Seiko is probably Japan’s leading watch manufacturer. Not only are their pieces high-quality, but they’re affordable too. The brand comes with an array of dive watches. The SKX175 is one of their most acclaimed. Let’s take a thorough look at it below.
Hold up! Before you dive into our review, going through the watch’s specs is a good first move.
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The SKX175 is not that big. Its case stretches 1.65 inches (42 mm) across. We never found the timepiece swallowing our wrist up. The watch looks eye-catching. This is mainly due to its bezel – its red and blue colourway is something you don’t see that often.
Its stainless-steel strap isn’t wide. This lets it comfortably fit your wrist. Its whole body is metal. It’s great quality, so it’s durable and shiny too.
You probably noticed the toothed edges on its bezel. They’re very popular in dive watches – mainly as a homage to the Rolex Submariner.
We don’t think wearing the timepiece will be uncomfortable since its body is stainless steel. The material doesn’t cause you to sweat. Being allergic to the metal isn’t common either. As the device doesn’t have the widest strap, your arm is weighed down less.
The position of its crown makes wearing it more comfortable. It’s not in the 3 o’clock position, which reduces the risk of jamming it into your wrist.
Not only are Seiko known for their dive watches, but also their automatic ones. The SKX175 comes with a Japanese automatic movement. To be more specific, the Seiko pepsi automatic has the 7S26 inside of it. The mechanism provides a 43-hour power reserve and 21 jewels between its gears. The 7S26 mechanism is common in Seiko’s devices.
Power reserves refer to how long you can have an automatic watch off without its gears losing energy. Jewels are synthetic pieces of glass that reduce the friction between gears. When shopping for an automatic watch, the higher the power reserve and jewel count, the better.
The movement does not provide self-winding and hacking. Self-winding is self-explanatory, but hacking is when you adjust the seconds’ hand in a timepiece.
You’re not getting any numerals on its dial. There are markers packed with lume. Considering that you’ll be using it underwater, this is a good move. You’ll be pleased to know that its luminous pigment is LumiBrite. It’s arguably the best around, providing 3-5 hours of glow.
Its watch hands are thick. This allowed for ample lume to be placed. Considering that its markers are white while its display is a deep blue, reading the time is easier on your eyes.
What about the crystal on its window? It’s Hardlex. The glass is on many Seiko devices and is more resistant than regular mineral. However, it doesn’t stand a chance against sapphire. Some Seiko watches come with an extra layer of scratch resistance, but the SKX175 does not.
We love a watch with a calendar feature. The timepiece’s display reads the date as well as the day, which isn’t that common. The calendar is also placed at an easy-to-read angle and comes with a bold font.
The SKX175 can handle 660 feet (200 meters) underwater. You can snorkel with it and take part in serious water surface activities. However, Seiko advises you to not dive with it on. The device is not ISO 6425 certified. This is strange as it’s known as a “dive watch”.
As it’s made from stainless steel, corrosion will not be an issue. The timepiece won’t rust either. Another great thing about the material is that it’s waterproof. If you were to get mud or any muck on it, you’ll easily be able to wipe it off too.
As mentioned, there’s ample lume on its dial. The LumiBrite on its face allows it be read deep underwater. The SKX175 also comes with a sealed back and crown. This prevents water from seeping into its insides.
Like most watches that can last 660 feet (200 meters), the timepiece comes with a rotating bezel. It clicks 120 times in an hour, acting as a timer. Its ticks are smooth, which can’t be said for other watches.
With that out of the way, you might guess why the timepiece is so popular. Let’s see how it fares against the alternatives below.
The SNZF15 looks a lot like the SKX175. They both have Pepsi bezels. The timepiece has a dark blue dial. We think it contrasts better with the red.
The watch is the same size as its counterpart. Its case is 1.65 inches (42 mm) across and the body is stainless steel. We’re happy to say that it’s high-quality. The material is of course on its strap too – it’s as wide as on the SKX175.
It’s water-resistant, but it can’t handle as much depths as its alternative. You can only get 330 feet (100 meters) from it. As its display is full of lume, you can read it underwater. Yes, LumiBrite is used.
The timepiece comes with a rotating bezel. We’re fans of its toothed edges – but it’s somewhat subtle.
You’re looking at a Japanese automatic device. The SNZF15’s mechanism is the 7S36. We talked about it in our Seiko SKX175 review, but in case you forgot, it comes with a 43-hour power reserve and 21 jewels inside its gears. Unfortunately, it provides no hacking or self-winding.
The timepiece comes with a Pepsi bezel. The blue on it isn’t that dark, unlike the entry above. The blue is a shade off from the SKX175’s, though.
Something you’ll notice about its dial is that one of its watch hands is outlined in red. As you know, there’s ample lume inside of its pointers. LumiBrite is in place and it’s on its hour markers as well.
The device is larger than the SKX175. Its case stretches 1.77 inches (45 mm) across. However, its strap is as wide as its alternative. Speaking of its alternative, the PADI watch also has a stainless-steel body. It’s quality steel, so it will withstand all kinds of drops.
Did we mention how water resistant the piece is? You’ll be able to take it 660 feet (200 meters) underwater.
Just like its brother, you’re looking at a Japanese automatic. The watch has the 4R36 movement inside it. This results in a 41-hour power reserve and 24 jewels between your gears. The watch comes with hacking, but not self-winding.
From the alternatives discussed so far, the SKX011J looks different compared to the others. Its dial is a salmon colour. It doesn’t have a pepsi bezel, either. Instead, it’s black with numbers marked in peach. We think the black and salmon colourway is good-looking. We’d even say that it’s better than the Pepsi one.
The shape of its hour markers looks similar to the SKX175’s. But there is something different about its watch hands – they have a striking peach outline. It makes the watch look softer, which we dig. Of course, the timepiece has a lot of lume on its pointers.
The device comes with a stainless-steel case. However, its strap isn’t made out of the material. The strap on the SKX011J is resin. Although it’s not as premium, resin is more waterproof. It also adds some shock resistance to the piece.
There’s a calendar on its dial which comes with the day as well as the date.
Did we mention that it’s slightly bigger than its counterpart? Its case is bigger by 0.039 inches (1 mm).
Yes, it’s water-resistant. You’ll be able to withstand depths similar to the SKX175.
This is another Japanese automatic device. The movement in the SKX011J is the 7S26. With the SKX011J in mind, the majority of the watches we discussed came with the mechanism. You already know how large its power reserve is, and how many jewels it has.
Let’s wrap up our Seiko men’s SKX175 review. It’s one of the brand’s most acclaimed pieces. The watch is great for the pool, but you won’t be able to dive with it on. Its Pepsi bezel especially makes it look great. Its alternatives perform similarly. It feels like Seiko follows a template when creating their pieces.
