Seiko SKX007K- I need a Sapphire Crystal

[ac]

Hey Guys,

I hope you all had a good Xmas and are gearing up for a great New Year.

Does anyone know if I can get a Sapphire Crystal for my Seiko SKX007k (Seiko Divers Watch)

I believe it features the Hardlex Crystal at the moment,which was scratched within two days of ownership.

The Seiko is a tremendous watch and would be absolutely awesome if the crystal could handle a knock or two.

Even if someone knows how to contact Bill Yao it would be appreciated.

Cheers Aaron

[Sam]

Hi Aaron...it's good to "see" you. Hope the holidays are treating you and your family well.

I know the feeling...my SKX007 has a 1-2mm scratch in the crystal, too. Yes, you can get a Sapphire crystal for it. It's $65 (or $99 if you want AR coating). Being in Australia, it's probably easiest to just buy the crystal and have a local watchmaker replace it.

Bill Yao's website is www.mkiiwatches.com or you can email him at [e-mail].

[ac]

Hey Sam,

Thanks for that. I actually just stumbled across that site only a moment ago, but had no idea it was related to Yao.

I most definitely will order a crystal and get my watch man to fit.

As we discussed a couple of weeks ago the crystal is the weak point of an otherwise solid watch.

Cheers Sam and thanks for the confirmation.

Aaron.

BTW. Do you think the AR is worth the extra dollars??

[brianhud]

Aaron,

I'll vouch for that Yao domed sapphire crystal. I had an SKX007 that he customized, and the crystal was very nice. I believe that it had the AR coating on the inside.

Not only was the AR coating excellent, it definitely gives the watch a nicer, more refined look. Call me crazy, but you can tell the difference looking at a watch dial through a sapphire crystal vs. mineral crystal.

Brian

[ac]

brianhud said:

Aaron,

I'll vouch for that Yao domed sapphire crystal. I had an SKX007 that he customized, and the crystal was very nice. I believe that it had the AR coating on the inside.

Not only was the AR coating excellent, it definitely gives the watch a nicer, more refined look. Call me crazy, but you can tell the difference looking at a watch dial through a sapphire crystal vs. mineral crystal.

Brian

Hey Brian,

That is all the encouragement that I require,especailly from someone who has experienced them first hand.

Thanks Brian.

Aaron

[Sam]

I'd love to put a sapphire crystal on mine, but it's hard for me to pay $69 or $99 for a crystal when I only paid $100 for the watch. I'm just going to live with the few scratches it gets.

[atomic]

I will likely order a sapphire crystal from Yao at some point as well. Im also considering getting an aluminum chapter ring, and replace the OEM ring (with the minute markers, making the dial more austere. Im also considering a change of hands, but to get the sword hour and minute hands I want, I would have to buy two sets of different hands, but it would look very cool.

Anyways, down the road a bit. For now I am loving my Monsta. I wrote a review at TRF at:

www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=3361

[mamas]

thanks johnny.. nice well writtren review... can you manual hack the monster by rotating crown counter clockwise like my speedy pro and sm300?

[Sam]

Mamas...yes you can put a little backward pressure on the crown and manually hack them. Actually makes it really easy to set.

[mamas]

The only thing that puts me off the monster is the bezel.. does yao also change the bezel into more usual bezel designs like some of the other seiko divers?

[Sam]

The bezel is awesome. Have you seen one in person? Yao doesn't change the bezel.

[mamas]

one of the guys i work with has an orange monster...i dont like the desig of the bezel.. would prefer it if the watch had a more regular looking bezel.
mamas

[atomic]

Thanks Mamas. Re: the bezel, no other Seiko bezel will fit the Monster. It's not offered via Yao and I believe no other bezel will fit it.

The bezel is actually integrated into the watch case, so anything else would look very odd. As Sam said, it's one of the best features of the watch so you either like it, warts and all, or you don't.

I quite like it. The only thing I'm not big on are the long second markers on the chapter ring. It makes the dial look too small, for the size of a watch. But if you replace the ring with an aluminum one (assuming it'll work with the OEM dial) you're set.

[ac]

sam said:

I'd love to put a sapphire crystal on mine, but it's hard for me to pay $69 or $99 for a crystal when I only paid $100 for the watch. I'm just going to live with the few scratches it gets.

Hey Sam,

I was thinking the same thing about the price then I decided for the price of the watch and what I will spend on it would be worthwhile.

The 007 is a great "bang for buck" watch and the way it is keeping time I am totally impressed.I am thinking the watch will owe me under $200.00 USD and I will never get a return so with a sapphire crystal it will make it a keeper.

The case is solid and the bezel insert is semi protected so the only real weak spot is the crystal.I can really use the watch for beater duties and not worry at all.

Otherwise a Rolex would be used for beater duties and the Seiko for good.

Cheers Aaron

[ac]

Hey John,

Nice pick-up on the monster. :-/I must admit that like Mamas,the bezel looks a little over the top.

However I have never seen the watch in person and like most things that I haven't seen I will reserve judgment until seen.

Speaking of which,its about time you visited your sister here in Queensland and dropped in for a frothy chop.(Beer)

Aaron