Once I published my list of Father's Day sales, I realized something: I
am a father, and a pretty good one if I do say so myself. Why just this
morning, my son joined me in a rousing chorus of Ramones songs, so
clearly I am doing something right and this is precisely the sort of
rightness that deserves a reward. I checked out the sales, found a
suitable target, clicked the "Add to Cart" button, and three days later I
was the proud owner of a Deep Blue Sea Ram 500.
Deep Blue is an American company based in New York that specializes in
divers watches. Their popular Sea Ram collection comes in several models
including Swiss Made quartz three-handers ($299-319) and chronographs
($450), and a Miyota 9015 automatic ($499). They offer a veritable
rainbow of dial options ranging from sober black to sun ray candy colors to iridescent mother-of-pearl. Bezel inserts are tough, glossy ceramic with color-keyed markers. If you dig a splash of color on your wrist, you will have a blast choosing your favorite Sea Ram.
I
chose a simple quartz with a white enamel dial, orange hands, a white
bezel with orange markers, and a white silicone strap. My reasons were
twofold. The first was my inexplicable desire to dress like a
Creamsicle. (I'm not joking. I've been on a real orange and white kick
this summer.) The second was its absolutely irresistible sale price of
$99. That particular deal is gone, but Deep Blue frequently runs sales
so it's worth keeping an eye out for bargains.
All Sea Rams share the same brushed stainless steel case - a heavy unit that makes no attempt to hide its bulk. It measures 45mm wide, 51mm long, and 15mm thick, with slab sides and blocky crown guards. The
thick lugs are rounded and tapered, with only the slightest curvature
on the underside. As a result, the watch sits nearly flat and takes up
nearly every iota of my 6.5" wrist (52mm lug-to-lug is my usual limit).
Deep Blue does make a 36mm women's version, the Sea Ramic, which is
otherwise identical to the larger model. This might also be a promising
option for men with smaller wrists if they can endure the terrible pun
of a name and are secure enough to wear a watch marketed to women
(seriously fellas, it's not like it has estrogen in it), but I suspect
many will find the gap between 45mm and 36mm to be too much of a
stretch.
The
Sea Ram may have peacock tendencies, but it is a deep water tool watch
at heart. To this end, it is equipped with a sapphire crystal, screw
down crown and case back, and is sealed to 500 meters water resistance.
The 120-click bezel is surrounded by squared and beveled teeth that
provide an aggressive look and prodigious grip. The action is firm, but
not overly so, and there is no back play. It hits each detent with a
loud, satisfying click and stays put, just as it should. The
signed crown features the same aggressive texture as the bezel. It is
huge, which suits the proportions of the case and allows for easy
operation with gloves.
The solid case back has a scalloped edge and bears the image of a scuba diver descending upon a tiny engraved production number (mine was 0029/5000). Oddly, my favorite aspect is not the decoration, which is a bit shallow and undersized, but rather the list of basic specs that encircle it as these letters are nice and deep. Inside, a Ronda 715 handles the time and date. It is not a sexy movement, but it is the high-spec, gold plated, Swiss Made version with 5 jewels, end-of-life indicator, and a 60-month battery.
My
Sea Ram arrived safely nestled in a foam-lined plastic carrying case.
It is fairly cheap plastic, but it does the trick and has more potential
utility than the usual dust-catching display box. Replace the fitted
foam with some pick-and-pluck and you could get three watches in there.
The
watch looks terrific. Orange plongeur hands, dial text, and bezel
markings pop off the white background. Color aside, the face is quite a
conservative design with applied round and bullet shaped markers, a
printed index, and a white date window at 4:30. SuperLuminova on the
hands and markers generates a strong glow that I found still legible
after a couple of hours. If I would change one thing, it would be the
crowded branding at the top of the dial. The logo is fine, the Deep Blue
name is a shade large, and "Precision Diver" is too much. It is too
small to be legible without squinting and only serves to clutter the
space.
The standard strap for the Sea Ram Quartz is a 24mm silicone, 125/75mm
long. It is molded with the Deep Blue logo and tapers to a 22mm, signed,
square, stainless steel buckle. Black comes standard, but I opted for white to maintain the color scheme. It is soft and comfortable, but if you care for something different, there are several
strap and bracelet options offered through the Deep Blue store,
including stainless steel and polyurethane link bracelets, several
varieties of silicone, and nylon Zulus.
At the full $319 list, I'd say the Sea Ram 500 Quartz is competitively
priced. As of this writing, they are on sale for $249, which is even
more attractive. The $99 Father's Day special feels like I stole it. Whichever version you choose, you will be getting a hell of a lot for the money.
Pro: Broad model range has something for everyone ...
Con: ... almost. A 42mm model would be ideal.
Sum: Solid and snazzy. The Time Bum approves.
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