Call me crazy. This marks the 3rd time I sold a Seiko and re-bought the same model. Black Monster, Sumo, and now the SKA427 are back in the family (I settled on a second generation Black Monster).
The bezel on the SKA427 doesn't feel quite as buttery as my last one, so, who knows, maybe there's some quality variation, but the great feel and look is still there. It has the deep dish look of my Orient Saturation Diver and cost one-fifth as much. Also, I now have a gunmetal watch in my collection and I didn't settle on a Las Vegas style fashion watch.
For about $200 both the second gen Black Monster and SKA427, it could be argued, are the best watch deals out there.
Two Updates:
Raffi at Watch City removed a link and told me on average his Seiko Kinetic customers need to change the battery every 5 years.
The lume markers shoot out of the gunmetal nicely evidenced by the fact that in less than a half hour of wearing it, the volleyball coach at my college, who has never noticed my watches the last 15 years, screamed while pointing at her wrist, "Nice time." The SKA427 is a standout.
Its almost as if some primal wound in the universe was healed, a clicking back into place of a misstep long ago taken, a spiritual chiropractic adjustment.
All joking aside, I'm glad you got the SKA427 "back in da house." It was an iconic Herculodge watch for a time.
p.s. I agree with you: the for the price point (~$200) you can't beat the SKA427/371 and Black Monster.
Posted by: jonnybardo | March 03, 2014 at 04:33 PM
You are officially crazy. Seek help. Ask yourself why this is the third time. What does it mean.
Posted by: Carlos Edwards | March 03, 2014 at 05:56 PM
It's not being crazy...it might be genius. How many times did Brian Wilson change his mind for a few notes of "Good Vibrations?" And maybe the founders of Apple Computer kept going back and forth between "Apple" and "Lemon" before settling on Apple. "I am the mailman, I am the seal" doesn't sound quite as good as "I am the egg man, I am the walrus." Sometimes you have to debate, decide, change your mind, debate, decide, change your mind, etc.
Posted by: Angelo | March 04, 2014 at 04:03 AM
This phenomena is more common among watch enthusiasts than you might think, Carlos. Go read Watchuseek, probably the largest watch forum on the internet - occasionally there is a thread dedicated to just this subject, and quite a few people sheepishly come out of the closet.
I've done it once - the Invicta Capsule. And now I'm trying to sell it again. Hopefully I won't catch Invicta Fever this summer and re-buy. Again.
Posted by: jonnybardo | March 04, 2014 at 06:49 AM