Should You Buy a U Boat Capsoil?

While there is a lot to consider the first question is "do you love the way it looks?" If the answer is no then there is no reason for you to keep reading. The unique looks are by far the main reason to get a Capsoil and where it gets the majority of its "value."

So, you do love the way it looks, what else should you consider? While I don't feel qualified to say it's "high quality," I will say that it seems like it is to me. It is very accurate, as you would expect from a quartz watch, and really tough. Mine has the black PVD coating and, while I have worn it a lot and taken it on tons of hikes, etc., the watch and crystal look brand new still.

While it does seem "high quality" to me there are definite quirks that need to be part of the decision. The biggest is the battery. Depending on the model you buy this can be a pretty big deal. The newer models tend to have battery access on the back which makes battery changes easy, as far as I understand. The older models, like mine, have a screw down back that requires the watch being sent to a U Boat factory since the battery is in the oil. Depending on where you live that can mean sending it a long way and it can cost a lot for a battery change.

The other major quirk I ran into was that it has a screw in bar holding the strap rather than spring bars. This makes strap changes much harder than with most watches. I thought I had the right tool and ended up stripping the screws so I just use NATO straps now. This is a bigger deal because I really didn't like the U Boat strap it came with when I got it on eBay. It was a thick leather strap that felt kind of like plastic and was black. I have not thought it looks good on any black straps, it takes away from the dial in my opinion.

The final consideration I would pose to you is how other people view it. On the wrist in the real world it does grab attention, generally positive in my experience. It is the watch people comment on most when I am at places like work and most people think it looks "cool." On the other hand, being a HUGE quartz watch it is far from the most popular model amongst watch nerds. Plenty of people on Watch Crunch think it's cool too, but if you want something you can post here and have people go crazy for there are plenty of other options for the same or less money.

Oh... And the bubble. I go back and forth between liking it and not noticing it, but it's there.

Let me know if you have any questions that weren't answered here, or if you have a U Boat and would like to share any other considerations I haven't covered here.