Timex Goes Directly After Seiko With Its Latest Affordable Dive Watch

Once upon a time, Seiko was the destination for anyone looking to nab a quality automatic dive watch at a bargain-basement price. Divers like the iconic Turtle and legendary (and now-discontinued) SKX were tough, reliable and attractive, and could be had for only a couple hundred bucks.

But as Seiko has moved upmarket, those dive watch bargains have become harder to find. The brand’s entry-level “SKX-style” Seiko 5 Sports models may look the part, but with only 100m of water resistance, they aren’t actually dive watches. The modern Prospex Turtle is nice, especially with its SKX-derived handset, but its price tag has now crept up above $500.

Enter Timex. The resurgent affordable brand has also been creeping upmarket of late, but since its prices started on the floor below the bargain basement, they remain startlingly cheap. Such is the case with Timex’s tricked-out new dive watch, which looks like a direct shot at Seiko.

Photo by Zen Love for Gear Patrol

SKX + Turtle = Timex?

Timex’s new Deepwater Meridian 200 Automatic is one of the most premium dive watches in the brand’s lineup, perhaps only outdone by the Deepwater Reef 200 Titanium Automatic.

I’ll get to the watch’s specs in a minute, as they’re rather impressive for the $399 price tag, but first I want to quickly go over the design of this watch, as it is very clearly — and very heavily — inspired by Seiko.

The dial features trapezoidal hour markers at the cardinal points and round indices elsewhere, with a double trapezoid at 12. These markers are almost indistinguishable from the ones found on the iconic Seiko Turtle; all that’s missing are the lines extending inward on the cardinal indices.

Timex

Moving on to the handset, we see even more obvious Seiko influence. The sword hour hand and arrow minute hand both feature needle tips, while the stick seconds hand has a lumed lollipop counterweight. This is the exact handset found on the SKX, and currently seen on the Prospex Turtle. I mean, it’s virtually identical save for the matte finish on the hands.

Next, we’ve got the strap. It’s perforated synthetic rubber that’s UV-resistant to prevent fading and features quick-release spring bars. Honestly, it sounds pretty nice, but that design? It’s right out of Seiko’s playbook with those folded ends, a signature seen on the straps for the SKX, Turtle and other iconic Seiko divers.

Timex

OK, maybe this new Timex went a bit overboard with the Seiko homages, but there’s still plenty about the watch that doesn’t scream “Seiko.”

Not quite a Seiko

The unidirectional bezel, for one, looks like a generic diver bezel and doesn’t mark off every single minute like most Seiko dive bezels. There’s a date window at 3:00, not a day-date like on the SKX and Turtle, and it’s magnified with a discreet cyclops, something more common on a Rolex than a Seiko.

The watch features a display caseback where you get a glimpse of an automatic Japanese movement — but it’s not from Seiko. Instead, it’s made by Seiko rival Citizen’s Miyota, and is likely the Cal. 8215 based on its 21-jewel count and date complication. It’s a reliable workhorse movement with hacking seconds, a feature that was infamously absent from the old SKX.

Timex

Timex went with a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating for the Deepwater Meridian, which is definitely an upgrade over the Hardlex mineral crystal you’ll find on the modern Prospex Turtle. The 44mm recycled stainless steel case features vertical brushing and a nicely polished chamfer. It’s a fairly basic design, but it appears to be well-executed with nice, sharp lines, and it looks better than the finishing you’d get on a Seiko at this price.

Timex describes the case as “shock-resistant,” though it’s unclear if this goes beyond the movement’s built-in Parashock anti-shock system. The case is definitely water-resistant, however, with a screw-down crown and caseback guaranteeing 200m of water resistance — the same you’ll find on an SKX or Turtle. Unlike Seiko divers, however, the Timex does not claim to meet the ISO 6425 diver’s watch standard.

Timex

Lastly, we have the watch’s lume. Seiko uses its own proprietary Lumibrite formula, which has a sterling reputation. The biggest competitor to Lumibrite is Swiss-made Super-LumiNova, which is the industry standard for brands not named “Seiko.” That’s what Timex has opted for here, with plenty of green-emission Super-LumiNova applied to the hands, indices and bezel pip.

Pricing and availability

If I covered up the logo on the dial of the Timex Deepwater Meridian 200 Automatic, I honestly might think I was looking at a new Seiko diver, at least at first. The hands, indices and strap are all dead-on Seiko clones. But there’s enough that’s different here with the case, crystal, bezel and movement to keep this from being a straight Seiko ripoff.

The value here is also currently unmatched by Seiko, at least at retail prices (you can often find Turtles for sale in the neighborhood of $400). A 200m-rated steel diver with a Japanese automatic movement and sapphire crystal from a major brand is a rarity these days, and I can see the Deepwater Meridian 200 Automatic becoming a big hit for Timex.

Timex

Timex Deepwater Meridian 200 Automatic

Specs

Case Size	44mm
Movement	Miyota Cal. 8215 automatic
Water Resistance	200m

• $399 at Timex

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