Old vs. New SKX

[kspowell13]

With the SKX going by the wayside, I have an old SKX009 that I purchased used - either from 2000 or 2010 based on the serial number. It's pretty much my favorite summer watch, and I wear it quite a bit. It performs well - I believe my watch repair guy had it at +/- 6 seconds per day, and it's in great used shape. It had a fouled up bezel that I recently removed and cleaned and lubricated, and now the action is perfect. That being said... I also have a brand new SKX009 with a warranty. I need to give one up and keep one. Any thoughts into a 10- or 20-year-old one that I know works well vs. a new one with a warranty? Has quality drifted? Is a proven workhorse an indication that it'll keep going forever? Or do they hit a life expectancy somewhere along the line? Apologies if this is an annoying question, but I'm relatively new to affordable watch collecting. 

[SeikoSoMatic]

Not worth worrying about.
Keep the new one, any problems, you have the warranty.

[Deleted]

I would keep the new one with the warranty. It will be worth more for longer than the beater.

[saul]

Why would you give one up?  That's just crazy talk.

[bklake]

I have 2 SKX173s,an SKX009 and a Crystal Times SKX made from left over parts.  I would say you are a little behind and need to add more. 

[HiBeat]

Keep the new a sell the older one.  No difference in build quality and the 9 (or 19) year old one is closer to stopping than the new one.  No brainer.

Also if you first one is 19 years old it would have a 7S26A or 7S26B movement.  The 7S26A while considered better than the current 7S26C by a band of “A” aficionados, it is now old and nearing needing a service.  The “B’ gets a poor rep but mine have always run well.   The “C” is what all the current spares fit so it is the best long term choice.

Along these lines, I just bought a brand new SKX007 on the jubilee still in the mail coming my way.  My plan is to stow it away for years to come and not even take it out of the packaging until a rainy day in 10 years when I am bored.   I do not think it will be a better investment than an index fund but it will be cool.  Like a time capsule, if you will.

I will wear the couple of SKX mods in my mod box and the new Seiko 5 and not worry about it.

[cobrajet25]

A 2000 watch should have an "A" on the caseback.  A 2010 watch should have "WP".

Edit:  I changed my mind.  Keep the old one.  You have memories with it, and it has memories with you.  These watches are tough as hell, and I doubt your 'beach watch' will stop running anytime soon.

[Adrian-VTA]

They're basically all the same. No secret sauce or magic parts during the production run.

7S26C movement is better despite what the detractors say. The key thing here is the barrel arbor jewel in the mainplate and better plate finish. The barrel arbor wear is the major thing that kills these watches beyond everything else.

I'm not a believer in the 7S26A magic sauce theory. They changed the regulator for a good reason, and that reason is with the ETACHRON system, you have further adjustment over the hairspring so you can fine tune the "flatness" of the spring. That said, the new Disashock springs are shit.

[bklake]

My oldest SKX is a 7S26A flavor.  Already had the hairspring jump out on me.  The C version is better. 

The old one has many for me memories and the scars to remind me.  It stays.

[rainier]

I say keep the old one, you said it’s your favorite summer watch 😀

I have used an SKX007 for years as my travel watch, lots of good memories with it, I wouldn’t sell it!

[Myles]

Oct 25, 2019 18:38:14 GMT -8 HiBeat said:

Along these lines, I just bought a brand new SKX007 on the jubilee still in the mail coming my way.  My plan is to stow it away for years to come and not even take it out of the packaging until a rainy day in 10 years when I am bored.   I do not think it will be a better investment than an index fund but it will be cool.  Like a time capsule, if you will.

That's a great idea.

[Myles]

Oct 26, 2019 1:47:33 GMT -8 cobrajet25 said:

A 2000 watch should have an "A" on the caseback.  A 2010 watch should have "WP".

Edit:  I changed my mind.  Keep the old one.  You have memories with it, and it has memories with you.  These watches are tough as hell, and I doubt your 'beach watch' will stop running anytime soon.

I don't think the OP has owned the old one from new.

[janzamon]

Oct 26, 2019 1:47:33 GMT -8 cobrajet25 said:

A 2000 watch should have an "A" on the caseback.  A 2010 watch should have "WP".

I've never known what this marking is for and around what time did it change from "A" to "WP"? I've always wondered if there is a way to differentiate the decade an SKX was made other than the movement type inside.

[cobrajet25]

Oct 30, 2019 20:26:04 GMT -8 janzamon said:

Oct 26, 2019 1:47:33 GMT -8 cobrajet25 said:

A 2000 watch should have an "A" on the caseback.  A 2010 watch should have "WP".

I've never known what this marking is for and around what time did it change from "A" to "WP"? I've always wondered if there is a way to differentiate the decade an SKX was made other than the movement type inside.

I believe it changed around the time that Seiko went from the 7S26A to the 7S26B...so about 2006.

[kspowell13]

So I realized my new one (still can be returned) has the Seiko misaligned chapter ring, while my old one is perfectly aligned. I can't exchange the new one because the store is out of stock, and suddenly new SKXs just got $50 more expensive now that production has ended. Perhaps the best answer is keep the old one and swap in a new movement if/when it finally goes. While even the old one is new to me, I also have a Christopher Ward Dartmouth Series 1 coming in the mail, and could use to not be overcommitted on funds these days. It appears as though a new 7s26 would be about $50 and can be done without too much trouble. If I do it myself all the better story. Any experience on a diy movement swap?

[Deleted]

Oct 31, 2019 0:32:41 GMT -8 cobrajet25 said:

Oct 30, 2019 20:26:04 GMT -8 janzamon said:

I've never known what this marking is for and around what time did it change from "A" to "WP"? I've always wondered if there is a way to differentiate the decade an SKX was made other than the movement type inside.

I believe it changed around the time that Seiko went from the 7S26A to the 7S26B...so about 2006.

That was also the time when Seiko moved it's Singapore plant to Malaysia. A and WP may be Seiko code for the manufacturing plants.

[Adrian-VTA]

Unless you have a bunch of tools and have broken a few other watches first, you're going to have a bad time.

I'd give the movement and watch to a watchmaker that is not 85 and get them to do it. Maybe an hour's labour at most?

Oct 31, 2019 7:34:33 GMT -8 kspowell13 said:

So I realized my new one (still can be returned) has the Seiko misaligned chapter ring, while my old one is perfectly aligned. I can't exchange the new one because the store is out of stock, and suddenly new SKXs just got $50 more expensive now that production has ended. Perhaps the best answer is keep the old one and swap in a new movement if/when it finally goes. While even the old one is new to me, I also have a Christopher Ward Dartmouth Series 1 coming in the mail, and could use to not be overcommitted on funds these days. It appears as though a new 7s26 would be about $50 and can be done without too much trouble. If I do it myself all the better story. Any experience on a diy movement swap?