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I think we can all say with a fair amount of confidence that the Seiko SKX is now a collector’s item. Most SKX owners, young and old, are now holding them close, knowing they will never be returning. Sure, the Seiko “5KX” with its 100m water resistance rating might scratch the itch from a design standpoint, especially in certain color options. The newly released “GMT 5KX” has also received generally positive feedback from enthusiasts. Unfortunately, these GMTs also have a mere 100m water resistance rating. Nevertheless, the buying frenzy remains high, with nominal pricing and relatively short supply from vendors at present.

*Some of the SKX replacement models - credit: seikowatches.com*

These days, if you want a true Seiko diver with a 200m rating, the even more expensive Prospex line is where you must head. That range is vast, with designs that fit most tastes and wrist sizes, but, if you grew up with the Seiko SKX, or original Turtle for that matter, that’s the watch for which you’ll feel the most nostalgic. Much like the house you grew up in or your mom’s old station wagon.

So, as with many disappointing situations, there is a compromise in order to reach an end that is “good enough”.

Many are opposed to ‘homages’ of any legendary watch, which is fine. But homages exist for two main reasons:

The original may be out of reach due to upwardly creeping pricing.
The original is simply no longer available.

As with many other watches, both factors now ring true for the Seiko SKX. Therefore, in this situation, a well-made homage may actually be seen as a compliment to the original. After all, many Seiko ‘homages’ even use the reliable Seiko NH family of movements, perhaps making the pill easier to swallow.

It may seem tempting at first, but don’t even think of buying a fake watch. You’ll sometimes see these charlatans peddling watches on wish.com or touristy street corners in major cities. Stay away! A new Rolex or Seiko costing $20 is the perfect example of something that sounds too good to be true (and always is). As watch enthusiasts, we must always be wary of watches claiming to be something they are not. Remember, an automatic movement doesn’t tick once every second! Luckily, the online watch community can assist in identifying fakes or foul play during watch sales in the wild.

So, when we finally accept the trade-offs and begin shopping for a reputable homage, we ask ourselves: “What compromises am I willing to accept to get a close representation of the watch I desire while still feeding myself this month?” Enter the Ratio FreeDiver (model RTA109), which is almost a dimensional clone of the original Seiko SKX. I purchased this watch with my own money from Creation Watches for $142. As most homages go, it has its very good points and a few bad. Like people, no watch is perfect, and beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder.

CONSTRUCTION

With an all stainless steel offering of 42mm in case diameter, a lug-to-lug of just under 47mm, and a case thickness of just under 15mm, it is certainly a well-proportioned tool watch that will live happily on most wrists. Fans of the smaller SKX013 will be disappointed to learn that Ratio currently doesn’t offer a viable alternative. The 22mm lug width is a welcome size for the “strapoholics” amongst us. A 200m water resistance rating, with a very smooth turning screw-down 7mm guarded crown, is also something that is always appreciated.

However, as with many homages, this watch does not seem to have an ISO rating as there are no indications to the contrary on neither the watch itself nor Ratio’s website. While we’re on the subject of omissions, the manufacturer’s literature only states “stainless steel” without reference to which grade, 316L or otherwise. I wish to point this out because this Ratio, sized for a 6.75-inch wrist, weighs in at a mighty 173 grams. Heavy, even by diver standards, this watch can get tiresome to wear after several hours.

At first glance, the all stainless steel, faux 3-link, oyster style bracelet with milled clasp and solid end-links is a nice change from the pressed clasp, and hollow end-link bracelets often found on other homages of this type and price. More on this Ratio bracelet later.

Dial & Crystal

The crystal is raised/boxed sapphire with an anti-reflective coating, which doesn’t seem too out of place versus similar homages that use just a flat crystal. I’ve found the AR coating to be somewhat distracting, as its blue hue seems to stand out in certain lighting situations. There is a very low distortion of the indices at the edges of the crystal, and you’ll be able to distinguish the time at shallow angles without squinting.

The bezel action is good for this price range but can feel light and more vulnerable to accidental “bumping” than a standard bezel action from Seiko or another reputable maker. Though light, the bezel action has almost no back play. The knurling pattern is pleasantly grippy and should be easy to use even with a wet or gloved hand. The bezel insert is a very clean and glossy ceramic (non-lumed) and grabs the light well. The pip is raised and lumed, making the bezel functional enough in the dark if necessary. This bezel, paired with the pronounced crystal, gives the watch a robust but “summery” look. It also looks far more expensive than its price tag would suggest. So overall, a downward glance at this watch is an attractive and user-friendly experience.

If that wasn’t enough, the white dial gives us an SKX homage we haven’t really seen before. The indices being outlined in black and filled with copious amounts of green C3 make the dial almost as enjoyable in the dark. The chapter ring is a crisp and color-matched white, with only slight misalignment to the indices. You can’t accurately pay homage to a truly Seiko-borne feature without this! In a not-so-common twist of homage design, the Ratio branding at the 12 and the “Automatic. Diver’s 200m” at the 6 position are sized and placed perfectly, without overpowering or throwing off the symmetry of the dial.

Even though this is a homage to a basic Seiko diver, its white dial and black ceramic bezel can give it the fleeting appearance of an Omega Seamaster Professional 300m or a white Seiko Samurai, even if only in your peripheral vision. Thus, this homage may indeed scratch more than one aesthetic itch.

I believe the screw-down case back is where some cost savings are evident. A basic and flat brushed finish on top, with polishing around the edges. You’ll find a simple scuba diver silhouette etched into the center with “Sapphire Crystal, 200 Meters, Stainless Steel” etched into the surround. Again, no mention of what grade of steel, which is unnerving.

MOVEMENT

As said before, homages almost always rely on a tough, inexpensive, reliable movement. When it comes to automatics, the Seiko-made NH36 used here more than fits the bill. The standard day/date function and reliable accuracy will leave you with little to complain about for the price paid. The day wheel offers weekdays in black and weekends in red. For those of us who wish for only a date function, don’t despair. Ratio also offers the NH35 date-only versions for each color scheme (white, black, blue, orange, green). The one caveat is that the NH35 version exhibits a small date cyclops, which can be a love/hate feature for many of us. The NH36 example I’ve been wearing has the day/date without magnification, true to the original SKX, but with added control over the original 7S26 movement, boasting hacking, and hand-winding capability.

BRACELET

The standard oyster-style bracelet looks good on paper and in photos. The front and back of the links are fully brushed, with the sides polished. The end links are solid, and the milled clasp is decent enough. However, the weight and final finishing are severely lacking. The corners and edges of the bracelet links and clasp exhibit only the most rudimentary level of finishing.

I felt the need to reach for some fine grit sandpaper to deburr these sharp edges and mitigate the cutting and scratching of my wrist during normal wear. The edge finishing on the clasp even scratches the first adjacent links, leaving ugly gouges. Needless to say, this betrayal quickly left me reaching for a NATO strap from day one, which is where I hit another roadblock. The lug placement is extremely close to the case, which only allows the thinnest of straps to pass underneath. This Ratio will NOT accommodate your thick, seatbelt style BlueShark straps. I found only a few very thin Perlon, single pass, and ribbed NATOs from CheapestNatoStraps.com that sufficed this requirement. So, even though the bracelet alternative is possible with this Ratio, it is still a very limited venture due to the case design. Fortunately, the bracelet is always something that could be rectified by Ratio with just 5% more time spent on finishing and QC. My hope is that they go the extra mile with further production, even for a fractional price increase. Drilled lugs would be nice also!

THE GOOD:

The reliable and accurate Seiko-made NH36 Movement
Sapphire Crystal (though could use an extra AR treatment)
White dial and lume
Ceramic bezel insert
200m WR

THE BAD:

“Stainless Steel”, without stating a grade (seems heavy). We found this Ratio to pick up scratches at a rate far exceeding other brands. The photos probably make this evident.
Absence of drilled lugs. Bracelet is difficult to don/doff from the case, which will be inevitable.

THE TERRIBLE:

Bracelet finishing is painful to combat.
Lug placement is very limiting for strap types.

This particular RTA109 model (white dial with NH36) sold fast with slow replenishment of stock in March of 2022. My guess is that the number of white-dial versions with an NH36 were snatched up quickly when released. However, the stock of this particular model has returned in strength, being available from several online retailers. Many other colors are available (black, blue, orange, green).

The packaging is of Invicta-level with a simple branded box, pillow, tags, and manual. My buying experience from Creation was seamless, albeit the watch took a while to arrive from Singapore to Eastern USA.

Final Thoughts

So overall, this watch is “nearly there” in terms of being a very attractive alternative to paying out huge sums for the collector’s item it mimics. I’d give it a 3.5/5 for effort and attractiveness. The finishing and configuration of the bracelet and lug placement, plus the disclosures of build materials seem to be holding it back.

Perhaps we will see further improvements from Ratio, as the brand seems to care about propping up itself as a legitimate microbrand, with new designs becoming available every few months. Some other existing models offer a claimed 500m and 1000m WR. I’ll be keeping this particular watch, since $142 for a well-dressed NH36 is a good deal, plus the “thin NATO” option is at least available. If future improvements happen, the Ratio RTA line may become a serious contender in the SKX homage realm.