Seagull D581 Review – The Number 1 Chinese Military Watch

The Seagull D581 is not a small vintage-style field watch. It is a large military-style automatic from Seagull, a Chinese heritage watch brand with more than 70 years behind it, and the proportions make that clear immediately.

This is a 43mm watch with a 24mm strap, mineral crystal, the Seagull ST1612 automatic movement, and a design that leans fully into its Chinese military identity. On paper, it sounds big. On the wrist, it wears better than the numbers first suggest. Priced just under $200, it competes in a very competitive price segment.

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Design & Case

The D581 measures 43mm in diameter, 12mm thick, and 50mm lug-to-lug, with a very wide 24mm lug width. It has real presence, and this is clearly a watch built for a larger wrist or for someone who wants that broader military-tool stance.

That said, the case is more wearable than the numbers alone suggest. Even on a 6.5-inch wrist, the downward curve of the lugs helps the watch sit closer rather than floating flat on top.

The case is mostly brushed, with vertical brushing across the flank and lug hoods. A polished 45-degree chamfer runs between those surfaces and widens toward the lug tips. The fixed bezel supporting the crystal is radially brushed, while a side plaque reads “China Military Watch Number One,” reinforcing the watch’s identity without any subtlety. The design language here will feel familiar to anyone drawn to military field watches.

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Movement & Crown

Inside the D581 is the Seagull ST1612 automatic movement. It runs at 21,600 vibrations per hour, uses 21 jewels, and offers around 40 hours of power reserve.

Importantly, the movement has hacking seconds. When the crown is pulled out to set the time, the seconds hand stops, allowing more precise adjustment.

The crown is guarded, push-pull, and measures 7.6mm in diameter. It has fine knurling across the top, giving enough grip for practical use. The size suits the watch because the case itself is large and rugged in character.

The watch is rated to 50 meters of water resistance. With the push-pull crown, I would view it as splashproof rather than dive ready, which fits the military-field style more naturally than any serious water-watch expectation.

Bezel

The D581 uses a fixed bezel rather than a rotating timing bezel. It sits above the case flank and supports the mineral crystal, adding another visual layer to the already large case profile.

The bezel is radially brushed, which creates a clear contrast against the vertical brushing used on the case flank and lug hoods. That change in brushing direction matters because the watch is otherwise very direct and utilitarian in its finishing language.

There is no timing insert, no external scale, and no rotating action. The bezel is structural and visual rather than functional, framing the wide matte green dial and reinforcing the watch’s purposeful military stance.

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Strap

The Seagull D581 comes on a dark tan leather strap with white stitching. The 24mm width would look excessive on a smaller watch, but here it helps balance the visual weight of the 43mm case and large dial.

The hardware continues the tool-watch character. There are two floating keepers and an oversized brushed milled clasp, signed with Seagull branding.

Flip the strap over and the underside is stamped “genuine leather.” It feels like leather against the skin rather than having a synthetic or plasticky feel, which helps the watch wear more comfortably.

There is no Seagull branding on the leather itself, which feels like a missed extra touch from a heritage brand. The strap also does not use quick-release spring bars, so strap changes require a tool.

Crystal & Dial

The dial gives the Seagull D581 much of its character. It is a large matte green surface, and because the watch itself is 43mm across, the dial has an open, commanding presence.

Around the edge is a beige printed minute chapter, keeping the field-watch layout functional and easy to read. The Arabic numerals from 1 through 12 are applied rather than printed, adding depth when light catches the raised edges. The 12 is larger than the rest, creating a clear orientation point.

At 3 o’clock, there is a framed date window. Its size works well with the large case and makes the date easy to read at a glance.

The branding is direct. Under 12 sits the red star and “21 zuan,” meaning 21 jewels. Above 6, the dial reads “Automatic Chinese Military Watch Since 1964,” with “Made in China” around the 6 numeral.

The hour and minute hands are sword-shaped with some skeletonization, while the white seconds pointer has a red tip. Its counterbalance is shaped like a small star, tying back to the red star under 12.

In low light, the lume is strong. Bright green lume appears on the hour and minute hands, applied Arabic numerals, and hour plots around the chapter. The seconds hand is not lumed, but the main time-telling elements are easy to charge, clear, and long-lasting.

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Summary

The Seagull D581 is a large military-style automatic with a very clear identity. The 43mm case, 24mm leather strap, matte green dial, applied numerals, red star branding, and Chinese military text all push in the same direction.

Its size will not suit everyone, but the downward-curving lugs help the watch wear better than the headline dimensions suggest. The wide strap also feels proportionate because the case has enough visual mass to support it.

The mineral crystal and push-pull crown keep expectations grounded, but the ST1612 automatic movement, hacking seconds, strong lume, signed clasp, screw-down caseback, and distinctive dial give the Seagull D581 real character. It feels like a proper military-inspired Seagull rather than another generic homage. For those who appreciate this particular case execution, there are alternatives built around the same principles but much cheaper, for example the Militado ML14.

Seagull D581 Specifications

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