Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Edox SkyDiver Neptunian, now with Orange Dial (Live Pics & Price)
A cosmetic upgrade to the powerful deep diver enhances its usability.
Edox is among the few Swiss watchmakers to produce deepwater divers with accessible price tags. Founded in 1884 in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, the brand is certainly not a newcomer and knows a thing or two about innovative design and production. In the 1960s, Edox debuted a patented crown system with a double waterproof joint in its Delfin dive watch, allowing for an incredible depth rating (at the time) of 500 metres. Its latest SkyDiver Neptunian doubles this to 1,000 metres and brings a new dial colour for a cool look on land too.
We went hands-on with the gradient blue SkyDiver Neptunian earlier this year and it left quite an impression as a serious value proposition. This latest model has an orange dial; a colour often used in dive watches orange enhances contrast with the hands and indexes and with the luminous material. The dial also relies on a slight gradient effect, with its centre being brighter and more saturated.
The Edox SkyDiver Neptunian comes with bold indices and hands that are also coated with Super-LumiNova X1 for maximum visibility either underwater or during a night on the town. The unidirectional rotating bezel has a black ceramic insert with a luminous zero marker and refined ratcheting action. Curiously, it has a continuous 60-minute scale without numerals, making it a bit less intuitive for long dives. I can see this being more versatile for everyday use, however. My only other (very minor) complaint would be the internal orange flange at the perimeter with text filling the entire upper half. This depth rating print could’ve been a simple figure on the dial itself as seen on prior Edox models. A bevelled date window tastefully sits at 3 o’clock.
The Edox SkyDiver Neptunian is based on a model from 1973 and comes with a contemporary stainless steel case at 44mm in diameter and 15.6mm in height. It stays true to its classic styling while bringing many things up to date. For starters, there’s a requisite helium escape valve at 9 o’clock and the sapphire crystal is a full 3mm thick to withstand the pressure of saturation diving. Very few will actually descend to 1,000 metres, but it’s always cool knowing you can (well, the watch anyway). The screw-down crown is protected by integrated guards with an improved seal over classic models, while strap options include black rubber or a matching 3-link stainless steel bracelet with a deployant clasp. The solid case back has a detailed engraving of Neptune, the Roman God of the Sea, hence the name.
The heart of the watch is the calibre 80, based on the Sellita SW200 automatic (alternative to the ETA 2824). It has 25 jewels, beats at 28,800vph (4Hz) with a 38-hour power reserve. Functions are simple with central hours and minutes, hacking seconds and date. This is a proven, ubiquitous movement and regulated to an average of +/- 12 seconds per day.
The Edox SkyDiver Neptunian with orange dial isn’t a new model per se, but the introduction of an orange dial makes a tangible difference. It looks cool for starters, standing out from traditional black diving dials, and adds a funky touch to the watch. With a retail price of just EUR 1,290, it’s also surprisingly affordable for such a capable, refined diver from a well-established Swiss brand. For more information, visit the Edox website.
