My new watch

[Don Vito Corleone]

I have many watches, including several Seiko divers, but I'm particularly happy with the one I bought last week. This is the watch.

It's a Seiko SKX007 automatic diver's watch with various custom parts from Bill Yao at Mark II Watches. The dial and hands are an homage to an Omega "Ploprof," and the watch also has a beadblasted stainless chapter ring (the insert that holds the dial, hands, and movement in place below the crystal), replacement GMT bezel insert and antireflective sapphire crystal by Bill Yao. It is on a Seiko President bracelet.

I normally change my watch every few days, but I think I'll be wearing this one for at least a couple of weeks!

 

[mugs]

Looks nice

How much did that all run you?

 

[RollWave]

Cool watch, I'm a bit of a watch nut myself and I like the yao mods, I just wish Seiko would quit it with the 4 o'clock crown. Right now I'm liking my Oris TT1 Diver as well as the Electric Blue Seamaster I got a while back.

Watches are FUN!

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: rnp614
Cool watch, I'm a bit of a watch nut myself and I like the yao mods, I just wish Seiko would quit it with the 4 o'clock crown. Right now I'm liking my Oris TT1 Diver as well as the Electric Blue Seamaster I got a while back.

Watches are FUN!

Yeah, I'm a little ambivalent about the 4:00 crown. The entry-level Seiko automatic diver, the SKX031, as a 3:00 crown, but that's a pretty lowly watch. I have a Seiko Prospex "Black Samurai," also a great watch, with a 3:00 crown as well, but that's a much more modern design, and not as suited to the Yao mods IMO. My other Yao-modded watch is another SKX007, with Yao MoD date dial and hands, as well as a Yao sapphire crystal.

Your Omega is a great watch. I would really like a black Seamaster Pro, but I'm a little deterred by the helium release valve, which seems like kind of a goofy gimmick to me. I may get a Seamaster GMT instead, since it isn't burdened with the helium release valve and has the same depth rating. I'd also love an original or Watchco SM300 one of these days (obviously my Yao MoD is a bit of an SM300 homage).

 

[KDOG]

Sweet. I've been dying to get a Seiko automatic. Suggestion on the best place to buy one?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: KDOG
Sweet. I've been dying to get a Seiko automatic. Suggestion on the best place to buy one?

I'd recommend buying on the Seiko-Citizen Trading Forum for the best bang for your buck. I bought this watch, as well as my Seiko 6309-7040, my Seiko SBDA001, and my Seiko SKX781k (starting to notice a theme?) on the forums, and got great deals every time.

If you are more comfortable working with a dealer, I can highly recommend Chronograph.com. Their prices and service are unsurpassed.

If you're getting your first auto, I can't imagine a better choice than the SKX779 (aka the "Black Monster"), if you can deal with its very modern appearance and weight. There simply is no better value in a diver's watch at any price. My 779 was my first automatic watch, and four years later I have a decent little collection (I have 12 or so now).

I also picked up its companion watch, the orange-faced SKX781, and find it a really charming, appealing watch as well. It is so bright that it's not really suitable with any kind of formal clothes, though (although I sometimes wear it with an orange tie, and have gotten a lot of compliments on the combo). You can pick up either watch in as-new condition on the SCTF for $125 or so. Make sure to get one on the steel bracelet, which is a work of art and one of the best bracelets on any sub-$1,000 watch.

 

[KDOG]

Sweet, bookmarked. Thanks!

 

[ballmode]

custom ftw

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: ballmode
custom ftw

Thanks!

Here is another pic.

 

[aceO07]

Wow! Looks really nice. I took a look at the SKX779 you recommended as a starter. However, I'm concern about it's size. I'm not a big guy and my wrist is small. That might look too big on me. Do you have any other recommendations?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: aceO07
Wow! Looks really nice. I took a look at the SKX779 you recommended as a starter. However, I'm concern about it's size. I'm not a big guy and my wrist is small. That might look too big on me. Do you have any other recommendations?

I have small wrists and I've found it fits fine and looks good. It's not especially large as diver's watches go. That being said, the Seiko military watches are a great deal in an excellent entry-level auto watch. The bracelets are a little insubstantial, though. They are available even cheaper on a strap.

Another, slightly ritzier option is the Seiko 5 Superior - these are sporty-looking watches that are far smaller and lighter than a true diver's watch. They have very nice bracelets and sapphire crystals, which is all but unheard of at their price point. Roachman is a highly reliable seller and has a wide variety of Seiko automatics in a slightly easier-to-browse format than Chronograph.com.

 

[Kyanzes]

Dunno. I haven't had a wrist watch since I use mobile phones. I mean there are clocks everywhere nowadays no matter where you go.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: Kyanzes
Dunno. I haven't had a wrist watch since I use mobile phones. I mean there are clocks everywhere nowadays no matter where you go.

I know many young people don't wear watches nowadays, but I love them and feel naked without one. It's a pretty unique form of wearable mechanical art.

 

[E equals MC2]

Originally posted by: DonVito

Originally posted by: Kyanzes
Dunno. I haven't had a wrist watch since I use mobile phones. I mean there are clocks everywhere nowadays no matter where you go.

I know many young people don't wear watches nowadays, but I love them and feel naked without one. It's a pretty unique form of wearable mechanical art.

It's more than functionality. It's for looks too. A nice casual watch for going out or a nice dressy watch with a suit really makes you look sharp.

Just like cars- why don't everyone just drive Accord then?

 

[sygyzy]

Bill Yao rules!

 

[BullsOnParade]

DonVito,

Do you have any opinions or info on the Oris BC3 watches ? I remember hunting one down after seeing it in a movie and its been stuck in the back of my head since then. Wonder if it is worth getting.

 

[Eltano1]

Nice watches, here is another watch lover (me ) . I'm looking for a watch like the one that OP bought, but mine has to have roman numbers and white face. Do you know if Bill Yao would do one like that if I'm willing to pay for it?

Eltano

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: BullsOnParade
DonVito,

Do you have any opinions or info on the Oris BC3 watches ? I remember hunting one down after seeing it in a movie and its been stuck in the back of my head since then. Wonder if it is worth getting.

Orises are fine. They are one of literally hundreds of watchmakers who build solid watches on ETA Swiss automatic movements. If you like the aesthetic they're perfectly nice watches.

I only have four Swiss-powered watches. My favorite is my Sinn 656 (coincidentally a pilot's watch like the BC3), which has an ETA 2824-2 movement, but I also have an O&W 2801 handwind military watch, a Hamilton chronograph powered by a Valjoux 7750 (that is a stock photo - mine is identical but has date with no day display), and a Christopher Ward Malvern dress watch with an ETA 2824-2 movement.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: Eltano1
Nice watches, here is another watch lover (me ) . I'm looking for a watch like the one that OP bought, but mine has to have roman numbers and white face. Do you know if Bill Yao would do one like that if I'm willing to pay for it?

Eltano

Bill pretty much just makes military-styled watches and parts, so no Roman numerals (though his bitchin' Quad10 pilot's watch is available with Arabic numerals). Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen a diver's or military watch with Roman numerals, I guess because they tend to be harder and slower to read under stress than Arabic numerals.

 

[Pikachu]

Is this a parody?

 

[Eltano1]

Long time ago I saw a guy with a watch that I though it was a Tag Heuer, and I felt in love with it. It was like the Rolex diver, but with roman numbers, big hands (love them, especially since I can't see crap at close range) and a white face, all metal, case and strap. I looked all over, even in TAG catalogues, but I was never able to find it.
I have several watches (Tag Heuer, Bulova, Seikos, Fossil) but none of those are the one that you want to use always.

I liked the Seiko Prospex, but I can't find that one on your link (the one that shows up is the ARCTURA, and is not the same.

Eltano

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: Eltano1
Long time ago I saw a guy with a watch that I though it was a Tag Heuer, and I felt in love with it. It was like the Rolex diver, but with roman numbers, big hands (love them, especially since I can't see crap at close range) and a white face, all metal, case and strap. I looked all over, even in TAG catalogues, but I was never able to find it.
I have several watches (Tag Heuer, Bulova, Seikos, Fossil) but none of those are the one that you want to use always.

I liked the Seiko Prospex, but I can't find that one on your link (the one that shows up is the ARCTURA, and is not the same.

Eltano

They don't sell the Prospex watches in the US. Prospex is a relatively high-end line of Seiko watches that includes the MarineMaster (their flagship diver's watch, and, IMO, a Rolex Submariner-caliber watch for less than half the price). Higuchi is a good place to get some of the overseas-only models. The entire Prospex line can be seen here.

The Prospex ti "Samurai" watches are available here. I have a Black Samurai (I got a good deal on a secondhand one), but would really like a Blue Samurai. These are great watches - they're very light because they're ti, and have a clean, modern design and a beautiful, clear dial and set of hands.

I don't recall ever seeing a watch like the one you're describing. There are relatively few divers with white dials (largely because they tend to have inferior visibility), and even fewer with Roman numerals. One white-faced diver I'd like to own is the Omega Seamaster GMT, which has the collateral benefit of a GMT hand (that is, a second hour hand that allows you to track time in a second time zone simultaneous with the regular hour hand).

 

[SVT Cobra]

:thumbsup: For a Seiko.

I have a Seiko Titanium myself.

 

[Viperoni]

Very nice watch!

 

[Eltano1]

DonVito, thanks for the info and links. If you decide to sell your Black Samurai, please let me know .

BTW, that OMEGA is a killer, before I was looking at a BAUME & Mercier watch that I saw in Venice, Italy, for which I ordered their catalogue looking for the RIVIERA model 8670, but now I will start looking for the OMEGA

Best regards

Eltano