SKX033: a Christmas cracker Submariner with a better dial than the 007 and a bracelet from the bin
What a handsome little priest
Look at him. Let me dust him off. This is the Seiko SKX033, a modern vintage twerp, made from 1996 to 2008, and this one is new old stock. The sticker's still on the back: 6N, so probably November 2006. Mint. Mr Jun picked it up, like he picks up every watch I've ever reviewed. My channel wouldn't exist without Mr Jun. Our preferred version would have been the SKX031, black dial, black bezel. The 031 is the best one. We don't really like Pepsi bezels. But things don't come along in this condition very often, so we picked him up.
The Seiko Submariner
Known as the Seiko Submariner for obvious reasons. 40 mm, very thin at 12 mm, 22 mm lugs, unsigned screw-down crown at 3, 100 metres, not ISO rated. Simple finishing: vertical brushing on top, a little polished chamfer, snubbed downturned lugs, no drilled lugs. Next to the SKX007 it's smaller and over a millimetre slimmer, and from the top it's very, very handsome. On the back, a wave instead of the tsunami. Quite unusual today. Lovely to see.
Better dial than the 007. Yes, really.
Matte blue, with an applied logo and indices with a metallic border. They look applied; I think they're stamped. Either way, the dial on this one is more upmarket than its superior brother the SKX. Same handset, but a white seconds hand with a lumed triangle instead of our beloved lollipop. Isn't that freaky, for the beeeech. The bezel is 60-click bidirectional with a thick coin edge. Bit mushy. Perfectly fine. Inside, the 7S26, Stone Age stuff: non-hacking, no hand-winding, +45 to -35 seconds a day.
The bracelet. Oh no.
Folded links, hollow end links, a stamped fold-over clasp, no diver's extension, and a slightly un-Seiko-like rattle. Awful bracelet. Horrendous bracelet. And it's almost impossible to upgrade, because no one makes a case-fitted option for a 20-year-old sports diver. Those folded links will corrode the second they touch the brainy blue. It'll look great on straps and NATOs, mind.
Verdict
It's like a little Christmas cracker watch. A toy. About 50 grams. It's rubbish, but somehow I absolutely love it. It lacks quality by today's standards, but it was more than acceptable in its day. Mr Jun paid £260; good luck finding a new one for that. Very comfortable, something quite special, and for us twerp aficionados, we know what this is. Never give up, bros.
