Best Diver’s watch

A diver’s watch is waterproof and has a left rotating bezel that is used to measure the time underwater.

Diver’s watches are not dive computers and are therefore often used by divers as a backup, in the event that one of the devices fails but you still have a “replacement” with you.

No decompression limit

The No decompression limit is the time from descending all the way to acseding backup to the surface, without having to make a decompression stop, so you have not exceeded the No decompression limit means you have no supersaturation of nitrogen in your blood! It is best to look up the max diving times at the respective depth from a diving table.

Decompression time

If you exceed your no-decompression limit and thus Supersaturate your blood with nitrogen you’ll need to make stops on the way up. This can also be read from the diving table for how long and at what depth this stop must be made. These stops cannot be skipped otherwise you’ll harm yourself!

Fashionable accessory and luxury object

Nowadays diver’s watches are more of a fashion accessory and luxury item and are basically no longer required for diving as a primary display. There is also the dive computer that can show a lot more than just the time and entry. But if you would like to wear a classic watch, you will get your money’s worth here!

DIN Norm

In Germany for example, only watches with the designation diver’s watch or diver’s (watch) that meet the criteria of DIN 8306 may be sold, for example:

• Tested water resistance up to 20 bar, corresponding to a diving depth of 190 meters
• Clear readability from a distance of 25 cm from the time, selected dive time, functioning of the clock – even in the dark
• Possibility to preselect a time period (timer or bezel)

Beginnings of the dive watch

The Swiss watch manufacturer Rolex responded to a growing interest in sports and swimming and was the first manufacturer to achieve permanent water resistance in wristwatches. The first waterproof wristwatch to be marketed was the 1926 Oyster model.

The Submariner from 1953 is considered the archetype of modern diver’s watches with an external rotating ring (bezel) and guaranteed water resistance up to 100 meter

Mechanical dive watches

With a dive watch, it is important to ensure that the hands and the dial are easy to read, even in poor lighting conditions.

The hands and the dial are provided with fluorescent material, mostly Superluminova. In order to make this material shine, it has to be stimulated with light. The light is then slowly released again from the material and you can read the clock well even in very poor visibility conditions or during night dives without shining on the clock with your underwater torch.

A bezel that can only be rotated to the left, which prevents unintentional adjustment leading to an incorrect dive time.

When good and reliable automatic clockwork were available, these became the standard for mechanical diver’s watches for safety reasons, instead of the manual winding clockworks that had been used until then.

Quartz clockwork in dive watches

For safety reasons, a function has been integrated so that when the battery level is low, the second hand jumps for three seconds at each step (instead of one normally). Unlike many other utility watches, however, quartz movements did not become the dominant standard in diver’s watches.

With the so-called auto-quartz movement, the technology in diver’s watches experienced a boost. The drive energy is generated by a mechanical winding rotor that is moved by the movements of the wrist. Thus, annoying battery changes and the uncertainty of the water resistance of the dive watch were eliminated. A charged watch also runs without movement for several months.

Quartz movement dive watches with depth gauge

In the 80s, the analog dial models began to be equipped with a digital display that showed the date above water and the depth in meters or feet underwater. In other watches, the depth gauge was implemented with a fourth pointer and a meter or foot scale.

Digital quartz movement dive watch

Before the diver’s watch was replaced by the diving computer, some manufacturers brought digital quartz diver’s watches with a large LCD display onto the market, but they had no real chance!

In 1996 the manufacturer Sinn brought the newly developed hydro technology onto the market. By completely filling the watch with a silicone-based special oil, a mirror-free read off from every viewing angle, absolute protection against fogging and any pressure resistance is achieved for every achievable diving depth.

Diver’s watches as an accessory

Nowadays diver’s watches are not only worn by divers, watch collectors also have their eyes on this sector! Their sporty appearance does not only inspire divers either and they look fashionable on the wrist and make a certain statement.

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Here are our recommendations for diver’s watches

Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Sailhawk Quartz Men’s Watch Diver’s Watch

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Boldr Odyssey Freediver Automatic Green Diver’s Watch

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Tissot mens Seastar 660/1000 Stainless Steel Diver’s Watch

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Pantor Sealion 300m Pro Diver’s Watch

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SEIKO 5 Sports 24-Jewel Automatic Diver’s Watch

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Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Navihawk

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Seiko Prospex Chrono Diver’s watch 200m Solar

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Tissot mens Seastar 660-1000 Stainless Steel Diver’s Watch Orange

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Rolex New Submariner 114060 Steel Black Ceramic Diver’s Watch

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Rolex Submariner “Hulk” Green Dial Men’s Luxury Watch M116610LV-0002 Diver’s Watch

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Orient Dive watch Men’s Kamasu Stainless Steel

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This was our list of the Best Diver’s Watch! We hope you enjoyed it and if so, please share the article with your friends and family or on your social platforms and leave us a comment below with your favorite we would appreciate it a lot and you’d make the Oceans a little better! Thank you!

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