San Martin watches, model by model

The cheapest San Martin on the day at $188, the only bronze with a live page, and a watch for a wrist that can carry 50 mm lug-to-lug, the longest figure on this page. CuSn8 bronze, 41 mm, 100 m, sapphire, C3 lume, on a 22 mm quick-release leather strap with a 316L buckle. Two movements: a Seiko NH35 automatic at 11.3 mm thick or a Sea-Gull ST3621 hand-wound at 9.8 mm, and the hand-wound is 1.5 mm thinner. The 6200 bronze (SN0004BQ) and 42 mm bronze diver (SN0043Q) are in the same collection but their pages returned 404. The alternative is the 6200 diver in steel at $275, 4 mm shorter, on a bracelet.

The San Martin to buy at $275 if you want a Submariner-shaped diver at 38 mm and are content to know it is one: the title names the 6200, a 1950s Submariner reference, and the brand files it under Classic Design. 46 mm lug-to-lug, 13 mm thick, Seiko NH35, sapphire, a 120-click ceramic bezel, 200 m, BGW9 lume, on a screw-link 316L bracelet with a fly-adjustable clasp. In stock at check. Searchers write it as SN004. Against the 62mas at $306 it is 1 mm wider, 0.5 mm shorter and $31 cheaper. The Islander 38 mm at $329 is the other stated-316L diver at this money, on an NH36, with a 1-year warranty against 2.

The 62mas homage at $306, marked Limited Offer at check, and the pick over the 6200 for anyone who wants an ETA 2824 clone rather than a Seiko: the movement is a Sea-Gull PT5000 or ST2130, and the brand says batches are moving to the ST2130. The title names Seiko's 1965 diver. 37 mm, 46.5 mm lug-to-lug, 12.8 mm thick, 200 m, sapphire, a 120-click ceramic bezel, C3 lume, on a 316L bracelet with a fine-tuning folding clasp or FKM rubber. The 6200 is $31 less on a Seiko NH35. The $31 is the movement, and the brand has not settled which one you get.

The cheapest NH34 GMT on this site at $321, $48 under the cheapest Islander on the same movement, and the San Martin to buy if the second zone matters more than the collection it sits in, which is Classic. The NH34 is a caller: the 24-hour hand sets independently and the local hour does not jump. 39.5 mm, 46.5 mm lug-to-lug, 12.2 mm thick, 100 m, top-hat sapphire, a 24-click bidirectional bezel with a distressed aluminium insert, on a 316L beads-of-rice bracelet with a fly-adjust clasp; the case steel grade is not stated. This is the distressed V6; the plain SN0116-G and V4 root beer pages returned 404. The Islander at $369 gives a US address for the $48.

The 300 m San Martin in steel at $323, 10% off at check, so the struck list sits above it and this figure will move. 40 mm, 48 mm lug-to-lug, 13.2 mm thick, Sea-Gull ST2130, sapphire, a 120-click bezel with a ceramic top ring, BGW-X1 lume, 20 mm lugs, on a 316L bracelet tapering 20 to 16 mm. The Original Design index lists it, though the product page's own breadcrumb says Classic/Dive. The titanium SN0111-T, also 40 mm and 300 m, is $66 more and 0.5 mm shorter, and the better watch if weight matters. At 48 mm lug-to-lug this one wants a wrist near 7 inches; the 62mas at 46.5 mm does not.

Not a diver, whatever the reference suggests: the one SN0110 the brand lists is a 37 mm dress watch at $341, and the thinnest San Martin here by 0.3 mm over the SN0144. 45 mm lug-to-lug, 9.8 mm thick, 100 m, sapphire, Sea-Gull ST1812, a diamond-pattern enamel dial in Light Green or Salmon, on a steel bracelet with a quick-release leather strap in the box. No lume is stated. A searcher who expected a Submariner shape should look at the BB Diver (SN0128) and the SN0017 and SN0009 in the Classic collection, not fetched for this table. For the money the SN0149 at $399 gives an integrated bracelet and a Miyota; this gives enamel and 9.8 mm.

An Original Design diver at $371 in 2 sizes, and the size is the decision: the 42 mm SN0126GL in the table is 50 mm lug-to-lug, 13.6 mm thick with 21 mm lugs; the 38 mm SN0126GS on the same page is 46.5 mm, 11.7 mm and 20 mm. Miyota 90S5, the no-date 9015, 200 m, sapphire, a 120-click ceramic bezel, BGW-X1 lume, on a brushed 316L bracelet with an on-the-fly clasp. The 42 mm shares the bronze pilot's 50 mm length. The 38 mm matches the 62mas footprint for $65 more, and the $65 buys the brand's own design and a Miyota in place of a Sea-Gull. A wrist under 7 inches takes the 38.

The titanium San Martin at $389 was 30% off at check, so expect a higher number next month. Grade 5 (TC4) titanium case and bracelet with a Grade 2 titanium fly-adjust clasp: 40 mm, 47.5 mm lug-to-lug, 13.1 mm thick, 300 m, sapphire without a cyclops, a unidirectional ceramic bezel, BGW9 lume, 20 mm lugs tapering to 16 mm. The movement is a Sea-Gull PT5000, with a Sellita SW200 also offered. The Islander Sands Point is the other titanium diver under $500 here, $449 on a rubber strap with no published dimensions, so this is the one you can size before buying. The steel SN0154 is $66 less for the same rating; the $66 is the metal.

The one integrated-bracelet watch under $1,000 in the data, at $399, and the shortest San Martin at 44.5 mm lug-to-lug on a 40 mm case, the same figure as the Islander 38 mm diver. 10.55 mm thick, 100 m, sapphire, Miyota 90S5, on a solid 316L bracelet with a 25.5 mm attachment tapering to 18 mm and a butterfly clasp with hidden push-buttons, BGW9 X1 lume. The Original Design index lists it; its page breadcrumb says Classic/Mechanical. The SN0144 is $29 more on a conventional 20 mm lug with the same movement, so the choice is whether you will ever want to change the strap, which here you cannot.

The top of the range at $428 and the strongest argument for buying San Martin: the brand's own design on a Miyota. 39 mm, 46.5 mm lug-to-lug, 10.1 mm thick, 100 m, sapphire, Miyota 90S5, a fixed brushed 316L bezel, BGW-X1 lume, on a 5-link 316L bracelet tapering 20 to 16 mm with a fly-adjust clasp. The SN0144CG has a Jianzhan-glaze dial; the family also lists a coin-pattern CG-2, an enamel CG7, a mother-of-pearl GX-4 and a power-reserve DG on the Miyota 9132. Against the SN0149 it is $29 more, 1 mm narrower, 2 mm longer and 0.45 mm thinner. The Traska Commuter 38 at $700 is the same Miyota family for $272 more, hardened, with a US address.