Tested: The Best Dive Watches On The Market Under $2,000

Every man should have at least one watch in his repertoire — more if he’s serious about stylishness and looking put-together. And while there are a lot of different categories of wearable timekeepers — ranging from field watches, to racing watches, to outdoor smartwatches, and so much more — the dive watch might just be the number one must-have in our humble opinion.

Of course, the greater dive watch category is as vast in its options and price range as the oceans themselves. And that can make it extremely hard not just to narrow down your options, but to even determine which of those available are actually worth your hard-earned cash. That’s where we come in. We’ve scoured the market and tested the best dive watches you can get for under $2,000. For fashion or function, these are all worthy of being worn, wound, and passed down to future generations.

How We Tested

There are a lot of dive watches out there, and the sub-$2,000 price point seems to be the sweet spot for a lot of buyers. For one, this range allows movements to be good and water resistances to be favorable for going underwater. For this guide, we looked at our favorite brands –– notably, their most iconic and popular pieces, looking at aesthetic, water resistance, size, strap, and materials, among other things. After sourcing our units for testing, we spent significant time with each timepiece, paying close attention to how each one looked and felt on our wrist. The results are detailed below.

Wrist Size: We should also mention that our tester has a wrist diameter of around 8″, so keep that in mind when comparing it to your own wrist.

Our Qualification For This Guide

While there are a good deal of fantastic dive watches under the $2,000 price limit, this guide below focuses on the range between $1,000 and $2,000. For those looking for something a bit lower in price, we do have guides that highlight the best dive watches below $1,000 and even $500. This list is for those willing to spend a bit more for some extra features, quality, and what have you.

What to Look For

Size: The case dimensions can make or break whether or not you’ll wear a watch, trust us. And dive watches can be notoriously chunky. If you don’t want to be weighed down, look for reasonable dimensions such as a diameter at or around 40mm (this is typically the minimum for a good diver).

Movement: As we venture above $1,000, you will see much fewer quartz movements and a lot more mechanical ones. This list almost exclusively contains automatic movements, which means you don’t have to wind it or swap in batteries. Rather, it acquires energy from the movement of the user to wind its movement. So, as long as you’re relatively active, this watch will never stop ticking.

Water Resistance: If nothing else makes a dive watch a dive watch, it’s the water resistance level. While most timepieces in general have at least 30m or 50m of water resistance, a diver will typically extend that range to 200m or more. There are a couple of picks on this list above 500m. However, if you’re not a certified professional diver or member of the military, you’ll likely be staying well under 200m below the surface.

Legibility: When venturing underwater, being able to read the time on your watch is key. That’s why bright lume on the hands and hour markers is important to a dive watch’s functionality and usefulness, as is the simplicity of its dial configuration (i.e., you don’t want a busy dial layout).

ISO Certification: When perusing the dive watch category, you’ll surely come across the term, “ISO 6425 Certification” in many of the product descriptions. These are a series of tests by the International Organization for Standardization, which are voluntary and not necessarily an indication of how good a dive watch is. This may matter, however, for those of you looking for a dive watch for professional diving and the like. If you’re just looking for a stylish timepiece fitting the dive watch aesthetic, ISO Certification won’t matter.

Certina DS PH500M

When Certina debuted in the 1950s, it developed a durable, shock-resistant waterproof case technology called “DS” (Double Security). It allowed the movement to essentially float inside with an air gap between it and the dial and case. Today, the DS is continuing to be refined as in the DS PH500M, boasting a 43mm case with 500m of water resistance, which would be impressive even if this watch were twice as expensive.

Featuring a bright orange sector dial, a domed crystal, and a chamfered bezel, the timepiece visually combines both modern and vintage build characteristics. At 43mm across, it’s fairly large. Fortunately, much of the ~15mm thickness comes in the way of a curved caseback that sinks into the wrist and allows this watch to wear around 12 to 13mm thick instead. It’s powered by the Powermatic 80 automatic movement which gives you a whopping 80 hours of power reserve for some grab-and-go convenience. Lastly, we love the Seiko-esque wavy rubber dive strap here as well.

Farer Endeavour Titanium Series II Aqua Compressor

Known for its knack for color, Farer has gone more monochrome with this black and gray Endeavour Series II. Built from a grade 2 titanium case, the timepiece comes equipped with 300m of water resistance despite its compressor-style design. Taking inspiration from Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavour research vessel, the English watchmaker builds off the Series I Endeavour with the addition of twin crowns and a brushed tonneau case. While the topmost crown adjusts the time, the bottom crown adjusts the internal bezel. It’s important to note that typically the configuration of these two crowns is swapped on a standard compression diver.

Just north of $1,000, this watch evokes the feeling of icebergs floating in the dark Antarctic waters with its jet black dial, cold gunmetal titanium, and crisp white dial elements. The blackness of the dial never seems to end as if you were looking into the darkness of the ocean itself. With just a 4mm difference between the 41mm case diameter and 45mm lug-to-lug, the watch wears really well, suiting smaller-sized wrists. This is powered by a Swiss-made Sellita SW200-1 Elaboré automatic movement. We love Farer’s wave motif on the rotor as well, which can be seen through the caseback.

Seiko Prospex 1965 Diver SPB143

Seiko, the famed Japanese watch brand, actually has quite a number of superb dive watches in their catalog across a range of budgets. One of our all-time favorites, however, is this limited-edition Prospex 1965 Diver — with its classic, streamlined design that recreates the mid-century icon, unidirectional dive timer bezel, 200m of water resistance, and versatile stainless steel bracelet. The original diver from Seiko wasn’t the first in the world but it certainly helped establish the brand as a force to be reckoned with and remains one of the brand’s most important timepieces in its history.

Part of the Prospex line (short for Professional Specifications), this reference SPB143 is a modern re-edition with very similar features, minor updates, and the power of a modern caliber with the 6R35 automatic featuring 70 hours of power reserve. Highly wearable at 40.5mm in diameter with a 47.6mm lug-to-lug, this watch retains its definitive old-school charm and hard-wearing utility, boasting ISO 6425 diver compliance in the process. We prefer the more premium-feeling dual-curved sapphire over the typical Hardlex that Seiko loves to use, while the charcoal dial uses an arresting sunray texture that provides a rich background for the Lumibrite lume on the hands and markers.

Squale 1521 Militaire Blasted Mesh

While our low-end limit for this list is $1,000, there are very few options towards this floor better than Squale’s 1521 Militaire Blasted Mesh watch. From a brand that once crafted divers for big-name brands like Blancpain in the ‘60s and ‘70s, this icon from the family-owned Swiss brand boasts an incredible 500m of water resistance, contrasting hour and minute hands, incredible dial legibility, and a coin edge bezel. Not to mention, the tropic strap gives this timepiece an indelible wrist presence.

Highly underrated in the Swiss watch sphere, the 1521 boasts an understated build quality that communicates everything great about Squale, from the 42mm 316L stainless steel case with sand-blasted finish for a utilitarian edge to its solid unidirectional timing bezel inlaid with exact tolerances and an alignment that matches perfectly to the markers on the dial. Meanwhile, the 48mm lug-to-lug offers a good degree of curvature to the case that lends itself to a conforming wearing experience. We also love the classic dial with minimal ornamentation that eschews numerals. It’s powered by a Sellita SW 20-1, which could admittedly have a better power reserve at 38 hours but this still helps provide some superb value and a high degree of serviceability.

Hamilton Khaki Navy Frogman Auto

In the early ’50s, a few years after World War II ended, Hamilton began to commercially produce the Frogman for the general public. Prior to that, these wartime models were made exclusively for the U.S. Navy. Today, Hamilton has resurrected the Frogman once more, and under the military-inspired Khaki line. Continuing its legacy today, the Khaki Navy Frogman Automatic is equipped with some modern updates such as a screw-down crown and crown guard, 300m of water resistance, a timing bezel, and the H-10 automatic movement.

At 41mm across, the case is still incredibly compact with just a 44mm lug-to-lug and wears really well for even people with smaller wrists. Unlike other crown guards, the one here actually pops out from the case, tethered with a screw to the actual crown itself. For extra security, it can then be used to ratchet down the crown even after you’ve screwed it in. This is highly unique. Based on the ETA 2824-2 movement, the H-10 Caliber makes some modifications to increase the power reserve to a whopping 80 hours, albeit with a lower 3Hz beat rate, which we don’t mind too much since you’ll have to adjust the time week-to-week anyway if you wear more than one watch. Finally, the watch is affixed to a classic beefy rubber dive strap with waves near the lugs to serve as a pseudo suspension system.

Christopher Ward C65 Aquitaine Bronze

One of the kings of budget-friendly timepieces, Christopher Ward has blown up over the past decade and a half, in no small part due to its divers. With their performance and attractive design, the flagship C65 has almost challenged others to offer magnificent quality at a similar price point. While it gets its power from a chronometer version of the Swiss-based Sellita automatic movement (viewed through the caseback), this 41mm Aquitaine Bronze COSC variant looks beautiful on the wrist — almost harkening back to the standard dive dress of yore — and boasts a more-than-reasonable 200m of water resistance.

Developing a patina as time ticks on, the bronze case might be seen as a luxury choice but is offered here at an amazing price point. However, it also serves a utilitarian purpose with its corrosion resistance, albeit with a heavier weight on the wrist (though, it’s only 5g more than the stainless steel version). At 41mm across, the 47mm lug-to-lug and 12.45mm thickness allows this to wear reasonably on the wrist. The combination of the case design, the domed sapphire crystal, and the rich color of he dial’s sunray blue against the bronze gilded markers offers a fantastic viewing experience unlike many other divers around. If that’s not enough, it’s equipped with a beautiful brown leather strap, which is an elegant choice for a casual wear.

Marathon 41mm Large Divers Automatic

Since the ‘90s, Marathon’s Search and Rescue (SAR) watches have been the go-to option for U.S. and Canadian militaries — even issued to soldiers on SAR missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. With a 14mm thickness, the 41mm timepiece is as robust as they come, built to military specifications with its overbuilt bezel for easier adjusting with gloves on, tritium illumination for long-lasting glow, and 300m of water resistance. Equipped with a ribber dive strap, this version comes in both standard issue and government issue versions, both with stealthy black 24-hour dials with matching bezels and straps.

You’ll find that most Marathon divers tend to sit quite high on the wrist, even if the 48mm lug-to-lug isn’t terrible. Nevertheless, this watch is relatively easy on the eyes despite its rugged precept. We love the bold red dial text, the knurling of the crown which bolsters the industrial aesthetic, and the stylish syringe handset. While there is a quartz variant of this piece, this one is powered by a Sellita SW200-1 automatic, just like the Christopher Ward watch above. However, this one doesn’t specify any sort of COSC certification.

Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Compression Diver

Sometimes performance can detract from the style of a dive watch. Fortunately, we still have brands like Zodiac, which isn’t afraid to add some playful colorways to its iconic Sea Wolf. Among the first dedicated divers in 1953, the model has always been known as a budget-friendly option. To go along with the 40mm diameter, the 47mm lug-to-lug and 13mm thickness help produce an excellent wearing experience for a modern diver. Even for a small wrist, the Sea Wolf Compression diver will fit you nicely.

Just like others in Zodiac’s lineup, this particular version of the Super Sea Wolf is a great summertime pick. We love how willing the brand is to apply fun and playful colorways to its vintage-inspired divers. This one basts an aqua blue insert with light green markers. Also, the dive utility is top-notch with 200m of water resistance and a screw-downcrown for protection. However, the crown is admittedly difficult to grip and screw down if you’re trying to rush. The handset is also more squared off like the ’60s and ’70s models, even though initially the ’50s Sea Wolfs used sharper Dauphine hands. We also love the new STP1-21 caliber automatic which has a 4Hz beat rate with a notably smooth second hand sweep, albeit only 40 hours of power reserve. As for the steel bracelet, it has quick-release spring bars for a tool-less swap.

Mido Ocean Star Diver 600

An absolute sleeper for dive watches, Mido isn’t quite as celebrated as some other members of the Swatch Group lineup, such as Omega, Longines, and Tissot, however, its understated quality is one reason you can often nab its pieces for reasonable prices — for now. The Swiss brand’s Ocean Star is bound to grow in popularity, with its 600m of water resistance, helium valve, and ceramic bezel insert with Super-LumiNova’s highest brightness grade, Grade X. Housed in its 43.5mm steel case coated in stealthy black DLC is a COSC-certified in-house automatic chronometer with 80 hours of power reserve based on the ETA 2824-2.

Equalling the case diameter is a 43.5mm lug-to-lug, albeit with a 14.6mm thickness. However, those with smaller wrists might find that this wears a bit too large. While the case is a conventional stainless steel material, we do get a ceramic bezel insert inside a steel push-down locking bezel. To increase the water resistance, Mido includes a helium release valve as well. If you’re familiar with the Ocean Star 200, the 600 retains much of the DNA but does evolve some aspects a bit. For instance, the rectangular markers are now circular, while the day-date gets switched to a date-only. And to add an extra level of value here, Mido has included a 3-link steel bracelet that we love.

DOXA Sub 300T Divingstar

While not a household name in the same vein as Oris or Omega, DOXA is a huge favorite of the fanatics in the horological world. We’d probably call them one of the best-kept secrets in timekeeping, and a perennial favorite of famed explorers like Jacques Cousteau. This is why we’re so excited to share their gorgeous Sub 300T Divingstar Dive Watch. With its striking contrast of a stainless steel case and band with a bright yellow dial and bezel markings, this is an eye-catcher to be sure. But it’s also definitely a capable accessory, with a depth rating of a monstrous 1,200m, a unidirectional rotating dive timer bezel, and a Swiss-made self-winding movement. If you’re seeking the ultimate brand-new sub-$2k diver watch, this might just be your stop.

An alternative to the iconic orange-dialed “Professional” variant that’s become a cult favorite, this bright, instantly noticeable yellow version felt a bit more against-the-grain, so to speak. Stretching 42.5mm across, the stainless steel tonneau case features a bezel that has both a meters and feet scale. Different from the more expensive Sub 300, the 300T has a slightly smaller 44.5mm lug-to-lug and 13.65mm thickness (down from 45mm and up from 13.4mm) that’s hardly noticeable on the wrist. Overall, the watch wears surprisingly well. However, the calling card here might be its looks. Opting for a flat sapphire over the more vintage-style domed crystal of the 300, the 300T offers considerable amount more utility while being less expensive. There’s also the matter of the ETA-based automatic movement here, which is not COSC-certified like the 300, but nevertheless a solid value with a 4Hz beat rate and smooth seconds sweep. Lastly, we’d highly recommend sticking with the beads of rice bracelet, which makes an iconic pairing with the 300 series.

Tested: The Best Dive Watches Under $1,000

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