Seiko "Land Shark"

I've dubbed it "Land Shark" for its compass bezel and 200m WR.

Model number: SKZ211K1
Movement: 7S36, 23 jewels
Case: Stainless steel with solid stainless steel screw-down back
Bracelet: solid link stainless steel with solid end links
Inner rotating bezel is actuated with the crown at 9:00
Seiko "Hardlex" mineral crystal
200m water resistant
42mm diameter without crowns (50mm with crowns)

15mm thick

Lug width: 22mm

Why I bought this watch: It's absolutely cool
looking! I think it's one of the most unique and toughest looking
watches in my collection. The first time I saw a picture posted on the
forum I knew I had to have it. Aside from the great looks, it's also a beautifully made Seiko with high-quality case, bracelet and dial work. I've examined the watch
through a loupe, and everything is top-notch, even under magnification.
I've worn nothing else for a week and I'm still excited when I look at
my wrist.

Okay, I'm going to take it apart piece by piece and tell you about the watch.

The case: As mentioned
above, it's beautifully finished, and the 42mm diameter is my most
preffered size. I really like the all-polished and very simple Seiko 5 case back. The watch sits very well on my wrist, with the lugs curved nicely around my arm.

The crown at 4:00: This
crown screws down. It's smaller than the usual Seiko diver crown, and
little harder to use. However, the knurling makes for a decent grip and
it's not all that big an issue to me.

The crown at 9:00: This crown doesn't screw down. It's bigger than the normal crown, and is signed with a beautiful Seiko 5 emblem. This crown and its guard are a big part of this watch's signiture look.

The outer bezel: The bezel
has a very small, tight knurling pattern, which goes with the knurling
on the crowns, and helps give the watch a very pleasing "tool" look.
The smaller knurling is more difficult to grip than the more aggresive
pattern on my SKX009, which makes it seem somewhet difficult to turn.
But I've compared them one after another and I think it's more of a
feeling than a fact. The good thing is that there's less chance of
moving it unintentionally. The bezel markings are simple numbers from 5
to 60, with no triangle at 12:00. I really like the look, which gives
the watch less of a traditional diver look.

The inner bezel: This is
perhaps the most problematic part of this watch, and if you're a very
picky person please make note. The inner bezel has compass markings,
and can be used to determine approximate direction on a sunny day. Here
is the basic instructions for using it ("Borrowed" from the Internet.):

********************************************************************************

HOW TO USE THE COMPASS DIRECTIONAL RING

If your watch is equipped with a compass directional ring, it gives

approximate compass readings. Locate the sun and then follow these

steps:

1. Point the hour hand at the sun (see diagram).

2. WHEN IN A.M. TIME - Rotate the compass directional ring until S

(South) is past the hour hand and halfway between the hour hand

and 12:00.

WHEN IN P.M. TIME - Rotate the compass directional ring until S

(South) is before the hour hand and halfway between the hour hand

and 12:00.

Adjust the compass directional ring every hour to reflect changes in

the sun's position. When reading the compass directional ring, make

sure the hour hand is always pointed towards the sun. When the hour

hand is at 12:00 noon, S (South) should also be at 12:00.

********************************************************************************

Basically it's a big hairy pain to use.
Also, on my watch, the compass bezel is VERY loose. As the watch moves
slightly on my wrist it actually causes the crown to move and change
the location of the bezel. It has been rotating around 180 degrees on
its own every day. Because it's so easy to rotate, and the crown at
9:00 does not screw down, it doesn't "feel" like it will be 200m water
resistant. If you're planning on actually scuba diving, you'd be better
off with a Monster or SKX007. For me these issues are not a problem, but I wanted to make sure I mentioned them for prospective buyers.

The dial and hands: The dial
is matte black with white markings. The inner compass makes the dial
seem very deep, which I like. I'm a sucker for internal bezels. Laughing out loud!
The gap between the dial and compass bezel is almost invisible, and
very even. My favorite thing about this dial is the arabic numbers at
6, 9 and 12, which are another design detail that keeps this watch
looking fresh and not at all like a standard diver. The arabics and the
bold stick markers at the remaining 5-minute intervals are luminous.
The day and date wheels are black to match the dial, and the chrome
frame around them helps the eye find them quickly. I always say that
white date wheels on dark dials don't bother me, but I'm really liking
the way this one looks.

The hands are the #1 defining
feature of this watch for me. The dark yellow stands out beautifully
against the matte black of the dial, and they reach right out and grab
your attention. The minute and hour hand are filled with lume, and the
second hand has a luminous triangle near the tip. Like most Seiko watches, the lume glows bright and long.

The Bracelet: Don't let the fact that this is a Seiko 5 fool you! Although the 5
line is infamous for it's cheap folded bracelets, this one is a top
quality affair. The links are all solid, as are the end links. They're
a comfortable yet substantial 3mm thick. The clasp has a 2-button latch
and Seiko signed flip lock, and is almost the equal of the Monster clasp. It's comfortable and doesn't rattle at all. I'm quite impressed with the quality!

The movement The 7S36 is
basically the venerable 7S26 with 2 extra jewels, and aside from "23
Jewels" marked on the dial, it works exactly the same. It can't be hand
wound, and doesn't hack, but it does purr along smoothly without any
trouble, and given Seikos history with watch movements, will probably
do so for decades to come. The surprise is that this is one of my most
accurate watches over a week of contsant wear. It has gained only 13
seconds since last Saturday. Of course your results may vary, but most
Seiko movements should gain a minute or less per week straight from the
factory.

I hope this review helps anyone
who's considering the purchase of this model. If you have questions
about anything I haven't covered, please let me know and I'll try to
answer.