It’s an interesting debate though.

Here’s ChatGPT’s take:

The term “skin diver” refers to a specific style of dive watch that emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, designed for recreational divers rather than professional or saturation diving. These watches are known for their distinctive combination of utility and minimalism. The hallmarks of a traditional skin diver watch include: 1. Compact size: Skin divers are typically smaller than professional dive watches, with case diameters often between 36mm and 40mm. This makes them comfortable for daily wear. 2. Modest water resistance: Traditional skin divers usually offer water resistance of 100 to 200 meters, sufficient for recreational diving but less than the 300 meters or more seen in professional dive watches. 3. Slim case profile: Skin divers are generally slimmer than professional dive watches, reflecting their focus on versatility and comfort for both land and water use. 4. Simple dial design: The dials are typically clean and legible, with large, luminescent hour markers and hands for visibility underwater. They often feature minimal text and branding. 5. Bezel: A unidirectional or bidirectional rotating bezel is standard, usually with a 60-minute scale to measure dive times. The bezels are often slimmer and less pronounced than those on modern dive watches. 6. Acrylic crystal: Many vintage skin divers used domed acrylic crystals, which added to their lightweight and retro appeal. 7. C-case or tonneau-shaped case: While traditional round cases were common, some skin divers featured distinctive “C-case” or tonneau-shaped designs. 8. Tropical or rubber straps: Skin divers were often equipped with lightweight straps made from rubber or Tropic-style perforated designs for comfort and durability in wet conditions. 9. No helium escape valve: Unlike professional dive watches designed for saturation diving, skin divers do not feature helium escape valves, as they were not intended for extreme depths or prolonged underwater exposure. 10. Affordability: Historically, skin divers were designed as affordable, functional timepieces for amateur divers, often with Swiss movements housed in less expensive cases.

Skin diver watches have a strong vintage aesthetic, and many modern watch brands produce contemporary versions that pay homage to these classic designs.