Class work, John, but that has come to be expected given the usual quality of your reviews.

As for the new generation of Submariners, I am obviously very impressed with the new clasp. I don't mind the thicker lugs / crown guards so much, my biggest gripe would be about the polished finish of the center link of the bracelet. You can make the case that it's OK on a full gold or two-tone watch, and I would agree given that they are supposed to be worn in more dressy / casual chic occasions.

But my fear is that, by the time they introduce the full steel version in 2010, they will keep this feature as they did on the new GMT Master IIC. I would much prefer they keep the brushed finish as they did on the Deep Sea for all their full steel sports model. This polished center link is an absolute scratch magnet, and has too much of a "bling" factor for a true sports watch, even a luxury one.

Boris