Seiko Just Winterized Its Most Affordable Dive Watch

Dive watches are already well-suited to all seasons, given their versatile styling, legibility, robust builds and high water resistance.

But Seiko has made sure its cheapest diver, the 5 Sports SKX, is even better suited to colder climates with a new “Winter Sports” version.

The new models don’t actually have any winter-specific features. Instead, they get their design inspiration from the performance gear used by skiers and snowboarders. While I personally don’t get much of a winter vibe from these two new references, I do think they look great and are another fine addition to what is fast becoming Seiko’s most compelling affordable collection.

Seiko

Polar bear club

First, I should probably clarify that Seiko doesn’t actually consider the SKX Series to be a dive watch, as it doesn’t meet the ISO 6425 classification as a diver’s watch like the brand’s actual divers.

However, the watch’s design is modeled after the iconic SKX007 dive watch. It features a unidirectional timing bezel and plenty of lume on its large indices and hands, and it’s water-resistant to 100m. The watch meets many diver criteria, so I’d at least classify it as a skin diver.

With that out of the way, let’s go over what’s unique about the two new “Winter Sports” editions. They both have interesting designs, as they are styled after the older 5 Sports SKX Series rather than the 2025 refresh and feature the original bracelet, applied metal-surround SKX hour markers and bezel design with individual markers only to 20 instead of all the way around.

Seiko

But there are some differences, too. For one, the bezel is two-tone, with a white background accompanying those aforementioned first 20 minutes and the other 40 minutes color-matched to the dial in either brown or purple. The bezel also features a crystal insert (likely Hardlex) in place of aluminum, which is a feature found on the 2025 refresh models.

The dials of the Winter Sports editions feature the biggest changes. Available in purple (SRPM11K1) or brown (SRPM13K1), both have a subtle grid pattern that adds a bit of texture, along with a sunburst finish that should really come alive on the slopes under the afternoon sun.

Seiko says these specific colors were chosen because they “capture the essence of professional winter sports equipment” while “echoing the color schemes found in snow sports gear and wear.” Again, that feels like a stretch to me.

Seiko

It honestly feels like Seiko had these models sitting around and needed to release them before the end of the year, so they came up with the winter sports tie-in after the fact to make their release feel more special. Regardless of the legitimacy of any winter sports connection, I think both references are very good-looking.

Pricing and availability

Outside of the crystal bezel, the new color schemes and the grid-patterned dial, this watch is identical to older iterations of the Seiko 5 Sports SKX Series, which includes the 42.5mm stainless steel case, the Hardlex crystal and the Cal. 4R36 automatic movement that powers the watch.

However, these Winter Sports models won’t be as easy to get as your run-of-the-mill SKX Series diver. Seiko has limited each color to just 1,000 examples and made them exclusive to Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Macau and Brunei. The watches are priced at $473.

Seiko

Seiko 5 Sports SKX Winter Sports

Specs

Case Size	42.5mm
Movement	Seiko Cal. 4R36 automatic
Water Resistance	100m

• $473 at Seiko

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