Dive watch for serious use

[Subcooled]

What is the worlds most readable publicly available/reasonably priced dive watch
(big dial, self-illuminating)?

[ignoring lcd/oled dive computers and bottom timers in this thread]

I know that both Apeks and Poseidon make dive watches. Are the other ones worth to consider?

 

[JohnnyC]

Are you looking for an actual dive watch, rated, one-way timing bezel, etc., or are you looking for something fancier with depth, etc.? What do you consider reasonably priced?

I have a Praetorian Signifier. It's depth rated, tritium illumination, one-way bezel. Looks like they've gone up in price since I bought mine a few years ago. Before that I had a Bombfrog, until it got hooked on a wire rope ladder and fell 25m to a concrete floor. They pretty drastically raised their prices so I didn't bother getting a new one.

PRAETORIAN Signifer PVD Auto. @ Product Categories @ PRAETORIAN® – Tactical Watches – Military Watches – Divers Watches – H3 Tritium Watches – mb-microtec GTLS Tritium Gas Lights Permanent Illumination
Watches

 

[JamesBon92007]

I think this one might qualify:

Casio Men's Sport Analog Dive Watch Black | eBay

They can be had for a couple bucks less sometimes.

After 49 years of scuba diving and several different watches this is the one I concluded has everything I need and is easiest to read and use. It's good to 100M, has no buttons to push (or forget to push), glows in the dark, and I've never had a bezel accidentally move while diving. I don't think it lights up but I've never needed one to. If I'm night diving I always have a flashlight and a backup light anyway. At around $17 I also don't have to worry about it. I've had a couple of other Casio dive watches and the only failure I had was after I had the battery changed at the factory (I sent it in). It leaked afterward and I specifically requested new seals and water testing. Next time I 'll just get a new watch. The same model that has colored numbers does not glow in the dark.

Actually, my old Princeton dive timer is so accurate and reliable that I don't even pay attention to my watch any more but backup is usually a good idea.

 

[Snoweman]

I like my Luminox. It doesn't require pushing a button to see the time (hands). I'm not sure if it uses tritium, but it doesn't need a light source for luminescence. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Luminox-...53367&wl11=online&wl12=46754005&wl13=&veh=sem

 

[Subcooled]

Are you looking for an actual dive watch, rated, one-way timing bezel, etc., or are you looking for something fancier with depth, etc.? What do you consider reasonably priced?

I have a Praetorian Signifier. It's depth rated, tritium illumination, one-way bezel. Looks like they've gone up in price since I bought mine a few years ago. Before that I had a Bombfrog, until it got hooked on a wire rope ladder and fell 25m to a concrete floor. They pretty drastically raised their prices so I didn't bother getting a new one.

PRAETORIAN Signifer PVD Auto. @ Product Categories @ PRAETORIAN® – Tactical Watches – Military Watches – Divers Watches – H3 Tritium Watches – mb-microtec GTLS Tritium Gas Lights Permanent Illumination
Watches

I want a device that keeps me alive. Visibility would be abyssmal - like ten inches or less...

I need to know the dive time (=gas). I can usually guess the depth. My dive computer doesn't perform. I already know some good visual dive computers (time+depth) but here I am considering self-illumiating plain dive watches under USD 300 and with a modest depth rating (120ft).

 

[Snoweman]

I need to know the dive time (=gas).

Do you know how to use a unidirectional bezel??

 

[emoreira]

I bought a few years ago a Citizen Aqualand, which is rated up to 200 meters. It has no light.
It has a one directional bezel and a dive mode with max depth, time and temperature for the last 4 dives in two digital displays.
Citizen Aqualand Promaster Diver's 200M JP1060-01E Men's Watch

 

[JMBL]

Have a look at Seiko watches. Price range is wide. Have 4 of them, dived 3 of them up to 60 meters/200ftsw, the 4th will be tried soon. Can't complain.

 

[ScubaSteve85]

Everyone has different concepts of affordable, but as far as serious dive watches (on par with Rolex Sub, Omega Seamaster, etc) the value offered by the Tudor Pelagos is hard to beat. You have to be a fan of larger watches, but it does feel very light weight on the wrist thanks to a titanium case and bracelet. Tudor Pelagos Diving Swiss Watch - m25600tb-0001

@JMBL also has a great recommendation though. I currently dive a Seiko SKX007 which is very much a quintisential dive watch. It's been fantastic both above and below the water. Stick that thing on a NATO strap to really class it up.

 

[ams511]

I think this one might qualify:

Casio Men's Sport Analog Dive Watch Black | eBay

They can be had for a couple bucks less sometimes.

After 49 years of scuba diving and several different watches this is the one I concluded has everything I need and is easiest to read and use. It's good to 100M, has no buttons to push (or forget to push), glows in the dark, and I've never had a bezel accidentally move while diving. I don't think it lights up but I've never needed one to. If I'm night diving I always have a flashlight and a backup light anyway. At around $17 I also don't have to worry about it. I've had a couple of other Casio dive watches and the only failure I had was after I had the battery changed at the factory (I sent it in). It leaked afterward and I specifically requested new seals and water testing. Next time I 'll just get a new watch. The same model that has colored numbers does not glow in the dark.

Actually, my old Princeton dive timer is so accurate and reliable that I don't even pay attention to my watch any more but backup is usually a good idea.

Depth ratings are like Chinese lumens. In other words, grossly exaggerated. For diving you normally want a watch with a depth rating of 200M. 100M is good enough for swimming, snorkeling, or shallow diving. 50M is good for getting caught in the rain. There are some watches in the $40 or so dollar range that will work. Such as the the cheaper G-shocks.