Review of the Seiko SKX031K2 Automatic Submariner Homage Mod by Yobokies

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This is a review of the Seiko SKX031K2 Automatic Submariner Homage as Modified by Yobokies

I ordered this on the 30th of September and received it from Hong Kong on the 7th of October. I was in the market for a Submariner Homage, and after much research, I ended up purchasing this one. I also seriously considered the Orient 2ER00001B (Submariner Homage), Orient CEM65001B(Black Mako) and the Invicta 8926C (Submariner Homage with Coin Edge Bezel). All of these are below $200 and can be obtained for significantly less on the Internet. Now all of the above watches are fine watches and although very similar, have slight differences which allow them to appeal to different people with different tastes.

There were certain things which I was looking for in a submariner homage, and Yobokies' Mod ended up meeting my criteria. Specifically, I wanted a Submariner Homage with a coin edge bezel, Day/Date or Date with Cyclops (although Day/Date was preferred), a Solid Steel link Bracelet, good reliability, and Rolex Submariner style (Mercedes Style) hands.

All of the above mentioned watches have a coin edge bezel, but only the Seiko had a "true" Coin edge, in that the grooves extend all the way through the thickness of the bezel. The others, including Rolex submariners, have for lack of a better term, "partial" coin edges, where the groves start at the top edge of the bezel and flare out towards the bottom. This effectively creates a micro scalloped bezel. I personally prefer the "true" coin edge. While on the topic of bezels, the Seiko's is bidirectional, as opposed to the others which are unidirectional. I personally don't care much either way, the unidirectional bezel being important if your life is on the line, the bidirectional being easier to handle. Another difference between the bezels besides the fonts used, is the fact that the Seiko does not have a lume dot at the 0 hour position. This I see as a negative, although one might argue that it might wear better over time, as one doesn't need to worry about the lume wearing off.

I personally love having a day/date feature, as I often forget the day of the week. The only reason I would have settled for a date with cyclops is because it is almost a prerequisite on a submariner homage. The Seiko has a nice silver border around the day/date. I loved the look of this compared to the other submariner homages where a hole is simply cut in the face. For me, the jury is still out on the cyclops feature. True, it looks cool and makes seeing the date easier, but it also forces you to look at the date head-on (perpendicular to the face) whereas without it, you can see the date from various angles. Also, the cyclops tends to attract dirt and scratches, so I prefer the Seiko on this feature.

A solid steel bracelet definitely makes a watch feel more substantial and solid. The other watches all come with solid steel bracelets, with the Invicta getting a lot of high praise. The Seiko, unfortunately, comes with a folded metal link bracelet. Enter Yobokies (Seikoboy spelled backwards). He offers a Seiko Super Oyster Bracelet as an option which I ordered. It is nice and solid, with screw type adjustment pins. It has a single deployment push-button clasp with Seiko logo. Yobokies also sends you the original bracelet which is not of the push button type. If you love your watches, you will surely appreciate the difference this bracelet makes over the stock bracelet.

With regards to reliability, both Seiko and Orient get high praise from owners. Invicta on the other hand seems to have its share of quality control issues. I'm not going to talk about what I have no experience with, as I have never owned an Invicta, but there are enough complaints about Invicta's customer service on the Internet to raise a few flags. Honestly, I may have purchased the Invicta were it not for the quality control issues. It has a nice display back which the others don't feature, hackability, manual winding and the previously mentioned nice bracelet. Who knows, when the itch comes back I may purchase an Invicta, but for now, I chose to go with a reliable watch.

The hands which come with the stock Seiko are arrow shaped, and not to my liking. The other watches besides the Mako have the Rolex Submariner style "Mercedes" hands. I like these hands for submariners. Yobokies, installs Mercedes hands on the Seiko. This in my opinion is much better than the stock hands. If I had to complain, it would be that the lume on the hands are ever so slightly whiter than the Seiko lume markers. Not a big deal, and definitely a big improvement over the stock hands.

In the end, the combination of the Day/Date feature, reliability, "true" coin edge bezel, and the fact that it was a mod lead me to choose the Seiko. Strangely, I find the fact that it is modified, cool and sexy.

One thing I didn't notice until I received the watch is that the Seiko face is not truly black. Rather, it is a very, very dark matte charcoal. I have fallen in love with this matte finish. The pictures don't do it justice, but the matte finish alone gives a more rugged, industrial feel to the watch. Had I known how nice this looks, it would have made my decision making precess that much easier.

The watch mechanically has 21 jewels, is not hackable, but is back hackable (the second hand can be stopped or even reversed with a slight backward twist of the crown). It also does not hand wind via the crown. The bezel as mentioned before is bi-directional and turns smoothly. The lume on the hands and markers are fine. It is water resistant to 100m and has a screw down crown.

One thing to note is that this watch is MODIFIED. Therefore, there is no warranty, and does not come with a box or instructions. It comes securely wrapped in clear plastic and Styrofoam. Yobokies was very quick to respond to my e-mails and a pleasure to deal with. To be clear, I am in no way affiliated with him nor have I ever met him.

I hope that this review might shed some light on the differences among various submariner homages, and introduce the possibility of modded watches to those looking for that perfect Submariner homage.

Orient Automatic Day / Date Watch Review (CET05001W)

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This is a review of the Orient Automatic Day/Date (CET05001W) which I purchased at DiscountWatchsStore.com.

Price / Service / Delivery / Packaging

I ordered it on Friday, and it was at my doorstep on Monday from CT to NY. No complaints there. The price ($109, use coupon code PRE10 to get 10% off) was the best I could find on the Internet from an Authorized Dealer, and only a few dollars more than on e-bay. For a few bucks, I definitely prefer to have a manufacturer's warranty, although Orient watches have a great reputation in terms of reliability. Also, you get a nice Tiffany colored Microfiber Cloth with your purchase. The watch came packed in a plain brown cardboard box with some crumpled brown paper holding the watch box in place. Nothing to write home about, but it got the job done. The watch came in a black presentation box with instructions and a warranty card. Upon opening, the watch appeared to be handled. There was some dirt on the underside where the case meets the bracelet, and the sticker on the back which has the model number printed, was worn. The thin, clear plastic which usually covers and protects the bracelet was also absent. Additionally, although I ordered the bracelet unsized, the bracelet was sized to the smallest size, and additional links were included in a plastic bag, which I found unusual, as most watches come from the factory with all links attached. I called to confirm, and they were refreshingly honest and told me that sometimes watches are returned because customers just don't like the look/color/size and subsequently resold, after making sure there is nothing wrong with the watch. He told me that if there was anything wrong with the watch, they would gladly take it back. I'm OK with a returned watch, as one can't realistically expect these companies to return an item to the manufacturer just because a customer didn't like it. The watch I received didn't have any scratches, so I'm satisfied with the purchase.

Watch

Mechanically, the watch features 21 jewels and can not be hand wound by the crown. It is not hackable, but is back hackable (the second hand can be stopped by applying a slight backwards twist to the crown and holding it). The second hand sweeps relatively nicely, and steadily without any play. The face is a nice whitish silver with blue markings and dark blue hands. In the right light, they turn a cobalt blue. The face is beautifully textured which was the main feature which drew me to this watch. This watch comes in black and blue variants, but the white appealed to me most because the silver plays with light the most. There is a day subdial at 3 o'clock and a 24hr subdial at 11 o'clock. At the 6 o'clock position is the date window, and underneath is printed: Japan BK ET05-Aoo T. Only the hour and minute hands are lumed, the second hand is not. Round hour markings along the periphery are lumed as well. The watch is rated at 50m water resistance, and has a stainless steel case. The Crown is not a screw down type, but has the Orient twin lion insignia etched in it. The bracelet is composed of sold steel links, and has a decent feel to it, although I would prefer it to be a bit more substantial. There are 5 rows of links, and the second and fourth rows are polished, while the remaining rows are brushed. The clasp is of the push-button single deployment type with the Orient logo imprinted on the face. For the price I paid, I believe this is a great watch. It easily can pass for a $300+ watch. Gorgeous face, elegant looks, with a solid watch movement. Highly recommended.