My first real watch
I have always owned a watch, but in mid-2021, I found a community of watch enthusiasts in reddit forums and well-known websites such as Hodinkee. I fell in love with the Seiko SKX-013, the smaller iteration of the well known SKX007. I quickly purchased the 013 and wore that for the next few months, taking swims and camping in the Floridian outdoors. The watch was meant to be an early present to myself before I was to be married in late 2021. The SKX013 was meant to be the compromise to an expensive watch, I had my eye on, the Seiko SPB143. The Seiko SKX013 was lovely and the novelty of my first dive watch was very much fulfilled, but something was still missing. On my wedding day, I wanted to a watch that look refined, sophisticated, and utilitarian, and the SKX013 checked about 2 out of 3 of those marks. I knew that the Seiko SPB143 was the answer, but I held off as long as I could.
Fast forward to early November 2021, a few weeks before my wedding: I was down in South Florida, 400 miles from home, for a work trip. We wrapped early on a video shoot and I found myself visiting a local authorized dealer. Inside the store had the likes of rolexes, omegas, grand seiko, etc. I wasn’t interested in those watches. I entered the store and went directly to an employee and asked if they had the Seiko SPB143. At this point, I already did a quick walk through of the store and didn’t even see the watch on display. The employee told me that that particular model they had one more left in stock but they kept it locked away in storage. They asked me if I wanted to see it, and I immediately agreed. I put on the watch and fell in love with the design, the stainless bracelet that made me feel like an adult, and the timeless colorway of the grey sunburst dial and all black bezel. It was going to be an impulse buy, but I wanted to check in with my fiancee at the time to see if it was ok if I made a big purchase a few weeks before our wedding. I couldn’t reach her initially by phone, and paced around outside of the store, nervous and excited about the watch that could be mine. While waiting for my partner to return my call, I walked back into the watch store to try on the SPB 143 one more time. I didn’t want to waste the AD’s time, and so I was about to make an executive decision to purchase the watch, without the Fiancee’s approval. Just as I began speaking, she called, and gave her full support. I love that woman. So now that I had full blessings, I told him that I would indeed be purchasing it.
I quickly took a half-hearted wrist photo to send to my fiancee, seiko bag in hand. I was too excited but I won’t lie and say I felt a bit undeserving of a watch this nice. My dad loved watches, but he loved watches that were affordable and gave the impression that it was a nice watch. I.e. stainless timex watches that were meant to look like rolex watches or something more expensive. I respected my dad’s outlook on watches and even though he never spent a lot of money on watches, I enjoyed seeing him change out watches on a daily basis to best fit the occasion. I’ve grown more and have learned a lot about spending money on high quality things that you enjoy and have high value. To be honest, this watch should have been the first watch I purchased and not the SKX013, but I continually live and learn. I don’t regret the SKX013 purchase, as that watch will find it’s way back into my rotation as I find myself in more adventures in the future, though, this SPB143 has been glued to my wrist from the very first day I purchased it. There’s something about looking down at my wrist and seeing such a fine piece of engineered instrument and knowing that the money I’ve earned was transferred into this timepiece. I have had a lot of fun with this watch switching between the well made stainless bracelet, and NATO straps that make the watch feel even more of a tool watch.
Inspiration for this watch comes from a few different places. I first saw this watch featured on a YouTube video made by Hueguh, who considered this watch a, “One-Watch Collection,” meaning this single watch could replace all watches in a collection and live on its own and be worn in any occasion. Traditional, these one watch collections have been reserved for Rolexes and Omegas, but this SPB143 and its timeless design has found its way into the list of timeless design, no pun intended. The other inspiration for this watch comes from James Stacey, a photographer and watch writer for Hodinkee, who beautifully showcased this watch on so many different bracelets, and most famously, The Grey Nato, which is also the name of a podcast he hosts. (I recommend the podcast for watch and general gear lovers) James loves his 143 on straps other than the stainless bracelet, but I have found that the bracelet is well made and looks great.
At the end of the day, a watch will still just be a tool to tell time, but isn’t it nice that we have the chance to add a touch of enjoyment to that simple notion? Thanks for reading, I am in no means a writer or experienced watch collector, I’m just an average guy that enjoys watches!
