Vintage Seiko Divers: The SKX007
Seiko divers have a special place in watch collectors’ hearts. They cover a wide range of interests, with something for everyone at any price range.
The one thing that sets the Seiko diver apart from its peers has got to be the quality of its watches. No matter the price you pay, you’ll be guaranteed an above-value preposition.
The watch I’ll be talking about today is one of the best examples of this Seiko phenomena - often THE entry watch for mechanical watch buffs all over the world.
Yes watchfam, I’m talking about the Seiko SKX.
The Good
Probably the best thing about this watch is the entry point. Not a lot of (reputable) brands can give you so much bang for buck. There's a reason why there's a cult around this guy, and if you've not owned one of these then you have to go and give one a chance and be prepared to be amazed.
"Oh, this is a nice watch."
"How much was it again?"
"What?!"
Yeah, like that. True story, happened to me. I didn't know what the hype was about until I got the chance to buy that handsome fella in the picture up there. I thought I got it for the dial, but then the whole package was absolutely mindblowingly incredibly unbelievably... good.
Taking the DNA refined through the ages from the 62MAS to the 6309 Turtle to the 7002 Diver, the SKX007 (the pepsi bezel version is the 009) has achieved a close-to-optimal fit on the wrist with its slim profile, hobnob bezel edge, inward sloping bezel with flat glass - all that sitting snugly on the stainless steel case with short hooked lugs that almost attach themselves to your wrist like some movie alien siphoning your bloodstream.
But oh the goodness doesn't stop there. We've ascertained that the watch looks better in person than in photos, and also that it fits bloody well on your wrist, so I guess I can now talk about how awesome the details on the dial are.
I talked about the DNA of the Seiko diver, evolved and selected from the buffet breakfast table of champions. The SKX007 is piled with so much lineage you can't breath without feeling overwhelmed by its genetic supremacy.
The date window for instance is this double beveled rectangular frame that I do adore in the 6309 divers. The lollipop balance sweeping seconds adapted from the humble (and increasingly expensive) 7002 divers. The protruded crown guards look 6105-inspired to me - an extreme protrusion that accentuates the detail and allows for a larger crown to be inserted. Jumbo syringe hands. Sloping rehaut. Heavy lumibrite application. Narrow aluminum bezel with rounded numerals and circles for hashes.
Stop reading and go buy one already.
The Bad
Ok, there is the inconsistency problem where the rehaut markers do not align with the bezel markers or the fat lume indices. The 7s26 movement inside, while durable and robust, does not have the manual wind function, which leads to the eventual sagging of the rotor if you're way too viscous with the 'Seiko Shuffle'.
And that crown guard may be a tad too sharp for my liking, and doesn't give as good a feeling operating as I would like.
You can literally feel my constipation as I attempt to list this watch's negative aspects.
It's too cheap? Way to flexible and leaves your other watches jealous for more wrist time?
Pfffft..
The Verdict
The Seiko SKX007 is perhaps the most popular Seiko watch out there - both in name and the ability to acquire. The long line of Seiko divers have left this gem untouched for years, which leaves collectors a very wide array of SKXs to dip their bare-wristed hands into.
Be it brand spanking new or aged almost-vintage (most of them are from the 1990s), to the (gasp) modified monstrosities, there's one for every taste.
Seiko SKX007 Automatic Diver Seiko 7S26 automatic movement 21,600vph, approx. 36hrs reserve
Central sweeping seconds with minute and hour 41mm stainless steel case Screw on caseback with factory engraving You can get one for about $200 or less