Islander Black Dial Automatic Dive Watch with AR Double Dome Sapphire Crystal, and 120-click Bezel #ISL-57

Recently received my watch and couldn’t be more pleased. Always wanted a monster, but Seiko’s shot up in price to levels I feel are not justified by the watch. So, in this review, I want to alleviate some concerns and address some comments I’ve been hearing about this Islander and Seiko’s. Is the Heimdallr monster better than this watch? The short answer is…Absolutely not, and I’ll tell you why.

I got both this and the red Heimdallr for review . The Heimdallr came first. After wearing it a week or 2, i liked it. However, I did begin to notice problems with it. The red is beautiful, and I like the shark teeth design, but, it’s just not as refined as this Islander, and you don’t really feel the difference in quality, till you have both in your hand.For example, notice the top of this watch where the lugs come down to points over the bezel.

On the Heimdallr, they’re very sharp and pointy. So sharp in fact, that if you don’t watch turning the bezel, you could possibly cut your fingers,same for the crown guards. This Islander’s edges are crisp, yet smooth and machined, not pointy. The bezel action on the Heimdallr is very gritty and tough to move. The crown a bit too. The Islander is the same 120 click, but again, smooth and feel easy to move, with no back play. The lume on both seem equal, as are the time keeping/movements. The dial’s are different and liking, of course, is subjective. I like both, but the Islanders 12’o clock tooth and indices really appeal to me more than I thought they would,. it really is a gorgeous and legible dial. I love the stainless steel bezel on both, but give a slight edge in quality to the Islander.

The biggest difference for me, is the bracelets. The Heimdallr, while finished nicely and probably a bit more faithful to the original, is absolutely the worst pin system I have ever seen. I don’t know what these pins were they use, but they have no arrow telling u on the bracelet which way to go, and either way seems impossibly hard to get them out.They go form large to small and I didn’t like them at all. I honestly gave up and put it on a strap. The Islander, is odd. If I’m understanding it correctly, it has half screws and the rest of the links are pins, that are not meant to be removed? You do your sizing with the 3-4 links below and a couple micro adjustments.

That threw me at first, but once I figured it out, it was a breeze to size and fits great.The end links, while not your typical fit, look great and were the easiest end links I’ve ever installed, and love the drilled lugs, both have them. Also, the bracelet is very well done. Milled clasp and I prefer the more muted brushing, as opposed to the Heimdallr mirror polished center links.

You can just feel and see the quality in the Islander. Yes, the Heimdallr is a decent, nice looking watch, and a bit cheaper. But, you sometimes, you get what you pay for and for me, there is no contest. for around a 100 dollars more, you’re getting 10x’s the quality and supporting semi small business in America. I would say, if financially, it’s an option for you, take one of these Islanders over the Heimdallr any day. You won’t regret it. Nice job again Mark, keep it up.