Seiko SKX007 (SKX)
The SKX007 is commonly called the SKX.
The Seiko SKX007 is a 200 metre automatic dive watch produced from 1996 until 2019, and the watch most people mean when they talk about a first serious Seiko. It is not a Seiko 5 and it is not a Prospex. The dial carries no line at all, only SEIKO, AUTOMATIC and DIVER'S 200m, and that last marking is the one that matters, because in Japan it is claimed under ISO 6425 rather than printed as decoration. It runs the 7S26 at 21,600 vph, a movement that cannot be hand wound and does not hack, which tells you where the priorities were: cheap to make, accurate enough, and close to unbreakable. The 42.5mm case, 22mm lugs and Hardlex crystal made it endlessly modifiable, and an aftermarket grew around it that now outlives the reference itself. Seiko replaced it in 2019 with the Seiko 5 Sports SRPD range, which drops to 100 metres and carries no diver's marking, so the SKX remains the last of its kind at the price.
| Caliber | 7S26 |
|---|---|
| Years | 1996 to 2019 |
| Line | SKX |
| Function | Diver |
| Case size | 42.5mm |
| Lug width | 22mm |
| Crystal | Hardlex |
| Water resistance | 200m |
| Known variants | SKX007J; SKX007K1; SKX007K2; SKX009 |
Is the SKX007 a real dive watch?
Yes. It carries the Diver's 200m marking, a screw-down crown and a unidirectional bezel, and it was built to the ISO standard rather than styled to look like it was. That marking is the thing to check on any listing, because the watches that replaced it do not carry it.
What is the difference between the SKX007 and the SKX009?
The same watch with a different bezel. The 007 is black on black, the 009 pairs the black dial with a blue and red bezel that collectors call Pepsi. Movement, case, crystal and water resistance are identical, so the choice is purely visual.
Why was the SKX007 discontinued?
Seiko ended production in 2019 and moved the format into the Seiko 5 Sports SRPD range, which sits at a higher price and is not marked as a diver's watch. That combination is why prices for original SKX examples have risen rather than fallen since it left the catalogue.
