Discontinued Seiko Watches — Our Favorites & How to Recreate Them (2026)

Seiko has a pattern that frustrates collectors more than anything else: they discontinue their best watches. Not the mediocre ones, not the forgettable ones — the watches that develop passionate followings, that become the default recommendations on every watch forum, that punch so far above their price point that they make the rest of the lineup look overpriced. Those are the ones that disappear.

If you have spent any time in the watch community over the past few years, you have watched this happen in real time. The SKX007, the SARB033, the SNK809 — each one was readily available at a reasonable price, became the consensus "best watch under $X," and then vanished from production. What was a $200 watch becomes a $400 watch on the secondary market, and a new generation of watch enthusiasts discovers these models only to find they cannot buy one without paying a premium to a reseller.

This is our list of the discontinued Seiko watches we miss most — the ones we think deserved to stay in production. We also explain something that most "discontinued Seiko" articles skip: how Seiko modding lets you build something that captures the spirit of these watches (or improves on them) at a fraction of the secondary market price. You cannot buy a new SKX007, but you can build a custom dive watch with the same movement, better crystal, and a unique design for less money.

Why Discontinued Seikos Matter

Discontinued watches occupy a unique space in collecting. Unlike luxury watches where scarcity is manufactured by the brand (looking at you, Rolex wait lists), discontinued Seikos were genuinely accessible products that just stopped being made. There was no artificial restriction — you could walk into any authorized dealer and buy an SKX007 for years. The community formed around these watches organically, driven by genuine quality and value rather than exclusivity or brand prestige.

When a $200 watch gets discontinued and the secondary market price climbs to $400 or $500, something breaks. The value proposition that made the watch special — a genuinely excellent product at an accessible price — is gone. You are paying double for a used watch that was designed and priced as an entry-level product. The watch is the same; the experience is worse.

This is why we think the modding community grew as fast as it did. When Seiko stopped making the watches people wanted at the prices people expected, the community started building their own. The aftermarket parts ecosystem — cases, dials, movements, hands — exists because Seiko left a gap that enthusiasts filled themselves.

SKX007 — The Dive Watch That Started It All

Produced: 1996–2019
Original price: $200–$250
Current secondary market: $350–$550 (condition-dependent)
Movement: 7S26 (no hacking, no hand-winding)

The SKX007 is the most important affordable dive watch ever made. That is not an exaggeration — it is the watch that proved a $200 automatic could be ISO-certified to 200m, built to survive actual abuse, and look good doing it. For over two decades, the SKX007 was the default answer to "what automatic watch should I buy first?" on every watch forum from Watchuseek to Reddit's r/Watches.

The design was restrained and purposeful. The black dial with day-date at 3 o'clock, the Pepsi or black bezel options, the chunky 42mm case that wore larger than its specs suggested, the rubber waffle strap — everything said "tool watch" without apology. It was not trying to be elegant or dressy. It was a dive watch that you could actually dive with, and the honesty of that design is what made people love it.

Seiko replaced the SKX with the SRPD "Seiko 5 Sports" line in 2019. The replacements use the upgraded 4R36 movement (hacking and hand-winding, which the 7S26 lacked), but many enthusiasts feel the new designs lost the character that made the SKX special. The SRPD cases are slightly different, the bezels have a different feel, and the price increased to $250–$350. The SKX was lightning in a bottle — a combination of design, movement, and price that cannot be recreated by simply updating the specs.

The Modding Connection

The SKX007 was not just a great watch — it was the watch that created the Seiko modding hobby. The 7S26 movement shared dimensions with aftermarket parts, the case was easy to open, and the community started swapping dials, bezels, and crystals almost as soon as the watch hit the market. The entire Seiko mod parts ecosystem traces its roots to people customizing their SKX watches.

Today, you cannot buy a new SKX007. But you can build a custom dive-inspired Seiko mod with an NH35 movement (which has hacking and hand-winding — upgrades over the original 7S26), a sapphire crystal instead of Hardlex, and a dial and case design of your choosing. The result is a watch that improves on the SKX's specifications while costing less than the inflated secondary market price.

SARB033/035 — The Perfect Everyday Watch

Produced: 2008–2018 (approx.)
Original price: $300–$380
Current secondary market: $500–$700
Movement: 6R15 (hacking, hand-winding, 50-hour power reserve)

The SARB033 (black dial) and SARB035 (cream dial) represent the peak of Seiko's "punching above its weight" reputation. For $300–$380, you got a 6R15 movement with 50-hour power reserve, a sapphire crystal, a beautifully finished 38mm case, and a dial quality that rivaled watches at three times the price. The SARB033 was the dress watch that did not look like a dress watch — versatile enough for a t-shirt and jeans, refined enough for a suit.

The 38mm case hit the sweet spot that modern Seiko seems to have abandoned. Not too large, not too small — a genuinely unisex size that sat perfectly on a wide range of wrist sizes. The case finishing was excellent for the price: polished sides, brushed lugs, a clean bezel-free design that let the dial and handset carry the visual weight.

Seiko replaced the SARB line with the Presage SRPB41/43, which increased the price to $400–$500 and changed the case proportions slightly. The Presage replacements are good watches, but they cost more and lack the "hidden gem" quality that made the SARBs special. When your $350 watch gets replaced by a $450 watch with marginal improvements, the value equation changes.

The Modding Connection

The SARB aesthetic — clean dial, thin case, dressy but not formal — is achievable through modding. A Petrichor 37mm build with a sunburst dial in silver or champagne, silver dauphine hands, and a leather strap captures the same spirit: a compact, versatile everyday watch built around a genuine Seiko automatic movement. Total cost: $130–$180. That is less than half the current secondary market price of a SARB033.

SNK803/805/809 — The Gateway Drug

Produced: ~2005–2022
Original price: $50–$80
Current secondary market: $100–$180
Movement: 7S26

The SNK series — particularly the SNK809 (black) and SNK803 (cream) — was the $60 automatic watch that should not have been possible. A genuine automatic movement, a field watch design inspired by military watches, a canvas strap, and a price that competed with quartz fashion watches. For many watch enthusiasts, the SNK was their first mechanical watch, the purchase that started a hobby (or an addiction).

At 37mm, the SNK wore compact and unassuming. The day-date display at 3 o'clock was practical, the field watch dial with Arabic numerals was legible, and the overall package was so affordable that buying one felt like discovering a secret. Watch YouTubers recommended it endlessly. Reddit's r/Watches had a running joke about the SNK809 being recommended in every "first watch" thread.

Seiko discontinued most of the SNK line by 2022, replacing it with slightly more expensive Seiko 5 models in the $100–$150 range. The replacements are objectively better watches (upgraded movements, better finishing), but the magic of a $60 automatic watch is gone. You cannot replicate the emotional impact of "I bought a real automatic watch for the price of a Casio" with a $130 watch, no matter how good it is.

SKX013 — The Compact Diver

Produced: 1996–2019
Original price: $180–$230
Current secondary market: $300–$450
Movement: 7S26

The SKX013 was the 38mm version of the SKX007 — the same tool-watch DNA in a more compact package. While the SKX007 got most of the attention, the 013 developed its own cult following among people who preferred a watch that did not dominate the wrist. At 38mm, it wore more like a traditional dive watch size (the Rolex Submariner was 40mm until 2020), and many enthusiasts considered it the better-proportioned of the two.

Seiko never produced a direct 38mm replacement for the SKX013. The SRPD line that replaced the SKX started at 42.5mm — too large for people who specifically chose the 013 for its compact size. This left a gap in Seiko's lineup that the community noticed immediately.

The Modding Connection

The SKX013's appeal — a capable, compact dive-inspired watch — maps directly to the Petrichor 37mm or the Royal Oak 37mm. Neither is a dive watch, but both deliver the compact proportions and daily-wear capability that 013 fans valued. The Nautilus/Seikonaut at 40mm is closer to the 007's size while offering a more sport-luxe aesthetic. All three give you an NH35 movement (an upgrade over the 013's 7S26) with hacking and hand-winding.

SARX035 "Baby Grand Seiko"

Produced: 2017–2020
Original price: $700–$900
Current secondary market: $800–$1,200
Movement: 6R15

The SARX035 earned its "Baby Grand Seiko" nickname because it had many of the design and finishing qualities associated with Grand Seiko at a fraction of the price. The titanium case, sapphire crystal, polished Zaratsu-finished surfaces, and a dial quality that rivaled watches over $1,000 made it an overachiever. For people who wanted Grand Seiko aesthetics without the $4,000+ Grand Seiko price, the SARX035 was the closest they could get.

The discontinuation of the SARX035 coincided with Seiko's strategy of widening the gap between their mainline products and Grand Seiko. There was a business logic to it — if a $700 Seiko watch looked 80% as good as a $4,000 Grand Seiko, it undermined the Grand Seiko brand. But for consumers, it meant losing one of the best value propositions in the watch industry.

How They Compare

Watch	Size	Original Price	2026 Secondary	Movement	Crystal	Why We Miss It
SKX007	42mm	$200–$250	$350–$550	7S26	Hardlex	The definitive affordable dive watch
SARB033	38mm	$300–$380	$500–$700	6R15	Sapphire	Unbeatable value in a dress watch
SNK809	37mm	$50–$80	$100–$180	7S26	Hardlex	The $60 automatic that started hobbies
SKX013	38mm	$180–$230	$300–$450	7S26	Hardlex	Compact diver, never properly replaced
SARX035	40mm	$700–$900	$800–$1,200	6R15	Sapphire	Grand Seiko quality at a third of the price

Every one of these watches shares a common thread: they were priced below what the market thought they were worth. The secondary market premium is the market's way of saying "Seiko, you priced this too low and now people want it." Unfortunately, paying that premium defeats the entire point of what made these watches special.

Why Seiko Discontinues Popular Models

This is a question that comes up in every watch forum, and the answer is more strategic than most people realize.

Planned product lifecycle. Seiko operates on a product rotation strategy. Models have a planned lifespan, and when that period ends, they are replaced. This is not unique to Seiko — most consumer electronics and fashion brands do the same thing. The difference is that watches are durable goods, so people expect them to last forever in the catalog.

Component sourcing. Watch components — especially movements — have their own lifecycles. The 7S26 movement that powered the SKX and SNK was eventually superseded by the 4R/NH family. When Seiko shifts production to a new caliber, the watches built around the old one get discontinued.

Brand positioning. Seiko has been actively "premiumizing" their brand since the early 2020s. The SNK at $60 and the SARB at $300 made the rest of the lineup look expensive by comparison. Discontinuing these value leaders and replacing them with higher-priced alternatives raises the brand's average transaction value. It is good business strategy and bad consumer experience, simultaneously.

The Grand Seiko gap. As mentioned with the SARX035, Seiko does not want their $500–$1,000 watches to compete too closely with $3,000–$6,000 Grand Seiko watches. Keeping a clear quality and price gap between the two brands requires removing products that bridge it too effectively.

The Modding Alternative — Building What Seiko Won't Sell

Here is the thing most "discontinued Seiko" articles do not mention: the movements inside these watches are still being manufactured. The NH35, NH36, and NH72 are direct descendants of the 7S26 and 4R35 calibers. They are produced in the same Seiko Instruments (SII) factories. They use the same architecture. They are the same watches' hearts — just available as standalone components.

This means you can build a watch today that uses the same core technology as any discontinued Seiko, with several meaningful upgrades:

• Better crystal. Every SKX and SNK shipped with Hardlex (mineral glass). A Seiko mod uses sapphire crystal — virtually scratch-proof. That is a genuine upgrade over the original.
• Better movement (in most cases). The SKX and SNK used the 7S26, which lacked hacking and hand-winding. The NH35 has both. Same durability, same power reserve, more functionality.
• Design freedom. You are not limited to the discontinued model's design. Want the compact proportions of an SNK809 with the quality of a SARB033? Build a Petrichor 37mm with a clean dial and premium finishing — you get something inspired by both.
• Lower cost. A Seiko mod built with quality parts costs $130–$300 depending on the case platform. That is less than the inflated secondary market price of most discontinued Seikos.

This is not to say a mod is "the same" as a genuine SKX007 or SARB033 — those watches have their own history, design identity, and collector value. But if what you miss is the experience — an excellent automatic watch at a fair price, in a design you love — modding gives you that, plus customization options no factory watch offers.

Recreating the Spirit with a Seiko Mod

Here is how you might approach a mod build inspired by each discontinued model.

The "Modern SKX" — Tool Watch Energy

What the SKX offered: a rugged, no-nonsense dive watch you could wear anywhere.
Mod approach: A Nautilus/Seikonaut 40mm or a Royal Oak 37mm with a dark dial, NH35 movement, and a sporty case finish. Neither is a dive watch, but both deliver the "tough daily wearer" ethos that defined the SKX. The integrated bracelet adds a sport-luxe quality the SKX never had.
Budget: $174–$247 (DIY). Browse prebuilt options from $290.

The "Modern SARB" — Clean Dressy Daily Wear

What the SARB offered: understated elegance in a compact 38mm case.
Mod approach: A Petrichor 37mm with a sunburst dial (silver or black), slim dauphine hands, and a leather or mesh strap. The Petrichor's cushion case and standard lugs give you the strap versatility that defines a dress watch. Pair with an NH38 (no date) for the cleanest dial possible.
Budget: $130–$180 (DIY). Prebuilt Petrichor watches start at $199.

The "Modern SNK" — Affordable First Automatic

What the SNK offered: a real automatic watch for the price of a Casio.
Mod approach: The most budget-conscious Petrichor build possible: basic case ($50), affordable dial ($25), NH35 movement ($30), simple hands ($15), canvas strap ($10). Total: ~$130. Not $60, but significantly less than the $100–$180 secondary market SNK price — and you get a better movement and sapphire crystal.
Budget: $130 (DIY).

Browse all Seiko mod parts to plan your build, or see finished examples in our Royal Oak, Nautilus, and Petrichor collections.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Seiko SKX007 still available new?

No. Seiko discontinued the SKX007 in 2019. It is only available on the secondary market (used) at $350–$550, well above the original $200–$250 retail price.

What replaced the Seiko SKX007?

Seiko's SRPD "Seiko 5 Sports" line is the official successor. It uses the upgraded 4R36 movement with hacking and hand-winding but has a different case design and higher price ($250–$350). Many enthusiasts feel it lacks the SKX's character.

Why did Seiko discontinue the SARB033?

Seiko replaced the SARB line with the Presage SRPB series as part of a brand repositioning strategy. The Presage models cost more ($400–$500) and align with Seiko's push toward higher price points across their lineup.

Can I build a Seiko mod that looks like the SKX007?

Not a direct copy — the SKX007 has a unique case design. But you can build a sport watch with the same movement architecture (NH35, which is an upgrade over the SKX's 7S26), sapphire crystal, and a design you choose. The Nautilus/Seikonaut and Royal Oak offer sport-watch aesthetics in the same price range.

Are discontinued Seiko watches good investments?

Some have appreciated (the SKX007 has roughly doubled in value since discontinuation). But calling a $200 watch a "good investment" when it sells for $400 used misses the point — you are paying a premium for a used product, not investing in an appreciating asset. The supply is large enough that dramatic appreciation is unlikely.

What movement is in the SKX007?

The 7S26 — a reliable automatic movement without hacking (the seconds hand does not stop when you pull the crown) or hand-winding. The modern NH35, used in most Seiko mods, adds both features while maintaining the same durability and power reserve.

Is modding better than buying a discontinued Seiko?

Different, not objectively better. A genuine SKX007 or SARB033 has collector value and brand identity. A Seiko mod gives you a unique design, better specifications (sapphire, upgraded movement), and a lower price. It depends on whether you value the original product identity or the practical ownership experience.

Read More

• What Are Seiko Mods? A Complete Guide
• How to Build Your First Seiko Mod — Step-by-Step Guide
• Are Seiko Mod Watches Worth the Money?
• Are Seiko Nautilus Mods Worth It? 7 Shocking Truths
• Seiko Royal Oak Mods — How to Build & Buy the Ultimate SeikOak
• Sapphire vs Hardlex Crystals — The Right Choice for Seiko Mods
• NH72 Skeleton Movement Guide
• Seiko Nautilus Mods: Complete Cost & Build Guide (2026)
• Where to Buy Seiko Mods
• Top 5 Prebuilt Seiko Mods You Can Buy

Nomods is an independent brand specializing in Seiko-compatible watch modifications. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Seiko, Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, or any other watch brand mentioned on this site. All brand names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are used solely for descriptive and comparative purposes.