“I&xd wanted a panda or reverse panda chronograph for some time but hadn&xt previously considered Zodiac. When I saw this on an excellent sale, however, I just couldn&xt resist. I have not been disappointed! It is an excellent watch, and I&xve enjoyed learning about Zodiac&xs storied history, which is just as prestigious as other well-known diving watch brands Rolex or Blancpain.
The action on the bezel is extremely nice and crisp. The chronograph functions perfectly and is well aligned, although it would&xve been nice to see them use screw down pushers, as it means the chronograph can&xt be used underwater. 00m of water resistance is still way more than you&xll find on racing and aviation style chronographs though, so it nice the be able to swim confidently with it.
The dial is particularly nice, with a sandwich effect creating real depth, and a create contrast with its reverse panda tricompax layout. There is a lot on with a dive bezel, tachymeter, and three subdials, but it manages to avoid looking cluttered.
The five-link bracelet looks really, really nice, and I love the spring-loaded butterfly clasp idea. However, even with the small link size, I found it difficult to get just the right fit, so some more microadjustment on the clasp would be nice and contribute to a five-star rating. The pin and collar style is quite annoying to adjust too, especially when it took me three goes to get the best size. As it is, I&xve had to leave it a little loose, with such a big watch, I&xd prefer not to do. I have sourced a white Zodiac tropic strap which I am looking forward to trying on it.
On the subject of the watch&xs size, its dimensions do read very chonky, with a 4mm case, 50mm lug-to-lug, and a whooping 16. 5mm thickness including a doomed sapphire glass. These dimensions were the only reservation I had in making the purchase. As it is, the watch definitely hides its size well, as wears beautifully on my 19. 5cm wrist. 4mm and 50mm lug-to-lug is usually about my limit (I prefer 41 diameter annd 48 lug-to-lug), but with the shape of the lugs and the five-link bracelet, it wears slightly smaller and hugs the wrist well. The thickness also does not bother me like I though it might, but, objectively, it would have been nice to see them shave a few mm off (I bought a Glycine Combat Sub 4mm at the same time - what a contrast!).
I have scored this 4/5 stars because, at full RRP, I think the non-screw down pushers, the difficulty in sizing the bracelet, and the excessive thickness warrant dropping one star. However, if you can get this on an excellent StarBuy sale like I did ($400), it rapidly becomes one of the best chronographs in its price range and deserves five stars.
I suspect I&xll buy a Zodiac Super Seawolf in the future, so you can tell I&xm happy!”
