Upgrade Brigade: Alternativen zu Diesel-Uhren
Montredo’s Upgrade Brigade has once again taken on the task of improving the wrists of this world. If you have ever wondered why some contemporaries carry dinner plates on their wrists, consider this your enlightenment. Those oversized, saucer-like objects are actually Diesel watches. With a stately diameter far beyond the 50mm mark and promising names like “Mr. Daddy” and “Mega Chief”, a dominant appearance is guaranteed.
But these monstrosities have a problem: they greatly overshoot their target. In principle, there is nothing wrong with an impressive watch with the right design and dimensions – everyone is free to choose. But with these gargantuan pieces, neither the proportions nor the overall appearance are correct. Last but not least – as with every fashion watch – the price is simply set far too high. As is almost always the case with fashion watches, some brief research at Aliexpress leads to some amazing discoveries regarding the prices of apparently identical watches.
For those who love the extravagant appearance, or simply think a wristwatch has to be big above all else, our Upgrade Brigade has put together some wonderful alternatives:
Casio G-Shock GM-6900-1ER
Our first suggestion is a classic amongst bold wristwatches. In 1981, Kikuo Ibe, CASIO’s leading watch designer, assembled a team to create his vision of an indestructible watch. The result: the shock-resistant G-Shock. There are quite a few watch enthusiasts who claim that every collection should not be without a Casio G-Shock, simply due to its cult status.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the G-Shock with a reference of DW6900, which was first launched in 1995, Casio released metal versions this year. As an alternative to a diesel watch, we have chosen the stainless steel version in silver. Definitely much cooler than a Diesel dinner plate, and fairly priced at €199.
Seiko SNJ025 “Solar Arnie”
Our next proposal is a real movie star. Known from the cult movies Predator (“get to the choppa!”) as well as Commando, this watch already adorned the arm of Arnold Schwarzenegger – a fact alone that is enough for a recommendation. This association naturally earned the Seiko H558-5009 the nickname “Arnie”.
With the SNJ025, Seiko has released an upgrade that follows on from the original H558-5009 model and promises a strong presence on every wrist with its 47.88mm case size. The watch retails at € 469. More info can be found on the manufacturer’s page.
Seiko Marine Master Pro. 1000M “Emperor Tuna”
In 1968, a letter arrived at Seiko, containing the complaints of a saturation diver: He complained about the quality of Seiko’s diving watches, which allegedly did not withstand robust shocks and underwater pressure sufficiently. Of course, Seiko couldn’t afford to let that get to him, and in turn set out to develop the ultimate professional diving watch. The company put a huge amount of effort into it, and in 1975 the first Seiko Tuna was released together with 20 patents.
Ever since this first Tuna, all watches in the series have been distinguished by the screwed protective cover, which is visually reminiscent of a tuna can, and from which it earned its nickname.
With the Marine Master Pro. 1000M Emperor Tuna Ref. SBDX013, you get a beast of a diver’s watch with 1000M water resistance and a titanium case with a super hard coating, which is optically close to the original from 1975. Together with the caliber 8L35, the € 3,500 price point is justified for this diving classic.
To find more watches for a self-confident appearance, visit our online store.
