Review of Islander Manhasset Rose Gold
This is a disappointing day for me. I’ve bought multiple watches from various brands from Island Watch but never before bought an Islander brand watch until recently. It is very underwhelming. Perhaps I had too high expectations since Island Watch is focused upon watch enthusiasts.
On the plus side, the dial is beautiful, spectacular, fabulous, gorgeous, stunning, amazing, etc., etc.. But the rest of the watch is very ‘ok-ish’. It is 36mm diameter, 12mm thick and 43mm lug-to-lug; with 20mm lug width. Overall, very nice for a dressier style watch. Sized for me is weighs 117.4 grams.
The bracelet, though, is trash. Jody at JOMW said, in his review, the watch needs a retcheting clasp. It does, but I’m not sure that would do much. The clasp is super cheap feeling and so is the entire bracelet. I weighed the spare links and they come in at 2.2 grams per link. I have a couple cheap aliexpress/ eBay bracelets that are more substantial. Taking the end links, bracelet links and clasp as an assembly, if Mark pays more than $4 for the whole assembly he’s getting robbed. At least in certain light the bracelet looks good.
The movement I good. Seiko make good movements and the fact Mark modified a date type to use in a no date watch doesn’t bother me. What does bother me is the movement is typical Seiko industrial looking with zero effort on decoration with a display caseback. Mark explained why he used a display back in his video, but common man; at least put a custom rotor on like Invicta do. At least mine keeps very good time at <5 seconds per day variance.
The watch case overall has ‘ok-ish’ finish. The high polish places are very slightly better than my Invicta Pro Diver ‘snoopy’ but not as good as high polish areas on my Seikos or on my Strapcode aftermarket bracelets. The brushing is also just fair.
Why am I keeping this then, if it is so poorly done overall? There are three reasons I’d keep this, and the first is that I didn’t buy the watch to wear often. I bought it because the color is far outside what I had and other color such as champagne or salmon, just weren’t what I wanted. So just to have the rose gold option is ok. Did I mention that the dial is fabulous, spectacular, gorgeous, beautiful…….? It really is!
Other reasons this may be good to keep could be for someone looking for a dress watch that isn’t quite fully a dress watch. It looks great and for occasional ‘dress up’ opportunities this may work well. Alternatively, someone who really doesn’t like bracelets anyway, may like this watch on a strap. It could work well if you just never use the bracelet.
The bottom line for me is; I’m keeping it because it fills my need. But overall, this watch compares most closely to my Invicta Pro Diver, and not my Seikos or Hamiltons. So my overall recommendation is; aliexpress specials may be better for the money. Sigh
Review of Islander Manhasset Rose Gold
Yes
No
- Dial is gorgeous
- The bracelet is trash
- Display back with no decoration on the movement
The first watch I remember was a late 1970s automatic diver with a world time bezel. I was taking scuba lessons and my dad got it for me. I ended up with a PADI advanced open water qualification. So I...
Unsure what you expect for the price point but each to their own I guess 💁
I have 5 islanders, the Port Jeff GMT, & the JFK GMT are absolutely stellar (well above anything close to that price and above from Seiko or Tissot). Not to mention his Original ISL-18 beats the SKX is nearly every way.
Perhaps this model is subpar, but your cost per what you receive argument makes no sense to me (currently sitting around 30 mostly micros in the under $1000 price point). You mention his bracelet, yet you have an aftermarket bracelet on your Seiko 🙄
But at the end of the day your review ✌️
For $250 or less.. sounds about right.
I think that’s the price, at least by the sound of it.
I don't know anything about this watch, so I have to assume your critiques are fair enough given the price. However, I would assume the rotor being stock was visible from online photos, or was it not? Display case backs on undecorated movements are quite nice for newer watch enthusiasts to see what's inside the "black box" and for showing or explaining things to other people. A fancy design on a simple weight has never seemed like a particularly engaging thing to look at compared to the actual inner workings of the watch.
Unsure what you expect for the price point but each to their own I guess 💁
I have 5 islanders, the Port Jeff GMT, & the JFK GMT are absolutely stellar (well above anything close to that price and above from Seiko or Tissot). Not to mention his Original ISL-18 beats the SKX is nearly every way.
Perhaps this model is subpar, but your cost per what you receive argument makes no sense to me (currently sitting around 30 mostly micros in the under $1000 price point). You mention his bracelet, yet you have an aftermarket bracelet on your Seiko 🙄
But at the end of the day your review ✌️
Maybe my standards are too high. I expect a watch costing about $300 to be comparable to watches in about the same range. Purchased new, my SARB033, SARB017, SKX009, my Hamilton khaki field 38mm auto, and my brother’s Orient Ray are in the general range $200-$375. The Manhasset is not comparable to any of those. It is comparable to my Invicta Pro Diver that costs my less. Maybe my expectation is unrealistic but it is my expectation.
Do you have an example of an equivalent president-style bracelet within the same price range that you feel is not trash?
Maybe my standards are too high. I expect a watch costing about $300 to be comparable to watches in about the same range. Purchased new, my SARB033, SARB017, SKX009, my Hamilton khaki field 38mm auto, and my brother’s Orient Ray are in the general range $200-$375. The Manhasset is not comparable to any of those. It is comparable to my Invicta Pro Diver that costs my less. Maybe my expectation is unrealistic but it is my expectation.
Def your right to have your expectations 100% support. But I don’t recall any at this price range that contains a good OEM bracelet. As I recall those don’t have solid end links and their clasps suck. Seems this Islander has the dial, movement, sapphire, AR, Lume, and a solid link bracelet with screws.
I would say that this is likely not the best from Marc as he make his career in the dive watch game (started as SKX mod parts sales). I would suggest giving one of his divers a try before you give up on his brand.
Each to their own tho ✌️
I don't own this particular watch, rather I currently have their Northport in the Seafoam colorway and it is a very well built watch, has the Miyota 9015 movement, has a very substantial bracelet and overall is a great piece at its price point. I have a list of as many as 4-5 other Islander watches I am interested in and hope I will be as satisfied as i am with this one. Sorry to hear yours is less than you expected.
Also checkout their Brookville line (more comparable to Hamilton with a bracelet) custom rotor and high beat movement for the $375 price you mentioned.
https://longislandwatch.com/shop/?search=brookville
I take my leave, good luck.
Do you have an example of an equivalent president-style bracelet within the same price range that you feel is not trash?
Not exactly the same, but the bracelet on my Invicta Pro Diver has better links, better clasp but not as good end links. The Invicta cost (new) $55 on Amazon.
Not exactly the same, but the bracelet on my Invicta Pro Diver has better links, better clasp but not as good end links. The Invicta cost (new) $55 on Amazon.
The only item I see on Amazon for that price range is a Invicta quartz diver with an oyster-style bracelet. It has a stamped clasp, and uses quick release pins instead of screws for bracelet adjustment, whereas the islander has a milled clasp and uses screws for adjustment. Given the differences aside, what is it about the islander bracelet that makes it garbage and thus inferior? Is it the bracelet style? More difficult to adjust? Not heavy enough? Too heavy?
Just genuinely curious, because I have the same islander, and I think the bracelet is fine given the price range. However if there are better bracelets for cheaper, I would be willing to check them out.
Maybe my standards are too high. I expect a watch costing about $300 to be comparable to watches in about the same range. Purchased new, my SARB033, SARB017, SKX009, my Hamilton khaki field 38mm auto, and my brother’s Orient Ray are in the general range $200-$375. The Manhasset is not comparable to any of those. It is comparable to my Invicta Pro Diver that costs my less. Maybe my expectation is unrealistic but it is my expectation.
Agree, I love Marc but I was pretty underwhelmed with my first Islander. Case finishing wasn't great, and the hands + indices + logo looked a bit cheap to me. The clasp was the same exact one that came on my strapcode bracelet, and both of them were nearly impossible to close without pushing the buttons. Bracelet was a major hair puller, and had too much lateral flex. I think my expectations were too high as well - IMO it's comparable to some AliX watches like Seestern, and a little better than Pagani or Steeldive
Agree, I love Marc but I was pretty underwhelmed with my first Islander. Case finishing wasn't great, and the hands + indices + logo looked a bit cheap to me. The clasp was the same exact one that came on my strapcode bracelet, and both of them were nearly impossible to close without pushing the buttons. Bracelet was a major hair puller, and had too much lateral flex. I think my expectations were too high as well - IMO it's comparable to some AliX watches like Seestern, and a little better than Pagani or Steeldive
I have several strapcode bracelets and agree about the clasp. The jubilee bracelet on my skx though, is much better made than the Islander jubilee.
I have several strapcode bracelets and agree about the clasp. The jubilee bracelet on my skx though, is much better made than the Islander jubilee.
Totally, is that the stock SKX bracelet or aftermarket? I haven’t owned an SKX007, but the overall feel in hand of the case and bracelet on my SSK003 is much better than the northport I had. I thought the strapcode bracelet itself I have was pretty good, but the clasp was too big and too hard to close
Totally, is that the stock SKX bracelet or aftermarket? I haven’t owned an SKX007, but the overall feel in hand of the case and bracelet on my SSK003 is much better than the northport I had. I thought the strapcode bracelet itself I have was pretty good, but the clasp was too big and too hard to close
The one on my SKX is a strapcode super jubilee. The feel matches that of the watch itself. The clasp could be better but at least it has six micro adjustment positions which it very good (and the islander clasp only has 3 which is virtually nothing).