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stew77 Admin 
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Well...it looks like at least two 3T'ers had the Seiko Sumo in mind this past week. Arriving this week is the "new to me" Modified Seiko Prospex SBDC001 ("Black Sumo"). This one was modified with an inner surface AR coated sapphire crystal (slightly domed), and the type-s "red-dot" seconds hand in the flavor of vintage Seiko divers like the 6105-8000 series. This is my very first Prospex line Seiko and I'm sure it won't be my last!! The japanese market only Seiko lines certainly have some lookers.hearteyes.gif I have been eyeing the Sumo for a while and it seems like everytime I think of picking one up, I talk myself out of it. One of the main things that had held me up on the Sumo was the fact that the stock ones come with the Seiko Hardlex crystal and I have always been disappointed with scratches that develop easily over time on mineral crystal watches. I guess I'm a bit of a sapphire snob, but I do prefer all of my watches to have a real sapphire crystal if possible. I have never owned a Hardlex crystal watch from Seiko, so I cannot comment on any negative experience with it...but when this sapphire modded crystal one came up...I jumped on it. This one definitely wears much smaller than the 45mm diameter bezel dimension would suggest. The overall case design and very nicely curved lugs lend to the very comfy wearability on the wrist. Take a look at the pics, but the case on this one is work of art...contrasting areas of polished and brushed finishes and the way the case lines arc and curve is just very nice to look at. This one definitely has a case design that is different than anything else I have (not hard to do, I realize, with my very small collection...but heh, got to start somewhere). The LUME, The LUME, The LUME...Stunningly Bright!!!:cool: Minor gripe...The bracelet on this one is a tapered 20-18mm...I'm not at all opposed to 20mm lug dimensions, but I think that a non-tapered 20mm bracelet would fit the chunky dimensions of the Sumo better...I think most would agree that this piece could easily pull off a 22mm lug/bracelet. Minor gripes aside...enjoy some pics: I think I've got a keeper here!!!  Modified "Red-Dot" seconds hand  Nicely Modified (slightly domed) Sapphire Crystal  Nicely Done Signed Seiko Crown  Cool "Wave" Caseback  And just look at the curves and contrasting finishes on the Sumo Case (nice to look at eh...)   Some Wrist Shots   |
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Skipdawg 3T WIS 
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Great pickup. Congrats and enjoy. ;) yourock.gifyourock.gifyourock.gif hand6.gifhand6.gif |
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Graham 3T WIS 
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A stunner youv'e got there! Enjoy in good health.hand6.gif |
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bigrustypig 3T WIS 
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Congrats, Stew77. That's a nice one there. hand6.gif We each have a Sumo in different colors. I enjoyed your own short review and agree with your many points. There'a also something about my Sumo that is interesting: Just like a brand new Rolex Sub, the lowest tip or point of the triangle/dot lume index of the Sumo when aligned with the tiny rectangular index at the 12 o'clock mark does NOT result in perfect alignment. It's off by about 1/5th of a millimeter. But this "tiny problem" of the Rolex Sub solves itself in a few months or weeks of wear. By then the tip and the tiny rectangle align perfectly. Maybe it's the way the tight tolerances interact with the opposing surface. I just don't know if this is the case with your own Sumo, Stew, but check it out if you wish. Anyway, when I attempt my mini-review in a week or so, I hope the "things" align themselves. Last edited on Mon Jul 27th, 2009 05:59 am by bigrustypig |
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bigrustypig 3T WIS
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Oh, by the way, I'd like to thank all of you (TonyD, Skip, Graham, KenC, Mark, Norm, Tom and Nic/Nabco) for your kind words about my Sumo yesterday. To answer some of your queries: Graham - yes, it hacks....not a very smooth hacker though and yes, it can me manually wound. I would it as soon as I opened the box. Winding is also almost grainy and not very smooth as a Rolex, Unitas, Zenith or Omega but for this price point, I find the trade-off acceptable. TonyD - I also considered the orange but somehow the blue was really talking to me and I don't have a blue watch at all. (I might also consider a black  )Norm - I will attempt a lume shot but by itself, it's within the Seiko reputation for great lume. Can't wait to take it fishing when I get back home. Tom - yes, let's wrestle some day  |
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Tony Duronio 3T WIS 
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Nice write up Stew and a great looking watch..enjoy |
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Paxman 3T WIS 
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You guys are driving me nuts with the great looking Sumos. Perhaps that's just providence.:D I really like the mods on this Sumo. An AR coated sapphire is just what the Sumo needs and should come with imo. The seconds hand is just a nice touch. Your pix are fantastic and really show off the various finishes and superb finishing on the watch. Enjoy your Sumo!yourock.gif |
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tombs 3T WIS 
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Big Congrats Stew77 with an awesome Sumoface4.gif I like it a lot Great pics too |
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teddyhanna Guest
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Chris I like it. Had a couple of Seikos. Never owned the Sumo. I have never noticed the bracelet tappering down like that. From 20m to 18m. Chris the lugs are fat, so you could go with a 22mm or maybe 24mm rubber trim it to fit. Just a thought. Enjoy that Sumo...........hand6.gif |
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stew77 Admin
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Thank you all (Skipdawg, Graham, Bigrusty, Tony, Pax, Tombs, and Teddy) for the kind words and congrats!!! Really liking the Sumo so far!! Thanks all for the nice comments on the pics...I continue to be amazed by the photos my beat up Canon Powershot Digital Elph can capture (yes this is the super-compact, point-and-shoot, variety...mine is even an older 6MP model). Bigrusty - Thanks for the additional comments. It is pretty interesting that we both picked up a Sumo in the Black and Blue variety last week. Your comment about the Sumo Bezel alignment is an interesting one. I am the second owner of this minty modified Sumo so it has some age from manufacture (warranty card I think says July 2008) and since the crystal has been modified with an AR sapphire one, the bezel itself has been off to do the mods. I can tell you that the tip of the Lume dot triangle on the Bezel aligns perfectly with the tiny rectangle on the dial side marker. It will be interesting to see if yours settles in with time and aligns itself. Pax - Agree...the AR sapphire and "red-dot" seconds hand really pushed my over the fence on this one. Teddy - thanks for the strap comments...I have been thinking of a nice rubber strap or complimenting notched leather strap to put on this one...decisions...decisions. Last edited on Mon Jul 27th, 2009 12:30 pm by stew77 |
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stormin13 3T WIS 
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You have scored an awesome looking Sumo Stew! hand6.gifhand6.gif Like I told Bigrustypig; I really dig the over-sized hands and hour markers plus the lume is stunning. Like yourself I wish that Seiko used a Sapphire crystal instead of the Hardlex mineral crystal. My Seiko Scuba Diver (7S26-0028) has the Hardlex crystal and in less than 3 months I had two scratches on the crystal, one of which is about 5/16 of an inch long and is somewhat distracting. :( The use of the mineral crystal by Seiko has kept me from purchasing another one. Yours on the other hand has a sapphire crystal and should last for many, many years with no scratches. yahoo.gif Your Sumo has just enough modifications to make it much better but it still looks like the original. woohoo.gif The pictures you posted are stunning and show all of the watch details to perfection. Enjoy wearing your new custom Seiko Sumo in the Colorado sunshine, cheers. |
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OldeCrow 3T WIS 
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Welcome to the Club!! Here's a lumeshot just to get you motivated!  Last edited on Mon Jul 27th, 2009 03:40 pm by OldeCrow |
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SHADY 3T WIS 
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Nice sumo!!! |
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romeo-1 3T WIS 
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Looks good! I just finished completely re-building a 6309. New dial, hands, chapter ring, bezel insert, sapphire and display back. I call it the Orange Crush. Sorry for the crappy pic! Attachment: mod 020.jpg (Downloaded 44 times) Last edited on Mon Jul 27th, 2009 09:22 pm by romeo-1 |
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stew77 Admin
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Continued thanks for the kind words and congrats (Stormin, Oldecrow, and Shady). Stormin - Sounds like you have developed a little sapphire snobbery too...nothing wrong with that though...like you, I really find a scratched crystal on a timepiece very distracting as it interferes with being able to fully enjoy the nice dial work on great looking pieces. The sapphire on this one pushed me off the fence on buying this Sumo, and I will probably try to buy any future Seiko's with sapphire if possible. Oldecrow - WOW! Spectacular Lume shot of your nicely modded SUMO! Love the plonguer style hands on yours and the Lume on those hands look like a perfect match to the color and intensity of the Seiko Lumibrite dial...Are those hands original Seiko hands with Lumibrite from another model? Looks fantastic! |
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murphy j 3T WIS 
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I like it. Every time I see a NICE Seiko like yours, I tell myself I'm gonna have to get one. |
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stew77 Admin
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romeo-1 wrote: Looks good! I just finished completely re-building a 6309. New dial, hands, chapter ring, bezel insert, sapphire and display back. I call it the Orange Crush. Sorry for the crappy pic! Romeo - Really like what you did with your Vintage 6309 rebuild!!! Big thumbs up !!! My purchase of this modified Seiko Sumo has opened my eyes to some of the great things that people are doing with modified Vintage Seikos in the 6105-6309-8000 series. I like!!!! |
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Gammetrunner 3T WIS
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:) New to the forum, Hello. Just curious about the mod on your Sumo. Was it done by the Seiko when it was made or did you purchase it from someone who modded it? Thanks. Love the pics and would love to have one! |
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stew77 Admin
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Gammetrunner wrote: :) New to the forum, Hello. Just curious about the mod on your Sumo. Was it done by the Seiko when it was made or did you purchase it from someone who modded it? Hello Gammetrunner...first, a warm welcome to 3T and the forums!!! You will definitely like it here...feel free to jump right in. To answer your question, I purchased it from someone who had worked with their local watchmaker and modded it to the configuration you see here with the sapphire crystal and type-s seconds hand. The Sumo (modded or unmodded) is a solid and very nicely machined piece...I still very much enjoy mine!!! |
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Nabco 3T WIS 
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That's a SWEET Sumo Stew...CONGRATS hand6.gif |
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Gammetrunner 3T WIS
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Thanks for the response. I'm a long time Seiko lover especially the dive watches them being my favorite. I want to purchase another and the Sumo has just recently caught my eye. I love reading tthe forums and seeing the pics of peoples time pieces. I have been reading for several years now and I find peoples information and experiences to be invaluable. Thanks again. |
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