Tested: The 9 Best Men’s Dive Watches Under $500

When filling out your everyday carry and wardrobe, it can be pretty easy to get discouraged by high-priced gear — especially things you might view as a non-necessity. And some of the biggest offenders of sticker shock are wristwatches. However, you don’t have to have a swimming pool full of gold coins in order to afford a good dive watch that’s both handsome and reliable. In fact, you can find a wealth of superb divers for under $500 if you know where to look. And that’s exactly why we’re here today. The following guide is stacked with dive watches that are all affordable even for those on a tight budget. Whether you find yourself taking a dip in the ocean or not, it’s nice to know your gear will be at the ready – and we’ve got you covered with the best dive watches under $500, which we’ve tested and reviewed.

How We Tested

Dive watches have been surging in popularity throughout the past decade, with more and more offered up each year. So much so that it can become really difficult to pick out the best from the bunch. In order to find the finest options under $500 that are currently on the market, we begin our process by coming up with a shortlist based on a set of criteria, including overall style and design, material, historical ties, value, and finish. We also judge this against our own knowledge of the dive watch space based on our years of experience.

To truly tell which watches are better than others, however, we need to try them on first-hand. After acquiring all of our review samples for testing, our tester spent time wearing each watch and comparing them side by side with the others. This was a great way to see how each piece fared in terms of comfort, fit, and wrist presence. You just can’t get the same effect by viewing pictures online. The overall process took several weeks, landing on the picks of the best dive watches under $500 you see below.

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.

What To Look For in a Sub-$500 Dive Watch

Appearance: One of the benefits of affordable watches is that they can often look like really expensive ones, even if they don’t perform the same way. And unless you’re actually taking these watches to the depths of the sea, how a timepiece looks on your wrist will be the most important factor to consider at this price point. Everything from color to stap to case dimensions will determine if you should buy a certain model.

Depth Rating: With a couple of exceptions, most of the watches on this list will have a water resistance of 200m, which is plenty capable for casual wear and even recreational diving. In fact, only professional and military divers will ever venture much past 100m.

Movement: Most of the dive watches on this list will have quartz movements, which aren’t as sophisticated but are typically more durable and reliable than automatic movements. They also have the benefit of lasting years on a single charge.

Size: If you don’t love large watches, your shopping experience will be rather short when it comes to dive watches; there aren’t a lot of smaller options out there. On average, these pieces are larger (often much larger) than 40mm in diameter, but every once in a while you can find 36mm to 39mm timepieces.

Material: Most dive watches will feature stainless steel material for its durability and resistance to moisture. However, there are a few exceptions, such as the Luminox below. Steel is a fantastic material but can be heavy, especially with the larger case sizes of typical divers.

Casio Duro

You might think it laughable to think that you could find an automatic dive watch for a price as low as $70, but Casio continues to stun watch enthusiasts with its ridiculously affordable timepieces. Debuting over a decade ago, its Duro model has become somewhat of a cult favorite with its stainless steel construction, 200m of water resistance, and a perfectly aligned dive bezel. With a look and overall quality that’s at least triple the price tag, this is simply the best diver you’ll find under $100, and it’s not even close.

At 44.2mm in diameter, the Duro isn’t the most compact option around but it’s definitely robust. Unlike a lot of other cheap divers whose bezels are often misaligned and experience some slippage, the bezel on this timepiece is near-perfect and comes with thick grip points to control timing, even with gloves on. The watch comes standard with a rubber strap but feel free to upgrade this to the leather or tropic band options.

Orient Kamasu

No stranger to budget-friendly timepieces, Orient also happens to make its watches with incredible build quality. Those attributes are on full display with its Kamasu, a 40mm diver with 200m of water resistance, a stainless steel case, and, most impressively, an in-house automatic movement. Inspired by the barracuda (the warm water fish known for its sharp teeth), the Kamasu looks the part with its pointed handset, razor-like bezel, and green-glowing lume.

Despite the understated look, the Kamasu has a great deal of complexity across the board, from the fine-textured matte finish on the bezel to the fish-inspired nods. However, the aforementioned automatic movement that’s made by Orient might be the star of the show. Equipped with a hacking seconds capability, the caliber F6922 has decent accuracy and 40 hours of power reserve. While the steel bracelet isn’t bad, it is one indicator of the lower price point with a clasp that’s slightly wobbly when opened up all the way. However, this is just a minor quibble for an outstanding watch overall.

Dan Henry 1970 Automatic Diver 44mm

Normally, when you want a dive watch that looks and functions as good as this, you have to pay double or more the cost of Dan Henry’s 1970 Automatic. Thankfully, that’s not the case here. With its clean, yet iconic styling, this 44mm watch would look good in any venue — watery or not — and has a beautiful vintage style. It also has a reliable Seiko Caliber NH35 automatic movement, an improved Super-LumiNova glow, 200m of water resistance, a rubber compression strap, and an embossed 3D caseback.

Dan Henry creates each of his timepieces with an amalgamation of influences, and for the 1970 Automatic Diver, he evokes vintage pieces such as the IWC Aquatimer, Longines Legend Diver, and even the Wittnauer Vintage Super Compressor. We love the period-correct touches like the Tropic-style strap and the interior rotating bezel –– although we do wish the numerals on the bezel were lumed. This guy also has dual screw-down crowns for adjusting the bezel and the time, respectively. 44mm is admittedly quite large but the timepiece also comes in a 40mm size option.

Tissot Seastar 1000 Dive Watch

A classically-styled and handsome dive watch if there ever were one, the Tissot Seastar 1000 is so beautiful you might not want to ever take it into the water. However, if you do, you can be sure it will keep right on ticking, as it is water-resistant down to 300m below the surface of the ocean, which is incredible considering its 36mm case size. It also has a stainless steel case, a striking dial with a rotating dive timer bezel to match, and a three-link steel band.

Dating back to the ’60s, the Tissot Seastar still won’t have the instant cred of a Submariner or a Seamaster. Even Tissot itself isn’t known for its dive watches. Nonetheless, the Swiss brand has proven its craft with this deceptively inexpensive option. Highly legible despite its black-and-white color scheme, this modern-day interpolation feels premium on your wrist and swaps in an ETA-based quartz movement to keep costs lower. While serious divers may not necessarily opt for this Tissot piece, regardless of the 300m water resistance, it will still be a reliable choice on your wrist.

Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Diver Watch

While it’s not an automatic timepiece like others at this price point, the Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster dive watch you see here is no less one of the best budget-friendly options out there. That’s thanks in part to its iconic styling, stainless steel case, dive timer bezel, 200m water-resistance rating, and (in this particular case) durable and comfortable steel band. The legendary Eco-Drive movement is special because it doesn’t just need the sun’s light for its source of power, but ANY light.

Low-cost durability and its never-fail solar movement keep the Promaster on the wrists of many divers out in the field. Not to mention, there’s a ton of lume to heighten underwater visibility and it’s some of the longest-lasting you’ll find in the industry. We love how the unidirectional bezel is a breeze to operate, even with gloves on. It also wears much more compact despite the 44mm case size. This Citizen watch could get a bump up in our books if its bracelet were slightly less standard, but we can’t complain much about this marvelous dive watch.

Nodus Sector

American microbrand Nodus designs and assembles its watches in Los Angeles and imbues each silhouette with a certain versatility. Case in point, this unique Sector is a sufficient automatic diver that uses a Seiko TMI NH38 movement but can also swing as a serviceable dress watch for under $500. For those who don’t need 200m of water resistance and rather have something with a smaller diameter, the Sector brings you 100m of water resistance from its 39mm stainless steel case which houses a stunning gradient maroon dial –– although, we’d like to see more color popping in the center dial. Around the dial is a slanted 120-click bezel with a matte DLC steel insert with fine circular brushing.

If you don’t care about the heritage status of your watch brand, Nodus is a fantastic choice. Since 2017, the company puts an emphasis on R&D and utilizing cutting-edge manufacturing techniques. We love the attention to detail on the case when it comes to finishing, pattern, shape, and overall machining quality. We also can’t understate the pleasure of wearing a classic 7-link beads of rice-style bracelet, which we don’t see enough of in the diver category these days. Considering its 47mm lug-to-lug and 12.5mm thickness, the Sector has near-perfect proportions if you’re just looking for a dive watch for everyday wear.

Luminox Original Navy SEAL 45mm

In case you’re wondering, yes, the Luminox watch you see here was actually made for Navy SEALs — but it’s also available for civilian purchase. And that means you can wrap this ultra-tough, blacked-out timepiece around your wrist with its lightweight and durable 45mm CARBONOX case, Swiss Quartz movement, 200m water-resistance rating, scratch-resistant mineral crystal, black genuine rubber strap, and tritium lume that stays glowing for 25 years. If you want a dive watch built for the best waterborne soldiers in the world, this stealthy, tactical piece is it.

You’ll notice this Luminox piece is one of the more unorthodox divers on this list, yet it’s that very outside-the-box thinking that’s made it so popular for some three decades. There’s no steel material in the case and the 24-hour inner dial is redolent of rugged yet lightweight field watches. The proprietary CARBONOX case material is a non-metallic carbon powder composite that’s around 6 times more lightweight than stainless steel, making a huge difference on this watch that’s a whopping 45mm wide and 14mm thick. Fortunately, Luminox puts the material on the 3-link bracelet as well, tethered with screw post links rather than push-style, which is only a microcosm of the meticulous thought put into the design of the watch.

Lorier Neptune

Heading to another microbrand we love, let’s shine a spotlight on Lorier, a New York-based watchmaker who continues to be on our radar for models like this Neptune diver. The mid-century-inspired timepiece is a perennial favorite of those who don’t care how old a company is. Lucky for us, we can get nods to much more expensive models from the likes of Rolex, Blancpain, and Omega for a fraction of the price. For its fourth generation of the watch, Lorier listened to user feedback to revamp the acrylic bezel insert, shorten the lugs, reposition the lug holes, and thin out the bracelet links.

You might notice right away the larger size of the screw-down crown, which pays homage to a bygone era of divers and has become increasingly rare these days. We love the other vintage cues such as the gold framing and accents, the thick applied indices, and the highly-domed Hesalite crystal, which brings some interesting qualities to the dial at an angle. Powered by a Miyota automatic movement, the timepiece features a smooth-sweeping second hand, although there seems to be a bit of rotor noise present for those of you with sensitive hearing. All in all, though, this is a solid everyday diver for those with a firm $500 budget.

Seiko Prospex SRPE99 Padi Edition

For some of you, the $500 ceiling is quite flexible. If that’s so, check out this fabulous piece from an iconic brand. From one of the most prolific watch brands in the world, the tonneau-shaped Prospex Sea Diver SRPE99 is one of the most iconic and sought-after in Seiko’s lineup. Featuring a “Pepsi” elapsed-time bezel, the 45mm timepiece was made in partnership with PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) and boasts 200m of water resistance from its stainless steel case. Powered by the Caliber 4R36 automatic movement, the watch can also be manually wound if needed.

Nicknamed the Turtle Diver for its case shape, this Prospex watch is a purpose-built diver that is based on the non-PADI Edition Turtle. As such, the 45mm timepiece wears much smaller due to its stout 47.7mm lug-to-lug size and the offset 4 o’clock crown that’s built into the case. One of our favorite aspects of the watch is its plethora of lume, which goes along with the bold blue and red colors here. While these colors are great for aqueous adventures, they may not be super desirable for those looking for an everyday diver. Also included on this watch, which isn’t always the case with Seiko divers, is a stainless steel bracelet that looks great on the wrist.

Tested: The Best Dive Watches For Any Budget

Maybe you already own a few entry level watches, and you’re ready to start investing into your growing collection? If that’s the case, check out our hands-on guide to the best dive watches at any price point.