Dietrich Skin Diver SD-1

It’s bizarre that we’ve never reviewed a Dietrich timepiece here at The Time Bum. The brand’s unique designs and microbrand status make it a likely candidate, even if some of the price points don’t. Heretofore, Dietrich has released a series of rather large hexagonal watches with dials that bend the mind, including, in one instance, a model with a retrograde minute, wandering hour, and non-circular retrograde seconds hand (it’s called “Perception” if you want to look it up, which you should). The brand’s most recent release, though, is arguably the least Dietrich model it’s put out. The Dietrich Skin Diver SD-1 sees the brand add its unique spin to a classic dive watch design, the skin diver (you probably guessed as much).

One of two things will grab your attention when you first unbox the Dietrich Skin Diver SD-1P: the bracelet/lug situation or the gorgeous fumé of the sapphire dial. Both warrant intrigue and inspection and create a unique take on the traditional skin diver style. (N.B.: This is a pre-production prototype, so some dust, blemishes, and other quirks are to be expected)

The case of the Dietrich SD-1 is certainly doing its own thing, which is nothing new when it comes to the brand’s models, but is certainly new when it comes to skin divers. Typical skin divers feature sharp, blocky cases that omit curves in favor of brutish practicality. The trademark of the style is the aforementioned straight-line design and a squared-off lug box. The SD-1 takes the silhouette but entirely changes the look: polished chamfers, markedly curved lugs, and a twist on the lug box. The lug box here still suggests a separation of the curved lugs with a recessed center portion that is reminiscent of a fitted endlink. Instead, though, it exists as part of the case while maintaining the usual squared-off lug box of the style. The fish on the sapphire-capped crown is just a bonus and harkens back to vintage divers that featured other aquatic creatures to indicate some level of water resistance (think of the whale on old Bulovas).

This isn’t the first watch to do this by a long shot, but I love how the polished chamfer traces the entire outline of the case, encircling the profile and adding a bit of elegance to the brushed case. Owing to its modest dimensions and gentle case curve, the SD-1 is exceptionally wearable; having tried several other models from Dietrich, this sits best on the wrist by a mile. The dual grip around the bezel–which features a sapphire insert with lume printed underneath–isn’t just an aesthetic exercise. The smooth portions sit two hours apart and taken from above, create the illusion of the hexagonal shape featured in the cases of Dietrich’s other models. The action on the bezel was tight and precise; while the tension was just beyond what I’d prefer, it still operated easily even when wet.

The Dietrich Skin Diver SD-1 is available in both black and blue fumé dials, both with color-matched bezels. They offer exceptional legibility with printed markers and lume-filled hands starkly contrasting the dark dials. Smartly, the gradient of the fumé doesn’t extend too far from the center, leaving the pronounced ends of the hands to rotate against black instead of white (or light blue in the case of the blue dial). The entire dial is very Dietrich, with novel markers and depth created by the use of sapphire and a three-dimensional handset.

You can see the sapphire dial doing its thing here. Look closely at the ‘Dietrich’ and “Automatic” text: along with all the other dial printing, they’re applied to the top of the sapphire dial, while the grey-to-black fumé is on the base of the sapphire. The result has the printing casting a shadow through the sapphire dial onto the fumé finish. It’s simply marvelous, and one of the many reasons to love the use of sapphire for dials. The organic handset is without angle or straight lines, and its glossy, rounded finish echoes the feeling of the bezel insert.

Gaze into the dark chasm of the SD-1’s date window. Look into the past, the present, and the future. Witness the unfathomable depths of human existence. Free your mind! While the design of the date window is verging on perfection–6 o’clock, aperture frame matches the other cardinal hours, black wheel on black dial, white text for the white dial text–it’s simply too recessed, making it a challenge to see at a glance.

There’s a bit of unevenness between the lume of the dial, the handset, and the bezel, which is not uncommon when you try to lume everything. The handset shone brightest, the bezel, dimmest. While none of it was inadequate, the bezel certainly struggled to keep up. Here’s hoping the bump that lume for the production run.

There’s not much to speak about for the caseback–all the text you might expect there is missing. That’s because those specs are on the underside of the sloped lug boxes. The slope allows the lug box design to exist as it does without limiting strap combinations. Further, because the lug holes are placed just behind the edge of the slope, the ends of any strap you might put on are concealed, which I found to be very visually pleasing (see below). Under the screwdown caseback itself, you’ll find a Swiss Sellita SW200. You’re likely very familiar with this movement by now, but if you’re not, know that it’s Sellita’s clone of the ETA 2824 and offers the same reliability as that movement, with automatic winding, hacking, 26 jewels, and a 38-hour power reserve.

The hexagonal, multilink bracelet is exceptional and comfortable. The crisp brushing with every edge polished gives it a unique look on top of its already engaging design. The style is a hallmark of Dietrich bracelets, mimicking the hexagonal case shape of its prior models. Quick-release spring bars make strap swaps a cinch.

The butterfly deployant clasp keeps the bracelet’s profile low, but there is some wobble at the clasp itself, as the segments attaching the clasp to the links are so thin that the links can teeter back and forth. On the wrist, it didn’t cause any issues, but fastening and handling the clasp, I did notice it immediately. This style clasp is the best way to keep a design clean, nut fine tuning isn’t ideal: Dietrich has included 2 shorter links, which allow for the equivalent of three mircoadjustment positions. Or you can opt for the rubber option (not included with my sample, so not reviewed). It’s rare that I suggest people opt for anything but the bracelet when offered, but here I might do just that; in my time with the SD-1, I almost never wore the bracelet. (There’s also an argument to be made that such a bracelet, especially with such a clasp, is antithetical to diving as it’s not as secure or robust as other options. To that, I’d say the Dietrich SD-1 is the most elegant skin diver you’ll ever see, and with that comes a bit of leeway.)

As mentioned above, strap changes on the SD-1 are too easy not to try. And I’m too much of a strap freak not to go for it.

This Perlon strap is thin, but I wanted to show that the SD-1 can still rock a NATO if you want.

Here’s a slightly better view of the strap ends hiding under the edge of the lug box. Isn’t it lovely?

The Dietrich Skin Diver SD-1 is arguably the most accessible design the brand has yet offered. It sheds the outré dials for something more familiar (and plenty more legible), while still keeping trademark Dietrich elements, like the hexagonal link bracelet, the handset, and the hexagonal case shape suggested by the bezel. At just over $1k, this watch is a great buy with solid specs, great functionality, and a unique design. You can head over to the Dietrich website to get yours (if you’re fast enough–just a few black dial versions remain).