For this new self-winding Skydiver Date 80126-3VIN-GDN, Edox used an undisclosed manufacturing process that gave the watch an interesting “Aged Steel” (this is literally how they call it) look.
Even though the caliber inside the Skydiver is simple and, well, nonspecific, it still deserves some attention.
The Overall Impression
Unlike some of their earlier releases of “vintage” timekeepers, this one is not a recreation of any particular model from the days long gone. This one is a “tribute” to several watches designed for the Swiss military back in the 1960s-70s.
Edox introduced this particular limited edition in the middle of 2022 together with a version in a bronze case that looked absolutely fabulous.
The “aged steel” Edox Skydiver, however, is more interesting than the bronze one. Almost any brand offers their watches in bronze now.
It would be challenging (especially if your budget is capped at $2000) to find something equally as fascinating as this one. Lucky for us, Edox went great lengths to give something as plain and boring as stainless steel such a unique finish.
The 42mm Case
About the finish: it’s complicated. Like, literally complicated.
Edox says about a look that “is created by brushing a layer of a rare metal belonging to the platinum group on top of the solid stainless steel case.” It is a bit difficult to decipher the actual meaning of the phrase without having a degree in metallurgy.
As far as I can understand, the “rare metal” in this case is probably the good old ruthenium. The metal indeed belongs to the platinum group and is often used by the industry to make their watches (also, rings, fountain pens, and the like) look more distinctive.
Combine the signature brownish color of the metal with some deep brushing of the surface and you have a watch that looks three centuries old.
I would probably prefer them to apply the same process to the back cover (the shiny part looks sort of out of place here if you ask me,) but who can see the back when the watch is on your wrist, right?
The case still measures 42 millimeters in diameter and is almost 14 mm thick. The culprit here is, of course, the ultra-domed sapphire crystal that adds at least an extra millimeter.
Wearing the Skydiver on anything but a particularly skinny wrist won’t be a problem though. I am still not quite happy about the way the profile is shaped, but that could be unique to my own anatomy.
The Ceramic Bezel
These days, you’ll hardly surprise anyone with a ceramic bezel.
Pioneered by the leading brands, the process has been here for ages and the ceramic parts are now available to anyone ready to pay the price. The price is not too high, so even some micro-brands offer inexpensive “divers” with scratch-resistant ceramic bezels.
Exclusive or not, the part still looks nice. Also, since bezels are often scratch magnets, the material will help the Edox Skydiver to preserve its original “mint” look for longer.
The traditional diving scale also looks standard, no breakthroughs here. Some owners may find the nighttime legibility a bit disappointing though.
Some “divers” glow like Christmas trees with all sorts of Superluminova and/or tritium tubes. This iteration of the Skydiver offers nothing more than a single luminous dot at the “00” position. It gets the job done in most scenarios, but I would prefer something more entertaining.
The Distressed Leather Strap
The pair of 22-millimeter leather straps plays great with the “distressed” look of the case. Yet, it limits the overall versatility of the Edox Skydiver. After all, rated for 300 meters of water resistance, it’s close to being a professional diving tool and you don’t want to destroy the leather parts with salty seawater.
So, if you plan to actually take the Skydiver to a sea resort, you would have to spend extra on a more water-resistant rubber or silicone strap. Luckily there are plenty of both in this size (finding a steel bracelet matching the “aged” look of the case will be a problem.)
The Mechanism: Sellita SW200
The caliber is nothing to write home about: it is the usual Sellita SW200.
Having almost replaced the legendary ETA 2824 in this niche, the mechanism offers practically the same accuracy and dependability at a lower price [1].
The finish is also usually pretty basic, but this could only be an issue to a person who will service the watch at some point in time. Hidden behind a solid case-bqck cover, you will probably never see it anyway.
The SW200’s standard power reserve of just 38 hours is adequate for a “daily driver.” Just keep in mind that if you plan to wear the Skydiver only on special occasions, you may want to bite the bullet and invest in a good watch-winder.
The Dial & Legibility
Unlike the earlier generation of the Skydiver collection that looked almost like a Rolex rip-off [2], this one is more original.
The 2022 collection offers a new take on Edox’s classic design from half a century ago.
The grey dial features a soft radial gradient that plays nicely with the exaggerated domed sapphire crystal and gives the watch an even more elegant appearance.
The eleven applied hour markers perfectly match the three hands. The rectangular date aperture looks a bit of an afterthought compared with the trapezoidal indices, but I think I could live with it.
The Superluminova X1 used on the hands and hour markers may not be as bright as the tritium-filled tubes on this Ball Engineer III 00RED (even this Deep Blue Rally Diver 1000 will be brighter and more legible), but it still gets the job done. After all, the X1 compound is 1.5-times brighter than your garden-variety Superluminova and is, probably, the best thing that you can get in this price range.
Alas, the central seconds hand doesn’t have even a single drop of lume (probably, for the sake of aesthetics) hurting the nighttime legibility.
The Pricing & Availability
Limited to 600 pieces, the “Aged Steel” edition probably won’t turn into a “rarity” any time soon. After all, this is neither a Rolex nor an Omega to become a highly sought-after item on the oversaturated market. No, it doesn’t look like an “investment” to me.
When it comes to the price, the MSRP of 1890 Swiss Francs (approximately $1970) seems all right.
Putting things in perspective, a vintage-style Longines Legend Diver will set you back for $2400 [3]; an Oris Divers Sixty Five on a leather strap, too, will be about 200 dollars more expensive [4]. This year’s MK II Stingray Keroman comes at just half of the price though, but, again, all these watches feature “normal” steel cases, there is nothing distinct about them at all.
Regarding the “value for money,” I think this watch deserves solid four stars out of five. The rating would be even higher if Edox opted for a COSC-certified version of the caliber, but so would be the price, if you come to think of it.
See also: Introducing the Edox Geoscope GMT Automatic
Photos: Edox
WWR’s Verdict
Originality 4.5/5
Versatility: 4/5
Build Quality: 4.5/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Overall Legibility: 4/5
Nighttime Legibility: 4.5/5
Value for Money: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Edox Skydiver Date Automatic “Aged Steel” 80126-3VIN-GDN specification
Price (MSRP): 1890 CHF
Winding: Automatic (hand-windable)
Movement: Edox Caliber 80 (based on Sellita SW200,) Swiss Made
Number of Jewels: 26
Cadence of Balance: 28,800 vph
Power Reserve: 38 hours
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Case: “Aged” Stainless steel
Bezel: Ceramic, rotating
Crown: Stainless steel, screwed-down
Shape: Round
Bezel shape: Round
Size: 42.00 mm
Case height: 13.90 mm
Lug width: 22.00 mm
Dial: Gray
Numerals: None
Hour markers: Luminous, applied, Superluminova X1
Hands: Luminous
Water resistance: 300 meters
Strap: Two leather straps in brown and light gray with a black tongue buckle
Crystal: Sapphire, domed
Back: Solid, engraved