One of the most common types of sports timepieces is the beloved diver’s watch. The sheer number of dive watches available on the market is as vast as the planet’s oceans, and navigating the options is no easy task. So we’ve selected our eight favorite dive watches — all equipped with mechanical manufacture movements — to narrow it down.
1 – Rolex Submariner – is the archetype dive watch. Its design is the most copied in the industry. Rolex has smartly maintained a timeless aesthetic from 1953 to the present. As a result of this evolutionary product lifecycle, Submariners (vintage, pre-owned, new) hold value better than any other dive watch on the market. The modern Rolex Submariner (Ref. 124060-0001), shown above, features a 41 mm diameter 904L stainless steel case with a ceramic bezel insert, 300 meters of water-resistance, and is powered by Rolex’s 4Hz caliber 3230 automatic movement with 70-hour power reserve, which has been tested to an ultra precise -2/+2 seconds per day. $9,500
2 – Omega Seamaster 300M “Daniel Craig” – takes its helium-escape valve equipped, 300-meter water-resistance, 42 mm diameter professional dive watch case — specifically the titanium “No Time To Die” Bond Seamaster 300M version — and transforms it into a more affordable stainless steel version. Like the Bond 300M, a Master Chronometer Co-Axial movement powers the movement (in this case the automatic caliber 8806), at a rate of 3.5Hz, for up to 55 hours, with a precision level of 0/-5 seconds per day. However, the way Omega stripped away the gold accents, the titanium case, and made the Seamaster 300M (Ref. 210.30.42.20.01.010) fully monochromatic, while reducing the price, has resulted in a viable challenger to the venerable Submariner. More so than the other 300M models. Available in a comfortable and pliable black molded rubber strap for $6,500 or with a mesh bracelet as shown for $300 more, you won’t go wrong with either option. That said, the Milanese mesh is both incredibly comfortable and swanky to the point that we highly recommend this option over the other. $6,800
3 – Omega Seamaster 300 – featuring Omega’s vintage dive watch design, with a sandwich dial, the Seamaster 300, which debuted in 2021, is a more casual retro dive watch that has serious water-resistance of 300 meters, though it lacks a helium escape valve seen on professional Seamasters. It will deliver the precision and robustness you expect from one of the world’s leading Swiss watchmakers, yet it does so in a swanky 41 mm diameter straight lug throwback case. The Seamaster 300 is powered by an automatic Master Chronometer Co-Axial caliber 8912, which beats at 3.5Hz and has two barrels that are good for 60 hours of power reserve. The watch’s accuracy is rated to an impressive -0/+5 seconds per day. With a solid colored dial, the Seamaster 300 retails for $7,400 on a bracelet. As shown, with a gradient dial, for $400 more than the standard dial. $7,800
4 – Tudor Pelagos Ultra – Featuring a 43 mm diameter, ultralight, hyperallergenic, unalloyed grade 2 titanium case, with a grade 5 titanium caseback, a 1,000-meter water-resistance rating, a helium escape valve, and an automatic 4Hz caliber MT5612-U Master Chronometer movement that’s good for 65-hours and rated to -2/+4 seconds per day — this is one of the most professional dive watches on the market, bar none. And it’s equipped with a T-Fit adjustable clasp bracelet with a new visual indication system, representing one of the best dive bracelet designs on the market. It also comes with an additional black integrated black rubber strap. The Pelagos Ultra (M2543C1A7NU-0001) is a serious contender, even against its venerable older brothers, the Submariner and Sea-Dweller. $6,100
5 – Blancpain Fifty Fathoms – first debuted in 1953, the Fifty Fathoms is one of the pioneers of dive watches, and has a pedigree just as storied as the Submariner, which came out the same year. It just never became a mainstream icon in the way Rolex has. Blancpain is likely looking to change that, and after years of mostly offering the Fifty Fathoms, with its signature sapphire crystal bezel insert, 300-meter water resistance rating, available in a large 45 mm diameter case, the Le Sentier-based watchmaker is now offering the standard Fifty Fathoms dive watch in 38 mm, 42 mm, and 45 mm. The Fifty Fathoms (Ref. 5007), shown, features a 3Hz automatic in-house movement, caliber 1150, which offers an impressive 100-hour power reserve, and comes in a 38 mm diameter stainless steel case with a matching bracelet. $19,500
6 – TAG Heuer Aquaracer 300 Professional – a formidable timepiece from one of the largest Swiss watch brands, with a variety of configurations. Redesigned in 2024, the Aquaracer 300 Professional is available in 36 mm and 42 mm diameter case options; however, at this time, only the larger variation is powered by an in-house movement. TAG Heuer caliber TH31-00 is a COSC-certified automatic movement with an 80-hour power reserve and precision of -4/+6 seconds per day. Rated to 300 meters of water-resistance, and featuring prominent hands, indices, dial markings, and bezel graduation, the Aquaracer 300 Professional (Ref. WBP5111.BA0013) is an ideal companion in any aquatic environment. $4,200
7 – IWC Aquatimer – the current 42 mm Aquatimer has been around forever. We reviewed the discontinued Aquatimer (Ref. IW329001) over a decade ago (2014-2021), when it was powered by an outsourced ETA movement. As of 2022, IWC replaced that model with Aquatimer (Ref. IW328802), and while there was only one change, it was a big one. IWC switched from the ETA caliber with a 42-hour power reserve to an in-house automatic caliber 32111, which boasts an impressive 120-hour (or 5-day) power reserve. Notably, the awesome bezel system remains the same, with an external bezel that you turn to adjust the internal bezel, thanks to a sliding clutch system. The system ensures that the inner ring with the dive time scale always rotates counterclockwise. so that, for safety, the dive time can never be extended, just like with a traditional unidirectional bezel. The Aquatimer is water-resistant to 300 meters and comes with a quick-release strap change system. $6,400
8 – Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date – does not have the typical dive watch aesthetic. Instead features two crowns, one of which controls the time and date, and the other to adjust the internal dive bezel. Presented in a 42 mm diameter stainless steel case, with the lowest water-resistance rating of our picks, at 200 meters, the Polaris Date (Ref. Q9068650) still holds its own with its distinctive double gradient dial and non-ubiquitous aesthetic. The 4Hz automatic caliber 899 Jaeger-LeCoultre movement features a 70-hour power reserve, maintains a high level of robustness, and is decorated with attractive Geneva stripes, perlage, blued screws, and a skeletonized rotor, all visible through a sapphire caseback. The solid black dial variant is $10,000; however, if you want a unique diver, it will cost you $1,000 extra, but few other dive watches are available will have such a unique dial. $11,100
Final Thoughts
There are thousands of dive watch models out there. And this particular best-of list is strictly limited to our eight top in-house dive watches. However, there are many options also worth mentioning, including but not limited to: the Panerai Luminor Marina, Oris Sixty Five, Oris Aquis Pro, Breitling Superocean, Breitling Superocean Heritage, Longines Hydroconquest, Longines Legend, Rolex Deepsea, Rolex Sea-Dweller, Tudor Black Bay, Tudor Pelagos, and Omega Planet Ocean.
There are also good microbrand dive watches on the lower end of the price spectrum; however, choose wisely because there’s a big difference in the testing, quality, movement, reliability, and resale at the microbrand level.
Additionally, Citizen and Seiko make a plethora of respectable entry-level dive watches. Among mid-priced independents, the Sinn U1, U2, U50, and Tutima M2, as well as Bremont’s latest Supermarine, are worth a look. At the high-end, dive watches from brands like Audemars Piguet and Ulysse Nardin are notable.
Lastly, the Rolex Deepsea Challenge (11,000 meters), and Omega Ultra Deep (6,000 meters) are the super dive watches that push the limits of what a diving watch can do; however, because they’re speciality dive watches that are much larger and more expensive than the standard Submariner and Seamaster collections, we did not include them in the primary list. Needless to say, if you want the ultimate, highest-performance dive watches, these are it.
If you want the best modern in-house dive watch, look no further than these elite eight: Submariner, Seamaster 300M, Seamaster 300, Pelagos Ultra, Aquaracer, Aquatimer, Fifty Fathoms, and Polaris Date.
If you liked this article, you may also like this: Four Best Watches of 2024.
Photos by Rolex, Omega, Tudor, TAG Heuer, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Blancpain, IWC.
