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The dive watch is a staple watch style that has been around since the 1950s, and you don't need to be a deep-sea diver to sport one. These watches are often chunky and bold — in part for aesthetics, and in part for their need to withstand the extreme pressures with traveling well below the water's surface.
From a visual standpoint, a dive watch is easy to spot. A moveable bezel — typically external — is crucial. There's usually a 60-minute ring that can be used to time everything from how long you're underwater, right down to how long you've been waiting for a taxi. Its markers and hands are big, easy to read, and have some sort of luminous material applied to them. Beyond what they can do underwater, they're durable and a great casual timepiece to wear with just about anything in your wardrobe.
Now, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, there's one point we need to cover: depth rating. Some of these watches say they can go 100 meters below the surface, and others are rated for their ability to exceed 1,000 meters. To date, the deepest any scuba diver has ever been is a little more than 300 meters, so we wouldn't put too much emphasis on ratings above that, unless you plan on strapping your watch to the outside of a submarine. Generally speaking, 100 meters can handle your average swimming and snorkeling needs, and 200-plus is a safe bet for recreational diving.
Now that you know more about dive watches, see our favorite picks below.
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Under $100
Casio G-Shock DW5600E Digital Dive Watch
Priced well below $100, the Casio DW5600-1V is not only a remake of the company's iconic first-ever G-Shock, but also a highly capable diving timepiece. The watch is water-resistant to 200 meters. As expected from a G-Shock, it also features excellent backlighting.
The digital movement of the rugged watch has a plethora of handy and essential timekeeping features, including an alarm, a countdown timer, and a stopwatch, among many others.
More: The Coolest Casio G-Shock Watches Available Today
Under $200
Citizen Men's Eco-Drive Promaster Diver Watch
This Citizen Promaster variant is a great entry-level dive watch. It has a utilitarian design, a tough 44-millimeter stainless steel case that's water-resistant to 200 meters, and the company's light-powered, signature Eco-Drive movement. Of course, being a diving instrument, the timepiece has oversized hands and dial indexes with superb luminescence.
A comfy polyurethane strap and a robust 5-year warranty make this Citizen Promaster an excellent pick in its price range. Rather impressively, the retail packaging of the watch is shaped like an oxygen tank for scuba diving, leaving no room for you to doubt its capabilities.
Under $500
Seiko Prospex SRPC07 Dive Watch
When it comes to automatic dive watches at a reasonable price point, Seiko is handily among the industry leaders. This Prospex model has a 44-millimeter case with a timeless design, as well as an attention-commanding orange dial with contrasting hands and markings. It's commonly referred to in the watch collector community as the Orange Samurai (other color variants are also available).
The sturdy automatic movement of the timepiece has a date complication and a power reserve of 41 hours. The watch comes with a sturdy metal bracelet.
Under $1,000
Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X. Professional Titanium Diver Watch
The Victorinox Swiss Army I.N.O.X. Professional Diver watch is probably tougher than any other watch on this list. Its large titanium case (45 millimeters in diameter) has been engineered to survive through 130 endurance tests, which include the watch being run over by an actual tank. The timepiece is water-resistant to 200 meters.
The watch is powered by a high-quality quartz movement with a date complication. Its dial is available in several colors, but this variant with contrasting marking and striped seconds hand is handily my favorite.
In a manner befitting a pricier product, the I.N.O.X. Professional Diver comes packaged in a rugged box that's full of handy accessories, including a rubber strap, a paracord strap, and a removable magnifying glass.
Under $2,000
Zodiac Super Sea Wolf 68 Saturation Diving Watch
The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf 68 Saturation diving watch is a nod to the Swiss manufacturer's timepieces from decades ago. It has an oversized stainless steel case (it measures 50 millimeters in diameter) that's water-resistant to an eye-popping 1,000 meters (100 ATM or 3,280 feet).
Like all diving watches by Zodiac, the Super Sea Wolf 68 Saturation is powered by a reliable automatic movement with a date complication.
The timepiece is comfy to wear despite its massive case, thanks to a high-quality, great-looking mesh bracelet. In case you find this Super Sea Wolf 68 Saturation variant too subtle, consider this orange-clad iteration instead.
Under $5,000
Breitling Avenger II GMT Diving Watch
The Breitling Avenger II GMT watch is great option for divers who are frequent travelers. The timepiece will allow them to keep an eye on multiple time zones via a dedicated complication (hence its GMT name). The Swiss timepiece is water-resistant to 300 meters. It comes on a tough rubber strap that's perfect for scuba diving.
Like all mechanical watches by Breitling, the Avenger II GMT packs an automatic movement that's a certified chronometer. We like that the second time-zone hand has a red finish for superior readability.
Under $10,000
Officine Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Diving Watch
Is your budget limitless? Then the Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days by Officine Panerai is the dive watch for you. The meticulously crafted timepiece pays homage to watches worn by military divers more than 50 years ago. Like most Panerai watches, this one has the brand's signature crown guard — a feature that's utilitarian and cool in equal measure.
In a manner befitting its name and price tag, the Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days is powered by top-grade mechanical movement with a 3-day power reserve. The 47-millimeter case of the watch is massive — but because it's made from titanium, it's surprisingly lightweight.
The retail package of the watch is unsurprisingly impressive, too. It includes a rubber strap, a high-quality leather strap, and a tool for changing them, all tucked inside a beautiful presentation box.
Stefan Vazharov
Senior Technology Editor
Stefan is the senior technology editor for BestProducts.com, where he’s been covering the tech industry and testing the latest gadgets since 2015; He previously covered tech products for GSMArena.com and his work can also be found on Popular Mechanics.
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