Seiko SKX007K2

The Seiko SKX007K2 is a diving watch that is very popular among many watch enthusiasts, not just Seiko fans. Its distinctive design, professional features, and affordable price have made this timepiece a cult favorite.

Beginning with its debut in 1996, the watch spent more than 20 years in the Seiko catalog. That makes the SKX007K2 one of Seiko's longest-lived models.

The 42-mm stainless steel watch is equipped with a screw-down crown at 4 o'clock, a unidirectional rotating diving bezel, and the robust in-house caliber 7S26 with a day-date display. The SKX007K2 is also water-resistant to 200 m (20 bar, 656 ft).

The Seiko SKX007K2 measures 42 mm across and is 13 mm thick. However, thanks to its moderate lug-to-lug length of 46 mm, the watch is nevertheless a comfortable wear for most people. Part of this is also due to the fact that the crown and crown protector are located at 4 o'clock, which makes it unlikely that they will press into your wrist while wearing it.

Seiko manufactures the case from stainless steel. The upper surface is brushed, while the flanks and the screw-down case back are polished. The edge of the bezel is also polished to a high sheen. In contrast, the aluminum inlay with its printed diving scale is matte black.

The dial is also black, and features large white hour markers that glow green in the dark. The hour markers are dot indices, except for those at 6 and 9 o'clock, which are oval-shaped, and the 12 o'clock marker, which is a large triangle. The hands are relatively wide and filled with luminous material. The hour hand is syringe-shaped, while the minute hand is arrow-shaped. The day-date display is located at 3 o'clock.

The SKX007K2's five-link Jubilee-style bracelet ensures a secure fit on the wrist. The lug width is 22 mm, and the links are folded.

The Heart of the SKX007K2: Caliber 7S26

The SKX007K2 is powered by the automatic in-house caliber 7S26. This tried and trusted watch movement has a decades-long history of reliability, boasts a power reserve of 40 hours, and runs at a frequency of 21,600 vph.

The 7S- caliber series represents Seiko's entry point into the world of automatic movements. The caliber thus does not offer a stop seconds or the option of winding the watch by hand.

In January 2023, an unworn Seiko SKX007K2 changed hands on Chrono24 for roughly 610 USD. Three years prior, the same watch only cost around 330 USD. High demand for the watch caused the price to nearly double over that period, which proves just how popular this diver is. There is no end to this trend in sight, since the successor model is markedly less popular, and Seiko fans still prefer the original.

Along with the SKX007K2, Seiko offers three other SKX007 variants: the K1, J1, and J2. The technical specs and basic design of the various models are identical. The K or J in the reference number indicates whether the watch was produced at a Seiko factory outside of Japan (K) or was “Made in Japan” (J).

The number following this letter provides information about the band: If the reference number ends with a "1," the watch comes on a rubber strap; if the reference ends with a “2,” the model has a metal bracelet.

The successor of the SKX007K2 is the SRPD55, which debuted as part of the 5 Sports collection in 2019. The watch's size and design correspond to those of the original, but there are significant technical differences. The SRPD55 doesn't have a screw-down crown, for example, and is only water-resistant to 100 m (10 bar, 328 ft). However, the watch is powered by the caliber 4R36, which features manual winding and a stop seconds.

You can buy an SRPD55 on Chrono24 for approximately 270 USD.