xevious
February 18th, 2008, 04:04
A guy named Jason posted a video on YouTube of his ATV53-2834 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h2icSV1QyM), that helped push me over the edge to get one. I was also fortunate to time my interest so that I'd pick one up at auction for about 50% off JPY MSRP. I like this watch so much, I thought some other folks might appreciate it if I gave it a fairly indepth write-up.
The Citizen ATV53-2834 is the latest model in the Attesa line, as of this writing. Many of the Japanese product manufacturers create special editions of their products that are only sold in Japan. The limitation is such that official product retailers in other countries cannot get any inventory of these products. Your only hope would be to physically visit a local retailer in Japan to purchase the product. Why do Japanese companies do this? There is something about Japanese society that craves exclusivity and this is one of the ways they show it. Well, a global economy is just that--global. When a buyer appears, a seller will find them. And so, through the right channels you can obtain these "exclusive" products. As luck would have it, I found such a seller and managed to obtain the ATV53-2834.
Before I go into my impressions of the watch, I should mention my background to set the stage for my choice:
When I first learned of Citizen's Eco-drive technology in 1998, I was intrigued. Having long been a believer in solar energy from my childhood days, I was thrilled when Casio came out with solar watches affordable to the mass market (prior to this, you could only find them in rare models of high priced brands). Citizen also had a version of a solar watch, but comparatively it was very expensive. For me, Casio was the choice. But when LCD watches began to slip out of fashion favor, Casio cut back on their models and the solar line was discontinued. Naturally, other watch brands stopped making them as well.
Citizen's first Eco-drive models had some interesting designs, many of which did not echo any sign of a solar cell. I eventually found a model I liked, a nice titanium alarm chronograph (http://forums.watchreport.com/index.php?showtopic=238), and still wear it to this day. I ended up acquiring two more Eco-drive models over time (one stainless steel model for dressy occasions and an Aqualand diver watch for plunging beneath the ocean surface). However, I still felt something lacking. Citizen came up with some great casing designs and watch faces to go with the Eco-drive, but the functionality was lacking. The biggest culprit had to do with setting the alarm--cumbersome and time consuming. I even wrote to Citizen with my complaints and offered suggestions. I was politely thanked with a "form e-mail" and follow-up inquires netted no response.
Eventually Citizen did answer two of my most serious complaints: Ease of setting the alarm and a power level indicator. A striking model that Citizen addressed these in is the Calibre 2100. It is a nicely designed watch, but too chunky for my tastes. I felt that if I was going to fork out several hundred dollars once more, it would be on a watch that really meets all of my needs. And one day it finally came around.
The Citizen Attesa ATV53 series
When I spotted the Citizen Attesa ATV53 series on a Japanese watch website, I quickly recognized that it had everything I've ever wanted from the Citizen Eco-drive model line. The only thing that held me back was the price. The MSRP was very overinflated, but even still the discounted prices appearing on eBay were higher than the MSRP of my other Citizen Eco-drive watches (which I paid much less for). I would have to examine each model more carefully before deciding.
The ATV53 series features the 2831, 2832, 2833, and 2834 models. They all share the same movement, the super robust U600 and are made of titanium (casing and band). Everything else is just variations in color on the face, casing, bands, and levels of anti-scratch treatment. So, I ruled out the 2831 right away, as it has a blue face that I don't find appealing--all of the other models have black faces. Next... the 2832 has a black bezel, but silver case and band. The 2833 has a two-tone case, with black bezel and some black accents on the band. The black accents all feature Duratect plus DLC. Then finally, you have the 2834, which is completely black with Duratect+DLC treated casing and band (plus a 20th anniversary limited edition case back stamping), red accents on some of the hands/indicators, and a backlight for the LCD displays. I really like the two-tone look of the 2833, so I set my sights on that model... and when I found these watches being sold on eBay at times not much lower than the 2834, I began to think it would be better to spend the extra money on the 2834. And so, I waited... and finally got one at the price I wanted. And I have to say that I'm very happy with the watch.
The ATV53-2834
The three things I appreciate most about the ATV53-2834 are the ability to set the alarm without the scrolling of the hands, the very visible hour/minute hands, and the micro adjustable band.
Prior Eco-drive models with alarms would force the scrolling of the minute and hour hands to set the alarm time, which can be annoying if you're 12 hours away from the current alarm time. The novelty of seeing the hands spin automatically wears off after a while, as you sit there anticipating the alarm time. This model lets you set the alarm rapidly.
I can definitely tell the time with a brief glance on this watch. Most of my others require a longer stare, especially digital ones as it's not a simple "picture" effort as with analog--you have to read the digits.
My wrist expands and contracts quite a bit, depending upon my activity level and the air temperature. So, metal banded watches have to be fitted to my wrist so they won't be too tight when my wrist is expanded the most. This means the band gets loose around my wrist at times, something I find annoying. The adjustable band on the Attesa solves this problem quite well. I'm surprised not more watch manufacturers provide such a feature.Features
The U600 movement is versatile and provides a number of useful functions. Analog displays show the local time, UTC time, 24-hour indicator, and battery level (it also doubles as a regional atomic clock synchronization selector). The left LCD display shows the home city and mode function information. The larger LCD display on the right shows the "away" city, and can be configured to show other information like the time and date. There's also a countdown timer, settable up to 99 minutes, and a chronograph. One of the key capabilities is the sophisticated atomic clock synchronization mechanism, which performs routine time calibration from one of three atomic clock signal stations (depending on your worldwide location). And lastly, the watch is solar power assisted (Citizen's renowned Eco-drive technology). Under a full charge, you can put the watch in a drawer for 6 months and it will still show the time accurately. Beyond that, the hands will no longer display the time but the time keeper will continue for up to another 2 years. So, you certainly don't have to worry about your watch running out of power when you don't wear it for a while (quite a contrast to the roughly 48 hour limit of a mechanical movement).
All of the watch functions work well and dependably... no surprise there, as Citizen has a reputation of making high quality movements. The modes are actuated by pulling out the crown to position #1, then rotating it. It could use a little more friction, so that position #1 is easier to select without slipping to position #2, but overall it works. The back lighting is bright enough, that if you press it several times with your hand in front to reflect the light back, it will activate the lume a little if it has dimmed out, allowing you to see the time if you're showing the date in the display. The lume longevity is decent--not the best, but good enough for casual use. One other thing I really like is the countdown timer... you can set it, then return the watch to your usual function position (e.g. "Cal" for showing the date); the timer continues on and rings when it reaches 0. This is really handy for a little reminder when you need it. Overall, the watch is fairly easy to use. The method for setting the home and abroad cities and setting the atomic clock zone is not intuitive... you need to read the manual to get it all figured out. But it's not all that hard. I would download the U600 manual from Citizen and keep it for easy reference, rather than having to break out the paper manual from time to time.
The Visual and Tactile Experience
Size-wise, I really like it. It's the biggest watch I've owned so far and it feels "just right" (not heavy and not too light). The band isn't as contoured as on my older titanium Citizen, but it is still comfortable. And the micro adjustment really comes in handy. I find myself using it once or twice during the day--in just a second I've slightly expanded or contracted the band for a more comfortable fit. NOTE: If you size the watch yourself or have it done by a jeweler, be advised that the band segment pins are fitted with a very small "collar" for a friction fit. Those collars are easily lost. You take out two pins to resize the band, so if you lose both collars you're not going to be able to wear the watch--the pin won't stay in. I lost one of them before I noticed their presence and fortunately kept my eye out for the second one. :-)
As far as appearance goes, I find this watch to be the most handsome in my collection. It is the antithesis of a minimalist looking Sinn watch, with its busy face. But it's done well and the hands don't get lost in it. The mix of brushed matte and gloss black accents is superb. Some of the nice touches I like are the red accents (especially the second hand), the "faux chrome rivets" around the mode selector dial, the chrome trim around the hour markers, and the mix of gloss and matte black throughout the casing and band. The attention to detail is obvious, making no mistake that this is no "cheap Citizen". It has been said that for formal affairs, you don't wear any kind of watch other than a pure analog. I seriously think this one breaks that barrier. I have a strong appreciation for good watch design and have had my sights on a number of watches in the marketplace today, but I have to admit that my desire for those has been tempered by this watch. Which is a good thing, as this was no cheap watch either!
The Gripes (just a few)
I have a couple of gripes, though... nothing big, but the first is the more pressing. The big hands get in the way of display information all over the watch face. Some of them are inconsequential, like the battery level and 24 hour indicators. But the whole lower half of the watch consists of the mode selector dial and the LCD screens. What if you want to do a count-down timing function, but that big fat minute hand is blocking the way? You either wait a few minutes or you trying sneaking an angled peek. Citizen should definitely have put in a "collapse hands" function, pushing them up to 12 o'clock on command when you need them out of the way. The other issue I have with the watch is the crown. There isn't enough friction to easily hold the crown in position #1, making it easy to slide it out to position #2 or push it all the way back in. You have to develop a sensitivity to repeatedly hit position #1 without a problem. Lastly, it's a very minor point... although the band is comfortable, the outer edge is rather pronounced. I wish Citizen had rounded it off a little more. You don't feel it on the wearing wrist, but you do when you touch it with your other hand. It also makes me wonder how well the DLC will last on it--hard edges are the bane of DLC. Other than my two main gripes, I really like the look of the watch.
According to Citizen, the ATV53-2834 is a limited edition run of 3,000 pieces per year only to the Japanese market (not available to the USA), so it is bound to have a "unique cachet" outside of Japan. Still, I wouldn't worry about not being able to get one... even if you miss the new model market, I could see finding one of these used. The Duratect hardened titanium plus the DLC coating and AR sapphire crytal means these watches will be lasting a VERY long time. I hope to keep mine for as long as I possibly can (at least until Citizen manages some revolutionary advancement that makes this one seriously obsolete, but by then this will be a 'vintage classic').
However, if you don't mind a stainless steel model with a graduated bezel, you can always go with the Citizen Skyhawk JY0000. This is a USA market watch with the same U600 module and almost the same watch face, which is often sold on eBay in the low $300's. If it came in titanium, I would have gone with this model instead (nearly 50% cheaper than what I paid for my ATV53-2834!).
And now for the obligatory photo gallery:
http://forums.watchreport.com/style_images/cobalt/img-resized.png Reduced: 80% of original size [ 800 x 778 ] - Click to view full image
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_backlight.jpg
On the wrist and looking good! Nice LCD back light in a contrasting orange hue... not quite the Casio EL, but definitely usable.
http://forums.watchreport.com/style_images/cobalt/img-resized.png Reduced: 85% of original size [ 750 x 800 ] - Click to view full image
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_lume.jpg
The lume activated in low light.
http://forums.watchreport.com/style_images/cobalt/img-resized.png Reduced: 80% of original size [ 800 x 800 ] - Click to view full image
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_face-highlights.jpg
A shallow angle, showing off how the various chrome accents are visualized.
http://forums.watchreport.com/style_images/cobalt/img-resized.png Reduced: 91% of original size [ 700 x 451 ] - Click to view full image
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_dial-markings1.jpg
You can see the "lens" effect of the curved crystal. Also notice the inner bezel markings specific to the atomic clock synchronization.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_lume2.jpg
The lume at full glow. A nice blue coloration. I just wish the lume half-life was a little slower.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_lume_backlight.jpg
Notice how the blue lume and orange back light work well together.
http://forums.watchreport.com/style_images/cobalt/img-resized.png Reduced: 80% of original size [ 800 x 683 ] - Click to view full image
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_wrist-side.jpg
The watch profile. Notice the contrasting glossy and matte finishes and how the casing is nicely tapered.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_attesa-band.jpg
The very cool nautilus Attesa logo, prominently features on the band clasp.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_band-sizing.jpg
The useful band sizing feature demonstrated. You can see it's about a good quarter inch. Heh, I noticed that I forgot to take off some of the protective plastic. :-d Also, what looks like a blemish on the link attached to the clasp is actually a black imprinted band serial number.
Not a bad watch, eh? ;-)
The Citizen ATV53-2834 is the latest model in the Attesa line, as of this writing. Many of the Japanese product manufacturers create special editions of their products that are only sold in Japan. The limitation is such that official product retailers in other countries cannot get any inventory of these products. Your only hope would be to physically visit a local retailer in Japan to purchase the product. Why do Japanese companies do this? There is something about Japanese society that craves exclusivity and this is one of the ways they show it. Well, a global economy is just that--global. When a buyer appears, a seller will find them. And so, through the right channels you can obtain these "exclusive" products. As luck would have it, I found such a seller and managed to obtain the ATV53-2834.
Before I go into my impressions of the watch, I should mention my background to set the stage for my choice:
When I first learned of Citizen's Eco-drive technology in 1998, I was intrigued. Having long been a believer in solar energy from my childhood days, I was thrilled when Casio came out with solar watches affordable to the mass market (prior to this, you could only find them in rare models of high priced brands). Citizen also had a version of a solar watch, but comparatively it was very expensive. For me, Casio was the choice. But when LCD watches began to slip out of fashion favor, Casio cut back on their models and the solar line was discontinued. Naturally, other watch brands stopped making them as well.
Citizen's first Eco-drive models had some interesting designs, many of which did not echo any sign of a solar cell. I eventually found a model I liked, a nice titanium alarm chronograph (http://forums.watchreport.com/index.php?showtopic=238), and still wear it to this day. I ended up acquiring two more Eco-drive models over time (one stainless steel model for dressy occasions and an Aqualand diver watch for plunging beneath the ocean surface). However, I still felt something lacking. Citizen came up with some great casing designs and watch faces to go with the Eco-drive, but the functionality was lacking. The biggest culprit had to do with setting the alarm--cumbersome and time consuming. I even wrote to Citizen with my complaints and offered suggestions. I was politely thanked with a "form e-mail" and follow-up inquires netted no response.
Eventually Citizen did answer two of my most serious complaints: Ease of setting the alarm and a power level indicator. A striking model that Citizen addressed these in is the Calibre 2100. It is a nicely designed watch, but too chunky for my tastes. I felt that if I was going to fork out several hundred dollars once more, it would be on a watch that really meets all of my needs. And one day it finally came around.
The Citizen Attesa ATV53 series
When I spotted the Citizen Attesa ATV53 series on a Japanese watch website, I quickly recognized that it had everything I've ever wanted from the Citizen Eco-drive model line. The only thing that held me back was the price. The MSRP was very overinflated, but even still the discounted prices appearing on eBay were higher than the MSRP of my other Citizen Eco-drive watches (which I paid much less for). I would have to examine each model more carefully before deciding.
The ATV53 series features the 2831, 2832, 2833, and 2834 models. They all share the same movement, the super robust U600 and are made of titanium (casing and band). Everything else is just variations in color on the face, casing, bands, and levels of anti-scratch treatment. So, I ruled out the 2831 right away, as it has a blue face that I don't find appealing--all of the other models have black faces. Next... the 2832 has a black bezel, but silver case and band. The 2833 has a two-tone case, with black bezel and some black accents on the band. The black accents all feature Duratect plus DLC. Then finally, you have the 2834, which is completely black with Duratect+DLC treated casing and band (plus a 20th anniversary limited edition case back stamping), red accents on some of the hands/indicators, and a backlight for the LCD displays. I really like the two-tone look of the 2833, so I set my sights on that model... and when I found these watches being sold on eBay at times not much lower than the 2834, I began to think it would be better to spend the extra money on the 2834. And so, I waited... and finally got one at the price I wanted. And I have to say that I'm very happy with the watch.
The ATV53-2834
The three things I appreciate most about the ATV53-2834 are the ability to set the alarm without the scrolling of the hands, the very visible hour/minute hands, and the micro adjustable band.
Prior Eco-drive models with alarms would force the scrolling of the minute and hour hands to set the alarm time, which can be annoying if you're 12 hours away from the current alarm time. The novelty of seeing the hands spin automatically wears off after a while, as you sit there anticipating the alarm time. This model lets you set the alarm rapidly.
I can definitely tell the time with a brief glance on this watch. Most of my others require a longer stare, especially digital ones as it's not a simple "picture" effort as with analog--you have to read the digits.
My wrist expands and contracts quite a bit, depending upon my activity level and the air temperature. So, metal banded watches have to be fitted to my wrist so they won't be too tight when my wrist is expanded the most. This means the band gets loose around my wrist at times, something I find annoying. The adjustable band on the Attesa solves this problem quite well. I'm surprised not more watch manufacturers provide such a feature.Features
The U600 movement is versatile and provides a number of useful functions. Analog displays show the local time, UTC time, 24-hour indicator, and battery level (it also doubles as a regional atomic clock synchronization selector). The left LCD display shows the home city and mode function information. The larger LCD display on the right shows the "away" city, and can be configured to show other information like the time and date. There's also a countdown timer, settable up to 99 minutes, and a chronograph. One of the key capabilities is the sophisticated atomic clock synchronization mechanism, which performs routine time calibration from one of three atomic clock signal stations (depending on your worldwide location). And lastly, the watch is solar power assisted (Citizen's renowned Eco-drive technology). Under a full charge, you can put the watch in a drawer for 6 months and it will still show the time accurately. Beyond that, the hands will no longer display the time but the time keeper will continue for up to another 2 years. So, you certainly don't have to worry about your watch running out of power when you don't wear it for a while (quite a contrast to the roughly 48 hour limit of a mechanical movement).
All of the watch functions work well and dependably... no surprise there, as Citizen has a reputation of making high quality movements. The modes are actuated by pulling out the crown to position #1, then rotating it. It could use a little more friction, so that position #1 is easier to select without slipping to position #2, but overall it works. The back lighting is bright enough, that if you press it several times with your hand in front to reflect the light back, it will activate the lume a little if it has dimmed out, allowing you to see the time if you're showing the date in the display. The lume longevity is decent--not the best, but good enough for casual use. One other thing I really like is the countdown timer... you can set it, then return the watch to your usual function position (e.g. "Cal" for showing the date); the timer continues on and rings when it reaches 0. This is really handy for a little reminder when you need it. Overall, the watch is fairly easy to use. The method for setting the home and abroad cities and setting the atomic clock zone is not intuitive... you need to read the manual to get it all figured out. But it's not all that hard. I would download the U600 manual from Citizen and keep it for easy reference, rather than having to break out the paper manual from time to time.
The Visual and Tactile Experience
Size-wise, I really like it. It's the biggest watch I've owned so far and it feels "just right" (not heavy and not too light). The band isn't as contoured as on my older titanium Citizen, but it is still comfortable. And the micro adjustment really comes in handy. I find myself using it once or twice during the day--in just a second I've slightly expanded or contracted the band for a more comfortable fit. NOTE: If you size the watch yourself or have it done by a jeweler, be advised that the band segment pins are fitted with a very small "collar" for a friction fit. Those collars are easily lost. You take out two pins to resize the band, so if you lose both collars you're not going to be able to wear the watch--the pin won't stay in. I lost one of them before I noticed their presence and fortunately kept my eye out for the second one. :-)
As far as appearance goes, I find this watch to be the most handsome in my collection. It is the antithesis of a minimalist looking Sinn watch, with its busy face. But it's done well and the hands don't get lost in it. The mix of brushed matte and gloss black accents is superb. Some of the nice touches I like are the red accents (especially the second hand), the "faux chrome rivets" around the mode selector dial, the chrome trim around the hour markers, and the mix of gloss and matte black throughout the casing and band. The attention to detail is obvious, making no mistake that this is no "cheap Citizen". It has been said that for formal affairs, you don't wear any kind of watch other than a pure analog. I seriously think this one breaks that barrier. I have a strong appreciation for good watch design and have had my sights on a number of watches in the marketplace today, but I have to admit that my desire for those has been tempered by this watch. Which is a good thing, as this was no cheap watch either!
The Gripes (just a few)
I have a couple of gripes, though... nothing big, but the first is the more pressing. The big hands get in the way of display information all over the watch face. Some of them are inconsequential, like the battery level and 24 hour indicators. But the whole lower half of the watch consists of the mode selector dial and the LCD screens. What if you want to do a count-down timing function, but that big fat minute hand is blocking the way? You either wait a few minutes or you trying sneaking an angled peek. Citizen should definitely have put in a "collapse hands" function, pushing them up to 12 o'clock on command when you need them out of the way. The other issue I have with the watch is the crown. There isn't enough friction to easily hold the crown in position #1, making it easy to slide it out to position #2 or push it all the way back in. You have to develop a sensitivity to repeatedly hit position #1 without a problem. Lastly, it's a very minor point... although the band is comfortable, the outer edge is rather pronounced. I wish Citizen had rounded it off a little more. You don't feel it on the wearing wrist, but you do when you touch it with your other hand. It also makes me wonder how well the DLC will last on it--hard edges are the bane of DLC. Other than my two main gripes, I really like the look of the watch.
According to Citizen, the ATV53-2834 is a limited edition run of 3,000 pieces per year only to the Japanese market (not available to the USA), so it is bound to have a "unique cachet" outside of Japan. Still, I wouldn't worry about not being able to get one... even if you miss the new model market, I could see finding one of these used. The Duratect hardened titanium plus the DLC coating and AR sapphire crytal means these watches will be lasting a VERY long time. I hope to keep mine for as long as I possibly can (at least until Citizen manages some revolutionary advancement that makes this one seriously obsolete, but by then this will be a 'vintage classic').
However, if you don't mind a stainless steel model with a graduated bezel, you can always go with the Citizen Skyhawk JY0000. This is a USA market watch with the same U600 module and almost the same watch face, which is often sold on eBay in the low $300's. If it came in titanium, I would have gone with this model instead (nearly 50% cheaper than what I paid for my ATV53-2834!).
And now for the obligatory photo gallery:
http://forums.watchreport.com/style_images/cobalt/img-resized.png Reduced: 80% of original size [ 800 x 778 ] - Click to view full image
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_backlight.jpg
On the wrist and looking good! Nice LCD back light in a contrasting orange hue... not quite the Casio EL, but definitely usable.
http://forums.watchreport.com/style_images/cobalt/img-resized.png Reduced: 85% of original size [ 750 x 800 ] - Click to view full image
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_lume.jpg
The lume activated in low light.
http://forums.watchreport.com/style_images/cobalt/img-resized.png Reduced: 80% of original size [ 800 x 800 ] - Click to view full image
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_face-highlights.jpg
A shallow angle, showing off how the various chrome accents are visualized.
http://forums.watchreport.com/style_images/cobalt/img-resized.png Reduced: 91% of original size [ 700 x 451 ] - Click to view full image
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_dial-markings1.jpg
You can see the "lens" effect of the curved crystal. Also notice the inner bezel markings specific to the atomic clock synchronization.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_lume2.jpg
The lume at full glow. A nice blue coloration. I just wish the lume half-life was a little slower.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_lume_backlight.jpg
Notice how the blue lume and orange back light work well together.
http://forums.watchreport.com/style_images/cobalt/img-resized.png Reduced: 80% of original size [ 800 x 683 ] - Click to view full image
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_wrist-side.jpg
The watch profile. Notice the contrasting glossy and matte finishes and how the casing is nicely tapered.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_attesa-band.jpg
The very cool nautilus Attesa logo, prominently features on the band clasp.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/MYU701/watches/citizen/Attesa/ATV53-2834_band-sizing.jpg
The useful band sizing feature demonstrated. You can see it's about a good quarter inch. Heh, I noticed that I forgot to take off some of the protective plastic. :-d Also, what looks like a blemish on the link attached to the clasp is actually a black imprinted band serial number.
Not a bad watch, eh? ;-)