Seiko SKX007 Dive Watch Review

The Seiko SKX007 is one of the bestselling entry-level men’s dive watches. There are plenty of desk-divers’ watches within the price range of under $300. Needless to say, they are alluring timepieces with various designs, but in terms of technical function, they’re nothing but fashion accessories, unlike the SKX007.There’re not many prestigious brands that willing to make fully featured diving pieces with low prices, but Seiko is one among the few. Despite being budget dive watches, the Seiko SKXxxx models are best-known for their long-term reliability and durability that far exceed users’ expectation. Take the Seiko SKX007 as an example, we will find out why the SKX series became one of the bestsellers in the entry-level dive watches’ market!

Following is my Seiko SKX007 Dive Watch Review, hope you will enjoy!

Review Summary

SKX007’s design – full of Seiko’s character

There’re few brands that produce fully featured but affordable dive watches, and there’re even fewer brands willing to invest in original designs.

When I first looked at the SKX007, the only thing popped up in my mind:”Oh, it’s unmistakably a Seiko!” The details on the watch are not so special, but Seiko has an exclusive way of combining them to form a bold dive watch that exudes Seiko’s imprint.

The case is sized at 40mm, a little smaller than that of the Seiko Monster (43mm), so it can fit well with a wider range of wrists. The 13mm thickness is common for an automatic dive watch.

Going along with the 40mm case is a 22mm bracelet that tapers down to 20mm at the clasp. In my opinion, this steel jubilee bracelet is nicer than triple-row metal bands. Unfortunately, it’s not designed for hairy arms.

In case you want a lighter watch, just opt for the ribbed rubber strap version, as its weight is less than the stainless steel bracelet, and it feels more comfortable, too.

I personally prefer the metal bracelet since it adds much to the watch’s sturdiness and my confidence when wearing it.

The 22mm lug width is quite common, so you can easily find a suitable aftermarket band for your beloved watch. I recommend striped fabric NATO/Zulu straps as they suit well with Seiko’s manly case design.

The whole case is brushed on the top and mirror-polished on both sides, this is a common styling for most steel watches, nothing special. The white luminous hour dots contrast very well against the matte black dial to offer a superior legibility.

Usually, the hour hand is the special one, but for the SKX007, it’s the arrow-tipped minute hand which makes for the focus of interest. Such robust hand lends sturdiness to the dial, making it look sportier. The lumed second hand looks like an inverted Rolex Submariner’s second hand, due to its circle dot on the tail instead of on the pointing tip.

The 120-click unidirectional bezel is not beveled like that of the Orient Mako, it is smoother in operation, too. Why did I compare the SKX with the Mako? Because they belong to the same parent company (Orient has become an independent subsidiary of Seiko) and are marketed in the same price range.

While the Orient Mako is a versatile dive watch which has an elegant dressy look, the Seiko SKX007, on the other hand, has the upper hand in technical diver’s function.

For example, the bezel of the SKX007 emerges from the dial to cover and protect the crystal from accidental collisions. The Orient Mako, on the contrary, has its glass inserted a little higher than its beveled bezel. This styling may look nice, but it can cause unexpected damages to the crystal and allows water to enter the watch through small cracks when you are diving.

The guarded screw-down crown occupies the 4 o’clock position, this is one of the most realized signature designs of Seiko auto dive watches. The crown features day/date adjustment function as well as time setting, it cannot help you hand wind the watch like that of the Seiko Monster, as the 7S26 caliber inside is self-winding.

Seiko equips SKX watches with their own hardlex crystal, which can resist damages better than ordinary mineral glass. The SKX007 features a flat crystal that is less crack-resistant than the domed glass of the Seiko Monster. However, such flat crystal makes the SKX007 look more consolidated since its bezel is flat, too.

The 7S26 self-winding automatic movement, a real workhorse

The Seiko SKX007 employs Seiko’s popular caliber – the 7S26, which is featured by a lot of Seiko’s mainstream products, including the Monsters Generation 1 (SKX781).

It’s worth noting that the old Monster dive watches were once categorized as SKX models. Seiko has just recategorized the Monsters into a new product lines recently, as they feature a total new auto movement – the 4R36.

The 7S26 is just an entry-level automatic movement, but in terms of durability and reliability, it’s not inferior to many other high-class movements. The 7S26 runs off just about 10, 15 secs/day on average. It’s totally acceptable in the budget price range. However, you can regulate the watch for higher accuracy.

You should wear the watch at least every other day to keep it running, because the 7S26 movement only has a 48-hour power reserve after fully wound (it takes about 8 hours of wearing to fully wound the watch). In case your watch stop working, all you have to do is shaking it gently for 30 seconds, don’t be so violent or you will hurt the insides.

From 9PM to 4AM is the time when the calendar is in its transition, so please don’t adjust anything in this period because you can damage the calendar mechanism.

High water resistance rating & superior lume

As said above, Seiko’s affordable dive watches are best-known for their dependable diving functions despite the cheap prices. The SKX007 is not an exception. Although the Seiko SKX007 doesn’t have a tank-like finish of the Seiko Monster, they both share the same water resistance rating, and the two timepieces have been put through the ISO-standard test for diver’s watches to make sure they’re qualified for true scuba dives.

The Seiko SKX007 is designed for pro divers who often go scuba diving up to 200m, the screw-down crown is strictly protected from the water as long as it’s screwed tightly enough, the hardlex glass is covered by the bezel to avoid unexpected hits and bumps underwater.

Seiko dive watches always embody attention to detail to ensure your best diving experience!

The LumiBrite technology is Seiko’s innovative quintessence. Conventional fluorescent paints tend to provide short-lived glow which can only last a few minutes in the dark. The LumiBrite, on the other hand, can offer superior legibility in such a long time of more than 3 hours after a quick charge ( for about 10 mins). The light intensity and longevity is much better than ordinary luminous paints.

Verdict

If you want an affordable dive watch with dressy look, you should opt for the Orient Mako. If you’re looking for a true dive watch, the Seiko SKX007 is surely a better choice. Despite being a tool watch, the Seiko SKX007 can also be used for everyday wear. However, due to the fact that it has a robust and sporty body, it’s not suitable with formal apparels.

The watch has a lot of variations for you to choose:

• SKX007K2 – stainless steel bracelet with black dial
• SKX007K1 – rubber strap with black dial
• SKX009K2 – stainless steel bracelet with pepsi dial
• SKX009K1 – rubber strap with pepsi dial

>>> CHECK OUT MORE SEIKO DIVE WATCHES AT AMAZON.COM <<<

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