Dive Watch £1,000 - £1,500 suggestions?

[Bob_Defly]

I'm trying to find another dive watch to be my daily beater, but nothing seems to float my boat.

Criteria:

• Budget of £1,000 - £1,500
• 39mm-40mm case size
• 48mm max L2L
• 13mm max thickness
• Nice clicky bezel
• Accurate movement +/-10spd (no quartz)
• Probably black or blue dial (no gold bits)
• New or used (preferably less than 15 years old)

I'd love it to be a Seiko, but the movements can be hit or miss, even after regulation (which is why I sold my SPB317). What else should I be looking at?

Chrono24 has about 600 watches so I'm currently trawling through them.

[vixen1700]

https://www.longines.com/en-gb/p/watch-hydroconque...

One of my favourite dive watches, although mine is dark green.

[blue_haddock]

Lots of options around that spec, my first thought was a christopher ward Trident 300 but you wont be short of possble choixes.

Seiko 62mas is great as well.

[Lefty]

Will you get an old school seamaster 300 for that? That would be my choice

ETA Looks like the 2531.80 is a bit more ££ but you could get the mid size in budget

Edited by Lefty on Thursday 11th June 16:12

[Jinba Ittai]

Slightly over budget but you may be able to find pre owned within budget.

https://www.francisandgaye.co.uk/sinn-mens-105-st-...

[SlimJim16v]

I would go for an Oris titanium diver. It wears much smaller than the dimensions suggest due to the shape. You can also get chronograph, small seconds, full lume dial and 1,000m versions. Can be had for about £1,000 used.
I have this, and the chrono which is very fat.

[WayOutWest]

One of the Certina DS Action Divers maybe

e.g.
https://www.certina.com/gb/watch/ds-action-diver-4...


This is my favourite variant though:
https://www.certina.com/gb/watch/ds-action-diver-4...

[Bob_Defly]

vixen1700 said:

https://www.longines.com/en-gb/p/watch-hydroconque...

One of my favourite dive watches, although mine is dark green.

I very nearly went for this one a while ago, then they brought out the new one which I like even more, but is just above budget.

[Bob_Defly]

WayOutWest said:

One of the Certina DS Action Divers maybe

e.g.
https://www.certina.com/gb/watch/ds-action-diver-4...


This is my favourite variant though:
https://www.certina.com/gb/watch/ds-action-diver-4...

What's the general accuracy like on the Powermatic 80 movements?

[Llentil the llama]

As already stated Longines Hydroconquest, any of the Certina divers also from the Swatch group stable the Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba range.

Now for some real dive watch history with their own heritage designs, Zodiac watches divers OR Squale dive watches (interesting why they write Squale twice on their dials, for good reason).

Two french companies to look at Yema and Baltic with their Aquascaphe (spelling?).

Tuseno (swedish) make some distinctive divers as well.

Enjoy

[vixen1700]

Good call with Yema, the Superman is a nice diver:

https://yema.com/products/yema-superman-steel-cmm-...

Another curve ball is the Guinand Deepwave:

https://www.guinand-uhren.de/diving-watches/deepwa...

Made to order from the factory in very small numbers and very nicely made.

[Llentil the llama]

A little budget creep gets you into the Oris divers but in budget will get you as good as new pre-owned Oris. Good watches choice of two styles, vintage or modern.

[gregs656]

Lefty said:

Will you get an old school seamaster 300 for that? That would be my choice

ETA Looks like the 2531.80 is a bit more ££ but you could get the mid size in budget

I think the SMP is the right answer as they wear beautifully. The 36mms are really quite small though I am not sure I would recommend one.

IMO the 'problem' with this price bracket is that it is quite a lot more than many really nice watches (especially second hand), but not quite enough for something like an SMP.

[magpie215]

Sinn U50

[Llentil the llama]

This meets all your criteria I believe. Go to the Cousins website, buy a timegrapher and the tools to remove the case back, have fun regulating the movement to the spec you want and enjoy the watch. Get it serviced anywhere or learn how to service the watch yourself, well known movement, parts available anywhere, nothing hard here. Great no nonsense watch that you can learn with as well. Fabulous. All under 1K including tools and watchmaking courses.

https://baltic-watches.com/en/products/aquascaphe-...

[Llentil the llama]

Put it on a blue nato with silver or white striping through it and that is two of your OP threads sorted in one go, done and dusted.

We are all personal though, so it could be possible or even more probable that this isn't done and dusted, many options are being offered make sure you choose what speaks to you.

[Got4wheels]

Another one voting for the Longines Hydronconquest. Bought my green one brand new in 2022 and have worn it pretty much everyday since and it still looks great. Could likely get a second hand one for less than £1500 now the new one is out.

If you want something left field however, Aquastar make some 60s inspired dive watches. Saw one in the 'flesh' last year (worn by Jonny Smith - he's an ambassador for them) and it looked brilliant. Fortunately I talked myself out of adding one to my collection.

Michael

[Drooles]

I was going to say CW Trident but I think I d push the budget a bit further and get the Sinn 105 mentioned earlier

[Macneil]

Bob_Defly said:

I very nearly went for this one a while ago, then they brought out the new one which I like even more, but is just above budget.

I thought Longines when I read your OP, I bet you could hggle the £1700 down to under budget.

[hungry_hog]

Oris, Squale, Sinn

Don't buy the SMP 36 they are tiny. By the time you take the bezel away from that 36 the dial is like an atom!