Vintage Timex skin diver watches are subject to some controversy with some collectors claiming  specific models were made for military use and others claiming the opposite. What we know for sure is taken from the various catalogues and adverts featuring the watches.

Timex Skin diver History

The Timex skin diver made its debut in 1966 through to 1974 and has been highly prised by collectors ever since. Skin divers’ were initially available in 2 versions, the 600 feet stainless steel and 25 meter chrome plated calendar version. A later model changed the dial design to make use of inversely lumed markers and colored blue and green dials and bezels.  The design of the earliest Timex skin diver had subtle changes over the years with different caseback styles being tried out in, i assume, an attempt to improve water resistance. The skin diver was available in both US and international markets the main difference being the depth rating which changed from imperial to metric measurements: 600 feet to 180 metres and 200 feet to 60 metres. Other Timex sub-brands made their own versions of the skin diver with the most notable being Kelton who’s comparable watches are larger making cases, casebacks and bezels non-transferable. Vintage Timex skin diver watches all share a common case design with long tapered lugs, slim case depth, bakelite (?) bi-directional friction-fit elapsed time bezel and domed acrylic crystals. The dials are boldly lumed, the hour hand is arrow shaped and lumed, the seconds hand tipped ith lume with early models having an arrow head, and later models having a square plot.

Personally i love the proportions of the skin diver watches. They give of a real vintage military watch vibe without the expense and have enough variation to become a mini collection. As a collection they sit at #2 in the list of my all time favourite Timex to wear.

I am currently hunting for the “21 Rubis” skin diver, a blue Timex skin diver and a green (Timex) bezel. If you have one for sale please let me know [email protected].

FAQ:

What is a skin diver?

A skin diver watch is type of dive watch with a much lower water resistance rating. Dive watches typically start at 666 feet or 200 meters where as skin diver watches are typically around the 50 to 25m depth rating.

What is a depth rating?

Depth ratings are based on the watch’s ability to maintain water resistance as pressure on the case, crystal and caseback increase the deeper the watch is taken.