The 12 best diving watches 2024?

Nowadays, diving watches are no longer necessary for recreational diving. However, many divers wear a watch as a backup to the dive computer.

A watch for water and land:

With a diver’s watch, you can dive into the depths and cut a fine figure on land. Alongside chronographs, sporty diver’s watches are among the most popular watches.

Avoid buying mistakes:

Not every waterproof watch is also suitable as a diver’s watch. We show you how to find the right model from the countless options available.

The best diving watches 2024?

Not all watches have the necessary characteristics to pass as a diver’s watch. The buying guide tells you what to look out for when purchasing.

In a hurry? Our favorite diver’s watch:

The top 3 men’s diving watches under 500 $

1. Citizen Promaster Sea

Summary

This fashionable watch has many features and can do more than most other diving watches. The diameter of the case is 44 mm and the diver’s watch is water-resistant to 200 m.

The best:

The diver’s watch is made of super titanium and is therefore extremely resistant to knocks, scratches and salt water. The material also feels very comfortable against the skin.

This watch has many of the same features as a dive computer. Nevertheless, it does not replace the computer! The diver’s watch has a depth gauge, dive timer and an alarm for dive time and depth. The watch also has a stopwatch, an alarm and a date display.

The quartz movement is very accurate, but the battery has to be replaced every 2 years. The extra-strong mineral glass of the watch is highly resistant to scratches and knocks. A matching case is included in the scope of delivery.

Conclusion

Durable diver’s watch with many features.

Product details

Water resistance: Up to 200 m | Case diameter: 44 mm | Weight: 110 g | Color: Black/silver | Strap: Plastic | Battery life: 2 years

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2. Luminox Navi Seal

Summary

A beautiful and simple diver’s watch that also looks good in everyday life. The Luminox Navy Seal doesn’t need a lot of frills. This watch is suitable for divers who are looking for a simple water-resistant diving watch.

The watch is water-resistant to a depth of 200 meters. The stainless steel housing looks good and is resistant to salt water. The adjustable polyester strap ensures a comfortable fit. The digits are made of a fluorescent material so that the watch can also be read under water.

The quartz movement is very accurate, but the batteries need to be replaced regularly. The manufacturer does not provide any information on battery life. The watch does not have any other features apart from the date display.

Conclusion

Simple diver’s watch with quartz movement.

Product details

Water resistance: Up to 200 m | Case diameter: 45 mm | Weight: 200 g | Color: Black/ Orange | Strap: Polyester | Battery life: N/A

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3. cressi manta

Summary

This affordable diver’s watch is water-resistant to 100 m. The case is made of robust stainless steel and the mineral glass is resistant to knocks and scratches.

The watch’s quartz movement is very accurate and requires no maintenance. Thanks to the fluorescent numerals, the watch can also be read in the dark.

Apart from the date display, the watch has no other features. The battery must be changed regularly, but the manufacturer does not provide any information on the battery life.

Conclusion

Inexpensive diver’s watch made from robust stainless steel.

Product details

Water resistance: Up to 100 m | Case diameter: 44 mm | Weight: N/A | Color: Black/silver | Strap: Plastic | Battery life: N/A

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The top 3 men’s diving watches over 500 $

1. Mido Ocean Star Diver 600

Summary

This high-quality chronometer is water-resistant to a depth of 600 m and is therefore also suitable for technical diving. The materials used and the workmanship are of high quality. The watch is tested under various conditions before delivery.

The fluorescent dial, in combination with the sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, makes the watch easy to read in all situations. The stainless steel housing not only looks good, but is also resistant to salt water and scratches.

The diver’s watch also has a date display and a power reserve of up to 80 hours. Such watches with automatic movements are very popular, but they are less accurate than quartz watches and need to be serviced approximately every five years.

Conclusion

Chronometer diving watch with automatic movement, water-resistant up to 600 m.

Product details

Water resistance: Up to 600 m | Case diameter: 43.5 mm | Weight: 219 g | Color: Grey | Strap: Stainless steel | Movement: Automatic

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2. Traser P67 SuperSub Black

Summary

This watch has a very accurate quartz movement and is water-resistant to a depth of 500 m. This diver’s watch is therefore suitable for both recreational and technical diving. It has a helium valve that prevents the diver’s watch from popping open during the decompression phase.

The diver’s watch has a very high-quality finish and an attractive design. The cover glass is made of anti-reflective sapphire crystal, so the dial can still be read easily in strong sunlight. Thanks to the fluorescent digits, this also applies in the dark.

Apart from the date display, there are no other features. The battery of the diver’s watch must be replaced every 2-4 years.

Conclusion

High-quality diver’s watch with quartz movement, also ideal for technical diving.

Product details

Water resistance: Up to 500 m | Case diameter: 46 mm | Weight: 215 g | Color: Black | Strap: Stainless steel | Movement: Quartz

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3. the Tissot Seastar GTS

Summary

This high-quality automatic watch is water-resistant to a depth of 300 m and is equally suitable for scuba divers and technical diving. Thanks to a power reserve of up to 80 hours, the watch can easily be taken off for long periods of time.

The watch’s sapphire crystal is extremely robust and ensures good legibility. The digits of the diver’s watch are fluorescent to ensure that this is also the case in the dark. Weighing just 147 g, it is significantly lighter than comparable diver’s watches.

Watches with automatic movements are less accurate than those with quartz movements. This diver’s watch does not have a date display.

Conclusion

Beautiful and lightweight automatic diver’s watch.

Product details

Water resistance: Up to 300 m | Case diameter: 43 mm | Weight: 147 g | Color: Green | Strap: Stainless steel | Movement: Automatic

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The top 3 ladies’ diving watches under 500 $

1. Citizen EP6050-17E

Summary

This sporty diver’s watch is water-resistant to a depth of 200 m. The case of the watch has a high-quality finish and thanks to Eco-Drive technology, there is no need to change the battery.

Whether in the light or in the dark, the fluorescent dial of the watch is easy to read in all lighting conditions. The watch also has a date display.

The rubber strap ensures a comfortable fit.

Conclusion

Sporty diver’s watch that does not require a battery change.

Product details

Water resistance: Up to 200 m | Case diameter: 33 mm | Weight: 58 g | Color: Black/silver | Strap: Rubber | Movement: Quartz

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2. CHRIS BENZ ONE Lady

Summary

This diver’s watch for women impresses with its slim design and high-quality stainless steel case. The watch is small and light and is also ideal for narrow wrists. It is waterproof to a depth of 200 m.

The quartz movement of the watch is very accurate and only has an inaccuracy of a few seconds per month. The fluorescent dial is protected by a very hard and resistant sapphire crystal. There is also a small window with a date display on the dial.

The watch is fastened with a rubber strap. The battery must be replaced every few years. The watch has no other features.

Conclusion

Stainless steel diver’s watch with a slim design.

Product details

Water resistance: Up to 200 m | Case diameter: 26 mm | Weight: 27 g (without strap) | Color: Silver | Strap: Rubber | Movement: Quartz

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3. cressi Nereus

Summary

This unisex diver’s watch has a very accurate quartz movement and is available in many bright colors. The mineral glass of the watch is very hard and offers good protection against scratches.

The watch is water-resistant to a depth of 200 m. Even in caves, crevices or in the dark, the diver’s watch is easy to read thanks to the fluorescent dial.

A nice feature of the watch is the stop function. It has no other extras and the battery has to be replaced approximately every 2-4 years.

Conclusion

Simple unisex diver’s watch with stopwatch function.

Product details

Water resistance: Up to 200 m | Case diameter: 48 mm | Weight: 147 g | Color: Black/blue/yellow/orange/bronze/silver | Strap: Rubber/silicone/PU | Movement: Quartz

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The top 3 ladies’ diving watches over 500 $

1. CHRIS BENZ Diamond Diver

Summary

This diver’s watch not only looks good, it is also water-resistant to a depth of 200 meters. The marine stainless steel case with the unidirectional rotating bezel, which is set with 18 diamonds, makes the watch a real eye-catcher.

The watch is equally functional, the luminous numerals make it possible to read the watch even in the dark. There is also a date display, but no other features.

As with any quartz watch, the battery in this watch needs to be replaced every few years.

Conclusion

Luxury diver’s watch set with diamonds.

Product details

Water resistance: Up to 200 m | Case diameter: 35 mm | Weight: 100.3 g | Color: Silver/mother-of-pearl | Strap: Marine stainless steel | Movement: Quartz

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2. GUCCI G-TIMELESS YA126456

Summary

This elegant diver’s watch is water-resistant to a depth of 50 meters. The case and bracelet of the watch are made entirely of stainless steel, which is highly resistant to corrosion. There is also a date display.

Another feature is the integrated calendar function. As with all quartz watches, the battery must be replaced every few years.

Conclusion

Elegant diver’s watch with stainless steel case and bracelet.

Product details

Water resistance: Up to 50 m | Case diameter: 38 mm | Weight: 114 g | Color: Silver/black | Strap: Stainless steel | Movement: Quartz

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3. Victorinox Maverick Small

Summary

This diver’s watch in silver/gold design cuts a fine figure on land and in the water. With this watch, you can dive to a depth of 200 m without any problems. The watch case and strap are made of durable stainless steel.

Regardless of the lighting conditions, anti-reflective sapphire crystal and luminous numerals ensure optimum legibility. As with all quartz watches, the battery must be changed regularly, but the watch is very accurate.

There is a date display, but no other features, giving the watch a very simple look.

Conclusion

Elegant diver’s watch with stainless steel case.

Product details

Water resistance: Up to 200 m | Case diameter: 34 mm | Weight: 115.7 g (net weight) | Color: Silver/champagne | Strap: Stainless steel | Movement: Quartz

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Bestsellers: The most popular diving watches

(**Last update 2024-09-16)

Buy diving watches:
How to make the right decision

Even though diving watches are no longer necessary, they are still very popular with divers and non-divers alike. The watches look good and water cannot harm them.

In this buying guide from BeyondSurfing, you will find out what makes a diver’s watch and what you need to look out for when buying one.

Water resistance of diving watches

Probably the most important feature of the diver’s watch is its water resistance. However, there are differences between the various watches, as not all of them are suitable for diving at great depths.

How deep can I dive with a diver’s watch?

All diving watches comply with DIN standard 8306 and must therefore withstand a water pressure of at least 20 bar. Only then can the watch be called a diver’s watch.

The diver’s watch has to withstand this much pressure:

As the maximum depth for recreational diving is 40 m, diving watches that are water-resistant to 50 m are theoretically sufficient. However, if a watch is water-resistant even at great depths, this is a sign of good quality and workmanship.

This keeps your diver’s watch waterproof:

To ensure that the diver’s watch remains water-resistant, it should be checked regularly by an expert. The watch should also be properly cared for after every dive – you can find out how to do this here.

Diving watches and the PRE value

For diving watches made of stainless steel, attention should be paid to the PRE value. This indicates how corrosion-resistant the steel is. In this case, how resistant the material is to salt water.

The bezel of diving watches

An important feature of the diver’s watch is the bezel, i.e. the border around the dial. This can be used to measure the dive time. As dive computers nowadays perform all the important calculations and measure the dive time, this feature is usually only used as a backup.

How does the bezel work?

The light dot, i.e. the white dot on the bezel, is turned to the position of the minute hand at the start of the dive. This point then corresponds to minute 0. The diver can now read off how long he/she has been in the water from the bezel.

Important for diving safety:

On diver’s watches, the bezel may only be rotated counterclockwise. If the ring is accidentally turned during the dive, only the elapsed dive time can be displayed and no less. So you are always on the safe side.

Diving watches: Protection against condensation

When immersed in water, condensation can form inside the diver’s watch due to temperature differences. Good diving watches are protected against this and are tested for their resistance to condensation.

If condensation does get into the diver’s watch:

The diver’s watch should then be taken to a service center to have the condensation removed. Otherwise, the water inside may damage the watch.

Diving watches with fluorescent dials

The deeper you dive, the worse the visibility becomes. It is also often very dark in caves or crevices. No matter what the lighting conditions are, the diver’s watch must always be legible.

Diving watches are equipped with a fluorescent dial for this purpose. The incident light is stored during the day and slowly released again in the dark. It is important that the bezel also lights up and that the watch is easy to read from a distance of approx. 25 cm. For even better legibility, there are diving watches with an anti-reflective cover glass.

The movement of diving watches

As with normal watches, the movement of a diver’s watch can be either a quartz movement or a mechanical movement. The movement ensures that the clock strikes and displays the correct time.

Diving watches with quartz movement

Quartz watches have almost only advantages. They are very accurate and a lot cheaper to buy than diving watches with a good mechanical movement. There is only an inaccuracy of about 1-2 seconds per month.

The best:

The watch requires practically no maintenance, which is regularly necessary for mechanical movements. Only the battery needs to be replaced every 2-4 years. However, this can be done quickly and easily in a watch store.

Diving watches with mechanical movement

Watch enthusiasts who also wear their diver’s watch as an everyday accessory or are simply fascinated by the technology usually opt for a diver’s watch with a mechanical movement. However, such watches are less accurate and lose 2-4 seconds per day, considerably more than a quartz watch.

Although the watch only needs to be serviced every 5-10 years, it can cost several hundred $ for high-priced brands. The small parts of the watch are more susceptible to damage, so they need to be maintained and lubricated.

The style of diving watches

The style of the diver’s watch depends entirely on the wearer’s personal preferences. The range is huge. There are small, large, expensive, affordable, sporty and many other watches.

1 Small diver’s watches: Look elegant and are a great everyday companion.
2 Large diving watches: They look rather sporty, whether they are suitable for everyday use depends on the wearer.

The strap of the diver’s watch

The watch strap is usually made of rubber or stainless steel. Other materials would be too strongly attacked and damaged by the salt water.

With a rubber strap, the size can be adjusted using the holes provided. A steel bracelet is set to one size, is more comfortable and looks more elegant.

Other functions of diving watches

Some diving watches have additional features, including:

• Diver’s watch with depth gauge

  The watch measures the depth at which the diver is located. The value is then displayed in a small digital window on the dial.

• Diver’s watch with stopwatch

  Some analog diving watches also have a small digital window, and the stopwatch can be activated using a button on the watch.

• Diver’s watch with date display

  The date is displayed in a small window on the dial.

• Diver’s watch with compass

  A few diving watches have a built-in compass. This is then located under the dial, which can be folded to the side.

• Diver’s watch with solar cell

  Some diving watches have a small solar cell that charges the battery.

The waterproof crown of diving watches

The crown is the knob on the side of the diver’s watch. This adjusts the time or date. It is important that this part of the watch is also water-resistant.

The price of diving watches

How much does a diver’s watch actually cost? This question is not so easy to answer. We have divided diving watches into three price categories and show you what you can expect to pay in each category.

What are cheap diving watches?

• 50-150 $
• Waterproof to a depth of 50-100 m
• Rubber or nylon strap
• No features

Inexpensive diving watches are priced between 50 $ and 150 $ and are water-resistant to a depth of 50-100 meters. The watch strap is usually made of a more or less high-quality rubber or nylon, but watches with a stainless steel bracelet can be found at the top end. As a rule, these diving watches do not have any special features.

What are diving watches in the mid-price segment?

• 150-500 $
• Waterproof to a depth of 100-300 m
• Different tapes
• Features

Diving watches in the mid-price segment are somewhat more expensive, but also of higher quality. They cost between 150 $ and 500 $, are water-resistant to depths of 100 to 300 meters and have features such as a stopwatch, depth gauge and date display.

Many of these watches are also equipped with a higher-quality rubber, nylon or stainless steel strap.

What are expensive diving watches?

• Over 500 $
• Waterproof at great depths
• Very high quality
• Often mechanical movement
• Luxury watches too

Expensive diving watches are water-resistant to depths of up to 300 m and are priced from 500 $ upwards, with no upper limit. These watches are characterized by the high quality of the materials used.

These include luxury watches from brands such as Rolex, Hublot, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piquet. These have a mechanical movement.

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3 tips for diver’s watch care

Diver’s watches are exposed to high stress under water. It is therefore important to protect and clean the watch properly. With these 3 tips, your diver’s watch is sure to last a long time.

1. Rinsing

   After every dive, the watch must be rinsed with plenty of fresh water, otherwise the aggressive salt water will lead to corrosion. Even small grains of sand can stick to the watch and damage it. It is therefore advisable to also use a soft brush.

2. Wear watch for diving only

   In everyday life or when swimming, it is easy for the watch to knock against another object. In the worst case, the watch is damaged and is no longer water-resistant.

3. Be careful

   The watch can also be damaged when diving, especially on rocks and when putting on and taking off equipment. You should therefore move carefully and make sure that the watch does not strike against the oxygen cylinder, for example.

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Well-known brands and manufacturers

The best-known and most popular surf wear brands & manufacturers include

• Cressi
• Mares
• Victorinox
• CITIZEN
• TAG Heuer
• Hublot
• Patek Philippe
• Rolex
• Breitling
• Poseidon
• Casio
• Seiko (Prospex)

There are not yet any test reports on diving watches from Consumer Reports and Öko Test. With the brands mentioned above, you can still be sure of receiving a high-quality product and good service.

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FAQ: Frequently asked questions and answers about diving watches

What makes a watch a diver’s watch?

The watch must be able to withstand a pressure of at least 20 bar, have a bezel/rotary bezel that can only be turned counterclockwise and fluorescent numerals.

How does a diver’s watch work?

Just like a normal wristwatch with either a quartz or automatic movement.

What is the best diving watch in the world?

Diving watches from Rolex are considered classics and of very high quality.

What kind of diving watches does the Bundeswehr use?

Combat swimmers and other members of the German Armed Forces use diving watches from IWC, Porsche Design, Poseidon and Sinn.

What does a diver’s watch cost?

Between 150 $ and several thousand $.

Where do you buy a diver’s watch?

On the Internet, for example on Amazon.de or in a dive store.

Does a dive watch replace the dive computer?

Clearly not! A dive computer not only measures the dive time, it also calculates the decompression time, which is vital.

Are there also vintage diving watches?

Yes, some diving watches are based on the style of old models. Old models from luxury brands sometimes have a considerable value.

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Conclusion: The most popular diving watches reviewed

Diving watches are a great companion whether in the water or on land. You should definitely know what is important when it comes to diving watches and how they differ from normal watches.

Anyone who has ever had a diver’s watch in the water will never want to miss this experience again.

The most popular men’s diving watches

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The most popular ladies’ diving watches

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