The 18 Best Dive Watches Under $1000

Dive watches undoubtedly rule the watch world. Maybe it’s because we’re used to seeing them on the wrists of heroes throughout history and pop culture. After all, naval historian Alfred Thayer Mahan once claimed, “Whoever rules the waves rules the world.” Fantasies of power aside, dive watches are genuinely function-forward and versatile, equal parts tool, gear, and style. So we’ve rounded up the 18 best dive watches under $1000.

Whether you want all of the latest diving functions or are just trying to look good on dry land, all priorities for buying the best dive watch under 1000 dollars are represented. 

Seiko Prospex SRPE33 Dive Watch

Dive watches are the quintessential everyday sport watch because they’re classy and effectively neutral. Seiko adorns the Prospex SRPE33 with unique aesthetics, making it noticeably distinct but not irreverent. The dial face is an effervescent blue gradient with a wave pattern and manta ray theme. As a member of the Prospex line, this good-looking guy is also highly functional. It runs on Seiko’s 23-jewel automatic 4R35 caliber which features a 41-hour power reserve, and it meets the International Organization of Standardizations (ISO) measures for scuba diving. Some Rolex-level upgrades include a ceramic bezel and sapphire crystal.

• Price: $625
• Case Diameter: 43.8mm
• Movement: Seiko Caliber 4R35 Automatic
• Crystal: Sapphire
• Water Resistance: 200 Meters

Garmin Descent Mk1 Dive Watch

The Descent Mk1 is made for true-blue divers. In the grand tradition of Garmin, it’s filled to the brim with sophisticated technology. With the 1.2-inch color display, you can access GPS as well as GLONASS, which is the Russian navigation system. This is great for world travelers or if one satellite or the other is obstructed where you are. You can log and review data from up to 200 dives and can share it with others using Garmin Connect, in case you’re competing with any fellow divers. Other features include heart rate technology, modes for multiple gas dives, and smart notifications.

• Price: $1,000
• Case Diameter: 51mm
• Crystal: Sapphire
• Water Resistance: 100 Meters

Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Diver Watch

The bang-for-buck Citizen Promaster Diver is for guys looking for a no-nonsense dive watch that works well and looks good. It boasts impressive functionalities including an ISO-compliant titanium construction treated with surface-hardening technology, which makes it five times harder than steel and about 40 percent lighter. It runs on the E168 caliber Eco-Drive Technology, which is powered by light and doesn’t need a battery. Some people give Citizen grief for not having a recognizable brand DNA about them, but plenty of men just want a reliable tool watch built with heads-down discipline, that doesn’t scream for brand attention. For Under 1000 bucks (right now, its under $500), its hands-down one of the best dive watches you can add to your cart.

• Price: $395+
• Case Diameter: 44mm
• Crystal: Mineral
• Movement: Eco-Drive E168
• Water Resistance: 200 Meters

Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba Automatic Dive Watch

Modern Hamilton watches may be built in Switzerland, but the Khaki Navy Scuba’s design honors its American roots. This automatic timepiece features remixed aesthetic details from their vintage divers, like the indices that barely touch the edge of the dial and the star logo above the Hamilton appellate. The crystal is a scratch-resistant sapphire, and at 40mm, it’s a dive watch that men of most wrist sizes can sport.

• Price: Approximately $830
• Case Diameter: 40mm
• Crystal: Sapphire
• Movement: Hamilton H10 Automatic
• Water Resistance: 100 Meters

Seiko Prospex SNJ025 Solar Dive Watch

With a tank-like 48mm multi-shelled case, the Prospex SNJ025 Solar is nicknamed “the Arnie” because it’s a reissue of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s iconic field watches in 1985’s Commando and 1987’s Predator. It runs on an accurate solar-powered quartz movement with a whopping six-month power reserve. It comes with a stopwatch function, alarm function, and Seiko’s famously brilliant LumiBrite lume on the hands and markers. Go for this generously-sized diver if you have big wrists or if you want to feel like the hero in an action movie.

• Price: $525
• Case Diameter: 47.8mm
• Crystal: Hardlex
• Movement: Caliber H851
• Water Resistance: 200 Meters

Tissot Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80 Dive Watch

Tissot is the ultimate cheat code when it comes to finding a high-quality sport watch with Swiss heritage at a reasonable price. The Seastar 1000 has 300 meters of water resistance, a screw-down crown and case back, and a unidirectional bezel with a durable ceramic construction. Its multi-layered and black-to-blue gradated face is handsome and versatile. Moreover, Tissot’s Powermatic 80 movement is a self-winding automatic that you can admire through the exhibition case back.

• Price: $725
• Case Diameter: 43mm
• Crystal: Sapphire
• Movement: Swiss Powermatic 80.111
• Water Resistance: 300 Meters

Unimatic U3 Classic Dive Watch

Combine a sleek Italian race car with a dive watch, and you’ll get the Unimatic U3-F. It’s a full-on diver with oversized screw-down pushers, lume, a 120-click bezel, and 300-meter water resistance. However, it’s also infused with chronograph capabilities and is powered by a 3-year VK64 mech-quartz movement. This means that the chrono is mechanically activated, but a battery powers the movement through a quartz oscillator for better accuracy. This unique Italian-made tool is the dive watch for car lovers.

• Price: Approximately $580
• Case Diameter: 40mm
• Crystal: Double Domed Sapphire
• Movement: Meca-Quartz Calibre Seiko VK64
• Water Resistance: 300 Meters

Alpina Seastrong Diver 300 GMT

The Alpina Seastrong Diver has an unusual gray titanium stainless steel construction. Visually, it sits somewhere between matte and shiny. It’s tough-looking but sleek, and is definitely the kind of diver that Batman would wear. It has 300 meters of water resistance and runs on an AL-247 quartz movement, which has a battery life of 25 months and allows you to set the GMT hand independently. The crystal is also convex, a premium quality not often bestowed on quartz watches, that prevents the face from getting distorted at different angles.

• Price: $795
• Case Diameter: 44mm
• Crystal: Convex Sapphire
• Movement: AL-247 Quartz Movement
• Water Resistance: 300 Meters

Orient Mako XL Dive Watch

If you’re a bigger-is-better kind of guy, the Orient Mako XL is for you. Its case is 44.5mm and is a considerable 51mm lug to lug, making for one of the most legible dive watches under $1000 on the market. Design-wise, it features the elegant Orient diver hallmarks, like the lollipop second hand and the spear-shaped hour and minute hands. Highly recommended for those who are horologically curious yet budget-minded, the Mako XL runs on the 46943 caliber, an automatic movement with a day/date and 40 hours of power.

• Price: $320
• Case Diameter: 44.5mm
• Crystal: Mineral
• Movement: Caliber 46943
• Water Resistance: 300 Meters

Jack Mason Seatrek Automatic Dive Watch

Because it’s efficiently built and sourced, the Jack Mason Seatrek is a reasonably-priced diver rich with features. It has select premium qualities like a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and water resistance of 300 meters, while its unidirectional bezel features 120 beautifully crisp clicks. This is also Jack Mason’s first watch to have a diver’s bracelet extension with a micro-adjuster, so you can wear it over a wetsuit. The Seatrek runs on Seiko’s 24-jewel NH35A caliber, which is automatic and shock-resistant, and its blue lume is extra bright and uniquely-colored.

• Price: $359
• Case Diameter: 42mm
• Crystal: Sapphire
• Movement: Seiko Caliber NH35A
• Water Resistance: 300 Meters

Vaer D5 Dive Watch

A professional-grade dive watch reminiscent of the very first Submariners, the Vaer D5 even features a vintage domed crystal (in modern sapphire) and simple but durable satin-brushed stainless steel case. It flaunts an elegantly slim profile that slips in and out of a dress sleeve, as a classic watch should. The uncomplicated design hits every mark allowing you to pair it with literally any strap, whether you’re going for a tool-aesthetic khaki canvas, or an urban-cool simple leather. Having one Vaer diver is like having several different watches.

Price: $499
Case Diameter: 40mm
Crystal: Double Domed Sapphire
Movement: Miyota 9039 Automatic
Water Resistance: 200 Meters

Luminox Pacific Diver Series Watch

Trusted by Navy Seals for over 25 years, Luminox serves up a rugged man’s man of a watch with the Pacific Diver series. It rocks legible modern Arabic fonts throughout, and a lot of layers and texture, including the deeply coined rotating bezel for easy grip. Speaking of the bezel, it’s made of Carbonox, which is an innovative compound with a rigid finish that’s stiff and lightweight taking its durability to the next level — it also looks cool and can be had for less than 1000 bucks.

• Price: $695
• Case Diameter: 44mm
• Crystal: Sapphire
• Movement: Ronda 515
• Water Resistance: 200 Meters

Marathon Arctic MSAR Dive Watch

The fun and charming Arctic MSAR features black illustrative fonts on a white dial with a bright red second hand, an aesthetic reminiscent to Swiss railway clocks. Functionally, it runs on a high-torque Swiss quartz movement for laser accuracy and is ISO-compliant for water resistance, durability, and legibility. Naturally, the crystal is a scratch-resistant sapphire, and at 36mm, the smaller diameter definitely adds to its impish appeal.

• Price: $1,100
• Case Diameter: 36mm
• Crystal: Sapphire
• Movement: Marathon M2 Self-Winding Automatic
• Water Resistance: 300 Meters

Dango DV-01 Dive Watch

If you think that classic dives are too traditional, then the Dango DV-01’s modular aesthetic is for you. Its modern sporty take on the dive watch would pair well with even the most minimalist and modern styles. Aesthetically, the dial employs simple, abstract, but still legible shapes. The only Arabic numbers are on the bezel in tiny font. It has patented interchangeable lugs for easy bracelet changes, though the ventilated silicon strap it comes with perfectly complements the 45mm stainless steel case.

• Price: $325
• Case Diameter: 45mm
• Crystal: Sapphire
• Movement: Swiss Ronda Caliber 515-2
• Water Resistance: 200 Meters

Dan Henry 1970 Automatic Diver Watch

The Dan Henry 1970 is an exceptionally designed limited-edition timepiece. Its face is highlighted by eye-catching orange accents and a unique inner rotating bezel protected by a double-domed anti-reflective sapphire. Other sophisticated touches include a dual cross-hatched crown and rubber strap featuring a woven pattern. Go for this automatic diver if you like vintage-inspired styles that don’t make you look like a time traveler.

• Price: $290
• Case Diameter: 40mm, 44mm
• Crystal: Sapphire Coated Double Domed Mineral
• Movement: Seiko Caliber NH35 Automatic
• Water Resistance: 200 Meters

Victorinox I.N.O.X. Professional Diver Watch

The super strong Victorinox I.N.O.X. Professional has the gentleman athlete vibes of a Rolex Explorer II, but at a way more affordable price and with much better water resistance. It’s an ISO-approved diving watch and is the only Swiss diver certified to withstand 130 extreme homologation tests. This means it can withstand severe circumstances including temperature and shock. It also comes with a fun removable magnifying glass for you detectives out there.

• Price: $650
• Case Diameter: 45mm
• Crystal: Sapphire
• Movement: Swiss Made Quartz
• Water Resistance: 200 Meters

G-Shock GWF1000-1

G-Shock never disappoints when it comes to robust sport watches, and the GWF1000-1 Frogman is ISO-certified for diving, durability, and shock resistance. It also has a digital compass and multi-band atomic timekeeping for military precision, since it receives time-calibration radio signals. This is definitely the toughest dive watch on the list, a genuine survival tool.

• Price: $750
• Case Diameter: 52mm
• Crystal: Mineral
• Movement: Rechargeable Solar Powered
• Water Resistance: 200 Meters

Heritor Automatic Dominic Dive Watch

If you like fun and bright palettes, the Heritor Dominic Dive is the dive watch for you. With so many variations, I can see lovers of color starting a collection of these 45mm look-at-me devices. The white face with a blue bezel has a sophisticated and pearlesque quality, while the Pepsi-bezel version has a gorgeous sunburst dial. Other design highlights include a Mercedes hour hand and a complex Jubilee-inspired bracelet that’s a little fancier and more complex than a regular oyster. And of course, it boasts 200 meters of water resistance, a unidirectional bezel, and 24-jewel automatic movement.

• Price: Approximately $758
• Case Diameter: 45mm
• Crystal: Sapphire-Coated Mineral
• Movement: Seiko NH35 Automatic
• Water Resistance: 200 Meters

Whether you need a quartz dive watch or a robust automatic, the above dive watches are some of the best in their class. On a stricter budget? Check out our list of the best dive watches under $500.

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