Islander watches, model by model

The cheapest Islander at $195 and the biggest at 45 mm, and out of stock at check, so a price to know rather than a watch to buy today. 47 mm lug to lug, 15 mm thick, Seiko NH36 day-date, double-domed sapphire, 200 m, a ceramic insert carrying the lumed hour numerals, on blue FKM rubber; the page says the ISL-11, -12 and -13 were modelled on the Seiko Turtle. The alternative in stock is the 43 mm ISL-02 at $329 on a bracelet, 2 mm smaller, 1 mm shorter and 1 mm thinner. The trade at $195 is 15 mm of height and a strap.

The pilot's watch at $249: a Type-B dial on a 42 mm case that runs 48 mm lug to lug, 12 mm thick, 100 m, sapphire, on a leather strap with a signed buckle. The ISL-14 page names a Seiko NH36; the ISL-17 page says only 21-jewel automatic. ISL-14 black, ISL-16 and ISL-17 blue were in stock at $249; the DLC ISL-46 and ISL-81 are $279. The alternative for the same $249 is the Mitchel field watch, 3 mm smaller across and 0.5 mm longer lug to lug. The trade is 100 m and a strap; the divers at $80 more are 200 m on bracelets.

The field watch at $249, and longer than it sounds: 48.5 mm lug to lug on a 39 mm case, longer than the 43 mm ISL-02 diver at 46 mm, so check wrist width before assuming it fits small. 12 mm thick, Miyota 8215, flat sapphire, 100 m, on nylon with leather backing and quick-release bars. The DAY-T versions (ISL-129, ISL-194) swap in a Seiko NH36A day-date at the same $249; the DLC ISL-83 and ISL-187 are $279. The alternative for the same money is the Aviator, 3 mm larger and 0.5 mm shorter. The trade is the Miyota 8215, a lower-beat calibre than the 9015 further up the range.

The Islander for a wrist under 6.5 inches, and the shortest in the range at 44.5 mm lug to lug: $329, 38 mm, 13 mm thick, Seiko NH36 day-date, flat sapphire, a 120-click bezel with a lumed ceramic insert, 200 m, on a screw-link bracelet. Lug width is not stated on the page. Sibling ISL-49 with a sapphire Pepsi insert is the same $329 and was out of stock at check. The alternative for the same money is the 43 mm ISL-02, only 1.5 mm longer despite 5 mm more diameter; San Martin's 6200 at $275 states a 316L case. The trade is an unstated lug width and an unstated origin.

The SKX007-size Islander, and the case the GMT Dive and Sands Point share: $329, 43 mm across per the brand, 46 mm lug to lug, 14 mm thick, Seiko NH36 day-date, flat sapphire, ceramic insert, 200 m, on a bracelet with a flip-lock clasp and 3-position micro-adjust. Siblings: ISL-18 sunburst blue with an embossed ceramic insert and double-domed crystal at $369, ISL-19 on a Miyota 8205 with a sapphire insert at $329, ISL-34 in DLC at $429. The alternative for the same $329 is the 38 mm ISL-05, 1.5 mm shorter and 1 mm thinner. The trade is 14 mm of height on a 43 mm dial.

The longest Islander at 50 mm lug to lug, which wants a wider wrist than anything else the brand sells, and out of stock in all 4 dials at check. $345, 42.4 mm across, 14.2 mm thick, 200 m, single-domed sapphire, a 120-click bezel with a lumed ceramic insert, on a 20-18 mm bracelet with a 6-position milled clasp. The page does not name the movement in its description. The alternative for $4 more is the 42 mm ISL-94 at $349, 3 mm shorter, 1.2 mm thinner, and in stock. The trade is the length, and a movement the page will not name.

The SKX shape with the crown moved to 3 o'clock, at $349: 42 mm, 47 mm lug to lug, 13 mm thick, 20 mm lugs, Seiko NH36 day-date, double-domed sapphire, 200 m, drilled lugs, on a bracelet. The ISL-57 black dial runs a Miyota 8205 at the same $349, and the ISL-323 Red October V2 (42 mm, 14 mm thick, 46 mm lug to lug, Seiko NH38 no-date) is also $349. The alternative for $20 less is the 43 mm ISL-02, 1 mm thicker and 1 mm shorter, with the crown in the SKX position. The trade is $20 for the crown position and the drilled lugs.

The 40 mm that is not a small watch: 48 mm lug to lug, 1 mm longer than the 42 mm ISL-94, so the smaller dial buys no length. $349, 13.5 mm thick, Seiko NH35, flat sapphire, a 120-click bezel with a sloped C3-lumed ceramic insert, a wave-pattern dial, 200 m, on a steel bracelet; lug width is not in the page text. Maroon ISL-310, Blue ISL-311, Green ISL-312 and Warm Grey ISL-314 were in stock; Silver-White ISL-313 was out. The alternative for the same $349 is the Hudson, on mesh, out of stock and without a published length. The trade is 48 mm of length on a 40 mm dial.

The Hudson is a $349 diver whose page gives no movement, no lug to lug and no thickness, and all 3 dials were out of stock at check, so the table shows dashes and the buyer should wait for the page to say more. What it does say: 40 mm, a brushed mesh bracelet with quick-release bars and a 20-18 mm taper, box sapphire, a 120-click bezel with a curved luminous sapphire insert, lumed dial, date and rehaut, 200 m. The alternative for the same money is the Bayport, which publishes its 48 mm length and 13.5 mm thickness and names its NH35. The trade is three unknowns against a known watch at the same price.

The cheapest Islander with a GMT hand at $369, $10 under the Calabro and Melville, and a caller GMT: the Seiko NH34 sets the 24-hour hand independently. 42 mm, 14 mm thick, 22 mm lugs, double-domed sapphire, a bidirectional 24-hour bezel (ceramic, steel or sapphire by variant) plus a 24-hour rehaut, 200 m, on a 22-18 mm bracelet with female endlinks; lug to lug is not stated. ISL-214 blue waffle and ISL-215 white waffle were in stock. The alternative for $80 more is the JFK, the same NH34 with a sapphire bezel insert on 20 mm lugs. The trade is 22 mm lugs and an unpublished length.

The world-time GMT at $379, and the one to buy over the Melville if the watch will swim: 200 m to the Melville's 100 m at the same price. 40 mm, Seiko NH34 caller GMT with a 40 h reserve per the page, flat sapphire, 20 mm lugs, a rotating world-time bezel on an aluminium insert, an H-link bracelet tapering to 18 mm, lumed numerals and all 4 hands; lug to lug and thickness are not on the page. ISL-316, ISL-317 and ISL-318 were in stock; the green ISL-193 was out. The alternative for the same $379 is the Melville, with a fixed bezel and a sapphire display back. The trade is two dimensions the page does not give.

The office GMT at $379: 100 m, the lowest rating of the 5 Islander GMTs, which is the reason to buy the GMT Dive at $369 or the Calabro at $379 instead if it will swim. 40 mm, 47.5 mm lug to lug, 20 mm lugs, Seiko NH34 caller GMT with a 40 h reserve, sapphire front and back, fixed bezel, on a leather strap; thickness is not on the page. ISL-212 grey and ISL-222 blue were in stock; ISL-211 white was out. The alternative for the same money is the Calabro, 200 m with a world-time bezel and no display back. The trade is a view of the movement for 100 m of rating.

The $395 diver on the Miyota 8205, and the one where $54 more buys a better calibre: the Northport's 9015 is thinner and runs at 28,800 bph. 39 mm, 47 mm lug to lug, 13 mm thick (13.5 mm to the top of the domed sapphire), 200 m, 20 mm lugs, a bidirectional dual-time bezel on a ceramic insert, on a 20-18 mm bracelet with a 4-position micro-adjust; colourways ISL-250, -252, -299 and -300. The alternative for the money is the ISL-94 at $349, on a Seiko NH36 in an SKX-size case. The trade is a lower-beat Miyota in Islander's own case against a Seiko calibre in an SKX-size one.

The Islander to buy at $449 if the movement matters: Miyota 9015, 12.5 mm thick, the cheaper of the two 9015 divers. 40.5 mm, 47 mm lug to lug, 200 m, flat sapphire, a 120-click coin-edge bezel with a luminous sapphire insert, BGW9 lume, on a screw-link bracelet tapering 20 to 16 mm. Seafoam ISL-155 and Ocean Blue ISL-195 were in stock. A Northport 37 mm (ISL-290 to ISL-293, $429) was out of stock in every dial. The JFK GMT and the Sands Point sit at the same $449; the alternative above is the Lorier Neptune at $699, 46 mm lug to lug, on a 9039. The trade against the Lorier is $250 saved and 1 mm of length gained.

The GMT to buy at $449 if the bezel insert should be sapphire: Seiko NH34, a bidirectional bezel with a sapphire insert, domed sapphire crystal, 200 m, 20 mm lugs, a female-endlink bracelet tapering 20 to 16 mm, C3 lume with BGW9 on the GMT hand. Lug to lug and thickness are not in the page text. In stock at check: ISL-206 White Cloud, ISL-337 Cherry Blossom, ISL-338 Batman, ISL-356 Sunset Orange; ISL-208 Grey Cloud was out. The alternative for $80 less is the GMT Dive on the same NH34, with 22 mm lugs and a ceramic, steel or sapphire insert by variant. The trade is $80 for the insert and the narrower lug.

The titanium Islander, 108 g per the brand, at the same $449 as the steel Northport, and its page gives no diameter, lug to lug or thickness, so the table shows dashes. A sandblasted titanium case on the SKX007 platform, Miyota 82S0, sapphire, a 120-click bezel with a luminous grey sapphire insert, 200 m, 22 mm lugs, on fitted FKM rubber tapering to 18 mm with a 6-position deployant. The alternative for the same money is the Northport, which publishes all 3 figures and runs the higher-beat 9015. The trade is titanium on rubber against steel on a bracelet of known length.

The thinnest Islander at 11 mm (11.5 mm to the crystal apex), and out of stock at check: $529, 40 mm, 48 mm lug to lug, Miyota 9015, single-domed sapphire, a 120-click bezel with a lumed ceramic insert, 150 m, on a beads-of-rice bracelet with negative endlinks tapering 20 to 18 mm, 150 g on the bracelet per the brand. The alternative for $80 less is the Northport, 1.5 mm thicker, rated to 200 m, and in stock. The trade is 150 m, the lowest rating of the divers, and a wait for the next run.

The true GMT at $595, and the lowest-priced Miyota 9075 on this site; the next is the Lorier Hyperion at $799. The 9075 jumps the local hour in 1-hour steps while the 24-hour hand holds home time, which the NH34 Islanders do not. 40 mm, 200 m, 20 mm lugs, flat sapphire, a bidirectional bezel with a C3-lumed sapphire insert, on a bracelet tapering to 18 mm with a 7-increment clasp; lug to lug and thickness are not on the page. ISL-238 blue was in stock; ISL-275 white and ISL-276 black were out. The alternative for $204 more is the Hyperion, 39 mm, 46 mm lug to lug, with a published length. The trade is two unpublished dimensions against $204.