Dive watch - what floats/sinks your boat?
Discussion
It could be very easy to class all dive watches into one category if you weren't interested in watches at all. However having taken about two years to buy my first, expensive to me, dive watch it seems that there are many facets to this area of watches that are both really fascinating but can also be personally polarizing.
My choice came after wearing a dive watch pastiche for about 4 years before it broke but I used the positives and negatives from that watch to help me find what I currently own. I also watched (no pun) alot of videos to try to understand the basics of what different watch designs do. I really liked Bens Watch Club videos at that time.
The more people I have listened to clearly stating why they like and dislike features of a dive watch has helped me choose whats best for me. In-fact a resource here could help me with my next watch, I have 3 on a shortlist.
So here are my (could be a little personal) statements, mostly defined by having a very small wrist that closes down my choices.
If I owned one watch it would be a dive watch.
Seiko hand design is brilliant but they don't make a dive watch that suits me.
A dive watch should not have a date function,mine does, if it does it should be at 6 o'clock, NEVER should a date have a raised magnifying cyclops that catches on anything passing the watch as you put your hand into small spaces.
A proper dive watch is always worn on a rubber strap.
Circular or rectangular hour markers are both good.
The bezel should not overhang the case.
A mercedes hour marker is frankly over designed, awful crap that is not needed in a functional design.
Polished surfaces on a dive watch are good.
The less writing on the dial the better.
Crown guards are good.
Over to the PH massive.......
My choice came after wearing a dive watch pastiche for about 4 years before it broke but I used the positives and negatives from that watch to help me find what I currently own. I also watched (no pun) alot of videos to try to understand the basics of what different watch designs do. I really liked Bens Watch Club videos at that time.
The more people I have listened to clearly stating why they like and dislike features of a dive watch has helped me choose whats best for me. In-fact a resource here could help me with my next watch, I have 3 on a shortlist.
So here are my (could be a little personal) statements, mostly defined by having a very small wrist that closes down my choices.
If I owned one watch it would be a dive watch.
Seiko hand design is brilliant but they don't make a dive watch that suits me.
A dive watch should not have a date function,mine does, if it does it should be at 6 o'clock, NEVER should a date have a raised magnifying cyclops that catches on anything passing the watch as you put your hand into small spaces.
A proper dive watch is always worn on a rubber strap.
Circular or rectangular hour markers are both good.
The bezel should not overhang the case.
A mercedes hour marker is frankly over designed, awful crap that is not needed in a functional design.
Polished surfaces on a dive watch are good.
The less writing on the dial the better.
Crown guards are good.
Over to the PH massive.......
Anything really, as long as it doesn’t fill with water when I swim with it on; my lad‘s quartz Invicta did and he was pretty gutted.
I prefer a bracelet but a vintage black dive watch on brown leather looks cool. Rubber works, I have my Seiko Samurai on a Crafter Blue. NATO straps look good and actually saved my Vostok Amphibia when a spring bar popped out in Lake Starnberg.
The thinner the better. I would trade WR (100m is fine) for case thickness. I generally wear a Glycine Combat Sub which is 10.5mm thick.
No smaller than 42mm.
Date/no date, not bothered, never look anyway.
Quartz/automatic/solar, whatever. It’s a tool.
I prefer a bracelet but a vintage black dive watch on brown leather looks cool. Rubber works, I have my Seiko Samurai on a Crafter Blue. NATO straps look good and actually saved my Vostok Amphibia when a spring bar popped out in Lake Starnberg.
The thinner the better. I would trade WR (100m is fine) for case thickness. I generally wear a Glycine Combat Sub which is 10.5mm thick.
No smaller than 42mm.
Date/no date, not bothered, never look anyway.
Quartz/automatic/solar, whatever. It’s a tool.
You lost me at the a cyclops catching on something.
I look at my dive watches and see reasonable variety so I guess I don't have very strong feelings on the subject, I just know if I like it.
I also completely reject the idea that a 'proper' dive watch is always worn on rubber. It's just not true.
I look at my dive watches and see reasonable variety so I guess I don't have very strong feelings on the subject, I just know if I like it.
I also completely reject the idea that a 'proper' dive watch is always worn on rubber. It's just not true.
Is it going to be a fashion accessory or for saturation diving?.
I'm not a diver but I do like a Dive watch.
Silicon Strap for a start, but that's just a personal dislike of rubber straps, as I find them impractical and uncomfortable although my recent purchase of a Casio Marlin has gone some way to dispel that, however, the Seiko rubber straps are awful.
Decent, effective lume as well. Also, dimension wise it needs to be relatively "slim". The 13mm of the SKX is great for me, but a 17.7MM deepsea on me would look ridiculous, as would the 16.3 mm of the Tuna.
The bezel design and hands of the Tuna are as near to perfect as can be IMO, easy to read, but not sure if I like the small lume beside the Date. I agree with you that a date or cyclops isn't really warranted.
I am biased, but for me, an SKX black face, black dial on a silicon strap as good as it gets, let down only by poor performing lume. I also like the Orange face SKX but can't bring myself to buy one. Next choice would be an Orient Sport RA-AA0010B19B a simple and elegant design, uncluttered face and less than 200 quid.
I'm not a diver but I do like a Dive watch.
Silicon Strap for a start, but that's just a personal dislike of rubber straps, as I find them impractical and uncomfortable although my recent purchase of a Casio Marlin has gone some way to dispel that, however, the Seiko rubber straps are awful.
Decent, effective lume as well. Also, dimension wise it needs to be relatively "slim". The 13mm of the SKX is great for me, but a 17.7MM deepsea on me would look ridiculous, as would the 16.3 mm of the Tuna.
The bezel design and hands of the Tuna are as near to perfect as can be IMO, easy to read, but not sure if I like the small lume beside the Date. I agree with you that a date or cyclops isn't really warranted.
I am biased, but for me, an SKX black face, black dial on a silicon strap as good as it gets, let down only by poor performing lume. I also like the Orange face SKX but can't bring myself to buy one. Next choice would be an Orient Sport RA-AA0010B19B a simple and elegant design, uncluttered face and less than 200 quid.
Sorry I lost you Gregg, this is why it is so individual, I almost feel sorry for the manufacturer's of watches.
If I wore that watch with a cyclops doing some DIY car mechanics I sometimes caught the cyclops then took the watch off - a first world problem I know,
Barchettaman you are legend to me on the 200 pound thread. This is the personal difference on size, I couldn't wear above 40mm having a 6.25 inch wrist and why a bracelet doesn't work for me but you would laugh if you put my watch on your wrist. Absolutely agree about watches being thin. I would love a Scurfa D1 yellow dial aluminium bezel but at 15mm thick it has to be a no from me.
Oh yes I will say it now - I would like a white dial diver - there my dirty secret is out
If I wore that watch with a cyclops doing some DIY car mechanics I sometimes caught the cyclops then took the watch off - a first world problem I know,
Barchettaman you are legend to me on the 200 pound thread. This is the personal difference on size, I couldn't wear above 40mm having a 6.25 inch wrist and why a bracelet doesn't work for me but you would laugh if you put my watch on your wrist. Absolutely agree about watches being thin. I would love a Scurfa D1 yellow dial aluminium bezel but at 15mm thick it has to be a no from me.
Oh yes I will say it now - I would like a white dial diver - there my dirty secret is out
I am curious ( and this is not a criticism) as to appeal of dive watches to non-divers. I notice here that the majority of the features described are basically appearance related. I am not sure how a dive watch is specified but I would assume that it has certain capabilities that are related to its purpose. Obviously if it is a cosmetic choice that is fair enough too.
Clearly this is no different to (say) Porsches where there is a variety of motivation beyond drivability and many cars are never tracked, or pickup trucks in the US where the majority of them are never used but ever advertisement show powerful trucks towing huge trailers up remote canyons
Would the same apply to dive watches?...what percentage would be actually used for purpose?
Clearly this is no different to (say) Porsches where there is a variety of motivation beyond drivability and many cars are never tracked, or pickup trucks in the US where the majority of them are never used but ever advertisement show powerful trucks towing huge trailers up remote canyons
Would the same apply to dive watches?...what percentage would be actually used for purpose?
Interesting topic.
For me it's always been the following.
39-42mm.
Good bracelet with nice adjustability.
Steel or titanium.
Black or blue face.
Ceramic bezel.
Clear and easy to read.
Something 'different' like a destro case for example.
I'm not huge fan of date wheels but they can be handy.
I'm also a sucker for lots of lume.
I now have my 2 perfect divers already when it comes to preferred specs.
Scurfa Diver 1 Destro (1 of 1)
Tudor Pelagos
For me it's always been the following.
39-42mm.
Good bracelet with nice adjustability.
Steel or titanium.
Black or blue face.
Ceramic bezel.
Clear and easy to read.
Something 'different' like a destro case for example.
I'm not huge fan of date wheels but they can be handy.
I'm also a sucker for lots of lume.
I now have my 2 perfect divers already when it comes to preferred specs.
Scurfa Diver 1 Destro (1 of 1)
Tudor Pelagos
This may not meet all your criteria but have you considered the Squale 1545 on white rubber strap? It's a bit too white for my liking and I'm not sure about the exposed crown. It's certainly different though which I do like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MKPFBkZU6Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MKPFBkZU6Y
shambolic said:
Yeah, that's a good point. The dive watch has been totally replaced by dive computers for any actual diving. I'd certainly rather wear my Garmin or dedicatedly computer for diving It is interesting though that a divers watch, has arguably become the generic choice for an every day watch compared to something like a field watch or chrono.
I blame Steve McQueen personally
RDMcG said:
Would the same apply to dive watches?...what percentage would be actually used for purpose?
Anyone who is even slightly serious about scuba will have a dedicated dive computer. Some may have a conventional watch for backup. Most people would only consider an ISO backed up 200m for that.I used to like a skx007 on jubilee but my last one leaked at 30m.
Divers are my favourite just because they are. I'm not a diver. For surfing I wear a square G-Shock 5600.
Seiko SKX is been such an old faithful for me - but have to disagree with the rubber strap thing. I'm always swapping straps on Seikos and it's as natural on a black silicon strap as a super engineer or jubilee bracelet.
Am simialrly irrationally affectionate towards the Seiko Turtle. I'm pencil-wristed but they hide their mass so well I can wear one and not look or feel ridiculous. Same story with working on more or less any kind of strap; mine is blue faced and I rotate it through orange, blue and black silicone straps, some canvas and elastic ones, and for a bit of fun bling, a shiny oyster. It wears and performs well on all of them.
What seiko have going for them is really clear faces. The Omega SeaMaster for example is beautiful but I find the wavy lines and split hands hard to look at.
That said, I'm smitten with my Black Bay GMT and adore the snowflake hands, so maybe I'm just weird.
Seiko SKX is been such an old faithful for me - but have to disagree with the rubber strap thing. I'm always swapping straps on Seikos and it's as natural on a black silicon strap as a super engineer or jubilee bracelet.
Am simialrly irrationally affectionate towards the Seiko Turtle. I'm pencil-wristed but they hide their mass so well I can wear one and not look or feel ridiculous. Same story with working on more or less any kind of strap; mine is blue faced and I rotate it through orange, blue and black silicone straps, some canvas and elastic ones, and for a bit of fun bling, a shiny oyster. It wears and performs well on all of them.
What seiko have going for them is really clear faces. The Omega SeaMaster for example is beautiful but I find the wavy lines and split hands hard to look at.
That said, I'm smitten with my Black Bay GMT and adore the snowflake hands, so maybe I'm just weird.
BS62 said:
Divers are my favourite just because they are. I'm not a diver. For surfing I wear a square G-Shock 5600.
Seiko SKX is been such an old faithful for me - but have to disagree with the rubber strap thing. I'm always swapping straps on Seikos and it's as natural on a black silicon strap as a super engineer or jubilee bracelet.
Am simialrly irrationally affectionate towards the Seiko Turtle. I'm pencil-wristed but they hide their mass so well I can wear one and not look or feel ridiculous. Same story with working on more or less any kind of strap; mine is blue faced and I rotate it through orange, blue and black silicone straps, some canvas and elastic ones, and for a bit of fun bling, a shiny oyster. It wears and performs well on all of them.
What seiko have going for them is really clear faces. The Omega SeaMaster for example is beautiful but I find the wavy lines and split hands hard to look at.
That said, I'm smitten with my Black Bay GMT and adore the snowflake hands, so maybe I'm just weird.
I have the 300m without the wavy lines. Seiko SKX is been such an old faithful for me - but have to disagree with the rubber strap thing. I'm always swapping straps on Seikos and it's as natural on a black silicon strap as a super engineer or jubilee bracelet.
Am simialrly irrationally affectionate towards the Seiko Turtle. I'm pencil-wristed but they hide their mass so well I can wear one and not look or feel ridiculous. Same story with working on more or less any kind of strap; mine is blue faced and I rotate it through orange, blue and black silicone straps, some canvas and elastic ones, and for a bit of fun bling, a shiny oyster. It wears and performs well on all of them.
What seiko have going for them is really clear faces. The Omega SeaMaster for example is beautiful but I find the wavy lines and split hands hard to look at.
That said, I'm smitten with my Black Bay GMT and adore the snowflake hands, so maybe I'm just weird.
I prefer it not as busy in the face.
I am also relatively slender of wrist, and I like the "feature set" of a dive watch as eloquently described by someone else a little eariler in the thread. I find the timing bezel more useful than a chronograph, and I appreciate the legibility and lume of a good dive watch too.
Currently I have four dive watches: a Seiko SKX013 (38mm, wears smaller), an NTH Baracuda Black Vintage (40mm), a Christopher Ward C60 Atoll (40mm), and a Christopher Ward C60 Trident Pro 300 (Black dial, 40mm).)
I find the Seiko to be a bit on the small side, so my sweet spot would be 39-40mm.
Ideally also:
At least 200m WR (all four watches qualify here)
No thicker than 12mm (the NTH and the Trident Pro 300 qualify here)
Sapphire Crystal (all qualify apart from the Seiko)
Exhibition case back - I know this will split opinion, but I like them (the two Christopher Ward watches qualify here)
120-click unidirectional bezel (all qualify here)
Individual minute markings all the way round the bezel (only the Seiko qualifies here)
So none of my current watches racks up a full house of these ideal criteria. My favourite of these four is the C60 Atoll, which wears smaller than the Trident Pro 300 despite being the same diameter because it has a stainless steel bezel.
I tried on the Tudor Black Bay 58 Silver 925 watch recently and was very taken with it. 39mm, exhibition case back, subtle but beautiful, and something different. If I could justify the money I would be very tempted.
Currently I have four dive watches: a Seiko SKX013 (38mm, wears smaller), an NTH Baracuda Black Vintage (40mm), a Christopher Ward C60 Atoll (40mm), and a Christopher Ward C60 Trident Pro 300 (Black dial, 40mm).)
I find the Seiko to be a bit on the small side, so my sweet spot would be 39-40mm.
Ideally also:
At least 200m WR (all four watches qualify here)
No thicker than 12mm (the NTH and the Trident Pro 300 qualify here)
Sapphire Crystal (all qualify apart from the Seiko)
Exhibition case back - I know this will split opinion, but I like them (the two Christopher Ward watches qualify here)
120-click unidirectional bezel (all qualify here)
Individual minute markings all the way round the bezel (only the Seiko qualifies here)
So none of my current watches racks up a full house of these ideal criteria. My favourite of these four is the C60 Atoll, which wears smaller than the Trident Pro 300 despite being the same diameter because it has a stainless steel bezel.
I tried on the Tudor Black Bay 58 Silver 925 watch recently and was very taken with it. 39mm, exhibition case back, subtle but beautiful, and something different. If I could justify the money I would be very tempted.
I like a diver and don't dive. I have quite big wrists so I like that divers can be a little oversized. I fell in love with this current watch a LE Glycine Lagunare. I had the non LE version years ago and regretted selling it instantly. Then went on a 3 year hunt for one of these. I like the simple design, has an internal bezel, so does not catch on anything. Some of the newer divers are a little too overcomplicated for me. I will put a rubber strap back on it, as loads more comfortable..
G
G
Gassing Station | Watches | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff