Do the Seiko Sarb033/035 have a cult following?

Much like most things in pop culture that develop a cult following, kind of like a 1980s movie that didn’t do well in theaters but is later regarded as an all time classic in the years to follow, I feel like watches can also have the same affect. One of the most obvious to me is the Rolex Daytona. Once upon a time, Rolex couldn’t give Daytona’s away. Today they’re fetching record prices in auctions. I believe there are some more humble watch models out there that do the same. Which brings me to the Seiko Sarb033/035. When I first got into mechanical watches “I was initially introduced to quartz watches and there for collected mostly quartz at the inception of my journey”, Seiko was one of the first watch brands that came up during my research. I knew I wanted a watch that could be dressed up or down, and that could be a bit of a strap monster. Within Seiko’s line of different watches, the Sarb series was one that was highly regarded as a high quality, great value for money. Not just for beginners, but for seasoned collectors alike. I purchased the Seiko Sarb035 as a college graduation gift for my self in 2018 and I’ve loved it ever since. And since I’ve purchased it, I noticed that both the 033 and 035 models really have a cult following. Is it just in my head? Is it like when you buy that new Corolla and then all of a sudden you see that same Corolla all over the road? Or does the Seiko Sarb033 and 035 have the cult following with passionate owners?

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I also have both, and yes, definitely something very unique about the culture for those who own them.

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I think there is a cult like following, it's why they are so expensive I think. I don't really wear my 033 a lot. I never really liked it as much as the internet says that I should, I think it's too heavy and bulky. It will almost certainly be sold this year (although I did say the same last year 😅).

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UnsignedCrown

I think there is a cult like following, it's why they are so expensive I think. I don't really wear my 033 a lot. I never really liked it as much as the internet says that I should, I think it's too heavy and bulky. It will almost certainly be sold this year (although I did say the same last year 😅).

I have the same thoughts once in awhile 😉

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UnsignedCrown

I think there is a cult like following, it's why they are so expensive I think. I don't really wear my 033 a lot. I never really liked it as much as the internet says that I should, I think it's too heavy and bulky. It will almost certainly be sold this year (although I did say the same last year 😅).

@UnsignedCrown heavy and bulky? It’s a 36mm watch? I don’t see how it’s heavy or bulky in anyway. 🤷🏻‍♂️

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abonilla559

@UnsignedCrown heavy and bulky? It’s a 36mm watch? I don’t see how it’s heavy or bulky in anyway. 🤷🏻‍♂️

The bezel is 36mm but the case is 38mm. It also has reasonably large volume. It weighs sized for me 130g or so (on OEM bracelet) which is as much as a 116233 steel and gold Datejust sized for me as well. That watch is already on the bigger side for what I wear in general, let alone daily, but the SARB case also has more volume and feels less balanced. The weight is also similar to my Ebel 1911, but that watch is 9mm thick, compared to 12mm of the SARB, and has more weight in the band so the head is much less noticeable.

Anyway, I prefer 34mm watches and the weight that comes from these so the SARB will probably be replaced by a Tudor Prince Date 34mm. It's all relative of course, compared to many modern watches the SARB is tiny, but in my book the SARB is most definitely not a compact watch. My statement should of course not be taken as an absolute, it's just that I have hands and wrists the size of a 4 year old girl with growth hormone deficiencies so that I prefer to wear relatively small watches.

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Owned both a 033 and 035 as my leap into watch collecting. Loved them both but eventually sold them to move “upstream” to a Tudor. Great watches but shouldn’t command the secondary market price they do now. Also both of the 6r15s in mine were trash even after service and regulation.

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Do not owned them, but own the presage sharp edge and new no date KS, with the secondary market price for the SARBs, ended with the 2 previous. With retail price, there is a justification, not with inflated one.

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UnsignedCrown

The bezel is 36mm but the case is 38mm. It also has reasonably large volume. It weighs sized for me 130g or so (on OEM bracelet) which is as much as a 116233 steel and gold Datejust sized for me as well. That watch is already on the bigger side for what I wear in general, let alone daily, but the SARB case also has more volume and feels less balanced. The weight is also similar to my Ebel 1911, but that watch is 9mm thick, compared to 12mm of the SARB, and has more weight in the band so the head is much less noticeable.

Anyway, I prefer 34mm watches and the weight that comes from these so the SARB will probably be replaced by a Tudor Prince Date 34mm. It's all relative of course, compared to many modern watches the SARB is tiny, but in my book the SARB is most definitely not a compact watch. My statement should of course not be taken as an absolute, it's just that I have hands and wrists the size of a 4 year old girl with growth hormone deficiencies so that I prefer to wear relatively small watches.

@UnsignedCrown when you explain it for your own unique wearing experience, the previous comment made way more sense. I respect your perspective. I would say I have average sized wrists and hands so I can wear anything from a 36mm to a 42mm watch and they’ll look good on my wrist. Anything bigger or smaller than those sizes and it would start to look unusual.

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A and B are both true.

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caktaylor

A and B are both true.

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Yes. But not as big as the SARB017 Alpinist cult following!

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