People might think that the watch world is a snobby, exclusive club that requires thousands of dollars to join. Sheffield Watches, a once defunct brand that was recently revived by Jay Turkbas, represents a rebuttal of these sentiments. True, many watches do cost a fortune, and rightfully so. Companies employ extremely skilled craftsmen, use expensive or exotic materials, and spend millions on research and marketing. However, this does not mean that other brands cannot make fun and compelling timepieces at affordable prices, as Sheffield has done. Sheffield’s website informs that they are able to offer such value by carefully sourcing their components and assembling their watches in China, and they are proud of the value that they offer.
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Turkbas, who was gifted a Sheffield at age 11, purchased the rights to the defunct brand in order to revive it. His mission was to make and sell quality watches at affordable prices. The initial model since the brand’s renewal was a quartz diver known as the Allsport 1 Classic, and it retails for $108, and bears some resemblance to a no-date Submariner on a rubber strap. Amazingly, that price is roughly the same price, adjusted for inflation, that the original Sheffield sold for in 1970. Turkbas has gone on to introduce several new models, some of them even more affordable. What makes Sheffield interesting, is the cult following the brand is beginning to develop. Although a Sheffield watch makes for a great entry level timepiece, some seasoned enthusiasts have also begun collecting Sheffields, adding sub-$200 watches to collections worth tens of thousands.
Today, I am reviewing a newer release, the Allsport Diver 1A. This watch is the company’s first automatic watch, and it is intended to be the successor to the original Sheffield Allsport that Turkbas was given and still owns today. To me, the Allsport Diver 1A (both the original and the reissue) somewhat resembles a cross between a Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique and a Rolex Submariner, which are two great sources for inspiration. That being said, the Sheffield still has its own unique flavor, to be sure. I recently purchased this watch to review and have been enjoying wearing it and telling others about Turkbas’ story. I have to reiterate, that while I may refer to a watch’s price in the Aesthetic and Watchmaking Scores, or mention other watches for comparison, those two scores are agnostic of price. Thus my scale must accommodate everything from a no name quartz watch, to a Patek Philippe 5170 (one of my dream watches, which would probably score perfectly in those two categories). I mention this because the Sheffield is, in my opinion quite a good looking watch, so it scores well in aesthetics, and that is regardless of the price. On the other hand, even though the watch’s movement is without a doubt the right one for the job, it is not one that is designed, decorated, or unique enough to score very highly on that front.
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Aesthetic Score:
The Sheffield Allsport Diver 1A is objectively a good looking timepiece. The proportions look good, for the most part, indicating attention to detail when the watch was designed. Many similarly priced watches will maintain affordability by ignoring thickness; allowing the watch to be very thick decreases constraints on design and manufacturing, while still more or less looking the same for an overhead shot for a website picture. It is only when you are wearing a watch that is too thick that you notice it sticks out like a sore thumb, both aesthetically and ergonomically. This is not the case with the Sheffield; at just 13mm, it is thinner than last week’s subject the Omega Seamaster. This is important because flatter watches are typically more elegant and often fit more comfortably. The rubber strap is very nice. The cutouts underneath are a nice touch, that make it comfortable and pliable. The strap also features a quick release system, so you can easily change up the look. It is actually quite similar to the strap found on the aforementioned Blancpain. However, the embossed pattern, sawtooth edges, and the pattern of holes are a lot of design elements for one strap. I would personally just keep the embossed pattern and use a more plain border to make it a bit less busy. Lastly end of the strap tapers in at a low angle, leaving a good amount of excess strap to poke out, even on my larger wrist.
The Sheffield has four standout features that I would like to draw your attention to. First, the hour markers are separate pieces that are applied, rather than printed on the dial. Second, the shape of the hands are unique, and there is a lot of attention to detail. Even the second hand contains elements of the hour and minute hands (sort of an inverse sword shape of the minute hand, with the arrow at the end of the hour hand). Lastly, the watch is very well lumed, increasing legibility in the dark. Not to mention, all of the markers and numbers on the bezel are lumed, which was something I complained about the Omega Seamaster missing. I don’t know how the bezel will hold up to wear and tear, but as of now, it looks very upscale. Lastly, the sealed caseback features an engraved diver motif, even though it cannot be seen while the watch is worn. These four features in particular, show a level of care and attention that many far more expensive watches do not.
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The Allsport Diver 1A’s design remains faithful to the original Sheffield that Turkbas was gifted. That being said, in modernizing the watch, I would have opted for a couple deviations from the original model. I know that the original Sheffield had a magnifiying lens for the date, and many other companies use them as well, but to me, it is a design element that belongs to Rolex. I think that Sheffield can, and should, have an identity of its own, without incorporating a “Cyclops Lens.”. Not to mention, I think the watch would be just fine without a date function altogether, heretical as that statement may be. The dial would be a bit more symmetrical, and a date-less movement, and standard sapphire crystal would likely make the watch slimmer and cheaper to produce. Next, the bezel, which is all black, is comprised of two pieces, the bezel itself and the insert with all the numbers and markers. The insert benefits from the dark PVD coating for legibility, but the surrounding bezel would look nicer in all steel, in my opinion. From pictures online, it appears that the original Sheffield that serves as the Allsport Diver 1A’s inspiration had paint on the sides, and exposed steel around the black. The many angles of the bezel can catch the light and draw people’s eyes to the watch, but would do so better in bright steel. While this is a minor detail, I wish the lume filled the minute hand more fully; it currently stops a bit short of the end of the hand, whereas border surrounding the lume on all the other hands and markers is a consistent length (you can see this in the picture in the introduction; the polished portion actually disappears in the dark).
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There is one feature on the original design that I wish was reincorporated. The new Allsport features crown guards, whereas the original did not. While I typically like the look of crown guards, they seem to protrude quite sharply on the Allsport, and I think the watch would be more unique if the case shape was similar to the original, slightly more angular design. I understand that this would be quite a difficult change to make, unless that case shape is already widely produced. I am fully aware that these aspects of the design are mostly quite minor, especially given the price point, but I will always freely share my thoughts on any watch. Not to mention, many of these changes would not be out of the realm for future models; I am not asking for a perpetual calendar or something. If a genie granted me three wishes (and for some reason specified that they all had to be about changing this watch), I would remove the magnifying lens, the crown guards, and the black coating on the bezel surround. Doing so would, in my opinion both make the Allsport look better and less Submariner-like. Final Score: 7/10
2. Watchmaking Score:
Powering the Sheffield Allsport is a Seiko NH35 movement. The movement has modest statistics, beating at 21,600 vph and a power reserve of about 40 hours. It also has a date function and hacking seconds (the seconds hand stops moving when you are setting the time so that it can be more precise. This is not really an important feature, but people make a big deal out of it). In terms of style, the movement is more or less the prototypical, undecorated automatic movement, and this is fine, considering the movement hides under a sealed caseback. The key detail, however, is that it is an automatic movement. Some companies make high horology quartz watches (see Grand Seiko or F.P. Journe for example). But a mechanical movement is often the first sign of life that distinguishes between enthusiast and pedestrian watches. While being battery powered does not define a watch as boring, I would argue that an automatic movement decidedly cements a watch as an enthusiast product to some degree, no matter what the movement is. This is because practically speaking, there is no need for a mechanical movement; therefore, a company and its customers will only care that it has one (and pay extra) if they are enthusiasts. To that extent, the Seiko movement was a good choice for Sheffield, given its reliability, reputation, ease of service etc. Otherwise, the fit and finish of the watch is par for the course at this price point. Having worn the watch only for a few days, I cannot comment on if certain parts will break in over time, but the bezel is sometimes a bit resistant to rotating, and the pin buckle is also a bit stiff to operate. These are absolutely not dealbreakers for a sub $200 watch, but I feel that it is important to note for those who might only experience this watch virtually before purchasing. The case, crown, and movement feel very solid and well built. This is something you will take for granted until you experience a watch that is poorly built, when you ostensibly feel the rotor spinning around every time you move, or the crown feels flimsy when you set the time. Kudos to Sheffield for achieving such build quality. Final Score: 5/10
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3. Value Score:
At $178, the Allsport 1A is such a fantastic value. So much so, that it has earned the first 10/10 I have given for any of the categories. How can it not? A couple minor scratches on a $10,000 watch will devalue it by more than the Sheffield costs. While I do have a couple critiques of the watch, it is still beyond reproach from a value standpoint. Making those minor updates would only make it a better value. Quite frankly, I think that Sheffield is underpricing the watch; a glance at the Sheffield website reveals that many of their models are sold out. At $178, the Allsport is a great watch that you can go anywhere and do anything with. If you are new to watches or are looking for something budget friendly, the Allsport can be your ticket into the watch club. You will have a quality watch that is relatively unique, and Turkbas’ personal story with the company will be compelling to even the most serious connoisseurs. The Allsport’s virtues remain pertinent, even to those who might be expanding their substantial collections. Final Score: 10/10
Conclusion: 22/30
The Sheffield Allsport Diver 1A is a good looking watch at an amazing price. I am happy to have one in my collection, especially given the fact that the Sheffield watches seem to sell out quickly. More important, however, is the fact that the watch even exists. Jay Turkbas has given life to a dead company, and that is something everyone can appreciate. Furthermore, this watch represents something crucial to the watch world. It seems to be easier these days for companies to produce products that are super advanced, luxurious, and custom, limiting their wares to a select few. While catering products to the uber-wealthy may be a profitable strategy in the short run, companies may not find customers in the future if there is no affordable entry point to the industry. While this product strategy does not just apply to the watch world, people like Jay are helping ensure that there are opportunities for everyone in the watch world. The Allsport Diver 1A is an attainable timepiece that any watch enthusiast could and should appreciate, as long as it is in stock!
Disclosure: my opinions on a given watch’s value are speculative and are intended for entertainment purposes. Nothing I write is to be considered investment advice.
I sincerely appreciate a thorough objective review like this. Some great points and advice and perspective that really helps guide me for future models as well as updates on current models down the road. Jay