New Super Sea Dweller Super Test

[Toadtorrent]

SSD now decompressing - on surface this Saturday - initial review Sunday / Monday - full review with pics and video Monday / Tuesday

AWESOME...Iknow I'm looking forward to Monday...

[its_urabus]

man you really know how to make a guy want the weekend over fast!!!

[stevethebest]

man you really know how to make a guy want the weekend over fast!!!

[bdf]

Hardly the same thing, but my SSD from trusty just did 70m, that was the max the place could do.

[its_urabus]

so when mine arrives, I should be able to wash my hands with it on and not have a problem?

[Xyphis]

so when mine arrives, I should be able to wash my hands with it on and not have a problem?

I believe you can wash your hands ONLY if you are in a hyperbaric chamber, but perhaps I'm not understanding it fully

[themuck]

This is a very brief initial review. I will compile and post the full version either later today or tomorrow depending on how long it takes me to complete.

The SSD has survived saturation in a Heliox environment and multiple deep sea dives while being used and abused by the Diver in the same way as then gen. The work being undertaken by the Diver with the watch on his wrist throughout the test was in a particularly harsh environment with significant and highly caustic pollutants in the water and this may have been a factor in the spots of discoloration visible in the post sat photo I've posted below. My camera skills are non existant and this is obvious when you see some of the side by side comparison shots I took, many of which are unfortunately a bit blurry. I've only uploaded three stills in this brief initial review and will post the rest in the full version. The videos of every dive are being transferred to DVD for me on Monday and I will upload these to YouTube after editing out all the footage that doesn't include the watch (many many hours) and dubbing the voice audio of the Diver and Diving Supervisor for obvious reasons.

Prior to blowing the watch into saturation, the SSD was scrutinised by a total of twelve saturation Divers, four Diving Supervisors and one Diving Superintendent, the majority of whom have gens. The initial reaction by all of them when they observed the watch on my wrist was that it is a genuine Sea Dweller. However, after I took the watch off and they examined the watch in their own hands, they made a number of comments including -

"The face just doesn't look right around the edges of the crystal" (I think this might be the rehaut issue)

"That pearl is wrong"

None of the Divers and only one Diving Supervisor noticed the crown guards were slightly different.

I noted many more comments and will include them in the full test review but this confirms that all the comments already made about the SSD on this forum and elsewhere are correct.

By far the majority of comments were made about the bracelet with everyone stating it doesn't feel like the gen and the clasp doesn't operate like the gen. Apart from the fact that the bracelet was attached to the watch the wrong way round, the comments included -

"The bracelet doesn't feel right and it sounds wrong when you use it" (I noticed this as well when trying on the gen - the bracelet of the gen does sound different from the SSD when picking the watch up and attaching it to your wrist)

"The finish of the links isn't right at the edges"

"There is some lack of flexibility and two links are sticking" (I think this will probably 'loosen up' with use),

"The clasp is too tight and doesn't click in correctly" (I also noticed the clasp of the gen works much smoother than the SSD and I think this is a design issue that wont get any better with use)

I noted a lot more comments and I will include these in the full test review but hopefully this will give you an idea of where everyone is coming from regarding the bracelet.

The HEV issue caused a bit of confusion for me and a lot of wind up opportunities for the Divers. It works in the opposite direction to that which I initially thought and automatically deploys when the gas pressure within the watch exceeds the exterior environment. To test this, the Diver unscrewed the crown immediately prior to decompression in the chambers to allow the Heliox to enter the watch, he then fully screwed the crown back in and placed the watch between two pillows that were taped together. This procedure ensured that if the HEV failed and the watch exploded, no damage would be done to the Divers or the chambers. The decompression was undertaken on a modified US Navy table that is very slow with 2 hour and 6 hour holds at various depths. I cannot state the depth for operational reasons but it may be safe to say that the HEV probably worked in the same manner as the gen because the Heliox inside the watch would have been a number of times greater relative to the external environment throughout the decompression and especially when reaching the surface if the HEV had failed. The crown was unscrewed when reaching surface and no escaping gas was heard.

Pre Test

Sorry - I had to remove the original photo of the SSD with the Diving Helmet I originally posted because of the reflection in the chrome that I didn't notice and worked like a mirror that would reveal the test location.

During Test

Video to follow on YouTube

Post sat

Side By Side

By the way - We did a little test with the SSD and the gen used in the side by side comparison shots on a member of the marine crew (non diving) just to see which one he thought was the gen - after examing them both closely and trying them both on his wrist...he picked the SSD...

Edited November 18, 2007 by themuck

[baltic]

Fantastic TM, really appreciate the effort you've put in.

[Greystash]

Oh bravo themuck for giving the rep to the experienced divers/gen owners for comments. Very valuable feedback and confirmation.

[elprimerozen]

This is great information!!! Keep up!

[FxrAndy]

I am most impressed with this, i was not going to buy another rolex but i might just have to get one of these just because of this test.

[Slartibartfast]

i was not going to buy another rolex but i might just have to get one of these just because of this test.

Absolutely. Wow, what a piece of kit.

Thanks themuck for a great review. Can't wait for the finished report.

[themuck]

Many thanks to everyone for the fantastic encouragement I've received regarding this test review.

I've learned a great deal over the last ten days or so while doing the test and I'm planning on improving a few things for my next one including buying a new camera and learning how to use it so the photos don't come out blurred.

I'm also trying to compile a list of the new generation of Super Reps so I can begin to organise my next test and review but I can't find a definitive list anywhere. Please let me know what all the new generation of super reps are and which ones you think should be tested next.

However, back to the SSD and I've already started compiling the full test review from all my notes and photos and I reckon, at the rate I'm making progress, I'll be posting it sometime tomorrow. The video will be uploaded to YouTube later in the week.

Thanks Again Everyone

[alligoat]

Fantastic report, themuck. I find the rust spots on the bezel interesting. Did this occur on the gen SD's also? The SSD would be 316L stainless, and the gens would be 904L. Nevertheless, I'm certainly impressed by the SSD's ability to stand up to these tests.

[themuck]

The discolouration didn't happen on any of the other watches any of the Divers were using alligoat including the gen SD's.

I agree it does look like rust and I am going to attempt to remove the spots and take photos of the same affected areas (also on the bracelet and clasp) if the spot removal works and also post them in the test review.

Thanks for your comments

[professor_yaffle1]

I am most impressed with this, i was not going to buy another rolex but i might just have to get one of these just because of this test.

What he said

Seriously though, that's a fantastic test and report - very impressive themuck!

Interesting comments about the bracelet too - do the gen owners wear their's on the bracelet for diving or do they switch to rubber, or velcro, straps?

[Pugwash]

Amazing test. This is going above and beyond the call of duty.

This review has made me want this new SeaDweller. I can already imagine the mythic proportions this review will attain. "Yes, that's the same as the one TheMuck sent to the bottom of the sea."

[Jetsons]

themuck, what an outstanding compilation of data and report! I find it amazing that the SSD could withstand this type of abuse considering the lack of QC of these watches. I suspect the machining tolerances must be very good indeed.

I am a little puzzled by the rust as well. I have owned 316L watches that have had significant exposure to sea water and have never seen this before.

Many thanks for your efforts and sharing this terrific bit of info with us. Amazing report on your part.

Cheers,

J

[FasTTaP]

This is putting rep reviews to an other level... pretty hard to catch up... Great test, thanks.

[tonyp1]

Is it just the camera angle (referring to the bottom pic) or did the rep suffer crystal failure?

Edited November 18, 2007 by tonyp1

[themuck]

I've spent the whole day compiling the full test (hope it's not too long) and I'm now trying to upload the photos but the upload limit wont allow me to do this - only 1.41mb.

Any advice on how I can get all the photos into the review?

tonyp1 - it must be just the camera angle because the crystal is perfect - not a scratch or a dot of any kind even after all the 'treatment' it's had - impressive

prof - they all dive with the original bracelets as far as I'm aware - can't remember seeing any after market stuff on them

Please keep all the comments coming folks coz it's very encouraging - especially when I've spent the whole day bashing away at the keyboard compiling the test review.

Many thanks again for all the comments already posted - brilliant encouragement to know that all my efforts are appreciated.

[Golfman]

Many thanks again for all the comments already posted - brilliant encouragement to know that all my efforts are appreciated.

Congrats themuck for your work !!!!

Before reading your post, i hadn't think to buy a SD....

Now, i am just looking where i will source it

Thanks again

GM

[Cucumber_Jones]

Great reveiw - I am amazed at the effort you have put into this!

[drhydro]

It would be interesting to know exactly what steel the SSD was made of- the gen does use 904, which has enhanced corrosion resistance. Our dealers, it seems, are always told the material is 316... but is it, really? There are many different alloys, and heat treatments, and the factories certainly don't supply raw material certifications - hmmm, think I might do some testing- we have a scanning electron microscope with an electron beam spectroscopy tool- and our chief metallurgy guy owes me a couple of favors.....

[deltatahoe]

reviews like this (and the people who take the time to make them) are what make RWG a unique, incredible place.

@themuck, thanks so much for putting this together -- even just your initial review was REALLY interesting, particularly all of the comments you noted from the other divers about the super seadweller.

looking forward to the full review

deltatahoe