Okay, that’s not entirely true but what the hey, the SkyDiver is no stranger to fiction; rumored to be based on a watch secretly commissioned by a Swiss colonel or was it a German baron, Munchhausen or something (I forget) for an elite paratrooper unit that was under his command.
Anyway, this is Edox’s fourth SkyDiver release based on the rumored 1973 model – last time we got BRONZE – this time the SkyDiver has evolved from an early Submariner to a modern DEEPSEA inspired diver.
Water-resistant to 1’000 meters, the SkyDiver Neptunian has been built with a durable Stainless steel case with a diameter of 44mm.
The case is fitted with a substantial screw-down crown with an integrated (into the case) crown-guard, a 3mm-thick, anti-reflective-treated sapphire crystal as well as unidirectional diver’s bezel with a black ceramic inlay.
Beneath the crystal is a gradient blue dial with applied indices which along with the hands have been applied with brightly glowing, Superluminova X1 while a Rolex-style rehaut with the some spec. completes the DS-inspired look of the Neptunian.
Meanwhile the case-back features a bold 3D-engraving of Neptune, the Roman God of the Sea. We can’t see it in any of the press pics. but the SkyDiver Neptunian also has an integrated Helium Escape Valve (HEV) on the side of its case at 9 o’clock.
Finally the new SkyDiver Neptunian is powered by an automatic Caliber 80 movement, with a running time of 42-hours.
The Edox SkyDiver Neptunian has an MSRP in Europe of 1’250€.
Thoughts? While I can’t help poking fun at Edox’s sketchy backstory for the SkyDiver, on paper it looks to be a capable diver, derivative in its style, of course – it’s just 2’900m shy of being a total rip-off.
Still it’s nearly ten times more affordable than a DS S-D plus I quite like some of the watch’s aesthetic features like the play on the Benz minute hand and of course the case-back – I mean who doesn’t like Neptune!
What do you think – sink or swim?
Apart from a DS semi knock off appearance, personally I agree, the play on the hour hand I like a lot.
ReplyDelete3 more things I like more, price, Dial, it’s not made of un- obtainium!