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 to pare down a list of 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.

Our Qualification For This List

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 in a Sub-$2,000 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.

Squale 1521 Militaire Blasted Mesh

While our low-end limit for this list is $1,000, there simply aren’t any better options under the price tag of 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 stainless steel mesh bracelet gives this timepiece an indelible wrist presence.

Tissot Seastar 2000 Professional Powermatic 80

Tissot has long been a favorite of watch enthusiasts for its incredible timepieces at around the $1,000 mark. A case in point is this Seastar 2000 Professional, running on the legendary, chronometer-certified Powermatic 80 automatic movement, with a whopping 80 hours of power reserve (hence the name). Not to mention, the Seastar 2000 Professional’s list of features can wallop most divers that are thousands of dollars more expensive than this. We’re talking 600m of water resistance, a helium escape valve, ISO 6425 certification, an exhibition case back, and the aforementioned Powermatic 80.

Marathon 41mm Large Divers Quartz

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. One of the few quartz options on this list, 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. This version comes in both standard issue and government issue versions, both with stealthy black 24-hour dials with matching bezels and straps.

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.

YEMA Superman FAF Search And Rescue Limited Edition

Often mistaken for a microbrand, Yema has a history that goes back to 1948 and is one of France’s most prolific watchmakers. The company really took off in the ‘60s, its RallyGraf chronograph becoming a favorite of motorsports icon Mario Andretti. On the diver side of things, its Superman is a legend in its own right, donning the wrists of the French Air Force Aviation Rescue Swimmers starting in the 1970s. Sporting the watch’s trademark U-shaped hour markers, this limited-edition version above is a reissue of that very timepiece, with either 39mm or 41mm case sizes and 300m of water resistance.

Christopher Ward C60 Pro 300 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 C60 divers. With their performance and attractive design, the flagship timepieces have 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, this 42mm Pro 300 Bronze variant looks beautiful on your wrist — almost harkening back to the standard dive dress of yore — and boasts a more-than-reasonable 300m of water resistance.

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. Surrounding its silver dial with a seafoam green bezel and orange chapter ring, this version of the Super Sea Wolf is a great summertime pick. Powered by a Swiss-based STP1-11 automatic movement, it also has a 40mm stainless steel case, matching bracelet, and 200m of water resistance.

Longines HydroConquest

Regarding luxury watchmakers, Longines has seemed to perfect the art of balancing quality and price (one of the only ones offering sub-$1,000 watches). For nearly 200 years, the Swiss brand has specialized in both aviation pieces and divers alike, with its HydroConquest being one of the most popular in the world since its 2007 debut. It’s a formidable alternative to Rolex’s Submariner, with similar design cues, albeit with the brand’s own touches. One of the more upscale options on this list, the timepiece comes in some 10 color options, with 41mm and 43mm case options, as well as 300m of water resistance and the brand’s in-house L888 automatic movement.

Mido Ocean Star Diver 600

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.

DOXA Sub 300T Professional

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 Professional Dive Watch. With its striking contrast of a stainless steel case and band with a bright orange 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.

To take a deeper dive, read our review of the DOXA Sub 300T Professional Dive Watch.

The Best Dive Watches Under $1,000

If your budget is a little lower, try some of the options from our guide to the best dive watches under $1,000.