My uncle had been wearing the Seiko SKX007 (although his may be a different model number) since the early 80s. I was a little kid back then and I may not have consciously noticed his watch, But his watch must have left some impact, because I've always been partial to divers watches, and currently own several. These include two quartz Bulovas, one quartz Swatch, and most recently an automatic Omega Seamaster Professional (the James Bond model). The Bulovas were OK, the Swatch is a piece of garbage, and the Omega is just a delight to own.
And yet, none of these ever seemed to match my mind's idealized image of what a divers watch should be.
A short time after buying the Omega, I came across the Seiko on some watch aficionado website. I recognized it as the watch my uncle has worn all these years and was surprised to realize that this very watch was the image against which I judged all other diver watches. I wanted it badly. But having just spent a bundle on a watch I couldn't justify the purchase.
Untilthe end of December. Out of nowhere, my not-a-year-old Omega started gaining close to an hour a day!! A bizarre circumstance followed by an immediate delivery to the local Omega authorized dealer. It would take nearly a month until my watch was repaired and returned.
What's a guy to do? I knew .... I went to Amazon and bought the Seiko I always wanted. An automatic and the less expensive model; the pricier model has square number markers, not circles.
Always the pessimist, I prepared myself for disappointment. I hadn't seen my uncle's watch for some time and just expected a let down of some sort. I was concerned the face would just look radically different from what I hoped for, and I'd be stuck with a watch I didn't want to wear.And despite my fears, I kept heading to the window all morning on the day the watch was scheduled to arrive.
Finally, the UPS truck pulled up in front of my house and sure enough, he was holding my new "replacement" watch. I opened the box and out came the watch I always wanted --- looking and feeling exactly as I had wished.
Now I regularly alternate between my $2000 Omega and my $200 Seiko. It keeps perfect time! It is aesthetically fantastic! And it just feels great on my wrist! It is big, and the rubber band is not elegant. But 'not elegant' in the sense that it looks out of place when I wear it with a suit. But in any other situation, it looks just right.
Here are some observations: The face is beautiful. The band is thick and rugged, the antithesis of cheap or flimsy. The luminescence stays luminescent for hours into the dark. The automatic second hand sweep is graceful and solid. The case is unbrushed steel, substantial in weight, and heavy-duty like industrial strength machinery. The top of the lugs are brushed steel and the contrast only enhances the watch's natural good looks. The screw-down crown is BIG and has deep grooves, which makes it easy to screw and unscrew, not to mention set.
The bezel is my favorite feature because the grooves on the side are designed for serious use. If you want to turn that unidirectional bezel, be assured -- it will not slip. The watch is so solid that you can only conclude that conventional opinion, at least someone still makes it like they used to.
For balance, I'll mention the one and only aspect of the watch that I would prefer were different. You cannot stop the second hand. Even as you're setting the time, the second hand continues to move, making it impossible to perfectly synchronize the watch with an atomic clock. Then again, hopefully not everyone is like me, and has to have a perfectly synchronized watch.
To conclude, obviously I highly, highly recommend the Seiko SKX007. Keep in mind: if hard-core diver watches are NOT your thing, you may quickly realize that this watch is way too much watch to handle. But if you're a diver watch lover like me -- even if, like me, you've never worn a wet suit in your life -- this watch is as much the real deal as you'll ever get.
Product DescriptionBlack rubber strap;Stainless steel case;Black dial;Luminous hands and hour markers;Black unidirectional elapsed time bezel;Sweep second hand;Scuba diver's;Water resistant to 200 meters;Date and day display at 3:00;Hardlex crystal;Japan automatic movement;
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Seiko Men's Diver's Automatic Watch #SKX007K
Too often, watch bands don't fit my small wrist. This one is short, fits snugly, and needs no adjustments (don't order if you have a big wrist). The face is rather retro, with its fat, squat numbers and fat hands that glow in the dark. A nice stainless steel on black color scheme helps make this a watch you can wear with more formal dress.
