Ok here’s the disclaimer: I’m a proud owner of the famous Seiko SKX but I will try to be as unbiased as possible. The Seiko SKX013 is a great watch, but I recommend avoiding it at the moment as the price is unreasonably high.
With the specs that are given, this watch is not up to par, especially with its current price. Having said that, there are 5 reasons to justify the purchase of this watch. Read on to find out.
Or if you prefer a video version, click here (will lead to my YouTube video) Else, you can just watch it here:
My Personal Story of Owning the Seiko SKX013
This was my first actual watch that I got for myself with my own money 2 years ago. I decided to get an actual watch to celebrate the beginning of my drastic career change. Thus, this was bought with the first month salary I received in that new job.
For those who struggled before in their career and successfully manage to transition to a new career, it was a place of vulnerability yet, celebratory. I wanted to gift myself a tangible object that I can always remember with, and what a perfect gift this was, a real actual durable watch that reminds me to be like this watch, strong, reliable and having fortitude in life.
Sorry for getting way too personal over there, but that is how I view my watches. I buy watches for personal reasons and each piece means a lot to me. Back to the story, because I wanted a durable watch, hence I stumbled across the Seiko SKX.
Seiko SKX007, SKX009
To be honest, I was feeling ‘meh’ on the SKX007 and SKX009, but I was very intrigued with the SKX013 (the smaller one).
Credit: seikomods.com
Credit: hodinkee.com
Seiko SKX013 Specifications
- Case Size: 38mm
- Thickness: 13mm
- Lug-to-lug: 43mm
- Water Resistance: 200m
- Movement: Auto Seiko 7s26
- Crystal: Seiko Hardlex
This smaller version of the SKX comes at 38mm with a steel case (13mm thick), 200 m water resistance, Hardlex crystal, with a screw down crown at the 4 o’clock. Inside, you have the famous old, but reliable Seiko 7S26 movement. What caught my attention at that time as a first time watch owner, was the lume and the bezel!
Embarrassingly, for the first few days, I wore it to sleep just to admire the lume. The lume used on the watch is Lumibrite, it is perfectly visible glowing a warm green colour. I have 150mm wrist size and you know what, it fits perfectly on my tiny wrist!
If I were to nitpick however, it is a bit tad top heavy and thick, so it felt like I was wear a heavy rock on top of my wrist. But then again, I don’t mind it.
What is the current price of Seiko SKX013?
It is all about the price isn’t it?
I was shocked to find out on the current price. I can’t find any in Shopee/Lazada/Tokopedia/Jomashop, but I found few listed in Chrono24 for USD 500 – $ 600. There’s one listed in local Malaysian’s Carousell priced at RM2.5k or USD 500. That is way too expensive in my opinion. For comparison, I bought this 2 years back at only USD 230.
It’s pricey for what it’s worth. But you can still consider the Seiko SKX013 if you..
1. Have small wrists & looking for a mechanical diver
One will understand one’s struggles – Having small wrists. Needless to say, it’s difficult to find a watch that our small wrists can carry without looking awkward. SKX013 is one of those. With its case size of 38mm, albeit its thickness. You can still pull it off.
2. Want to have an ISO certified watch
Having an ISO certified watch means that the watch has met the standards set by the International Organization for Standardization for its design, production, and quality control processes. ISO certification is a globally recognized symbol of quality and reliability, and it guarantees that the watch will perform to a set of established standards.
Watches with ISO certification are typically used in demanding environments such as diving, aviation, and military operations, where reliability and accuracy are critical. An ISO certified watch gives the owner peace of mind that the watch is of high quality and will perform as expected under tough conditions.
3. Want to modify this watch
The Seiko SKX, it is one of the most famous models that has a lot of modifications options available. You can get yourself different kinds of bezels, hour hands, replace it with a sapphire crystal, and much more. Check out google for inspirations.
It’s pretty cool to have a watch that is truly one of the kind.
But please remember that once you mod this watch, basically it’s no longer ISO certified. Something to keep in mind.
4. Want some form of respect from the watch community
Look, I believe in wearing what you want to wear, but if you would like an iconic piece that even the most snobbish watch collector would not scoff at, this watch is it.
5. Want to sell it in the future
If you would like to flip this watch in the future, maybe you can consider getting this, because it’s hardly available now. So, maybe the price might continue to increase. But just take it with pinch of salt. I’m just speculating.
Final Thoughts
This watch is a very personal watch and in fact it was my first ever proper watch, so yes in a way, this watch is my gateway drug to this whole watch thing and I have no regrets at all getting this watch. I remember being so anxious because most stores are out of stock especially for this smaller size, they still have stock for the skx007 or skx009, but very limited stock on this.
I remember being super excited unboxing it and was so happy about this watch. It was really a good buy and I really have no regrets whatsoever. But just my 2 cents, for its price now, it is simply not worth it anymore. Let me know the comments below whether do you think it’s still worth it.
If you are interested in other Seiko watch reviews: here they are: Seiko SNXS79 Review, Seiko SNK803 Review
Affiliate Links (if you are interested)
Check out these Seiko SKX shop links if you are interested. Shopping through these links earns me a small commission and helps support this blog/Youtube channel.
