Glashutte Original’s daily-wear sports watch collection is currently known as the SeaQ Panorama Date, and it fits within the relatively new “Spezialist” product family at the German brand. While a watch like this might not have the pizazz and popularity of some of the competition, Glashutte Original makes a truly fantastic product with an exceptional in-house movement that is on par with in-house movements at similar price points, while offering both more performance and better accuracy. aBlogtoWatch has covered the Glashutte SeaQ model family numerous times, but for now, I’d like to offer my own hands-on take on the reference 1-36-13-07-83-70 version of the SeaQ Panorama Date with the “reed green” hued dial and matching ceramic bezel.
The design of these diver’s-style watches hearkens back to sports timepieces produced in Saxony during the era of communist occupation. The historic watchmaking city of Glashutte is located in East Germany, and its entire industry was repurposed for state use — to make watches. The region was truly prolific in the watches it produced, and the heritage of both the distant and more recent history makes a big impact on what companies in Glashutte produce. Accordingly, this distinctive face, with its large arrow-style minute hand, is gauge-like in its appeal and very much honors the spirit of watchmaking in the region. I have seen historic models this SeaQ is based on, and I feel that the quirkiness of this design is a good fit for people who like serious German tool watches meant for “specialists.”
Glashutte Original had been pressured for years to revive its lauded Sport Evolution collection, which, in a sense, is what the SeaQ really is. While the design of the bracelet is a bit different (simpler and more classic in the SeaQ), the way it is engineered is very similar to the Sport Evolution, which includes how the bracelet links are removed and the excellent folding deployant system with the micro-adjust mechanism. Before micro-adjust systems were popular, Glashutte Original was making this, and it requires merely a press on the “GO” logo on the underside of the deployant to let the bracelet in or out a few millimeters.
That said, most versions of the SeaQ Panorama Date watches come on either a colored rubber strap or a textile strap. Personally, I like the look of these on the bracelet very much, but for a lighter and less visually bulky experience, the straps are great options (and are, of course, less expensive). The brand sells multiple SKUs with the watch on different straps. I don’t understand why, at these price points, Glashutte Original cannot simply include both a bracelet and one or two strap options with the watch. Not doing so leaves the customer in a position to make difficult choices, but if you reach out to Glashutte Original or an authorized dealer, you can buy the strap or bracelet you want for an additional cost.
These are not small watches, but the proportions on them don’t make them look huge from afar. But there is a classic heft to the steel and steel/gold versions of the SeaQ watches that reminds me of high-quality heavy watches of yore. These are not great choices for people who are all about getting as lightweight a watch as possible. The well-made steel case is 43.2mm-wide and 15.6mm-thick with 300 meters of water resistance. Over the dial is a domed and AR-coated sapphire crystal, while, as I said above, the unidirectionally rotating bezel insert is in polished ceramic.
Glashutte Original, in general, does an excellent job with the dial, both from a materials and shape perspective. There is a slightly domed look to the dial and all of the elements have just enough shine without being overly reflective. Dial proportions are very good, and the integration of the big date (“Panorama Date”) indicator at the 4 o’clock position feels natural. It is good that Glashutte Original made sure to color-match the date discs with the reed green color of the dial. Luminant is of good quality, and overall, this is a high-end watch that is really about reminiscing about much more pedestrian East German adventure and professional watches from decades ago.
Visible through the sapphire crystal caseback on the year of the SeaQ is the excellent caliber 36 family movement. In the SeaQ Panorama Date, the movement is the caliber 36-13. This automatic movement operates at 4Hz with a full 100 hours of power reserve. The regulation system uses a silicon balance spring. The caliber 36 uses a lot of special features (such as magnetism and temperature resistance), which allow it to be very precisely regulated, as well as durable and reliable over time. It doesn’t hurt at all that the movement is very beautiful to look at, as well.
Critics argue that while Glashutte Original makes an excellent product with the SeaQ, it is on the more expensive side when compared with some of the more popular competition, and also that the style isn’t as formal as they like to see from the Glashutte Original brand. Those are fair points, but they merely remark on visual taste and the sheer level of competition out there in the high-end diver’s watch space. The SeaQ might not win many beauty contests or catch the attention of a competitive financial asset trader looking for something flashy, but it is just what the doctor ordered if you are looking for a stately Teutonic tool watch with no compromises. Price for the reference 1-36-13-07-83-70 Glashutte Original SeaQ Panorama Date watch on the matching steel bracelet is $12,400 USD. Learn more by visiting the Glashutte Original website.
