Seiko’s New Affordable Dive Watch Feels Like an Instant Collector Favorite

I may have declared last year as the year of the pink watch, but the trend doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon.

Seiko’s latest release proves it.

The Japanese brand has teamed up with MGM for a new version of its Seiko 5 Sports SKX diver-inspired tool watch that’s inspired by the Pink Panther.

Now, I admit that the Pink Panther is not the most relevant 1960s animated character out there. He isn’t beating Snoopy in any popularity contests, that’s for sure. But one advantage the flamboyant feline has over his cartoon rivals is his signature rosy hue, which just so happens to look fantastic when applied to a watch dial.

Seiko

Cue Henry Mancini

The Seiko 5 Sports SKX Pink Panther Limited Edition takes Seiko’s tried-and-true diver-inspired tool watch and dresses it up in a fetching combination of pink, black and white that would make Bret Hart jealous.

The dial and chapter ring don the Panther’s trademark light pink shade, with his paw prints traversing up the left side of the dial. The hands and indices are all filled with white LumiBrite lume, with the seconds hand painted pink on the back half and charcoal the rest of the way, creating a cool two-tone look that’s one of my favorite aspects of this design.

Speaking of my favorite aspects of this design, we have the bezel. Its black metal insert has all of its markings colored pink, which looks great, and Seiko used a special Pink Panther font for the numerals. It’s a subtle change, but I’m always appreciative when watch brands don’t neglect the small details.

Seiko

On the caseback, the display crystal has been tinted pink and features the Pink Panther logo and the character’s shifty yellow eyes. Given that the Cal. 4R36 automatic movement powering the watch isn’t much to look at, I quite like this treatment.

The watch’s 38mm, 100m-water-resistant stainless steel case is paired with the 5 Sports SKX’s standard three-row steel bracelet, but the watch also comes with an additional nylon NATO strap. The strap is pink, of course, with a trail of darker pink paw prints and the words “Wet Paint” on the tail.

These are references to The Pink Phink, the 1964 Oscar-winning short that marked the start of the Pink Panther’s solo career after the character was spun off from his scene-stealing debut in the opening credits of the 1963 live-action comedy caper, The Pink Panther. In the short, the Pink Panther attempts to trick his rival — Little Man — into painting his blue house pink. The watch comes in a commemorative box made to resemble this blue-turned-pink house.

Seiko

Pricing and availability

Outside of the strap, which is a bit much for me personally, the Pink Panther branding here is pretty minor. So what you’re left with is a handsome steel sports watch with a pale pink dial and black bezel. In other words, this watch is stylistically very similar to the Tudor Black Bay Chrono Pink, one of the most sought-after watches Tudor has ever made.

Considering the scarcity and five-figure secondary-market prices of Tudor’s flamingo-toned chronograph, I know many collectors would love an affordable alternative. And that’s exactly what we have here.

While this is technically a limited edition, Seiko is producing a comical 9,999 examples — so, it’s not really that limited. The price is good, too, with the SRP of $450 being the same price you’ll pay for a standard Seiko 5 Sports SKX Series.

The Seiko 5 Sports SKX Pink Panther is slated to go on sale next April.

Seiko

Seiko 5 Sports SKX Pink Panther

Specs

Case Size	38mm
Movement	Seiko Cal. 4R36 automatic
Water Resistance	100m

• $450 at Seiko

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