The Best Dive Watches from an Actual Diver

What's the best dive watch? Or the best value dive watch? We debate this topic so often, we decided to ask an actual diver.

We discuss the what features matter underwater, Tudor vs. Rolex, the best bezel, the universal love for Seiko dive watches, and so much more.

Blake Buettner is a veteran watch journalist who also happens to be a certified diver. He's a former editor for Hodinkee and Worn & Wound, and he's recently founded his own venture: @TheDeepTrack

0:00 Is the Rolex Submariner still a dive watch?
0:41 Hodinkee, Worn & Wound, The Deep Track
1:18 What matters in a dive watch?
2:42 Tudor Pelagos 39
3:37 Tudor Pelagos FXD
4:03 Sinn U50
4:22 Tudor Pelagos "Marine Nationale"
5:37 Rolex vs. Tudor
7:34 Rolex Predictions for 2024
8:24 Seiko Prospex
10:10 Omega Seamaster 300
11:38 Omega Ploprof
14:20 Best diving bezel?
15:57 Zenith El Primero Rainbow Flyback

#chrono24 #divewatch #rolexsubmariner #rolexdaytona #tudorwatch #tudorpelagos #omegaseamaster #militarywatch

[TH-jqgx]

Click Bait. I thought this would be the watch collection of an expert diver with dozens of years of experience. Not a newbie.

[JogieGlenMait]

Technically an actual diver but not the caliber that I expected. The episode sounds like Hodinkee too.

[sdmotpa]

I was expecting a badass saturation diver with some crazy stories 😂

[Therealgdoesgshit]

Dude started diving to justify his watches

[marcosdoyter]

I can tell you one thing.

Deep sea divers wear diving computers by Suunto. Some of them also wear quartz Citizen watches as a backup.

Other thing, mountaineers and adventurers don’t wear Rolex Explorer. They wear Casio G-Shock.

There is a world of critical and tactical missions. In that world, people don’t rely on luxury mechanical watches. Panerai and Rolex have no chance in that world. Just being honest.

[carlfudge]

A deep dive on tool watches from a bloke who's been in a swimming pool, once

[casualsuede]

I've had my PADI Open water certification for about 10 years and met divers from every continent. Many of them have fancy dive watches, myself included, but i've never seen a diver use it for diving. I myself, owned a Seamaster and still own a Aquaracer and it has gone swimming with me but never diving. I used a deep blue as my diver, a $200 watch.

[luxurywatchinvestment]

Absolutely loved this conversation it’s refreshing to hear real-world insight from someone who’s both deeply immersed in watch journalism and certified to dive with these tools. Blake’s breakdown of what actually matters underwater like bezel grip, dial legibility, and the overlooked importance of a secure strap adds a much-needed layer of practicality to the often hype-driven dive watch discourse. The nuanced comparison between the Pelagos FXD and Submariner was especially sharp, and the shoutout to Seiko Prospex was well-earned. More of this kind of grounded, informed perspective, please!

[scottparrish]

Certified recreational diver since 1979. I still have my first dive watch, a Seiko 6309 that I bought at the PX on Camp Zama, Japan where I was stationed. Have not used a dive watch underwater since the late 90s. I often use 2 dive computers: one on my wrist and the other attached securely to my BC. The idea of a "best" dive watch for diving makes absolutely no sense to me. The best dive "watch" is a computer. I leave my watches in the case when I go on a dive trip.

[sardendibs]

An "actual diver" i.e. some dude who took his Padi last year. I've had an advanced diver certificate for 30 years and I can tell you one thing: A "proper" diver will wear a diving computer and possibly an inexpensive dive watch, like a Seiko, as a backup. But not a Rolex. I like diving watches too, but these days Rolex, Tudor, Blancpain etc. is for desk divers and a few holiday makers who'd rather be Jacques Cousteau. The "luxury divers" of today are essentially jewellery imitations of the tool watches of yesterday.

[sammoxford]

Fun fact
The reason a dive watch needs to be water resistant isn't so that it's useful under water but so the diver doesn't need to look for somewhere safe to leave it each time he goes diving or in the water.

Glad to be of help to all those wondering.

[floridaman]

Full size pelagos. Clasp is actually very useful when diving and it’s very legible. Only watch I dive with anymore

[Obsid_Ian]

I've been diving since 1988 and use a Suunto dive computer and a Tag Heuer since 2000 as a back up timer incase my computer battery dies. This guy is a watch collector first and a hobby diver second.

[HSalamista]

Hey, for a professional diver, I believe the Sinn UX Hydro is unbeatable in legibility under water! (Oil filled watch with high torque quartz movement)

[larryp.]

As diver with advanced certifications since 1985, dive computers are the safest choice, accompanied by a cheap watch backup. I once tore a crown off of a Certina Diver as I was climbing back aboard after a dive. From then on, a crown guard was mandatory. I wore many Seiko’s (including my beloved Capt. Willard) for many decades, among others. Other great features are in-directional bezel, and diver extension or an oversized rubber strap for better usability.

[cdm]

Longtime diver, and always enjoy wearing a mechanical dive watch. Do whatever makes you happy.

[lordabhikingfisher]

I dive regularly and no diver ever wears a analog dive watch if they love their life. All wear a dive computer. Some dive with two dive computers. One in wrist and one integrated with BDC/tank.

[nate.or.nodate]

Love Blake’s collection! Definitely captures the spirit of what I try to do with my own as well 👊

[CasioToCartier]

I’d like to become an underwater welder in the Seattle area, and when I do become certified, I’ll wear my Casio Duro, Steeldive 1953, Citizen Pro-master or equivalent Lorus/Orient dive watch.

I feel all you really need is a Casio MRW-200H and a Dive Computer.

[HRM.H]

Youtube didnt give a notification for this video... the FXD seems like the perfect divewatch. Lightweight, robust and accurate