Review of the Seiko Orange Monster (SKX781)

None of these issues are show-stoppers, and considering the price, it's hard to kvetch too much. Perhaps the greatest praise of the Orange Monster is the fact that on various forums dedicated to dive watches, every now and then someone asks for advice on a dive watch to actually dive with, often in locations where expensive brand-name items are a risk. The most common advice?"Get an Orange Monster.I'm particularly fond of wearing it with a rubber Z22 strap, though the orange and black combo is a bit garish.After wearing the Seiko Orange Monster for a while, you start to notice the small details that are really unexpected at this price:The bezel is the easiest to grasp and turn of any shoes online I've ever seen, with both machined grooves and large scallops. Notice that the matching scallops in the case align perfectly if you rotate the bezel in 5 minute increments — very nice touch.The crystal sits just below the concave bezel where it's well protected. The domed crystal is very clear and assists in readability both above and below the su***ce.The chapter ring, which is a separate piece carrying the minute hash marks, is also concave, and provides a visual link between the face and bezel.The bracelet is simply superb. It's solid as a rock, styled to match the watches online, nicely adjustable using micro-adjustments, very secure, and expandable if you're wearing a wetsuit. And if for some reason you don't like it, it's easy to swap out due to the drilled lugs.I don't know about you, but I really find having the day on the dial to be useful. Seiko added a couple of other nice touches by *** Saturday blue and Sunday red. Also, it has two languages on the dial, and you can use either. (The second language is usually Spanish, but its available with others).The build quality is impressive. The stainless steel is nicely machined with competently finished su***ces. Not a rough edges to be found.The style of the Orange Monster is uniquely Seiko, and can't be mistaken for anything else. These days, when so many other watches look like something else, (e.g. a zillion variations on the Rolex Submariner), it's refreshing to have something bold and unique.And last but certainly not least, the overall value. As one poster on Timezone put it, for less than the price of a battery change on a Breitling SuperColt, you get a true dive watch that you can enjoy worry-free.In the interests of balance, let me list off the negatives as well:Lack of handwind/hacking. (Hacking means that the second hand stops while you set the time so that you can set it more precisely.) Not a huge deal, but I find it annoying sometimes. Of course, the slightly more expensive 6R15 divers fix this, but at more cost and a different style.Accuracy. This particular one is pretty accurate, but expect that a 7S26-based watch might keep time within 20 seconds a day. Not great.While I'm wishing on a star, an anti-reflective coating on the crystal would be nice.And that's about it.