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| Movement | In-house swiss automatic | Automatic | Swiss quartz | Automatic |
| Case Size | 42mm | 40mm | 44mm | 40mm |
| Lug to Lug | 50mm | 47.74mm | 49mm | 48mm |
| Band | Precious metals, stainless steel, and proprietary elastomer | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100m | 30m | 200m | 50m |
| Key Benefits |
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| Get It |
Buy Now at Bob’s Watches
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Buy Now at Paul Reis
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Buy Now at Invicta
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Buy Now at Alpha
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Rolex Sky-Dweller
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| Movement | In-house swiss automatic |
| Case Size | 42mm |
| Lug to Lug | 50mm |
| Band | Precious metals, stainless steel, and proprietary elastomer |
| Water Resistance | 100m |
| Key Benefits |
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| Get It |
Buy Now at Bob’s Watches
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Paula Reis Date
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| Movement | Automatic |
| Case Size | 40mm |
| Lug to Lug | 47.74mm |
| Band | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Key Benefits |
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| Get It |
Buy Now at Paul Reis
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Invicta Pro Diver 16847
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| Movement | Swiss quartz |
| Case Size | 44mm |
| Lug to Lug | 49mm |
| Band | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 200m |
| Key Benefits |
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| Get It |
Buy Now at Invicta
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Alpha Classical Small Seconds
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| Movement | Automatic |
| Case Size | 40mm |
| Lug to Lug | 48mm |
| Band | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 50m |
| Key Benefits |
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| Get It |
Buy Now at Alpha
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The Sky-Dweller is a pretty controversial model for Rolex.
For a brand that goes for a classy and timeless image, it’s an undeniably flashy watch.
Whether you love it or hate it though, there’s no denying that the Sky-Dweller is a true horological triumph. It takes high-level watchmaking expertise to get all of those complications into each timepiece.
This is what makes them so expensive—and so difficult to recreate.
For those of you who do love the Sky-Dweller, we’ve rounded up a few worthwhile homages. Read on to see which of the six is the best fit for you, or to find out if you’d rather go with one of our alternatives.
How Did I Come Up With My List?
Between its highly complex construction and look, and the fact it’s not one of Rolex’s “core” models (like the Submariner or the Explorer), there are very few legal homages of the Sky-Dweller on the market.
Moreover, the ones that are out there are typically pretty bad. You’ll likely come out of the deepest, most time-consuming watch forum dives without a single worthwhile homage recommendation.
Fortunately, between my years of experience handling Sky-Dwellers in the high-end auction industry, and my consultations with industry experts, collectors, and colleagues, I found three worthy choices.
3 Best Rolex Sky-Dweller Homages
Image Source: Paul Reis
A best-kept secret of sorts, Paula Reis’s Date is a rare automatic on the market, in that it takes on every single one of the Sky-Dweller’s most challenging design cues. All of the signatures are there, from the mid-dial wheel, just slightly off-center, to the bezel and even the half-skeletal baton hands.
On top of that, there’s a huge range of colorways. You can choose rose gold tones and yellow gold tones, just like the actual Sky-Dweller. And beyond that, you can even choose the dial color and two-tone body options.
The automatic movement is reliable and feels robust, with the crown providing just enough resistance.
What I Like
- This watch achieves the complex look of the Sky-Dweller, and is as close to a legal one-to-one as there is on the market.
- It’s available in several colorways, allowing for a level of customization.
- The automatic movement makes this watch an excellent buy for its ~$100 price point.
What I Don’t Like
- Paula Reis is vague about what automatic movement they use, though considering how robust it feels and how reliable it is, it’s likely a Seagull-type caliber from China.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
There aren’t a lot of in-depth reviews out there for the Paula Reis Date, but what we do know is that this watch is a best-seller for the brand, and that five-star ratings make up the lion’s share of its overall ratings.
A few mention how satisfied they are with the 24-hour customer service and the free shipping. Also, at this price, the fact they go for a Seiko-style Hardlex, which is slightly stronger than regular mineral crystal, is a nice added bonus.
The Verdict
The Paula Reis Date is an effective homage in its look and wrist feel. It’s so close to its source material, that even if you’re only considering the real Sky-Dweller, not an homage, I actually recommend getting one of these as a cheaper test drive before dropping a few thousand.
Add a good automatic movement and dependable customer service situation, and you’ve got one of the easiest homage buys on the market.
The Paula Reis Date is an effective homage in its look and wrist feel. It’s so close to its source material, that even if you’re only considering the real Sky-Dweller, not an homage, I actually recommend getting one of these as a cheaper test drive before dropping a few thousand. Add a good automatic movement and dependable customer service situation, and you’ve got one of the easiest homage buys on the market.
Image Source: Invicta
In 2013, the Bamford Watch Department, a London-based label known for personalizing watches from major brands, created a limited-edition black PVD-coated Sky-Dweller. It became the grail of many Sky-Dweller fans and an instant legend.
The Invicta Pro Diver 16847 is a direct homage to this elusive timepiece. It hits all the marks, from the all-black shade to the aqua and white accent colors.
This tank of a watch is pretty solid on the operational side too, with 200 meters of water resistance, an actual GMT function, and respectable quartz Ronda movement.
What I Like
- This watch is an uncommon homage to the Bamford Sky-Dweller, which was limited to eight pieces in 2013, making this a truly unique design.
- The stainless steel body and reliable movement are both durably constructed.
- It has 100 meters more water resistance than the actual Sky-Dweller
What I Don’t Like
- While the Sky-Dweller’s brawny wear is one of the things fans love about it, this Invicta is even more bulky, and definitely wouldn’t suit you if you have extra small wrists.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
In a market lacking good Sky-Dweller homages, this Invicta is the only one to get the thumbs up in the watch forum world. Apparently, Invicta once made non-Bamford homages, but Rolex wasn’t too happy about it so they took them down.
Still, reviewers are happy with the fact such a rare version of the Sky-Dweller has a go-to homage.
The Verdict
Since the Invicta Pro Diver 16847 looks so much like a watch most have only seen in photos, it’ll definitely catch the eyes of Sky-Dweller fans. That aside, it’s a well-built and sturdy watch in its own right, with an authoritative all-black aesthetic.
Since the Invicta Pro Diver 16847 looks so much like a watch most have only seen in photos, it’ll definitely catch the eyes of Sky-Dweller fans. That aside, it’s a well-built and sturdy watch in its own right, with an authoritative all-black aesthetic.
Image Source: Alpha
Alpha takes the dressiest components from different Sky-Dweller references, including the Roman numerals from the original release, and applies it to the Classical Small Seconds Watch. From there, they morph the Sky-Dweller’s already gradual case into a full-fledged cushion, and shrink the center wheel into a daintier and classier small seconds subdial.
These decisions make this watch more versatile, allowing it to be worn in more formal situations than its Rolex inspiration.
Also, the cushion case, small lugs, and 65-gram weight make the Alpha Classical a comfortable watch to wear for most wrist sizes.
What I Like
- This lightweight and dressy take on the Sky-Dweller’s signature features makes this watch more versatile compared to its big and bulky source material.
- The exhibition caseback allows you to see the robust and multi-toned automatic movement.
- Alpha’s one-year warranty makes purchasing with them a worry-free experience.
What I Don’t Like
- The leather strap feels cheap and plasticky. I recommend replacing it.
What Do Other Reviewers Say?
Most reviewers are impressed with the finishing, considering its price point.
Also, Alpha seems to service all of their movements before putting them into their watches. Despite using affordable Chinese watches, few reviewers mention any issues with the movement.
The Verdict
If you’re looking for a more formal version of the Sky-Dweller, then the Alpha Classical Small Seconds is for you. It leans hard into the more eveningwear-appropriate qualities of the different Sky-Dweller references. It also gets bonus points for exhibiting its automatic movement.
If you’re looking for a more formal version of the Sky-Dweller, then the Alpha Classical Small Seconds is for you. It leans hard into the more eveningwear-appropriate qualities of the different Sky-Dweller references. It also gets bonus points for exhibiting its automatic movement.
6 Quality Rolex Sky-Dweller Alternatives
An homage is an affordable option designed to look like a more expensive watch model, or appropriate its signature design features.
Alternatives are different in that they’re comparable models, and they aren’t necessarily more affordable. If you’re seriously considering a Sky-Dweller, then you definitely need to check out its competition.
Since there’s so few actual Sky-Dweller homages on the market, we threw you a bone with the alternatives here and added a few extra affordable ones that technically wouldn’t be considered Rolex’s competition.
Image Source: Patek Phillippe
Like the Sky-Dweller, the 6199 Reference of Patek Philippe’s Calatrava (Clous de Paris), is all about how function determines the form.
And while it also has a unique and eye-catching dial and precious metal construction, this elegant timepiece is much more simple. Plus, you can see the exquisite high-performance movement through the caseback.
Image Source: Audemars Piguet
Both the Piguet Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie and the Sky-Dweller effectively mix elegant dress watch qualities with utilitarian features.
Leaning harder into an industrial look, the Supersonnerie’s flawlessly finished body and tapisserie dial (which is accented with white gold) have harder machine-aesthetic edges throughout. With its titanium construction, it’s also remarkably light and much stronger than any precious metal Sky-Dweller.
Image Source: A. Lange & Söhne
The Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar from A. Lange & Söhne is also a maximalist watch known for its sophisticated complications, but is much more romantic in feeling thanks to the overall whimsical yet refined design.
Impressively, the exclusive peripheral month ring allows the perpetual calendar complication to be integrated into the dial layout. If you’re drawn to the Sky-Dweller’s high-level horology factor, but want something dressier, this watch is for you.
Image Source: Jack Mason
Also a function-forward flight watch, the Jack Mason Avigator doesn’t sacrifice style, and its finishing and application punch way above its price point.
Both the main face and the small seconds boast an almost granular sunburst that basically glitters under the sun, while sandwich dial provides excellent legibility. The whole watch has a charming balance of vintage and modern qualities.
Image Source: Shinola
The Shinola Runwell is like a super simplified “civilian version” of the Arabic-indices Sky-Dweller, the large center wheel replaced with a smaller subdial.
Still, this shiny silver seconds perfectly accents the beautifully crafted blue enamel dial, as does the easy-to-use pumpkin crown. It’s a handsome aviator watch that isn’t nearly as loud (or expensive) as the Sky-Dweller.
The bang-for-buck MTP-1375D-1AV by Casio combines two unlike features: A super sporty chronograph dial, and a luxe fluted bezel.
At a budget price point, you can get a similarly mixed and maximal aesthetic as the Sky-Dweller. This watch runs on a precise quartz movement with an accuracy of +/-20 seconds a month.
Which Rolex Sky-Dweller Homage Should You Get?
The Paula Reis Date is unlike any homage on the market, with its close-to-template design, automatic movement, and range of colorways.
The Paula Reis Date is an effective homage in its look and wrist feel. It’s so close to its source material, that even if you’re only considering the real Sky-Dweller, not an homage, I actually recommend getting one of these as a cheaper test drive before dropping a few thousand. Add a good automatic movement and dependable customer service situation, and you’ve got one of the easiest homage buys on the market.
If you wish you could get your hands on the all-black Bamford Sky-Dweller, the Invicta is a dead-ringer at first glance. Meanwhile, the Alpha Classical gives the Sky-Dweller a dress watch remix.
Since the Invicta Pro Diver 16847 looks so much like a watch most have only seen in photos, it’ll definitely catch the eyes of Sky-Dweller fans. That aside, it’s a well-built and sturdy watch in its own right, with an authoritative all-black aesthetic.
And though there aren’t many great homages out there, you can always check out one of our six alternatives—all at different price points.
It’s all about figuring out what you love most about the Sky-Dweller, and seeing if you can find those qualities in other models.
FAQs
How much is a Sky-Dweller worth?
Anywhere from $17,000 all the way up to $60,000.
What is special about the Sky-Dweller?
It features several unique complications that are difficult for even the most skilled watchmakers to execute. For example, its ring-command rotating bezel determines the function of the crown. It’s also often made out of precious metals.
Ever since I received an Omega Seamaster for my 16th birthday, I fell in love with watches. Professionally, this led me to work for New York and LA’s leading auction houses. Personally, it led to a life as a collector, my Seamaster and my Explorer II being my favorite timepieces.
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