“You don’t have to spend $8,000 for a Rolex Submariner to have a real dive watch on your wrist. Of course, you will have to make some compromises, but in the end, even for just $500 you can get your hands on some serious timepieces.”
Short list of the best dive watches under $500:
- Le Forban Brestoise
- Marnaut Seascape 200R
- Helm Vanuatu Titanium
- Seiko Prospex SRP777 Automatic
- Dan Henry 1970
- Zelo Swordfish TI 42mm Black Sand
- Geckota G-02 Gen 2
- Seiko SKX009
- MWC Depthmaster 100 ATM
- Raven Solitude
Introduction
Dive watches. For everyone ranging from the most passionate watch collector to the absolute watch newbie, dive watches are a very popular field of watches. Now you may ask, but dive watches are designed with the intention to be used in the deepest of waters, so why should someone take this tool, that was built to withstand this enormous amount of pressure, out on the street? Don’t those watches belong on a real diver’s wrist?
See, the thing is this, people enjoy the thought of having a rugged tool, which in theory would be able to master those challenges with ease. For me personally, just the thought of all those tiny gears and springs, working flawlessly, while being under the relentless pressure of the ocean, makes me want to buy another dive watch. Yes, you heard right another one. I too am very fascinated by the dive watch sector and own a few of them (but by far not enough).
But there are more factors that contribute to the success of the dive watch concept, other than how they are made. First, there is the design aspect. Since dive watches require a very high level of legibility underwater, dive watches tend to have some of the cleanest dial designs and are usually kept very minimalistic. And for the second point, don’t forget the level of coolness and badassery that dive watches are associated with. I mean just think of James Bond’s Omega Seamaster, or Steve McQueen’s Rolex 5513.
As you can see, there are many reasons to get a dive watch. So, whether you enjoy wearing your diver behind a desk or actually plan to do some underwater exploration with it, I got you. I’ve rounded up ten of my favorite ocean-going timepieces on this list of the best dive watches that can be bought for $500 or less. And as always, I’m trying to include some not-so-well-known brands, so that even the most knowledgeable enthusiast will still get to see something new. But enough with all the talking, let’s get started!
Le Forban Brestoise ($490)
Starting off with a watch from a brand, which I just recently discovered as part of my “3-Best Watch collection under $1000” article. And today we are looking at their Brestoise model. In short, the Le Forban Brestoise is a 39mm dive watch, which pays tribute to the brand’s first, iconic model, which was released back in 1969. With the dial featuring a combination of highly legible numerals and roman markers, there is no doubt about the vintage 1960’s heritage of the watch. Also, a big contributor to the vintage aesthetic is the black tropical rubber strap on which the watch gets delivered, which originates back to the ’60s and ’70s.
As mentioned above, the watch has a stainless-steel case that measures around 39mm in diameter and 12.75mm in height. Complementing the dial perfectly is the 120-click unidirectional bezel which is made from black aluminum. The Brestoise is powered by the automatic Miyota 8215 movement.
Overall, this watch has a great design, great proportions, and a ton of rich history behind it and is therefore a solid choice.
Specifications: Price: $490, Case Size: 39mm, Thickness: 12.75mm, Lug-to-Lug: 45mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 150, Movement: Automatic Miyota 8215 movement, Power Reserve: 42 Hours, Crystal: Sapphire
Marnaut Seascape 200R ($450)
Moving on to our second pick of the day. The Marnaut Seascape 200R. Marnaut is an independent watch brand that specializes in making dive watches inspired by mid-20th century design. The brand was founded in 2018 and bases its operation out of Croatia.
Following the popular Dark Surge 300M, the Seascape 200R is the newest addition to Marnauts line-up of dive watches. The Seascape 200R with its distinctive twin-crown design takes inspiration from the iconic super compressor dive watch designs of the 1960s. Back then this type of diver was very popular. Super compressors usually have two crowns, where the upper crown rotates the bezel, while the bottom crown adjusts the time. This extra crown to rotate the bezel was later replaced by the unidirectional rotatable bezels, which are now commonly found in watches like the Rolex Submariner. But in the last years, the design of Super compressors made a comeback. Actually, there is a watch later in the list, that also uses the same functionality.
But back to the Seascape. The watch features an automatic Miyota 9015 movement, which is housed in a 40mm stainless steel case. True to its diving heritage, the Seascape 200R has a water resistance of up to 200 meters (660ft). Speaking of the case, it’s topped with a scratch-resistant, double-domed sapphire crystal. The matte black dial features symmetrically raised indexes which were inspired by the looks of a sea urchin.
Specifications: Price: $450, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 13mm, Lug-to-Lug: 48mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 200m, Movement: Automatic MIYOTA 9015 movement, Power Reserve: 42 Hours, Crystal: Sapphire
Helm Vanuatu Titanium ($375)
The Helm Vanuatu is a heavy-duty diver with American roots. Helm as a brand is based in North Carolina, USA, and operates from there. The brand was founded back in 2014 and released its first model, the Vanuatu 300m automatic, in the fall of 2015. The name behind the watch is quite cool and unique, the watch is named after the South Pacific island nation famous for its coral reefs and a WWII shipwreck.
And the watch that made it to this list, is the titanium version of the original Helm Vanuatu. The brushed titanium grade case comes in quite heavy with a diameter of 42mm and a lug-to-lug distance of 50mm. However, this is the norm today for a diver with this grade of water resistance, so they didn’t go overboard when it comes to the proportions. Speaking of going overboard, the Vanuatu boasts an impressive 300 meters of water resistance while being compliant to the ISO 6525 divers rating. Inside this beast of a case, beats the reliable Seiko NH35 Automatic movement. Also, the design of the watch overall screams diver, the dial with the hour markers are kept simple and clean and makes for great legibility if you would ever find yourself in the situation of being 300 meters under the surface.
Overall, for the price of just $375, you will not only get this titanium grad watch with great specs, no no, included in the package is also a titanium bracelet and a nylon strap. This is very hard to beat if you are looking for a heavy-duty diver in this price range and you don’t mind a rather hefty case.
Specifications: Price: $375, Case Size: 42mm, Thickness: 14mm, Lug-to-Lug: 50mm, Lug Width: 22mm, Water Resistance: 300m, Movement: Auto Seiko NH35, Power Reserve: 41 Hours, Crystal: Sapphire
Seiko Prospex SRP777 Automatic ($480)
Moving on to a brand that is an all-time favorite of the watch community when it comes to affordable dive watches. Of course, I’m talking about Seiko and their diverse collection of divers. Particularly the Seiko Prospex SRP777 caught my attention with its looks and specs.
The Seiko SRP777 features a hefty 45mm case size that has a height of 13.4mm and is water-resistant up to 200 meters (660ft). The design of the dial and the overall watch has a very typical Seiko-look to it, meaning it’s quite clean, organized, and has great legibility. The watch also has a unidirectional rotating bezel and is presented on a black silicone strap.
The Seiko SRP777 is powered by Seiko’s own Automatic Seiko caliber 4R36 movement, which has proven to be very reliable and is, therefore, a good choice at this price point. Speaking of the price, this watch will set you back around $480, depending on which country you live and where you usually get your watches from. Amazon has one that is $475 but is currently at a promotion price of just $350. So, if you wait long enough, you have to spend even less for this powerhouse of a watch.
Specifications: Price: $480, Case Size: 44mm, Thickness: 13.4mm, Lug-to-Lug: n/a, Lug Width: 22mm, Water Resistance: 200m, Movement: Seiko caliber 4R36, Power Reserve: 41 Hours, Crystal: Hardlex
Dan Henry 1970 ($290)
Maybe the design of the next watch, the Dan Henry 1970, is familiar to you. That could be, because you read my previous “The best 3-Watch collection under $1000” article, where I featured this exact model as well, or you recognized the way the watch case was built, from a watch on this list. Either way, you would be right, I did indeed feature the Dan Henry 1970 in my previous article and there is a watch on this list with the same case design, namely the Marnaut Seascape 200R. Remember? The watch with its distinctive twin-crown design takes inspiration from the iconic super compressors of the 1960s.
Anyway, the Dan Henry 1970 has a lot to offer at a price of just under $300. The watch features an automatic Seiko NH35 movement which is housed in a 316L stainless steel case. The case was treated with a black PVD coating, which gives quite a unique look, considering most of the dive watches out there mostly rely on the classic stainless-steel look. But if you’re not a fan of all-black watches, then there are 3 more color variants, you can choose from. When it comes to the case size, you have the option between a 40mm and a 44mm diameter, both featuring a case height of 14.8mm and water resistance of up to 200 meters (660ft)
Overall, this is a beautiful watch, which for the price of just $290, performs very well and has some impressive specifications.
Specifications: Price: $290, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 14.8mm, Lug-to-Lug: 45.7mm, Lug Width: 22mm, Water Resistance: 200m, Movement: Auto Seiko NH35, Power Reserve: 41 Hours, Crystal: Mineral
Seiko SKX009 ($450)
Next up is an all-time favorite of diver fanatics. The Seiko SKX009. Now, something to know, Seiko discontinued this watch back in 2019, but you still can get one of them quite easily, for the price of around $450 on Amazon or other online retailers.
Even after getting discontinued by Seiko, this watch still holds the crown for one of the most legendary dives watches out there. I mean, just a few years ago, you couldn’t browse for watches without the Seiko SKX series coming up as the most recommended watch for beginners looking for an affordable automatic watch. And this has its reasons. The SKX009 is a very reliable watch with 200 meters (660ft) of water resistance and an impressive ISO 6425 diver certification. This is a certificate specifying requirements and test methods for divers’ watches that are being used in deep diving. Apart from that, the watch has a stainless-steel case that measures 42mm in diameter and a mineral crystal.
The watch is powered by a Japanese 7s26 movement, which is quite typical for Seiko. When it comes to straps, you either have the choice between a stainless-steel bracelet or a rubber strap, which complements the overall style of the watch. I think I don’t have to say more about this watch, if you are looking for an iconic diver at this price point, this watch will most definitely satisfy your needs.
Specifications: Price: $400, Case Size: 42mm, Thickness: 13mm, Lug-to-Lug: 46mm, Lug Width: 22mm, Water Resistance: 200m, Movement: Seiko 7S26 automatic movement, Power Reserve: 41 Hours, Crystal: n/a
Zelo Swordfish TI 42mm Black Sand ($449)
The Zelo Swordfish TI Black sand is the next watch on this list. The brand behind it is based in Singapore and was founded in 2014 ago. Since then, Zelo launched 3 successful Kickstarter campaigns. The brand is known for making some good-looking watches with impressive specifications at modest price points.
And the Zelo Swordfish is no exception to that. The dive watch is made from super-light titanium, weighing only 150 grams including the titanium grade bracelet. The titanium case has a diameter of 42mm (The name gave it away), with a height of 13mm and a lug-to-lug distance of 48mm. So, the case is rather well proportioned, when we compare it to some other watches on this list (Cough, Seiko SRP777 cough). Speaking of the case, the build-quality enables an impressive water resistance of 300 meters. Part of the case is also a 120-click unidirectional ceramic bezel, a sapphire crystal, and a black dial with carved-in, luminous hour markers.
Ticking inside the case is the reliable Seiko NH35 Automatic movement, which will serve you very well. Part of the overall package is not only the watch but also an additional Horween leather strap, a travel roll, and a wooden box. So, as you can see, for the $449 price tag you will get a lot of bang for your buck.
Specifications: Price: $449, Case Size: 42mm, Thickness: 13mm, Lug-to-Lug: 48mm, Lug Width: 22mm, Water Resistance: 300m, Movement: Auto Seiko NH35, Power Reserve: 41 Hours, Crystal: Sapphire
Geckota G-02 Gen 2 (around $500)
When discussing the sub-$500 dive watch category, the name Geckota doesn’t come up a lot. The brand, which was founded by Watch Gecko, a company from England that specializes in making watch straps, for some reason is not on the radar of most watch enthusiasts. And when you see the specs and the design, it’s hard to understand why that is. Especially when we look at the Geckota G-02 Gen 2 Model, which is the watch featured on this list.
The Geckota G-02 Gen 2 features an Automatic PT5000 movement, which is made by the Chinese movement manufacturers H.K. Precision Technology (HKPT). In fact, like the Sellita SW200, the PT5000 movement from HKPT is a clone of the reliable ETA 2824 movement. Since the ETA movement isn’t protected by patent, these companies were smart and decided to use a tried and tested formula to ensure a good balance between reliability and cost-effectiveness. But back to the watch, the movement is housed by a stainless steel 40mm case, which enables the watch to have a water resistance of up to 200 meters (660ft). Adding to those specs is a sapphire crystal and date functionality, which I think wouldn’t be necessary, especially considering the dive heritage of the watch.
Speaking of heritage, the design of the watch is heavily inspired by the era of great underwater explorers, back in the days. Therefore, the midnight blue bezel and dial in combination with the shiny vintage-inspired hands and applied markers, makes me feel a distinctive vintage vibe, which, for me, adds to the appeal. Overall, Geckota did a great job, especially when designing the watch. When you decide to get one for yourself, you will have to pay around $500.
Specifications: Price: $500, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 13.5mm, Lug-to-Lug: 47mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 200m, Movement: Automatic PT5000, Power Reserve: 38 Hours, Crystal: Sapphire
MWC Depthmaster 100 ATM ($338)
Moving on from an elegantly designed and vintage-inspired Geckota dive watch to a massive heavy-duty, military-inspired watch, named MWC Depth master. The brand behind the watch is the Swiss brand MWC, which is short for “Military Watch Company”. I think you already know, what kind of watches we are dealing with here.
MWC was founded in Zurich, Switzerland, back in 1974 by Wolfgang Obrigheimer, who unfortunately passed away in 2020 at the age of 91. WMC today still operates out of Switzerland but has also built a second base in the US, to take care of the North American business. As their name already gives away, WMC specializes in supplying robust military specification timepieces not only to individual buyers, but also to military forces, police forces, special units, and much more sectors, which can use their rugged line-up of timepieces.
Speaking of rugged, the watch has a massive 316L stainless steel case, which measures 47mm in diameter. The case is also coated in black PVD, giving the watch an even more badass appearance. The MWC Depthmaster is powered by a Ronda 715li quartz movement, which will keep telling the time accurately for a whopping 10 years. As the name suggests, the watch has a water resistance of up to 100ATM, which translates to 1000 meters or 3,280 feet, and therefore having a helium escape valve, which enables professional divers to spend long periods of time in great depth, where there is a lot of pressure. And this is just amazing for a watch that will set you back $340. So, let’s assume you are going to spend some time 1000 meters underwater, how will you be able to tell the time? WMC got you covered, the dial offers great legibility and a good amount of lume.
Let me be clear, this is not your everyday fancy divers watch, which you will wear when going on a date. This is intended to be used 100% as a professional tool. But I thought that including a real dive watch, which shows the original intent behind the dive watch concept, would be cool. Let me know in the comments if you agree.
Specifications: Price: $340, Case Size: 47mm, Thickness: 18mm, Lug-to-Lug: 48mm, Lug Width: 24mm, Water Resistance: 1000m, Movement: Ronda 715li quartz, Power Reserve: 10 years, Crystal: Sapphire
Raven Solitude ($450)
And now, our last contender on this list. The Raven Solitude. Raven as a brand started releasing watches back in 2008, with their first model being the Night Stalker. Ever since then, the US-based company produces affordable dive watches, which can take some beatings.
The Raven Solitude is no exception to that. The watch has a 40mm case, which measures 13mm in height and 47mm from lug-to-lug. The case is entirely made from stainless steel and houses a tried and tested Seiko NH35A automatic movement. Since this watch is a real tool watch, after all, you will get a water resistance of up to 300 meters and a high-quality rubber strap, which enables you to take this watch out in the wild. Adding to the functionality is a simple and clean dial and raised and polished hour indices and polished hands. And to make the dial legible, even when you are a good 300 meters underwater, the dial, hands, and bezel are all covered with a Super-LumiNova BGW9 coating.
To sum it up, for a price of just $450 you will get US-made quality, combined with a clean design and a reliable movement. So basically, what I’m saying is, this watch delivers.
Specifications: Price: $450, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 13mm, Lug-to-Lug: 47mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 300m, Movement: Auto Seiko NH35A, Power Reserve: 41 Hours, Crystal: Sapphire
Conclusion
As this list demonstrated, you don’t have to spend $8,000 for a Rolex Submariner to have a real dive watch on your wrist. Of course, you will have to make some compromises, but in the end, even for just $500, you can get your hands on some solid choices.
