Best Seiko Diver to Mod? SKX vs SRPD vs SRPE
When the SKX series of divers was discontinued, the Seiko modders let forth a collective sigh of sadness. Throughout its existence, it has been a well-liked option and a household brand for lovers of budget diving watches.
The introduction of the SRPD 5 Sports line, caused Seiko enthusiasts to rapidly move on. It has demonstrated that it has the majority of what it takes to fill the shoes left behind by the SKX. Many even adoringly refer to it as the “5KX” line as a confirmation that it truly is the departed diver line’s replacement.
And it is obvious that Seiko is shifting away from the affordable diving watches and towards the affordable sports watches category with the more recent introduction of the SRPE 5 Sports watches. Is this just a ruse to get more people to add a Prospex watch to their collection of diving timepieces, or are Rolex Explorer-style watches actually the best option?
Throwback with the SKX
The SKX line’s positive aspects are listed below. Consider the SKX007’s 200m depth rating, which was incredible for a $300 wristwatch. It is sufficient to pass the demanding examinations required for an ISO 6425 certification, which includes:
- Pressure tested
- Shock resistance test
- Saline water resistance test
- Condensation test
- Magnetic resistance test
The 42.5mm size is ideal for most wrists and doesn’t seem excessively huge, which is a prevalent theme with diving watches. The crown position at 3:45 makes it more comfortable to wear. This is because the crown and crown guard will not directly contact your hand, which is a little feature worth mentioning. Avoiding the “crown bite”.
Its promotion of community rather than the watch itself is another positive aspect. The SKX007 served as a popular and reasonably priced entry point into the world of watch modding and collecting, bringing together thousands, if not millions of individuals around a shared interest. And it is not a bad looking watch either.
However, several aspects of the SKX007, like as the 7S26 movement’s absence of hand-winding and hacking support, belong in the past. not to mention precision. It was a dependable piece of equipment, but it could have been much better.
SKX Compared with the 5 Sports Line
Movement
The transition from the 7S26 in the SKX007 to the 4R36 (Branded NH36) in the SRPD and SRPE provided Seiko aficionados the hacking and hand-winding features they had been requesting a long time. In order to time your watch more precisely, you can hack the seconds hand. Hand-winding simply refers to the ability to wind the movement by turning the crown with your hand. Hand winding was also a great addition. Small changes that have a significant impact.
You may simply upgrade your SKX007’s stock 7S26 movement with an NH36, an unbranded but Seiko-made movement. If you wish to give it hacking and hand-winding capabilities that is.
Water Resistance
The new Sports line actually reverses course on this front, rating the SRPD watches at just 100m, which is barely half as deep as the SKX can dive. This could be due to the glass caseback, and push crown instead of screw-down crown.
Despite the fact that not everyone uses their watch for deep-water diving, having a watch that can withstand 200m of water was a source of pride. The water resistance rating was a major talking point for dive watches, much to how many megapixels a smart phone camera can shoot. Sadly, the Seiko 5 Sports range is not ISO certified either.
Crown and Caseback
The push and pull crown of the more recent Seiko series, as opposed to the screw-down crown of the SKX line, is one factor in the lower dive rating. The SKX is superior for water and shock resistance since it has a screw-down crown.
The 5KX watches have a fancier see-through caseback whereas the SKX watches have solid stainless steel as the caseback.
Variety of Design
The SKX007 watch is made of stainless steel and has a black dial and bezel insert. The other option is the SKX009, a stainless-steel watch with a dark blue dial and a blue and red insert.
There’s not a lot of options, precisely. However, there are so many variations of the SRPD and SRPE watches that they had to divide them into 5 more categories!
These include:
Sports, Suits, Specialist, Street, and Sense. Not to mention the numerous partnerships Seiko has used this line for, which have given us Seiko Naruto, Street Fighter, One Piece and more.
Are They Modd-ABLE?
The SKX007 just has way more mod parts that are available for it compared to the newer Seiko 5 Sports series. We think this might be due to the fact that there were only 2 SKX007 variants when it was released, making it the perfect canvas for Seiko modders to exercise their creativity and customise one to their liking. Almost all SKX mod parts will fit the SRPD except for 3 things. These 3 parts are: The crystal gasket (though crystals fit), The caseback gasket (thought casebacks fit), and the crowns.
With so many OEM design choices for the SRPD, there’s less of a need to change a base watch. Still, you’d be glad to know that there are a lot of cross-compatible mod parts between these two lines of divers. A lot of mod parts for the SKX007 can be used for the SRPD Sports series.
The SRPE comes to the Commotion.
The SRPE may be characterized as a straightforward watch that has performed nicely. Although less pronounced than its diving ancestor, it is nevertheless present on the wrist. It nearly has the look of a field watch due to the simple non-rotating bezel, particularly those that come included with a NATO strap.
The straightforward chapter ring perfectly complements the exceptional hands and dials. Under the Seiko name, the 5/S logo is boldly displayed. In order to reduce the shimmering appearance, which can be distracting for a sports watch, the casing is a combination of polished and brushed surfaces. It still has Seiko’s classic hardlex crystal, but it is now fixed directly on the bezel rather than inside of it.
You can’t go wrong with this model. The updated 4R36, which is essentially a 7S26 with hacking and hand-winding and higher precision, powers the ensemble. Although, the caliber may not be the most exquisite or complicated in the world, Seiko decided to showcase it with a glass caseback. Unexpected, but a very pleasant choice.
SRPE vs SKX/SRPD Line
Given that both the SRPE and SRPD watches are under the Seiko 5 Sports umbrella, there isn’t much to compare between them. These two are nearly identical, with the exception that the glass of the SRPE is placed on the non-rotating bezel.
The difference between the SRPE and the SKX, however, is abundantly apparent because most of the Seiko SKX mod components are not backwards compatible.
To start, we want to be clear that we only refer to the Seiko 5 Sports family of watches when we talk about the SRPE. We say this because Seiko Samurais also utilize the SRPE model prefix. The SRPE83K1, a watch from the Seiko 5 Sports Sense line, is an exception since it may use SKX007 components.
However, the rest of the Seiko 5 Sports line is incompatible. With mod components designed for the SKX007, you may still replace the hands, dial, and movement. If you want to replace the chapter ring of the SRPE then you can use SRP Turtle chapter rings which do fit!
Moddable Parts of SRPE
In terms of mod ability, the SRPE Seiko 5 Sports watch is still very much in the discovery phase. People are just starting to experiment with it as a modding base, and not a lot of suppliers offer parts for the as of yet. As mentioned earlier SRP Turtle chapter rings fit, other than that you’re looking at pretty much dial, hands, and movement changes.
Watch-Modz does have a few parts available for SRPE already. If you don’t wish to buy a brand-new watch just to take it apart and build a new one, you can always start with a bare modding case and work from our original unique design.
To Top it All Off!
The SKX007 is still in charge when it comes to the availability of mod components, and since there is a wealth of information and tutorials available, this is the model that beginners should choose when they are trying their hand at modding for the first time. Fans of the diver watch style will also find it to be the obvious pick.
With its more streamlined and minimalistic constructions, range of OEM designs, and partnerships with other pop culture companies, the SRPD and SRPE lines are more appealing to the new generation of watch collectors. Despite the continued demand for the SKX, they have a clear goal and target market in mind for the Seiko 5 Sports, and we think it will succeed in the modding world.
About The Author
Pamela Tabago is an Information Specialist at Watch-Modz LLC. She is passionate about everything related to watches, from the best automatics to modding a Seiko.
She brings her data-driven experience in informative writing and her love for watches to the blog. She also provides watch-related content for other modding enthusiasts like herself.