Zodiac Topper Edition Sea Wolf GMT
Sea Wolf or Super Sea Wolf? Well, this limited edition, is a Topper Exclusive, with only 182 pieces being made. The official name being the Zodiac Sea Wolf GMT ‘Crystal’ Topper Edition. What you have is a color variant of the popular Zodiac Super Sea Wolf GMT, formerly the Aerospace GMT. This watch comes in a lot of colorways, but this Pepsi GMT is exclusive to Topper Jewelers, and has a crystal sunray dial, along with a roulette day wheel. What is interesting is the labeling of Sea Wolf GMT on the dial, as all other versions of this watch say Super Sea Wolf GMT.
It does not change anything else about the watch, the bezel, the font, the case size nor the crown, but in this instance, it is not labeled “Super”. Why? I am not sure, but I think if you are a fan of this line of watches from Zodiac, you would probably consider this one just as super like the others, I mean, it even uses Superman’s colors! All jokes and confusion aside, this limited edition retails for $1795 and you can only purchase through Topper, but if you like this piece but not the colors, you’ll want to check out the Zodiac website for more options.
Specifications:
- 40mm Width
- 13mm Thick
- 47mm Lug to Lug
- 20mm Lug Width
- Domed Sapphire Crystal
- K1 Mineral Crystal Bezel Glass
- Soprod GMT C125 Movement
- 200 Meters Water Resistant
- Price $1795
Purchase directly through Topper Jewelers: https://topperjewelers.com/products/zodiac-sea-wolf-gmt-crystal-topper-edition-zo9408
Zodiac Website: https://www.zodiacwatches.com/en-us/
The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf line has a long history, going back to 1953, and the Aerospace can be traced back to 1966, but it seems nowadays the Aerospace has been incorporated into the Super Sea Wolf lineup. If you have been following Zodiac the past few years, you probably know that this case design gets used quite a lot, as a matter of fact, if you take a look at their website, this case design, with only minor changes such as a different bracelet or crown, make up the majority of their offerings, with the exception of the Sea Wolf 68, which is a very different watch altogether.
This Zodiac Topper Edition Sea Wolf GMT was sent to me for review recently, and I have to say, I have been following along with the new Zodiac in recent years, but really never had one in hand for a considerable amount of time. I had many Zodiac watches going back to my early 20’s (that’s almost 20 years ago now), one of my favorites being the Oceanaire. The Zodiac of today is definitely on the retro bandwagon, going back to its roots with designs from the 60s and 70s. It makes sense, of course, seeing as how many other brands are doing exactly the same and it seems to be prospering from it.
But, what about this particular piece? Well, it is the same as other GMT’s from Zodiac, same bezel, same dial, markers and hands, same crown, and the 3 link bracelet. The Topper Edition gives an exclusive color, with the Pepsi GMT bezel and the crystal or silver sunray dial. Now, it may seem like I am downplaying all of this, but I am not. Well, what I mean is, this watch really has nothing different than all the others, but that is not a bad thing, as this Zodiac Topper Edition Sea Wolf GMT is quite the watch.
With a 40mm case and only 13mm thick, this is a very wearable watch for many, especially with a lug to lug of 47mm. GMT watches have never been my go-to, but if you travel, or just like something a little different than your standard dive watch, A GMT will fit the bill. Fortunately, this GMT does have a screw-down crown (though I do find it quite small) and is 200m water-resistant, you can use it while at the lake for the weekend, or even on that sploosh water ride, that the kids are begging you to go on.
The dial is very easy to read and there is a little easter egg with the roulette date wheel, which alternates between red and blue colors for each day. The red GMT hand seems to match the bezel color quite well, and overall I like this dial and color combo better than the recently released neon green version, this one being much more traditional.
I have read a few comments from watch enthusiasts saying this watch felt cheap, and to be honest, I am not sure where that assessment comes from. I do have a few issues with this watch, more on that shortly, but the overall build quality is very good. The machining and finishing are spot-on, with beautiful vertical brushing on the case sides, with mirror polish accents to set it off. The mirror polish extends to the center links of the bracelet and the case back as well, but I think that is what gives this watch some extra pizzaz. I am wondering if it is the weight that throws some people off, only weighing 147 grams. It is true, this is a lightweight watch, but it is also a smaller-sized watch, but I never once felt it was cheaply made.
There are a few issues I do have though, and now is as good a time as any to discuss them. The bi-directional bezel is covered in mineral crystal, not sapphire, something that does seem out of place on an $1800 watch. I pondered this for a while, and I can’t believe this was a cost-cutting issue, but maybe it was, or maybe they chose mineral to give it a more vintage look, like the old Bakelite bezels, but I have no confirmation either way.
The bracelet as I said is beautifully finished, and the clasp is quite pleasing with the flip lock cutout integrating the Zodiac logo. Also present is the stretch link, a link on each side of the clasp that has some extra give, in case you need a little extra room on any given day. But, and not all will consider this a negative, it does use the pin and collar system to hold the links together. A secure system for sure, but can be aggravating to size. The lug ends are the opposite though, using quick-release pins to attach to the case, something I am not a fan of normally and have written about a lot in the past, but I will say they do work quite well on this piece.
The Zodiac Topper Edition Sea Wolf GMT and some of the more recent GMT’s from Zodiac use the Soprod C125 automatic movement instead of the ETA 2893-2 they used in the past. Functionality is the same, but I believe they had a hard time sourcing ETA these days, something we have heard from a few brands. The GMT function is not what many consider a “true” GMT, as the GMT hand is not independent of the hour hand, but you can still track two time zones, and it has a power reserve of about 42 hours.
Below, you will see the lume of the Zodiac Topper Edition Sea Wolf GMT, after being fully charged. Unfortunately, while it may look good in the photo, it does not last very long. I think maybe I was a little too harsh on the lume section of the video, as there could be more lume applied to the dial, but with the large chrome indices in the way and the very thin hands, I am not sure where they would have applied it. This is not a dive watch after all, and though I wish the lume would sustain a little longer than a few hours, it is probably more than sufficient for this style of watch. I am sure some will disagree though, considering this watch’s price.
Though I have a few issues with the Zodiac Topper Edition Sea Wolf GMT, some of them are personal preferences, and I can almost always find an issue or two with almost any watch. I think this is a solid piece from Zodiac, and though I think they could have probably done a little more to distinguish this limited edition, I do enjoy the Pepsi colorway and I love that silver sunray dial.
Like most things these days, prices are up, and gone are the days of $150 Zodiac finds. Even though Zodiac is owned by the Fossil Group, the Zodiac brand is a higher-end brand, and I bet most don’t even realize the connection between the two. I still miss some of those early 2000s designs, but maybe one day they will revive and freshen those up as well.
Size-wise, this GMT is just fine, though I do wish the crown was bigger or easier to use on these pieces, maybe less rounded and more stout, as I did find myself struggling when using the crown. Otherwise, I can definitely see the appeal of this design and look, and you can never go wrong with red, white, and blue. Remember, this one is a Topper Exclusive, so you’ll have to purchase it there if you want this particular Zodiac GMT.
