If you prefer thin automatic watches, then you're out of luck, as there are not many affordable options, save for a few models from Hamilton and Longines. ETA 2892 is pretty much the only choice, which is a great movement.
Unfortunately Longiness (too classic) and Hamiltion (too vintage looking) didn't fit my taste, and hence I opted for the Bauhaus style simplicity of this particular Sea-Gull model, even though I would have preferred an ETA movement.
Later I noticed that the case style actually belonged to Blancpain:
Sea-Gull offers M201S in a more fashionable 38mm size case, as opposed to the 35mm Blancpain. The dials are completely different though. But then somebody pointed out the following Tissot powermatic:
Well then I guess this Sea-Gull model is the Hyundai of watches, looking like a Jaguar from the back, and an Accord from the front, but offering reasonable value. And like Hyundai, Sea-Gull is slowly producing independent styles as opposed to copying others.
So, how does it perform? Like most watches, it's a mixed bag. But I must say I'm more or less happy with mine.
Overview:
Flat sapphire crystal. 20mm lugs. 8mm thin stainless steel case, 38 mm wide (without crown). Alligator grain leather strap with deployment clasp. Nice box.
I really like the design. 38mm is the perfect size for this style of a watch. The thin black lines running in the middle of the hands are not just for style, but a functional necessity, as the silver hands can potentially disappear under certain lighting conditions:
I was worried about the dial, but I'm happy to report that it's nicely done. While it looks plain white in pictures, it actually is not, and I have no way of capturing this, but is ever so slightly metallic. It shimmers under sunlight and spot light. The caseback is a disappointment though:
First, it is made of a thin steel plate, which makes a lot of noise when tapped (like a drum). Second, Sea-Gull really has to find a better way to imprint info on case back. Huge fonts resemble the $10 Chinese watches, and has no place on a watch at this price bracket. Most all $50 Seiko 5's get this perfectly right.
Strap:
Acceptable. I cannot expect a great strap on a $300 watch anyways. I like that the lining is not the suede type that feels sticky in warm weather. I do prefer nicer leather straps and regular tang buckle, so I replaced mine with a nice Hadley Roma strap.
Movement:
ST1812 is a slightly newer design, based on ETA 2892. It has one more jewel than the earlier ST18. I read a lot of issues with previous versions. I am happy to report that I did not notice any of those issues:
Noisy rotor: While you can't hear it during the day, rotor noise is noticeable in a quiet environment. Actually, ETA 2892 itself does not have a completely quiet rotor, probably due to the larger diameter of the ball bearing races. It is even noticeable in the double cased IWC Spitfire. In case of M201S, the thin case back does not help at all.
Low power reserve: This was a big surprise for me, as mine has a 48 hour power reserve, much better than the 42 hour PR of ETA 2892 this is based on.
Winding is not efficient: I did not notice this either. From a fully unwound state, mine gets fully wound in about 16 hours of continuous use, despite my non-active desk job.
Non functional micro-adjustment screw: I was able to regulate mine with great ease and accuracy.
Accuracy: Impressive. I am getting +2 seconds per day consistently. Even though I don't have an active lifestyle, the watch stays close to its fully-wound state, which helps improve accuracy.
Isochronism: Rate variation over the first 24 hours is less than 2 seconds per day.
Positional accuracy: The maximum rate variation between the five positions is 8 seconds. If you eliminate the one outlier, the maximum variation is 4 seconds.
One issue I have is that the date changes occur too early, around 23:20pm... Date change is instant.
Other considerations:
The price is such that it makes you think twice before paying that much for a simple Chinese mechanical. I have no complaints about the movement, but Sea-Gull needs to work on some obvious details, which makes the watch look cheaper than it actually is, like the case back. This same watch is offered in a 18K white gold case, which comes with a beautiful engraved case back, and a 18K white gold buckle. Yet, the "Sea-Gull" print on that expensive buckle (style of which is copied form Patek Phillippe) is also done cheaply, and look out of place:
In short, I like the watch and I think I'll keep it. It is simple, unassuming, and performs great. I don't think it's value oriented unlike most other Chinese watches. While it's still cheaper than, say a Hamilton with an ETA 2892, it lacks that certain attention to detail as a whole. The ST1812 movement on the other hand, is perfect as is.
