I'm not a watch guy, I've always had something cheaper, beat the crap out of it and it usually broke.  I've been attempting to educate myself on possibly getting something more quality. After some research I think I'd like a SKX007.   I'm wondering where I can find them at a good price without having to worry about a possible fake.  This seems to be a little different from buying another Fossil

Amazon.

I have a new SKX173 if you are interested?

Long Island Watch

Any interest in a STBR007?

This.  They've put Strapcode bracelets on some as well.

https://www.longislandwatch.com/search_results_a/258.html?search=skx007

Long Island is an AD, so your warranty will be active if you buy from them. Others, like Joma are gray-market dealers and the factories don't recognize the sale as legitimate for warranty activation.  Marc is a good guy and will give your watch a once-over to make sure it isn't all wonky before shipping it out.

Seems like long island is the same prices as Amazon so I don't see a reason not to go there based on the other positives.

The idea was to get into something quality and very durable as at low a price point as possible.  Am I barking up the wrong tree?

This is not true. Long Island is not an AD for all models. I sent my SKX purchased from Long Island to Seiko after having some issues, and they would not honor the warranty and told me Long Island is not an AD. Marc corroborated this and took care of the issues with his own repairman (who gouged the case and scratched the case back but it is running fine now)

Interesting. Seems like he does get in some JDM models. Always wonder how he handled the warranty on those.

They are the AD for US models only. The SKX007-009 are JDM only watches.

But they do sell the 175's.

Look on eBay for SKX007J.  The J suffix denotes made in Japan, and indicates 21 jewels right above the six o'clock mark.

The majority of SKX007 that you'll find are not made in Japan.

Define "quality" on your terms, not what marketing and fashion tell you.

"Quality" in mens accessories is a ephemeral marketing construct which is made of emotion and ego. Its why men buy $1,100 custom 1911's but the nation carries Glocks on the street or M17's in the field. The #1 category of weapon for self defense carry? A polymer in .380 or 9mm, not a .45 all metal with gunsmith tweaks.

"Quality" is not the real criteria. Just like a firearm, specify what you want it to do, then expect that if cosmetics are the real focus, then you want "jewelry," not a time piece. After 50 years of wearing watches, including Seiko's, Citizens, Timex, Casio, etc, I now wear a G Shock daily and have for the last two years. It looks almost as new as the day I got it. The others simply do not - scratched, abused, and "patinated." IE ugly old watches.

Be careful what you ask for.

This, Mark is a stand up guy to deal with.  Amazon...….yeah I have bought one or two watches there, what keeps me from doing so anymore is the counterfeit probability.  YMMV

Made in Japan is a legal work around. The main plant making movements is in Singapore, a Japanese national is the Chief Officer. As such, under Japanese law, the movements he has made can be imported into Japan, cased in a locally manufactured housing, and marked Made in Japan.

It's not any better than buying a Ford with Canadian motor and Mexican transmission. And yet - Ford is Made in the USA. Dive down the rabbit hole of nation origin and you will quickly disabused of any idealistic notions of something being 100% sourced in one geocentric location.

Now lets observe the Swiss model. Their laws are written to use the evaluated costs of parts as the determination of "Swissness" and therefore if parts from other countries are used - say, for example, China - they are not as expensive as the Swiss parts. Voila, we are right back to the ephemeral lie of national origins as massaged by the industry and rubber stamped by their own government. Considering the high quality of some Chinese made cases and custom bracelets, let the buyer be aware. Just because it's said "Made in our own anointed and holy country with no imported parts" is a fiction designed by marketing and means NOTHING.

Over 85% of the worlds tungsten carbide is mined in China, which directly results in 85% of the worlds carbide drill bits not being manufactured in what ever country of origin is marked on the package - except China. That includes most of those rings and bracelets we see sold at the mall - regardless of branding or marks, most of it is of Chinese origin.

Country of origin is a fiction devised by corporations and then embellished by regulation in order to deceive their own citizens.

The DW5600 is the best tool / price ratio for the function of timekeeping.

But I beg to differ - after 25 years of wearing watches there are many options outside of a g shock that are better long term purchases.

For example, I treat these like a gshock and the patina and wear only make it look better over the years.

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I usually CCW a G43 due to size - if I could get away with carrying my 1911 in business attire - I would carry it a lot more than on the weekends.

ETA: One of those is 100% made in house in Switzerland - thus the quality is real.

Yes if you got it from a Japanese AD and send it back to them for repair. There is no US warranty on JDM watches.

The watch can normally only get to the US by gray market channels. That is the reason why they won't warranty them. With Joe Kirk leading Grand Seiko in the US though I wouldn't be surprised if this changes in the future.

Long Island is one of the guys in the business who backs everything he sells.

Unfortunately this does not indicate better quality control.

Long Island watch, then Crown and Buckle for fat spring bars and NATO straps.

Not relevant. They are both great watches.

They do make good straps but I would not put their fat spring bars on a Seiko diver. The Seiko diver takes a 1.1mm spring bar tip. The ones C&B sells has a .7mm tip. That is a big gamble that I personally would not take. At ToxicNATOs (yes my company) we care the correct diameter spring bars for a lot of watch including Seiko divers.

Not playing favorites, but Terry's straps are the best I've tried and I've spent WAY too much on straps over the past few years.

I've got a box with +/- 25 straps in it and 40% of them are now Toxic straps.

I am in the same boat as you.  I have a plastic bag full of nato's that will never see the light of day b/c of T's straps.  The only time I deviate from Terry's is if I want to use a canvas nato or a perlon strap.

Toxicavenger70

Owner of toxicnatos

They are still JDM so no US warranty. You can buy the US version SKX173-175 and they will have a US warranty on them. The SKX173 is a little different than the SKX007, it has square markers and a meatball second hand.

Thanks you bums!!!

No difference. The J model will have a little extra text on the dial and MAY have better resale value.