Watches are a great way to show your fashion sense and make a style statement, but for those of us who love taking the plunge and diving, it can be hard to find the right watch that won’t break the bank.
In this article, we’ll talk about the best dive watches under $1000, from a whole range of names that you may or may not have heard of.
Citizen Promaster GMT
Citizen is well known for its large line of watches built specifically for a wide array of outdoor activities, and the Promaster GMT is no exception here.
When it comes to outdoor suitability, this is a classic choice for many runners, hikers, climbers, and swimmers.
The Promaster GMT has been designed specifically for divers who need a rugged, reliable watch that will keep up with them underwater. It’s made of either stainless steel or titanium, so it’s corrosion-resistant.
This watch is also water-resistant to 330 feet (100 meters), making it suitable for any diving purposes that might crop up for you! It also has a stainless steel bracelet and uses a quartz movement.
The crown is easy to operate, and the watch comes with a two-year warranty too.
Pros
- Great in-built battery – No need for replacement batteries after just a few months or years. With its eco-drive function, it’ll be able to charge itself on solar power alone, eliminating any need for regular battery changes. Leaving you with more time on the go!
- GMT Functions as standard – Find yourself on the move in many time zones? The GMT function helps you keep track of local times, with just a few adjustments necessary.
- Great water depths – You can go as deep as 200 meters with this watch, all whilst it is still working!
Cons
- Manual time adjustments – Other GMT have automatic time zone functions, which isn’t necessarily the case with the Promaster GMT. You may have to adjust them yourself for more precise times.
Our Thoughts
This watch is great. It has all the features one would want in a diving watch. The anti-reflective sapphire crystal makes it easy to read the time in pretty much any light conditions you might find yourself in.
The case is made of stainless steel, which feels sturdy, so it doesn’t feel like it’s going to fall apart at the first tap or knock it takes on the chin.
The overall feel of the watch is solid and professional, and not just the faceplate either. The strap is comfortable, robust, and fits nicely around my wrist.
We liked the fact that there is a push-button crown instead of a winding stem. This makes it much more convenient to use as opposed to having to wind the watch every time.
The Eco-drive feature works perfectly. The battery life lasts longer than other watches I have used with this feature. The watch is waterproof and shockproof.
It is also magnetic proof. The bezel can rotate 360 degrees, and the hands are luminous for when it gets too dark.
We were very pleased with what this watch can do, and would happily recommend it to anyone who finds themselves forgetting to take their watches off when they dive!.
Baltic Aquascaphe GMT
If you’re looking for luxury as much as you are keeping your eyes out for diving functions, then Baltic might be a good place to find your next diving watch.
And of all of them, the Aquascaphe GMT is one of your best ports to stop at, so to speak.
Aquascaphe GMT has been designed with a sleek and modern look. The dial features a bidirectional Sapphire Bezel and a double dome sapphire glass lens. This watch is available in two different finishes; matte black and glossy white.
It comes with a stainless steel case, a stainless steel bracelet, and a leather strap. The stainless steel case measures 41mm wide x 47mm tall, making it slightly wider than the previous model. The case thickness is 12mm.
If you are looking for a stylish Swiss-made watch that looks great paired with casual outfits, as well as underwater, the Aquascaphe GMT is the watch for you.
Pros
- GMT Functions are a great time-saver – Great for those of us who just love to travel. Get the local time easily with this great function that is a must for any long-distance exploits.
- Water-resistant to impressive depths – With depths of up to 100 meters being handled by this watch’s incredibly solid design, it will cover pretty much all your water diving needs.
Cons
- The price of luxury – Whilst this watch isn’t impossible to find under $1000, it comes damn near close, even being a little more depending on the seller. If you aren’t looking to spend this close to your total budget, you may want to check elsewhere first for a luxury diving watch.
Our Thoughts
This watch is quite nice, it has a good feel to it, and it looks great, whilst being very accurate, arguably the most important thing when it comes to a good watch.
Of course, it is also sturdy enough to take some abuse, including when it comes to diving.
It looks great, feels good in my hand too. The dial is black and silver with luminescent hands for those darker times, which makes it easy to read while not blinding you.
The crown has a click feature that makes it easy to turn without having to hold down the button. It runs smoothly as well.
We loved the fact that it has automatic movement too, so we know that its GMT functions are pretty smooth.
We didn’t know how accurate they were before, but it turns out that they are pretty accurate.
This is an easy recommendation for this watch, especially to anyone looking for a quality timepiece, who has a little extra cash to spend for it.
Citizen Eco-Drive Analogue Classic Watch PU Strap
If you prize function over form, but not by too much, then you should consider the Analogue Classic.
This is a unique watch that is designed especially for people who love diving, and it doesn’t disappoint!
The Citizen Eco-Drive watches are made from high-quality materials and feature a water-resistant case, as you would expect from any good diving watch. It has a large dial window and a black dial with luminous hands and markers.
This watch comes with a stainless steel bracelet and a buckle closure. The strap is reinforced with urethane to ensure it stays strong during tough activities.
This Citizen Eco-Drive watch has a black dial with luminous hands and markers.
It has a large case size of 48 mm and the water resistanceobvious reasons of this watch can go up to 300 meters deep!
The watch comes with a strap extension of 5cm, so it can fit different wrist sizes.
Pros
- Reach great depths with this watch – With up to 300 meters of depth, or almost a thousand feet, if there is a dive that needs more than this, then it was never meant to be done!
- Great pricing – For such a depth, and for also being this beautifully designed, the price range that this watch tends to be sold at is very reasonable.
- Comfortable to wear – The rubber strap is very easy on the wrist, and makes you forget that it’s even there in the first place. To those who think that choosing a rubber strap over metal or leather is a downgrade, just wear one of these for a few days, and you’ll see the benefits it brings!
Cons
- Some features are a little unclear – The date on this dive watch is a little difficult to read, as are a few of the other faceplate details. This is by no means a dealbreaker, especially if you have other means of telling time in your day-to-day life, such as a smartphone.
But if you’re looking for something with clear markers and information, or perhaps your eyesight is a little fuzzy, you might want to consider looking at a different dive watch.
Our Thoughts
We liked the modern design sensibilities of this watch, as well as its durability. It looks great and feels sturdy enough for any activity.
It also has an anti-reflective coating, which makes it easier to read underwater, a feature many will be looking to purchase this watch for.
We were worried about the size and how it would feel to wear, as it is a little larger than we were expecting.
But it fits fine on a wrist and does not feel like you are wearing a watch. It was easy to set up and easy to change settings.
Plus, keeping it clean is surprisingly hassle-free. This is a good quality watch, and we would recommend it to anyone looking for a diver’s watch.
Luminox Bear Grylls Survival Air Series
If you’re looking for a watch that can handle diving, then you’ll want something that can stand up to pretty much any punishment the wild world throws at you.
And when it comes to knowing how to face that wilderness, then the seal of approval from Bear Grylls himself is surely enough to sway even the most cautious of minds.
Well, that is exactly what the folks over at Luminox have done with their Survival Air watch!
Bear Grylls Survival Air Quartz Men’s Watch from Luminox features a durable 42mm wide and 13mm thick stainless steel case with a brushed finish.
The watch has a black dial with white luminous indexes, numerals, and hour markers, great features when you’re out there in the dark wilderness!
It also has a scratch-resistant sapphire glass crystal and is water-resistant up to 200m.
Luminox 3761 features a Swiss Ronda 515HF quartz movement and is equipped with a 24 mm wide black nylon strap with a buckle clasp and a stainless steel push-button deployment safety pin closure.
Pros
- A watch that will last as long as you need – This is a rugged design in pretty much every sense of the word: lume that will last 35 years, and a battery life that will go for up to 50 months without any maintenance, as well as the GMT function. This is perfect for anyone who is always on the move, whether that’s in a city or out in the open wilds!
- Great water depth too – You didn’t think a Bear Grylls-approved wilderness watch would be without water resistance, did you? With up to 200 meters of depth or over 650 feet of water over you, you’ll truly be prepared for anything!
Cons
- Watch strap not great with water – You would have thought that something that is designed to go pretty much anywhere would have a watch strap that could do just as well as the watch itself.
However, that doesn’t appear to be the case with Air Survival, as it takes a long time for water to completely dry from it, even in the best of conditions. You’ll either have to find a way to get a custom strap (ideally rubber) or look elsewhere.
Our Thoughts
If you’re looking for the perfect time-keeping gift for your wilderness-crazy partner, this will be exactly what they need.
Any outdoor enthusiast would love the fact that it’s waterproof! Overall, we think it’s an awesome buy for those with a passion for diving and the great outdoors in general.
Orient ‘Mako XL’ Japanese Stainless Steel Diving Watch
For a reliable watch that won’t let you down while you are diving, you’ll want to take a look at Orient Men’s Mako XL stainless steel masterpiece.
Having been making watches since 1950, Orient has experience in making high-quality watches that can take a great deal of punishment for over 70 years.
The Orient Mako XL features a mineral crystal case to protect its delicate movement from scratches.
The watch has a unidirectional bezel that makes it easy to read time during dives, so there’s no need to worry about becoming disoriented at lower depths.
It comes with a Japanese automatic movement and a Japanese quartz movement option. Its automatic movement that comes as standard also provides reliable accuracy and precision.
It is water-resistant to 200 meters (660 feet), making it suitable for professional marine activities and serious surface water sports.
If you are looking for a dive watch that’s stylish yet functional, then Orient Mako XL may just be the right watch for you.
Pros
- Great depth capacity – With up to 200 meters of water resistance, this is prime diving-watch material.
- Stylish design – From its lovely sea-foam green bezel faceplate design to its spear-shaped clock hands, to the almost scale-like design of the watch’s strap, the theming is on-point for the ‘Mako XL’.
- Reasonably priced watch – For all its extra features including the deepwater capability, this watch is very easy to find in a lower price range.
Cons
- Large size makes it not ideal for everyone – This model was made to accommodate thicker wrists, so you may find that it hangs or falls off if you have even relatively normal-sized wrists.
Our Thoughts
As we’ve already said, this watch has a good design and feel, and the movement is reliable both on land and in the water. It’s waterproof, it has a good battery life, and it looks nice.
The mineral crystal is also great for diving, in case there was any doubt left that this was a watch that couldn’t take the pressure of sub-aquatic activities.
The baggy strap that hangs a little on most people’s wrists doesn’t make this ideal for everyone, though, which should be taken into account if you purchase this.
Overall, however, we think it is still a good buy, especially if you are worried that your wrists are too big for anything else.
Buyer’s Guide
Whilst you’re out there deciding what the best diving watch might be for your needs, here are some extra points that might help you narrow down your search.
Water Resistance And Diving Capacity
The most important thing for most divers when it comes to buying a watch is water resistance and the depth that it can go to.
Dive watches should be waterproof, for reasons that are obvious. No respectable diving watch would have a depth of fewer than 100 meters.
GMT Function
Something that is also great for those on the move is a GMT function for your diving watch.
People who enjoy diving and swimming might also be the kinds of people that enjoy traveling a lot.
There are plenty of great diving locations around the world, after all!
The ability to tell the time in multiple places is fantastic for these types of people, and having a GMT function means that you don’t have to worry about losing track of time while away from home.
A good example of using a GMT function would be if you are planning a trip abroad where you’ll be spending lots of time in different time zones.
So a GMT has some good functionality, outside of being great for diving.
Movement
Movement when it comes to watches refers to if the watch is mechanically powered or quartz-powered.
Mechanical
A mechanical watch is a very old type of watch. It is made up of many parts such as gears, springs, and hands.
It needs winding every day or two. It’s not quite as accurate at first, but, over time, as quartz movements degrade, the mechanical blueprint wins out.
Quartz
Quartz watches are battery-powered watches. Their main advantages are that they’re low cost and lightweight.
There are different types of quartz timepieces, including solar watches that can work without any power source other than sunlight.
As they run on electricity instead of manual winding, quartz watches are much faster and easier to use. They also require less maintenance because there aren’t any moving parts.
Quartz movement works by using a quartz crystal, which vibrates depending on the amount of electricity flowing through it.
These movements are very accurate and reliable. These watches are also affordable and compact.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Distinguishes A Dive Watch From Ordinary Watches?
What usually separates diving watches from other watches is their water resistance and pressure tempering.
For most watches, whilst being a little water-resistant to the occasional splash isn’t rare, few can stand up to the pressures that dive watches often deal with.
Why Are Dive Watches So Popular?
While dive watches were initially invested for, you’ve guessed it… divers, they’ve caught on as a mainstream product.
This is likely because they’re generally seen as the toughest watches on the market.
Conclusion
So, there you have it! A list of diving watches that are worth looking into.
Remember, this article is only meant to be used as a guide to help you make an informed decision.
As always, try to visit local shops and ask questions, so you know what you’re getting yourself into before making a purchase.