The switch follows the general characteristics of the SKCM family, consisting of an upper and lower housing, contact module, stem, spring and a leaf spring for generating the tactile event and click sound.

As a first generation SKCM/SKCL switch, the upper housing always has slits (colloquially referred to as the “pine” variant). Similar to other first generation switches, the only Alps branding on the switch is usually the older Alps logo on the bottom of the lower housing, however, on later switches the upper housing with the newer Alps logo is used.

The stem, which is a dull shade of blue, was lubricated at the factory.

The audible feedback is generated with a leaf spring that is situated on the opposite side of the housing to the contact plate. There were at least two variations of this leaf spring. Alps SKCM Blue, like all SKCM/SKCL series switches, uses a contact module to register the keypress. This sits in the housing on the side with visible notches.

The switch was likely in production from 1985¹⁾ to around 1989. It has been seen with every variation of contact module, from the original tall black contact module²⁾ to the short white contact module more commonly associated with the second generation of SKCM/SKCL switches³⁾. However, tall grey contact modules are most common. Variations in stem dye lots were commonplace and should not be taken as evidence of some instance of the switch being better than another.

The leaf spring that generates the tactile and audible events had at least one revision. The original form of this leaf spring had smaller lateral tabs and no bend at the bottom, as well as appearing visually to be made from a different material. The later form of this leaf spring is indistinguishable from that found in the successor, Alps SKCM Colorless (colloquially Alps SKCM White).

In its later form, the switch as a whole is practically indistinguishable from Alps SKCM Colorless. Indeed, there is significant overlap between the two switches with some early Alps SKCM Colorless being factory lubed, which makes them completely identical to the latest Alps SKCM Blue.