The watch in my profile pic is almost the largest dive watch I've seen. The face alone is almost 2.5 inches across. It was a present the same birthday I got my reading glasses. It has the advantage that it easily readable in the dark without my glasses
It's the original Invicta Russian Diver. Models vary WIDELY - there have been quartz, automatic and fully manual versions. There are some with glass, and some with sapphire/mineral crystals. Costs can be < $100 or over $400. They also vary widely in depth ratings. Looks like they don't make this original one anymore, and most of the current ones are a little "busy" on the face and harder to read. Some are a good value, others are "Shopping Channel fancy", so shop carefully if you look at Invictas.
My next fav and easy to read watches are the Prospex and other simple face Seikos. I have two, they aren't huge, but they're large enough. One is quartz, the other solar. The quartz one is from 1985 and still keeps time to within seconds per month (exceeds its specs, compared to a GPS clock). In other words, I'm a Seiko fan
The larger Seikos can run up to 48mm (1.88 in), but can be spendy.
After that, Casio Eco-drives, seem to be quite popular. Some of those have GPS time setting at a "reasonable" price. I don't know if they make a really big watch. I have a few friends who swear by them.
Avoid the big NIXON and similar "big" style watches, those (and similar) seem currently popular with some of the surf crowd around here but I've never seen one that was depth rated.
I think as long as you stay away from the "black on gray GPS+3 time zones+2 stop watches+depth gauge+moon phase+..." faces you'll be OK
Also, I would personally never dive with a watch that costs more than my dive vacation!
So the 1000m Seiko Prospex Titanium Tuna is not gonna happen.
Good luck; I'm curious as to what you choose.
It's the original Invicta Russian Diver. Models vary WIDELY - there have been quartz, automatic and fully manual versions. There are some with glass, and some with sapphire/mineral crystals. Costs can be < $100 or over $400. They also vary widely in depth ratings. Looks like they don't make this original one anymore, and most of the current ones are a little "busy" on the face and harder to read. Some are a good value, others are "Shopping Channel fancy", so shop carefully if you look at Invictas.
My next fav and easy to read watches are the Prospex and other simple face Seikos. I have two, they aren't huge, but they're large enough. One is quartz, the other solar. The quartz one is from 1985 and still keeps time to within seconds per month (exceeds its specs, compared to a GPS clock). In other words, I'm a Seiko fan
The larger Seikos can run up to 48mm (1.88 in), but can be spendy.
After that, Casio Eco-drives, seem to be quite popular. Some of those have GPS time setting at a "reasonable" price. I don't know if they make a really big watch. I have a few friends who swear by them.
Avoid the big NIXON and similar "big" style watches, those (and similar) seem currently popular with some of the surf crowd around here but I've never seen one that was depth rated.
I think as long as you stay away from the "black on gray GPS+3 time zones+2 stop watches+depth gauge+moon phase+..." faces you'll be OK
Also, I would personally never dive with a watch that costs more than my dive vacation!
So the 1000m Seiko Prospex Titanium Tuna is not gonna happen.
Good luck; I'm curious as to what you choose.