i had been eying the Russian Divers for a minute, i'll admit. i was deciding between this and a limited edititon G-shock, which was actually more expensive. the Invicta won because of its superior build quality: ionic-plated stainless, compared to resin/plastic composite.

when this puppy arrived in the mail, i was stoked. first thing you notice is the size. at 52mm, its gargantuan. small-wristed men, look elsewhere. just saying. what's cool about the black on black model is that its somehow NOT ostentatious. bold, yes. But not gaudy. if a 52mm watch can be subtle, the #4338 Black is. It makes a statement by making an understatement. It also balances well, with the counter-weight lugs, also in black, and a high-quality, thick rubber strap. What i also like: the military numerals and luminous green ring, diver icon at 12 0'clock, date window, and Soviet letters at the bottom. The large screw-down cap is pretty cool too, and gives the Russian diver more style than just an average large watch. The overall effect is like sci-fi spec ops with a touch of retro cool. It's rated to 100m, so it's not quite intended for use as an actual dive watch, though you could wear it swimming. This model is the original, so it lacks the sweep second hand. Not really a big deal, however, since the quartz is dead accurate. Hasn't lost a tick in over a month. One thing about this is, it's not really a dress watch. It lends itself to more casual occasions. You could definitely wear it clubbing, and with a suitably understated outfit, maybe out to dinner with black shoes and a black jacket. Some of the other models in this series have more bells and whistles, but this one is the most authentic replica, so the lack of bells and whistles goes a long way to tone down the hugeness of it. I gave it 5 stars as it was exactly what i expected, and the price was right, too.