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Seiko SKX781K Orange Monster review

skx781k-face-small1

Watch History

  • Date acquired: Dec 26 2003
  • Production date: 2003
  • Source: Spark Time Trading, Pertama Complex
  • Price paid: MYR480 (USD143)
  • Status: In production

     

Background

The SKX781K or fondly known as the "Orange Monster" amongst Seiko fans, was one of the watches that I found simply irresistible. Barely three months after owning the SKX779K Black Monster in late 2003, I finally saw one in person at a Mid Valley Mega Mall watch store. Monsters were not formally introduced in Malaysia at the time and I’m sure the one I saw was a grey market Seiko, most probably brought in from Singapore.

It sure was a very sharp looking diver’s watch and it looked very attractive hanging on a wooden toolkit-like board serving as the watch display. I was wearing my Black Monster at the time and couldn’t help comparing the Orange Monster (OM) with my beloved timepiece. Just sixty seconds into ogling at this tangerine beauty, I knew this watch was going to join my growing Seiko collection! 🙂

 

 

The SKX781K is more than just a dial color variation – its cosmetic differences from the Black Monster were more than enough to persuade me to buy one. For one thing, the SKX781K sported black framed hands, which Seiko conveniently ported from their discontinued SLR003P Perpetual Calendar (8F35) diver’s watch.

For the North American market, the OM is also known as the SKXA45 to distinguish it from parallel imports from the Far East. The difference between the SKXA45 and SKX781K is in the tiny dial identifier markings. To comply with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s labeling laws, the SKXA45 has the additional text "Mov’t Singapore" and recently, "Mov’t Malaysia".

Price wise, the SKXA45 is sold at slightly higher prices than the international market SKX781K. This probably due to the fact that Seiko USA has a different pricing policy and their inclusion of a 3-year warranty on its products. Warranty is not exactly free – therefore you can expect to pay some premium over the standard 1-year warranty for Seikos sold elsewhere in the world.

I’m not sure when the SKX781K first appeared into the market (the SKX779K Black Monster reportedly came out in 2000) – it could have been released simultaneously with the BM or a bit later.

The other discerning feature is the use of a white background calendar, with the Saturday day of week in bright blue. I felt it was rather special as I hadn’t owned a Seiko with a white calendar display before.

 

SLR003P SLR001

The SLR003P Perpetual Calendar (left) from where the SKX781K got its hands from. It is generally believed that the Monsters evolved from the SLR001/003 models.

 

At the time I felt that orange was a rather unorthodox color for a watch. All my timepieces have black, blue or white dials. An orange watch? Oh, why not…

I decided to revisit the same watch store where I got my Black Monster (BM) from as its prices were significantly cheaper than the one where I saw the SKX781K. Seeing that I was going to be a potential repeat customer, the sales assistant readily agreed to sell me one for the same price I got the BM.

My watch came with the Seiko Z-20 curved vent rubber strap as there was no bracelet option available. I liked how the bright orange dial contrasted with the black rubber strap, with a good dose of chromed stainless steel in between.

Some folks like matching orange straps to go with the dial but I prefer contrast than uniformity. I personally feel that orange straps would make the watch look cheesy like like a toy watch.

Here’s any early photo of my OM next to my BM:

 

OM BM 1 (Small)

 

Here’s a tip for keeping your rubber dive strap looking like new. If you’re one of those who like to shower wearing divers on rubber, you’ll notice that soap will gradually make the rubber lose its luster and shine. Moreover, over time the dried soap suds will leave residue and you’ll get ugly white splotches on the rubber surface. It may even accumulate between the narrow bezel marking grooves.

 

I discovered that the same stuff that keeps automobile dashboard and tires shiny and new does the trick. That’s right folks – silicone spray. A light application of silicone spray will not only restore your rubber strap to its original state but makes it shiny and helps to keep it supple. I’ve also used silicone spray on my car’s radiator hose for years and I’ve never got a case of cracked hoses. 🙂

Be sure to allow the silicone to dry thoroughly before wearing your watch – you don’t want the stuff to wipe off your skin and possibly get contact dermatitis or an allergic reaction. I’ve only used the silicone spray meant for DIY automobile detailing and not the heavy duty type, therefore I dare not advocate the use of the ones for industrial purposes.

When sprayed on the Monster’s bezel, the silicone also enhances the black enamel paint and masks any soap residue that settles between the bezel markings. Wipe off the excess spray from the watch crystal. Make sure not to allow the silicone spray to get between the bezel or the protective shroud. Silicone is a dust attractant and dust will invariably stick to any surface that’s been treated with the stuff.

A little film of silicone on the crystal may help to protect the glass from accidental scratches although I wouldn’t want to test my theory with any of my watches. 🙂

 

Look and feel

The Orange Monster wears and feels the same as my similarly configured SKX779K. I’ve had both watches on the stock Z-20 rubber and now wear them on 22mm Morellato Cordura Lorica straps. You probably can’t force a 22mm rubber strap into the Monster but the Cordura strap can easily be coaxed into the watch’s 20mm lugs.

I’ve tried a 20mm Cordura on my OM before and rejected it. It’s too thin and wimpy looking for the Monster. The original Z-20 rubber strap flares out before tapering to the buckle – that’s why it looks and wears better than any 20mm leather or nylon strap.

The OM looks good with its original bracelet, rubber strap or countless varieties of aftermarket leather or nylon straps.

The SKX781K is fitted with a slightly domed Hardlex crystal. Some sources say that domed crystals help reduce reflections when worn underwater and also lessens accidental scratches. A very mild curvature also means that the watch face is as easy to view from tilted angles a with completely flat crystals.

Like its black sibling, the lume on the SKX781K’s dial and hands is excellent. It glows very easily in moderate ambient light – there’s no need to expose it to direct sunlight. At night, I use my Inova X5 ultraviolet LED torch to excite the lume and the dial will glow for hours into the night.

 

SKX781K_1923_crop (Medium)

The OM’s lume is just as sensitive and bright as its Black Monster cousin.

 

Dimensions

The SKX781K’s dimensions are the same as any Monster and are as follows:

  • Diameter: 42mm (w/o crown), 47mm (w/ crown)
  • Lug-to-lug: 48mm
  • Thickness: 14mm
  • Lug width: 20mm

     

    Customizing the OM

    If you’re one of those who like to modify their watches, you’ll be glad to know that the Orange Monster is quite customizable. Although I’ve seen more photos of the Black Monster being modded, the OM can handle anything from subtle modifications to radical makeovers.

     

    SKX781K with orange chaper ringOM with black chapter ring 2

    Two examples of subtle mods to the OM: Index frames highlighted in orange to match the dial (left). The chapter ring is substituted with that from from the Black Monster (right).

    1143304613 top

    Radical mod galore: A nicely done OM with a Seiko 5 Sports SNZ389J dial (left) and a custom bead blasted SKX781K (right).

    Specifications

    • Caliber: 7s26A, 21 jewels
    • Caseback type: 7s26-0350
    • Movement: Automatic, non-hacking
    • Beat rate: 21,600 bph (6 beats/sec)
    • Loss/gain: Less than 40 sec/day
    • Power reserve: About 42 hours
    • Calendar: Day/date, dual language
    • Construction: Stainless steel
    • Crystal: Hardlex glass, domed profile
    • Bezel: Unidirectional, 120 graduations
    • W.R. rating: 200m, ISO certified
    • Luminous material: LumiBrite™
    • Movement Singapore or Malaysia, cased in China

      Some additional photos of my SKX781K:

       

      Audi_4985 (Medium)IMG_1620 (Medium)

      IMG_9466 (Medium)OM (Medium)

      Conclusion

      This is one watch that I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t sell. While it’s certainly easily replaceable, I just prefer the earlier Monster batches with the English/Spanish date display like mine.

      While the Monster is a fresh and bold diver with no design influences from Seiko’s vintage line divers like the SKX007 and its predecessors, I predict that decades from now, the Monster will become a classic in its own right.

      If you’re planning to buy an affordable orange colored Seiko diver’s watch, the SKX781K would be a pretty good choice. It’s priced lower than the orange SKX011J, the quartz SHC059P Sawtooth and well below the new SKZ249K.

      Highly recommended. 🙂

       

      What I liked:

      • Tough case, durable 7s26 automatic movement
      • High contrast orange face
      • Very bright and long lasting lume
      • Smooth turning bezel
      • Easy-to-grip knurled screw-in crown
      • Good looks (very subjective)

       

      What I didn’t care for:

      • Watch still runs a bit fast after 4 years
      • Scalloped bezel easily accumulates grit and dust underneath it
      • The stainless steel bracelet (just my opinion)
      • The original Z-20 rubber strap

       

      Quartzimodo’s Rating

      Price: 4-half-star
      Looks: 4-half-star
      Build quality: 5-star
      Features: 4-star
      Value for money: 5-star
      Overall: 4-half-star

       

       

      Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.

      Comments

      Another fine review. Thanks for the tip about the silicone spray. I have a few diver straps that could use a treatment.

      You can bet your kahuna’s that my next purchase is gonna be an orange monster on rubber straps, Dude.

      I will be a little more patient this time and try to scout out good makes and prices.

      Where can u get the spanish english dates, btw? For that matter maybe english arabic dates or other exotic languages.

      Anywayz, I notice that Pokemonyu is selling them on the Bay for USD120, but the shipping is USD28 to KL. Is USD148 a good price?

      Can you get them cheaper locally in KL? If so, can u recommend any?

      By the way, where do you go to modify a Monster in KL? I quite like the look of the Black Monster dial with a 007 bezel and casing.

      Hi Bjboss,

      I doubt if you can find Eng/Spanish day calendars in fresh stocks as Seiko decided to streamline their 7s-caliber watches for Eng/Roman back in 2004.

      Both my OM and BM divers were from the early batches, which were parallel imports from Singapore. A few months later, Monsters were officially sold in Malaysia but with Eng/Roman calendars.

      Right now, it’s a buyer’s market as the USD has dropped to a low RM3.1 to the Dollar. Pokemonyu’s standard shipping used to be USD15 for the first watch. He increased the fees to compensate for fuel surcharges and the declining US dollar.

      Try these three watch stores at the Pertama Complex:

      – Syarikat Jam Pertama (1st Floor)
      – Gold Watch Sdn Bhd (1st Floor)
      – Mee Sing Watch (Ground Floor)
      – Spark Time Trading (1st Floor)

      Compare their prices against Pokemonyu’s and decide whether you want to buy locally or go the grey market route. Remember that grey market Seikos don’t come with warranty but 7s-based Seikos are generally reliable.

      To modify a Seiko watch, you need to order the parts through a watchmaker that’s experienced with opening and changing parts. I’m not talking about small stores that only change quartz watch batteries but a watchmaker who can service mechanical watches.

      Seiko Malaysia generally does not sell parts to the end user nor will they modify watches for you. It’s against their company policy.

      Happy buying! 🙂

      Quartzimodo.

      Thanks Dude.

      Yesterday, I went to both One Utama as well as to Tesco. I found that the Monster with accompanying bracelet was retailing at RM750 (USD234) and RM800 (USD250)after discounts at the respective places.

      None had the rubber straps. The bracelet looks good and I might wanna hook up the current 007 with the Monster bracelet since it looks kinda cool. And exchange the rubber to the Monster.

      skywatches.com.sg are selling the Monsters for USD175 (not including shipping) but I’m unsure whether these guys are reputable since I cant find them on eBay thus cant gauge their history.

      R they legit? Do they deliver? Are the products genuine? Those are the Q’s running thru ma mind.

      But I’ll surely checkout those stores u mentioned, next time.

      Hi,

      The prices that you quoted are reflective of the current hike in Seiko’s prices. I would never buy any Seiko from either shop that you were referring to.

      The SKX007 and Monster’s lugs are of different width. The Monster’s bracelet will have a 2mm gap on the SKX007 and will look ugly. No one has ever fitted the Monster’s bracelet into a 7s26-002x diver.

      And the Z22 rubber from the SKX007 will not fit into the Monster’s lugs without modification either. You can buy the Z20 strap for the Monster from Chun Cheong Watch & Pen store @ Sungei Wang Plaza, Ground Floor.

      As to your question on Skywatches, it’s run by Mr Adrian Low for many years. He’s an authorized dealer and has a brick-and-mortar store at the People’s Park shopping mall. IMO, Skywatches’ prices are on the high side.

      Adrian also sells Seikos on eBay, but under the Watches59 store. His ware is totally authentic, no fakes.

      Hope this helps.

      Thanks for the 411, Dude!

      The guy at Tesco must’ve really wanted to load off his wares coz he said that the straps on the 007 and the Monsters were exchangeable. No wonder I couldn’t find a pic of the Monster bracelet on a 007 in Google images….sheesh!

      I’m trippin’ down to the shops u mentioned for some scoutin’. Hopeful to find some newer 7S26B’s on the Monsters for a good price.

      My 007 is manufactured in 2005 after checking thru a seiko calculator at this site www.ittc.ku.edu/~jgauch/watch/seiko.html

      Heard that the newer 7s26B are more stable and made after 2006. Damn, felt like I bought a lemon.

      But i still dig the looks on my 007……

      Man, I went a scoutin’ today at Pertama as you mentioned. About the only place that was selling Monsters cheapest was Syarikat Jam pertama. The OM whether metal bracelets or z20 rubber was being offered on after discount with 3 year warranty at about RM 590 (USD 184). All the shopkeepers tried to pass off their wares as new in the market with regard to the 7s26a watches. I said that those watches were made before 2006 and were bought cheaper than they are today.

      They shot back ,without missing a beat I might add, that bread prices have gone up. I said that on the internet the prices were lower, they just smiled wryly and continued to pander like he didn’t hear what I said. LOL.

      Man! I chuckled at their antics.

      Anyway, Seems I’ll be etting my wares from Chrongraph.com most likely. The prices quoted includes shipping and although the OM’s on z20 rubber were maybe USD10 more than pokemonyu’s shop on the Bay, they do have more strap choices at about the or reasonable prices.

      So do u have any comments about chrongraph.com? Are they reputable? And are they in S’pore?

      OK. Thats it for my 2 cents today dude.

      Hi there,

      You must have encountered either Desmond Chaw, the manager, Steven the owner or that curly haired dark skinned Malay lady who’s rather pushy when it comes to selling. I have bought several watches from their store in the past, especially in my early days of Seiko collecting.

      You cannot compare the prices offered by grey market sellers like Pokemonyu as his watches are low priced, they come without warranty. Warranty is an additional expense, it costs money to the manufacturer.

      Local brick and mortar stores have to sell at the recommended retail prices but it’s up to them to give you the level of discount.

      Remember that unlike cellphones, people rarely change watches except for the very small minority like watch enthusiasts. Therefore many shops try to maximize on their profit margin as they can.

      I’ve not heard of Seiko offering more than a year’s warranty for its watches, except for Seiko USA. Not even Seiko Japan gives more than 1-year warranty on its domestic models. You must have been misinformed by the store assistants.

      Chronograph.com is run by Mr Lee Wee Wah and he’s based in Singapore. His prices are on the premium side but he sells Seikos with aftermarket strap variations that no other vendor dares to offer.

      I have always been using Chronograph.com‘s price as a base for reference and if I’m buying a watch in Kuala Lumpur, I make sure that the price offered should be lower than Chronograph.com‘s.

      Quartzimodo

      Reply to Bjboss on 7s26 variations:

      Although 7s26B’s are reputed to be slightly more accurate than its first incarnation, there is no hard evidence to suggest that the 7s26B is more stable than the 7s26A.

      Your mileage may vary. You may also get a 7s26B that happens to be a lemon and doesn’t respond well to regulation as you might expect. I would say that getting the “B” variant would be a bonus but not a necessity. I’m not obsessed with the accuracy of mechanical watches because I change watches once or twice daily.

      I know of some folks with the earlier 7s26A who have tweaked their Monsters or SKX007s to within less than +/- 10 secs per day, rivaling high end ETA movements.

      That said, I’m not much of an accuracy freak so I am not bothered about my watches running a bit fast. Better for them to run fast than to run slow.

      I have a bevy of quartz, Eco Drive and Kinetic watches to choose from if I need absolute precision timing. Generally, I find no requirement to show up for an appointment right to the exact second. 🙂

      Quartzimodo.

      Your Dudeness,

      I stand corrected. Thanks for the info!

      🙂

      Hi Quartzimodo,
      First of all, I would like to thank and congrats you for putting so much efforts creating this journal.

      After reading and looking at the pictures of the diver watches for more than a week, I decided to search for the Orange Monster. Managed to grab one for RM650 from one of the shops in pertama. The watch came with the bracelet. What do you think about the price,acceptable? Since you got it for RM480 in 2003…tq man.

      Keep up the good work.

      Hi Dets,

      Thank you for your kind words. 🙂

      I got my OM for the price as it was a grey market model, brought in from Singapore way before the Monsters were officially sold in Malaysia.

      An OM on bracelet used to cost about RM530 a few years back at Pertama Complex. Thong Sia has increased prices of their Seiko products three times since then, so the price you paid is quite all right.

      Enjoy your new OM in good health! 🙂

      Went to few shops in 1U,ampang park n Midvalley and that’s the best deal I could grab. Was actually considering to get the SKX011J from SG but hand too gatal to get the 781,hope its a good buy.

      What’s the next watch I should consider, the SKX011J?007J?033?

      Dets,

      Well, it’s up to you but I would recommend the SKX011J. I don’t know if it’s still in production though. You may be able to find a NOS one in Singapore.

      There are no differences in quality between the SKX007J or SKX007K. “J” versions are not sold here, you’ll have to go across the Causeway.

      The SKX033K is not a true diver – it’s a 100m sports watch. You can find it at certain old stores in KL.

      Good luck! 🙂

      […] For that all-around tool watch with a touch of class, nothing beats a trusty Orange Monster on […]

      […] SKX007 was an acquired taste for me. Having owned the SKX779K and SKX781K Black and Orange Monsters respectively, I thought the design was just too plain and common. The […]

      I get the whole “Monster” cult following. The only thing I wish they would move to is sapphire crystal. There are some other boutique dive watches coming in around the same MSRP with saphire. It is still a very well built watch for the money, hard to go wrong beyond personal preferences.

      Hi Mike,

      Actually you can order the sapphire glass separately for the Monster. It’s the same type that’s fitted to the Limited Edition SKZ203K Yellow Monster.

      Sapphire is more expensive and because it’s brittle, is prone to shattering than mineral glass. Seiko designed their diver’s watches to be used in their natural element – the sea. Even their Professional-line of Prospex divers, including the discontinued SBBN011 1000m “Tuna” quartz diver uses Hardlex mineral glass. The only exception is perhaps, their new SBDX011 which oddly enough, has sapphire crystal instead. Maybe Seiko is going upmarket and tries to justify the SBDX011’s high asking price.

      Quartzimodo Admin.

      Hi Quartzimodo, I read with interest on your comments and review of watches. Great review, ‘Im loving it’ 🙂 Here, I would like to ask about the 22mm Morellato cordura strap that you fitted to the OM. Can it easily fit in the OM lugs which is 20mm? And do you know any particular place in Malaysia that I can buy the straps?

      p.s Sorry for the questions, I’m a newbie :p

      Hi Shidi,

      You can find Morellato straps at mostly high end watch stores that sell leather straps. Check out the Chun Cheong Watch & Pen Store, Ground Floor, Sungei Wang Plaza in Kuala Lumpur or Mee Sing Watch at Pertama Complex, Kuala Lumpur. I have purchased the Cordura Lorica straps from both stores. They cost RM70 on the average.

      To answer your question, you can easily squeeze the 22mm straps into the Orange Monster’s lugs. There will be a slight crease on the part at the lug ends but it’s hardly noticeable. A 20mm version feels too skinny to me, so I went for the 22mm ones. You can also opt to trim the strap ends if you want, but you may stress the ends if you do this.

      Quartzimodo.

      Hi Quartzimodo,
      First of all I would like to thank you for writing great reviews on both the OM and the BM.
      Your detailed information has been my guide in locating and purchasing this watch.

      Decided to search today for the OM and saw one at Plaza Alam Sentral Shah Alam priced at rm1099 before the 20% discount. After discount it was priced at rm880. Still a bit pricey for me as I have read that most of you guys got the monster for much less.

      Then I started my search at pertama complex. Went to all the watch shops there and only found one shop selling both the OM and the BM which was Syarikat Jam Pertama. After bargaining, I bought the OM with Stainless steel bracelet for rm689. Could’t even get it rounded to rm680. Watch came with a seiko box with a 1 year certificate of guarantee from seiko. No instruction manuals included.

      After wearing it, feeling the comfortable bracelet hugging my wrist, seeing the shinning bright lume attached with the solid divers bezel, I must say that I am happy with my purchase and thanks to you Quartzimodo I have manage to find the OM at a cheaper price. If I have not known about the shops in pertama, I would have bought the OM at Plaza Alam Sentral there and then itself.

      Keep up the Good Work Quartzimodo!

      Hi Adi,

      Sorry for the belated reply. Actually the amount you paid for your OM is considered a fair price, accounting for rising costs of raw materials, labor wages, transportation, inflation and currency rate exchange. Back in 2004, Syarikat Jam Pertama sold a Black Monster on stainless steel bracelet for just RM525. But that was seven years ago! I’ve bought many watches (most of them Seiko) from this store and Desmond the store manager offers extremely competitive prices. They’re able to do so because their overheads are low – the store belongs to the owner and they don’t need to pay expensive monthly rentals.

      Instruction manuals are generally not issued for 7s-caliber watches as it’s a very simple movement. The local distributor (Thong Sia Sdn Bhd) for Seiko watches in Malaysia don’t issue manuals for low end automatic models anymore. Just remember never to change the calendar between 9pm and 2am (doing so can damage the calendar changing mechanism), keep your watch from strong magnetic sources and refrain from imparting strong shocks onto the watch, e.g. playing tennis, golf or chopping wood your watch should last virtually a lifetime.

      Enjoy your Orange Monster in the best of health! 🙂
      Quartzimodo

      […] bracelet  Now I wasn’t exactly a fan of orange dialed watches, other than the SKX781K Orange Monster that I had. At the time I already owned two black dialed SKX007J divers and wondered […]

      hi there,

      i own a seiko orange monster beginning of this year 2011, i’d like to find out that, what is the grade of stainless steel band use in this watch? 440 or 316 etc etc … hope to receiving feedback from you,

      regards,

      Hi kokB,

      I have no information as to what exact grade of stainless steel that is used for the Monster’s metal bracelet. Most watches use varying grades of 316 grade stainless steel. Unless Seiko prominently highlights the use of surgical grade, 316L stainless steel (as in the SBDX001 Marine Master), you can assume that your bracelet is NOT made from 316L.

      Seiko doesn’t manufacture watch bracelets – they’re outsourced to the HK based Stelux factory in China to Seiko’s specifications. This is nothing new as Stelux has been making watch bands for Seiko since the 1960s.

      Quartzimodo.

      As usual I enjoyed reading your review. I also like the fact that you use an Inova X5 ultraviolet LED to charge your Seiko’s. I have the very same Inova light and its a beast to get the lume going on any watch that has been sitting in a dark drawer. Thanks for the write-up!

      Hi Christian,

      Actually I had been using the single LED, LED Lenser keychain UV lights well before I ordered the Inova X5 ultraviolet flashlight.

      In my experience, the German manufactured LED Lenser ones were pretty unreliable and its weakest link is its rubber domed switch, which was unreliable. After my third unit, I decided to order the Inova X5 on eBay and never looked back!

      The X5 needs only 2-3 seconds’ exposure to charge a Seiko’s luminous dial, while my Inova T3 torch requires about six seconds to excite the same watch dial.

      Just remember NEVER to stare directly or indirectly at the X5’s beam. The visible purple light is just the small portion your eyes can detect. It’s the invisible UV spectrum that you don’t see that can damage your eyesight.

      Quartzimodo.

      Watch Info: Special Edition Velatura (Moonphase, Direct Drive, 100 yr. Anniversary) Caseback:
      380024 5D88-0AF0

      Hi,
      Sorry, but the comment section under Kinetics is not submitting properly, getting a CAPTCHA error! 2 does not work?

      Really love all the info that you provide, especially all the info on the Kinetics. I just bought my first Kinetic off ebay for just about $550, the Seiko SRX010 Velatura Kinetic Direct Drive Special Edition Men’s Watch Cal. 5D88
      I will get to the main question. Can the special, now obsolete Seiko Induction recharger Seiko YT02A work on this model?

      I have seen it offered for sale for about $250 dollars but the indicated Cal. on top of the unit do not seem to have 5D position.

      This is a thick, big, but lovely watch with the Moonphase too.
      I search & search on Google & people have played alot with using other induction chargers with some luck. I have multiple versions of Braum Oral B toothbrush chargers & have played some with this technique, but no position seems to do anything.

      They also mention a Dakota watch inductor & some inductors that charge LED Candles that can work, but none of the pictured Seiko’s are my limited edition one. So I hate to buy a Dakota recharger & find it does nothing like the too†hbrush inductors. At least with the Philips LED Candle light recharger, I can still use it for the Candles 🙂

      Like you, I have too many watches ranging from Rolex to cheap Casio. I tend now to prefer Solar. I had no idea, that I would have to spin this Kinetic thousand of times gyrating it in my hand to recharge! What a PITA! I tend to leave my many watch alone for awhile, and keep some in a safety deposit box. Really not a problem with a well charged eco-drive, run down automatic, or deplete regular quartz….but I am afraid that the Kinetic’s battery will not like being depleted. It already arrived in a depleted state…but at almost 1/2 retail price on ebay why not. For some reason the cell seems to be hold the supermax charge well 1+ month. I have only had it a few days, & it seems to work well. When not in use, the charge indicator went down by one notch in 2 days without me wearing it. Since it is not a watch I can wear to work (I use a large digital readout Pulsar since I am an MD & constantly have to write the exact time & date all day at work), I will only use it sometimes on weekends, with the crowd of my other watches. I also bought two Japanese edition Seiko Spirit watches both of which are solar & radio controlled (one also has that cool e-paper display), which are far less trouble. I also bought a new Seiko solar orange dive watch. I have a few Citizen Eco-drives. My poor deplete Rado, some Movado’s, two solid gold Concords, and some others just sit being unused. I am glad that my wife has decided to take over two of my new Skeleton Quartz Swatches (which are cool & cheap). Anyway, I guess a visit to a watch repair store is in order. It seems silly to pay so much for tons of watch battery replacements for all these watches. Maybe I will ebay some….but they are all so nice.

      BTW- I really love your personal story about how your interest/ hobby/ “WIS syndrome” started.

      Anyway, thanks for all the hard work on your blog & I hope you have an answer about if my Seiko 5D88 can recharge on the Seiko YT02A. ?

      Thanks, Mahalo, Gracias, etc… 🙂

      Respectfully yours,
      Paul ( a poor WIS wanabee 🙂

      Hi Paul,

      I’ve actually replied to your post under my Sportura SNJ001P review page and I hope you’ve read it already. 🙂

      Quartzimodo.

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