The Comfort and Movement of the Seiko SKX Line

Whether it is the Seiko SKX007 or the SKX009, Crystaltimes USA will always praise the stellar engineering that went into Seiko’s legendary diver’s watch line. Surprisingly, for its highly affordable price point, the features it comes with are unrivaled by any other dive watch. With its great build quality, 200m water-resistance, luminous capabilities, and more, you’ll be pressed to find something of better value for money.

Today, the topic of focus will be on the specific aspects of the SKX timepieces we love most and some minor setbacks the watch has. Let’s face it, not all watches are built perfect, and each will have its ups and downs. Regardless, the SKX is still in a class of its own, with a cult following that has its legendary status thriving on:

The Comfort

While large watches seem to have a knack for being a nightmare in the comfort department, the SKX line’s size is perfect for most individuals’ wrists. Unless you have smaller wrists that make large watch faces look out of proportion, this watch will fit the average wrist well. For smaller wrists, we recommend the SKX013, which has a lighter weight and a smaller diameter.

The weight is not at all bothersome, although some have reported it to have a slight imbalance feel when worn. However, it is important to remember that diver’s watches are by no means the lightest watches to be worn—and the SKX line falls close by to the gold standard of dive watches. At the weight of 4.8 ounces, it is a mere .2 ounces heavier than the Rolex Submariner at 4.6 ounces.

From a dive watch perspective, this is just the general weight that is expected from a timepiece of this class. If you swap out the strap for a NATO band or a rubber one, the weight will significantly decrease but may make it feel even more imbalanced to wear.

Because the crown is at the 4 o’clock position, this makes it extremely unnoticeable when worn, as it doesn’t dig into the skin of your wrist. Placing the crown out of the way is one of Seiko’s best moves when it comes to the watch’s design.

The metal bracelet is well-made and extremely smooth, which makes it very comfortable to wear. Additionally, it doesn’t pull skin or hair as many expect it to—which is definitely a plus! It is also adjustable on the clasp to give a secure fit that is neither too tight nor too loose.

The Movement

While the movement is great, it isn’t a perfect one. The SKX007 and SKX009 have the caliber 7s26 movement, which does the job as an automatic movement, but has some delays and quirks that many do not like. This is why they invest in Seiko mod parts like the movements found on Crystaltimes USA to give a better and more accurate movement. Some things that are found to be negative in the 7s26 are the accuracy, the lack of hacking, no manual winding, and a bad day/date switch-over mechanism.

The accuracy of the retrofitted movement is reported to be a bit off by around +/- 15 seconds per day, which can be irritating for those who want extremely accurate times. Additional flaws are the non-hacking movement that makes the second hand continuously move despite the crown being pulled, causing further inaccuracies in time. No manual winding means that it has to be worn and moved around for it to start again after the 40 hours of power reserve has been drained. The day and date function also switch over at strange times, which can be difficult to set these accurately.

Conclusion

With minimum flaws, the SKX line still is one of the most legendary watches from its class. Its price point cannot be beaten, and the features are still amazing for what you pay for. Japanese horological engineers always strive to give the best, and this is evident in any Seiko timepiece you can get your hands on.

Crystaltimes USA can help you personalize your Seiko SKX timepiece with a premium selection of Seiko mod parts. With our products, you can be sure to have a fully personalized and unique timepiece—regardless if you got it brand new or pre-owned. Browse through our website and find the mod parts that best suit your style and taste today!