Good diver watch brands?

[ajduplessis]

The Citizen Aqualand and Promaster dive watches are well worth the money/performance.

I own an Aqualand that is 8years old that has seen a lot of diving and still looking great. They are incredibly durable and extremely accurate timekeepers. My aqualand is 5seconds quick over a month, or 1minute a year!

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

I've got a Seiko SKX007 automatic and a Citizen Eco Drive (BN0151). I like both, but the Seiko can't beat the Citizen...accuracy wise.

Assuming you wear the Seiko every day and you're active...it's plenty accurate. However, if you were to say...have an extremely lazy long weekend (ex. Netflix and not leave the couch)...the watch will gradually start to slow down (lose time) and eventually stop.

Appearance wise...the Seiko wins...hands down. Balance wise (comfort on the wrist) and accuracy...the Citizen. The Citizen can also be had for $50 or so less than the Seiko.

Not first-hand info, but what I've heard from watch repair specialists is that there are two brands you can never service and still pass down working - Rolex and Orient.

This isn't to say others aren't good; just that these two build their movements a certain way that stands up to things. Seiko is among the highest-regarded brands, and specifically for their diver models - but they're not among the cheapest.

You won't go wrong with either, really, just look through what they have to pick something with large hands and lots of luminova on them.

Lol. That's the exact opposite of what I've heard from my Dad and brother (both Rolex owners).

Rolex need to be serviced by an authorized dealer periodically. Even doing that, my Dad's Submariner has never been particularly accurate over the years.

Rolex are nice looking watches, but the only way I'd get one is if I had to conduct a Department of Defense end of fiscal year dumpster fire style spending spree.

You know...that you've got to hurry up and spend ALL the money you have left, because if you dont...you won't get the same amount next year.

Edit: That and get something that you can put a NATO strap on. That brings me to the only weak point of the Citizen (my two cents)...their spring bars suck. I managed to pop one off (the second picture) and leave my watch flapping by the second pin while putting my backpack on one morning. I just ordered some 20mm Seiko bars to use as replacements

 

[Hoag]

I use a Citizen Hyper Aqualand that I have had for probably 15 years. (I have replaced the original band with a NATO Strap.) It has a nice readout, and keeps track of depth, temp, Time in, Time out, a running dive time and many other data points. It really only has one big flaw, its ascent rate alarm is very sensitive and basically beeps throughout the dive! There is no way to turn it off. Other than that, I really like it. In fact, I typically use this watch to fill in my log at the end of the day, not my dive computer.

 

[Efka76]

I've got a Seiko SKX007 automatic and a Citizen Eco Drive (BN0151). I like both, but the Seiko can't beat the Citizen...accuracy wise.

Assuming you wear the Seiko every day and you're active...it's plenty accurate. However, if you were to say...have an extremely lazy long weekend (ex. Netflix and not leave the couch)...the watch will gradually start to slow down (lose time) and eventually stop.

Appearance wise...the Seiko wins...hands down. Balance wise (comfort on the wrist) and accuracy...the Citizen. The Citizen can also be had for $50 or so less than the Seiko.




Lol. That's the exact opposite of what I've heard from my Dad and brother (both Rolex owners).

Rolex need to be serviced by an authorized dealer periodically. Even doing that, my Dad's Submariner has never been particularly accurate over the years.

Rolex are nice looking watches, but the only way I'd get one is if I had to conduct a Department of Defense end of fiscal year dumpster fire style spending spree.

You know...that you've got to hurry up and spend ALL the money you have left, because if you dont...you won't get the same amount next year.

Edit: That and get something that you can put a NATO strap on. That brings me to the only weak point of the Citizen (my two cents)...their spring bars suck. I managed to pop one off (the second picture) and leave my watch flapping by the second pin while putting my backpack on one morning. I just ordered some 20mm Seiko bars to use as replacements

According to current Rolex suggestions, servicing should be done every 10 years. I would not say that this is "regularly". In practice, you need to service Rolex, when it become inaccurate or stops. Servicing costs are the same when servicing is done after 10 or 20 years. My Rolex currently runs +4-5 s/day. Not according promised spec of -2/+2 s/day but still within COSC standards.

Diving watch under water is already outdated matter. Cheapest diving computer is better than the best Rolex, Omega or another expensive "dive" watch. I am always wearing Cressi Newton dive computer when diving and leave expensive watches at home. Few times i took Seiko SRPA 21 (turtle) to diving. Fun but not practical If you want inexpensive and relatively good quality dive watch, go for Seiko. You will not be mistaken.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

According to current Rolex suggestions, servicing should be done every 10 years. I would not say that this is "regularly". In practice, you need to service Rolex, when it become inaccurate or stops. Servicing costs are the same when servicing is done after 10 or 20 years. My Rolex currently runs +4-5 s/day. Not according promised spec of -2/+2 s/day but still within COSC standards.

Diving watch under water is already outdated matter. Cheapest diving computer is better than the best Rolex, Omega or another expensive "dive" watch. I am always wearing Cressi Newton dive computer when diving and leave expensive watches at home. Few times i took Seiko SRPA 21 (turtle) to diving. Fun but not practical If you want inexpensive and relatively good quality dive watch, go for Seiko. You will not be mistaken.

I was thinking it was every five or ten years. I couldn't remember which.

My point being...you can get that accuracy out of any x < $200 dive watch, so if you're buying a Rolex...it's because you want a Rolex.

I agree on the dive watch vs. dive computer debate. If someone doesn't typically wear a watch, I'd say that they're better off getting a dive computer (and perhaps a cheap dive watch as a backup safety stop time piece).

 

[Snoweman]

Whatever you get, make sure it's rated to 200m. If you get a 100m rated watch, it isn't warrantied for diving.

 

[Efka76]

I was thinking it was every five or ten years. I couldn't remember which.

My point being...you can get that accuracy out of any x < $200 dive watch, so if you're buying a Rolex...it's because you want a Rolex.

I agree on the dive watch vs. dive computer debate. If someone doesn't typically wear a watch, I'd say that they're better off getting a dive computer (and perhaps a cheap dive watch as a backup safety stop time piece).

When you talk about luxury watches, forget about accuracy, sturdiness, etc. E.g. Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet are very fragile and even small bump could cause your visit to AD for repairs. Fully agree that similar accuracy could be seen even in cheap watches. Any quartz watch is going to be much more accurate that the best Rolex, PP, VC, AP, etc.

 

[scrane]

Seiko SKX007 for an old school automatic or a Citizen BN0000-04H if you want to know the exact time.
Although not a dive watch, this is the best watch I've ever owned: Zakkanomatsuyasu Rakutenichibaten: Seiko Alba ALBA SEIKO watch titanium case 20 ATM water resistant military watches APBT211 | Rakuten Global Market

 

[Frod]

I don't know what your definition of "decent" is but I dive Casio G-

If the Shearwaer Teric had better battery life it would be my goto daily wear/dive computer but it doesn't.

Well, actually it HAS! If you turn off the screen. I have Teric and with turning off the screen i has already been 45 days WITHOUT a charge and I still have 20% of battery left!

So charging it once in 1-1.5 months is not that bad for a watch, I think.

 

[Frod]

Dont know what you mean by "dive watch", but if you mean a watch that you can dive with, most Luminox models are rated up to 200m (20bar), which is kind of definitions and a requirement for a dive watch.

if you need something with deapth gauge , etc. it is better to opt for dive computer in watch form factor like Suunto D4/D6/D9. or if you have money go for Garmin MK1 or Shearwater Teric.