All this started with my (relatively) recent purchase of a Seiko 5 SNK series, but as I had trouble reading that face I found myself wanting the simplicity of Divers watch face, but didn't really want the extra bulk and bezel of the Divers. This led me to find the SRPE 61K1 (or "dress KX) and that's been a really nice step into what is essentially a new class of watch...
Hybrid of Dress and Diver
I was drawn to the Sports 100 (featured here) not just for its (still) beautiful orange face, but for its easy to read dial, which is pretty much part of the DNA of a Divers. So while I didn't want the super chunky type of Divers watches back then I was doing enough surf swimming, snorkelling and occasional diving that a light divers which looked good in a suit at work was important.
Watches are of course a type of Jewellery and so we choose something which we feel reflects something of ourselves which we'd like to communicate in our dress. So as I've always been an outdoor type a divers or similar watch follows the character of me. However at work and in my other social life I don't want to have something which is a big chunky notification (and often a bit inconvenient).
This leads me to find the SRPE series an excellent middle ground (and interestingly not dissimilar to the watch made famous by Marlin Brando in Apocalypse Now (link to Hodinkee) which (at the request of the Director) had the bezel removed to make it look less gaudy).
... of course the crown is at the Seiko classic 4O'clock not the 3O'clock of the Rolex.
For a watch which cost me far less in todays dollars than my Sports 100 did back in the 80's its hard to be more pleased with a watch.
As I mentioned in that video, the thickness is greater than my Sports 100. This image is my SNK Seiko 5, the SRPE then my Sports 100
Both it and the 61K1 are beautiful and while I paid more for the 61K1 the 65K1 has become my daily wear.
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