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It is not rare to come across the ironic acronym PMW on the various forums and websites devoted to the world of horlogerie, the abbreviation actually stands for “Poor Man Watch”, aka that particular niche of watches that retail at quite a low price.
The Seiko SKX007 is exactly one of those “accessible” timepieces that you can get your hands on for about 200 euro on online retail stores, it is nevertheless a timepiece that will be able to tell you quite a lot when it comes to emotions, feelings and stories. In my own case this timepiece evokes memories of Italy, Lanzarote, Copenhagen and even of a few laps on a racing course onboard a Ducati Panigale 959.
It is not as appealing as a Seiko Prospex Green Sumo 50th Anniversary SPB031, refined like a Seiko Prospex Baby Tuna SRP639K1 or a cheaper Seiko Prospex PADI Special Edition nor is it as attractive as a Seiko Prospex Dawn Grey Series Limited Edition, but is one of Seiko‘s most successful watches ever.
A brief history of the Seiko SKX007.
If you are familiar with Seiko and its history, you are aware that when it comes to diving watches, no brand can compete with Seiko in terms of performance and build quality, whether you like Seiko watches or not. The Seiko SKX007 represents the legacy of the brand’s commitment to excellence that started with the introduction of the legendary Seiko 62MAS in 1965, a timepiece Seiko re-edited as a limited edition model in 2017, under the name of Seiko Prospex SLA017.
If you think a Seiko watch is all but a collector’s piece, try and check the current quotation of an SLA017. The Seiko SKX007 is the last in a row of accessible divers watches that include the Seiko 6105, the Seiko 6306 and, in recent times, the Seiko 7002.
The Seiko 007 is powered by automatic caliber Seiko 7S26.
The 7S26 automatic movement equipped with 21 jewels and 100% Seiko in-house built guarantees up to 40 hours of power reserve and it runs at a frequency of 21,600 A/h.
The caliber is hosted within a stainless steel case that measures 40mm, it sports a winding crown and, of course, a screwed case-back that makes this timepiece entirely water-proof up to a depth of 200m as per the ISO 6425 standard. It is perhaps the most accessible in-house ISO-certified diver’s watch on the market.
The Seiko 007 is a diving watch with a Day-Date function.
The Japanese manufacturer has definitely thought about capturing an ample market share by crafting a sports watch that also features the typical functions of a business casual timepiece, like the day/date function.
A small window located at 3 o’clock shows the date and the day using either English or Spanish as the main language, you can actually choose your preferred tongue by rotating the winding crown downwards when it is in the 1 position. This detail is quite an interesting one that adds up to the special blue colour of the Saturday and the red colour of the Sunday.
Seiko’s Lumibrite.
Some typical features of a professional diver’s watch are the plumpy white indexes and the mono-directional bezel. The indexes enable a high level of visibility and the capturing of a vast quantity of light that can be then transferred to darkness or used during a scuba diving session thanks to the LumiBrite coating, a Seiko patent.
The colour of the LumiBrite is quite vivid and particularly smooth, there is no missing light point, the Hardlex crystal glass is suitable for everyday use as it is pretty resistant to scratches, even more resistant than hesalite glass itself and it is not as expensive to replace as a sapphire glass.
Available on a Jubilee bracelet or an Accordion strap.
Seiko has come up with two strap versions; the jubilee bracelet, whose maximum width is 22m at the lugs but it gets thinner towards the clasp (reference SKX007K2) and the more sporty and professional scuba strap made of black plastic (reference SKX007K1.)
One of the peculiar traits of this timepiece is the winding crown located at 4 o’clock that doesn’t really catch my full attention but that actually balances out perfectly well accessibility, the various settings (no hacking feature is present) and the ability not to interfere with the wrist. The jubilee strap is equipped with a security clasp that gives this timepiece a vintage look that is most likely the best vintage look within the entire Seiko diver’s watches collection.
What do I think of the Seiko SKX007?
In my opinion, the Seiko SKX007 is a real must have watch, it features an automatic caliber that is both in-house built and reliable, the day/date function and an ISO certification. The only weakness is the jubilee strap that is somehow too “flexible” but, most likely, it is a simple matter of taste.
Seiko 007 Pricing.
There are currently on the market two versions of the Seiko 007, the first one coded as Seiko SKX007J1 and the other one as Seiko SKX007K1. The letter J indicates that the timepiece has been produced in Japan, whereas the letter K means it has been made outside Japan instead (possibly China or other countries where Seiko has a production site).
There is no significant difference between the two in terms of build quality, however, that’s a matter of fact that the JDM or Japan Domestic Market Seiko is more sought after than is “K” coded sibling, an aspect that does not affect its final price, that falls in between € 200 and € 300.
(Photo credit: Horbiter®)
Matteo Bulla @Horbiter®
