The New & Compact Edox SkyDiver 38 Date Automatic

The SkyDiver by Edox is slowly becoming an entire collection of cool and rather accessible dive watches. It all started with the SkyDiver Military Limited Edition, which had a pretty surprising story behind its creation. It has then been followed by the SkyDiver Neptunian, a robust deep diver meant to explore the oceans. Recently, Edox released retro-inspired watches that had great visual appeal, and also a solid list of features. Following the trend for smaller models, the brand is now presenting a series of dive watches that are all about retro-cool dimensions. Here is the Edox SkyDiver 38 Date Automatic.

As we’ve explained in previous articles, behind the name SkyDiver, which resumes the concept of this watch quite well, lies a pretty cool story. According to the brand, “a mysterious drawing found in the archives of Swiss watchmaker Edox” turned out to be “the sketch of a long-lost timepiece, the SkyDiver”. Along with the sketch, there was “a scrawled note reading: 1973. Special production in strictly limited edition“. According to a retired Edox watchmaker, the SkyDiver was rumoured to be a secret project for a mysterious, wealthy Swiss colonel. The anonymous colonel wanted an exclusive timepiece for elite mountain paratroopers under his command. It had to combine the no-nonsense functionality of a dive watch with the style and aesthetics of a precision pilot’s watch.

The brand first came up with this watch, a faithful reproduction of the actual 1973 model mixing military and diving aesthetics, which later was presented in bronze. In 2021, the Edox SkyDiver was entirely revamped with new looks and upgraded materials, yet a solid vintage touch, in a case of 42mm. Some will appreciate the oversized look, some will prefer a diameter closer to the vintage vocation of this collection. And it’s now here, with the new 38mm SkyDiver.

The recipe remains the same as before, only in a more compact case. The design is typical of late 1960s skin-diver watches. Straight case, unprotected oversized crown, rather slim case profile topped by a heavily domed crystal. Now, the watch might have lost 4mm in diameter, it still has the same overall specifications. The screw-down crown (with is voluntarily large) and the screwed solid steel back guarantee a comfortable water-resistance of 300m. The domed sapphire crystal, which surely brings a lot of reflections, also adds charm. And it is framed by a unidirectional bezel with a polished ceramic insert. Classic no-nonsense dive watch looks mixed with modern materials. However, at 13.7mm, it’s not the thinnest.

The dial, which is available in black or blue (with a matching ceramic insert) is again all about vintage appeal. The surface has a glossy finish, with distinctive applied markers. The watch has an undeniable charm and each colour has its own personality. The black model uses touches of orange on the markers, while the blue features blackened accents for a more technical look. The date at 3 o’clock has been retained, but the smaller diameter means that it’s also more elegantly positioned now. All elements of the dial are coated in Super-LumiNova.

Power comes from a reliable outsourced movement, the automatic Sellita SW200-1 with 4Hz frequency and 38h power reserve. These two black or blue editions are presented on a 3-link, brushed and polished steel bracelet closed by a triple folding clasp. Note that these two models are forming the permanent collection, but the brand has also presented a variety of special edition models intended for a unisex audience – worn on leather straps, with gold PVD options and colours like pink, green or beige.

Now available from the brand and retailers, the Edox SkyDiver 38 Date Automatic is priced at EUR 1,575 (excl. taxes) or EUR 1,890 (incl. taxes). More details at www.edox.ch.