looked like you actually had a piece of a fresh orange strapped to your wrist. The fact that I could get an automatic watch for under $200 (the going rate at the time) sealed the deal.
Continuing up the chain, I remembered hearing that a third gen Monster existed, and found that a few orange sunburst dial ones were available (SBDC023). Unfortunately, these models also existed outside of my budget because they contain the higher-end 6R movement, but chances are you won't even find one.
Luckily, around this time was when the fourth gen Monsters were hitting the typical markets. Unfortunately they do not currently make an orange version, but I ended up buying a brand new blue dial version (SRPD25, or SBDY033 in other markets). MSRP is $525, but I found one for roughly $300 on eBay. I pulled the trigger, since I could get a BNIB fourth gen for less than a well-used first gen.
First Impressions
Immediately when you put on this watch, you can tell that Seiko has taken it up a notch from the original. The watch feels and looks more expensive on the wrist. The trade-off being that it has lost some of the fun and rugged character of the original.
The finishing remains similar to the first gen, with circular brushing on the top surface, and polished sides. It also retains the inwards slope of the bezel and scalloped cuts on the sides. The scallops are smaller on the new monster which, combined with smaller chamfer around the edge, and the removal of the vertical cuts, make the watch wear bigger. The bezel now stretches proudly out to the edges of the watch.
Black paint is obviously swapped for white, and a different font was chosen to modernize the new watch. Both use similar minute markings, including the lume pip. The new bezel also has shallower recesses for the paint. I wonder if this makes it more likely to be chipped off.
It retains the signature notched chapter ring, and has returned to the beloved rectangular applied hour markers of the original. The hour markers, however now have a polished metal perimeter, rather than the white (I assume plastic) surrounds of the old watch.
The hands retain similar shapes, but with some streamlining which further modernize the watch. They also receive a brushed metal finish rather than the black or white outlines (depending on dial color) of the old watch.
Both watches have a 200m water resistance. The new Monster retains the semi-shrouded case design, but swaps out the cutout crown relief for a small half-circle recess. This again takes away from the rugged look, but makes the new watch look more elegant and also makes the crown easier to grip. The crown itself retains a similar notched design.
The new links have a similar brushed main surface, with a polished area where it meets the next lug. On both, the links are fairly short, which allows the bracelet to drape the wrist well. Both use the typical cheap-but-effective Seiko pin and collar system to resize.
The clasp design is also very similar, but I believe the one on the new watch is a few mm wider. This allows the link that enters the end of the clasp to be the same width, rather than having the funny narrow link of the old bracelet. Both watches feature four micro-adjust positions.
My one complaint is that the bracelet is a little rattly on the wrist compared to what I remember from the old model. The noise seems to come from the clasp, and probably could be reduced but bending it slightly, but I have been often wearing it on a strap (as you could imagine by now).
Here is a list of some of the straps that would fit and we think look great with this watch. At the end of the article you'll also find photos of some of our favorite combinations. You can also view our Guide to Choosing a Watch Strap.-Ribbed Rubber Pass-Through-Ridge Rubber-Tropical Rubber-Smooth Rubber-Vented Rubber
-Pro Diver-Elastic-Seatbelt
Most Seiko Prospex divers feature larger than standard lug holes and spring bars, which won't fit in standard straps. While all of our straps are compatible with these watches, many other straps aren't. Additionally, some people don't prefer the slight bit play it is present when installing one of our straps. That's where StrapHabit's Thin Spring Bars for Seiko Fat Lug Holes come in. These can be installed in some StrapHabit straps as well as most straps with standard spring bars and fit Seiko divers perfectly. They have 1.1mm tips, but are 1.8mm thick at the center.
There are a lot of factors that have to be considered when writing a review, believe it or not. There is not only the obligation to get the details of the game right, but also to judge a game on its own merits. This is surprisingly difficult sometimes. As an example, I find walking simulator games boring, so would have to internally fight to not tend towards a low mark.
So this is my fifth Seiko and, although I have written a few reviews, I have never gotten around to typing one for WatchPaper. This one will be a bit special because of the context. I am wearing this Seiko on a mini-vacation during the pandemic. This has been an odd and challenging year. And while vacation options are limited, the importance of a vacation may be greater than ever. And so, the choice of vacation timepiece is critical for enhancing the vacation and setting the right mood.
The movement has some negative points. The second hand motion is not smooth. The day and date change starts before 10:30pm and lasts until after 3:00am. But 4R36 has some remarkable performance as I have seen on my other Seiko watches. The winding efficiency is incredible. I can wind it 10-12 times, then wear it for only part of the day, set it down for a day, and find it still ticking the following day. So it seems to attain its full power reserve of 41 hours very easily. The accuracy of all my Seiko watches are well within 10 seconds per day. This Monster is losing less than 5 seconds per day. This is quite remarkable for a $600 watch.
The second feature that made my Seiko a cottage candidate is its day AND date display. While date windows are often unpopular with hardcore watch fans, the DAY is incredibly useful on vacation (or during a WFH pandemic). Time seems to slip away up at the lake and you lose your sense of schedule. Of course, that is what vacation is all about. But I really enjoy the day-date display as I lose track of time.
I have a solar-powered vacation piece and I often enjoy quartz for such use. But a mechanical watch was the right choice for this pandemic mini-vacation at a cottage. This past year, in the financial field, has been intense. And working from home has meant being plugged in, 24/7, within the same four walls for the past 6 months. The purpose of coming out to a cottage on the lake was to un-plug, see some nature and spend time outdoors, in a different setting. A mechanical movement, with its autonomous power source, keeps time while being disconnected from the grid or any circuit boards. You can wear such a movement out in nature without feeling like you are still plugged into a device. This is the right feeling for this week. And writing about it, facing this quiet lake, with a fountain pen, takes these feelings of relaxation even further. The Seiko Monster has the right formula for right now.
The Seiko is not a watch for all occasions. The design is just too loud for that. I would not feel like wearing it with a dress shirt, although I have done so once or twice. The Seiko Monster is really a sports casual watch for active use. You can wear other watches when you actually return to an office one day. You will enjoy the Seiko, however, during your downtime or during WFH casual time.
Combat initially is just you tapping the screen to attack a monster and swiping to dodge when it glows red indicating it is planning an attack. I never cared for the Sword and Shield, so I tried getting through these bits quickly. Each weapon also has a separate skill that you can use by tapping and holding the screen. You soon unlock a special ability which charges up as you take down more monsters, and also unlock armor skills and weapon skills. As you hunt more monsters, you need to forge and upgrade armor with the game conveniently notifying you when your equipped gear can be upgraded. This upgrade system is similar to the main console games, but quite a bit simpler early on. Elemental damage and affinities seem to play a larger part here right from the start. You can also enable motion controls for aiming and targeting by tapping the symbol on the top right during battles.
Visually, Monster Hunter Now looks really good. The interface is nice, and the animations all feel faithful to Monster Hunter. Weapon designs, a good resolution even on older iPhone models like the 11, and a 60fps hunting option all add up to make for a pleasant and polished technical experience in Monster Hunter Now.
Monster Hunter Now only includes six weapon types at launch. You begin with Sword and Shield, then unlock Great Sword, and soon after unlock the other four including Light Bowgun, Bow, Hammer, and Longsword. In terms of monsters, Monster Hunter Now also has a lot of the Monster Hunter World monsters, but not all of them. I imagine major updates will start adding monsters from that game and hopefully from Monster Hunter Rise as well.
I've just drifted my dog into battle, his hindlegs tilting out in a glorious arc at the press of a button for that precious extra boost of speed, before dismounting with the flick of a wirebug that sends a silken line up into the sky, allowing me to grapple onto it and swing towards my prey. In mid-air I pull out a sword fashioned from the remains of a bony Besarios and drive it straight down into the skull of another. Bring this big bastard down and I can fashion a hat out of his hide to complete my Besarios outfit and grant myself an attack boost, so that I might be able to go out and do it again only with more flair, and more efficiency.
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