Finally a video from a diver! Thanks for this video. It seems like most of the videos talking about dive watches seem to be from collectors or fashion folks who spend more time complaining about features or lack there of even though they will never use them for diving. Hoping to pick up a skx007 (if i can find a good deal) or 009 soon.
corail53 thanks! Glad you liked it. I like my dive watches to fulfill their destiny! The Seiko skx009 or skx007 are legends in their own right, so rugged. Enjoy!
Finally, someone who Actually Goes Diving explains how to use a dive watch and explains the functions! The haters are the guys who only review watches and don't actually go diving. They're all about the esthetic, not the true function. Kinda like guys with chronographs to measure time and distance!
Im personally using the Oceanic ProPlusX for my computer and a simple Triple sensor diving Gshock as my backup. Love diving and wish I could get out there much more often than I get to do it living in Canada. :) Thanks for the video.
Nice computer! Also Gshocks are super... i do like automatic dive watches though as, in theory, you do not need to open the caseback for anything thereby you can't compromise the seal against water. With quartz watches, you need to open up the case back every few years to change the battery and that adds an element of risk. Also, i am a bit of a watch nut :) I also agree that living in Canada is not conducive to regular scuba - although cold water diving is sometimes fun! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
@@TheBioReef Solar Quartz Casio G-Shock ("Tough Solar"), Citizen Promaster ("Eco-Drive") and Seiko ("SOLAR") don't need to be opened and preserves the factory seals for many years even decades, over the functional life of the piece. I get that there is a connection to automatics and mechanical watches that some people don't feel with a quartz movement. However the reliability and precision of solar quartz movements in a diver or critical time piece is valuable especially as a back up to a diving computer or other critical timing device. That being said your collection is awesome and looks great!
@@mattmorse8430 you are bang on. Can’t disagree. I guess I just like the old school feeling I get with a mechanical watch. I also shave with a straight razor ;) am I stuck in the past :)
@@mattmorse8430With a mechanical diver it doesn’t matter if it is two minutes fast as you just line up the 12 o clock position of the bezel to the minute hand
Nice video. Thank you. Good thing he mentioned that he changes straps to dive with the watch. I would hate to see that croc strap get dissolved in sea water…
I know you like the mechanical watches but I use an analog frogman that i bought for 700 dollars. it has a time keeping feature so basically a digital rotating bezel. it has two time zones and it can keep track of your dive time AND real time on the face as well on different dials. but more importantly it has screwed in bands. so I don't depend on a pin to hold my watch underwater it is also sapphire so it should resist the cristal accidentally hitting my dive knife or a rock and the blue tooth allows me to log dives (i mean if you have a computer it may not be all that important but good to have ) it also has a light which has come handy when I am not carrying a flash light, i also have a seiko prospex automatic with a white face that i use to dress out but I would never take my seiko underwater . I do not trust the pins that hold it. and yes i have a nato strap but still .. ironically because i paid more for the casio but the G-shock looks like an authentic tool . the seiko is an homage classic dive watch .. to each it's own . Nice video and stay safe down there.
The G-shock is a tool watch for sure. Nothing but respect here. i think if you have solid pins and a nato strap, the risk of the pins not holding is only theoretical. Lets just say that i've had 0 pins fall out on sea or land with daily watch wear in over 20 years. multiple that minute probability by itself (i.e. to have both pins fail at the same time) and the risk is minuscule. Mind you, i did have bracelet clasps fail, but that is why it is NATO straps for sure. I think the G-shocks frogman are solid back up dive watches. Its just a matter of preference. I do like the nostalgia of mechanical dive watches, which were the 'og' tools for divining prior to quartz and fancy dive computers. Cheers and stay safe. Hope to get back to diving soon after all of these lockdowns!
@@TheBioReef Here in Florida is back to business as usual, most people are not even wearing masks anymore ! lol. Good to hear your watches have held, the pins make me nervoius, the clasp is a concern too . The G-shock has dual clasps so like I said, diving is already distracting enough for me to worry about my seiko slipping from my wrist. As soon so I am out of the water and not doing anything crazy my awesome automatic prospex goes on the wrist with my favorite color NATO .. love it.. Thanks for your answer brother. hope you get back on the water soon.
@@TheBioReef There was a thread on a French diving forum about some guy who bought a second-hand Rolex Submariner and actually used it to dive. Of course, he checked the WR every so often, but the watch was really scratched and used on the pictures. He still used it as a professional tool. It's a dive watch after all. :)
@@justina9914 i think so... not sure what their depth rating. i think they are battery powered; in which case my concern would be the integrity of the seals after a battery change. i prefer mechanical for that reason
Very nice description of the utility of a mechanical back-up. I would look at things just a little differently, however. Dive buddy is best friend, but regulator and air supply as conjoined twins would be my second best friend, with a dive computer coming in third:-)
Love to dive , just completed my Dry suit course in the UK. Mastering buoyancy control when using a dry suit can be Funny 😂.. Anyway my watch is a Citizen eco drive. Love the video..
Thanks... but without the crown guards, you can potentially pump the crown causing the screws to unthread or potentially bend the stem... dive boats are always a bit chaotic with all the tanks, equipment, divers in wet suits and fins + waves on the seas... your watch will get knocked and i like the extra security of the crown guards...
@@plusgood15 yeah certainly if i wasn't going to dive with them, then i wound't worry too much about the guards as the risk would be theoretical, especially if you are gentle! cheers and thanks for watching
Great video. I have never dived but do love a good dive watch. Just got myself a Seiko 5 entry level. One day day will aim for a prospex then a submariner, seamaster then a GS. Can only dream🇿🇦👍
Dived with a Seamasterfor 5 years in Koh Tao, no bother but my first 5 "fun" (unqualified) dives were with anon screw down crown Seiko 5🤣🤣🤣 Less than 10 meteres but it still worked. still works now in fact.
If you are looking at reliability, a quartz dive watch with an end of life indicator is much more reliable and safer than a mechanical watch. But as a backup for scuba diving there's nothing wrong with a mechanical diver as a backup.
SKX Seiko doesn't have hand winding so if you forgot to wear it the day before the dive, or put it on a watch winder... it's toast. How about the solar square g shock with auto-EL? I guess it would work quite well, you can just tilt the wrist in dark environments to view the chronograph with the auto EL. It's got solar battery so no need to open the case for potential risk of leaks. 99% reliable.
True about the hand winding, but the skx has a decent power reserve, and I generally keep wearing It in land, so it is always charged. Never dived with a g shock, so can’t comment there
Best dive computer watch is the Shearwater Teric with air integration. I just ordered a Deep Blue with the rainbow tritium tubes for less than 200 for a daily watch. I hope the tritium is super bright. I may dive with it. I agree with you on get a dive computer. Dive watches are not really for diving, just for looks and daily use. Kind of not really used by divers these days.
There was one thing you didn’t mention that I was hoping you would, and that’s the best suited dial and bezel colour for underwater adventures. Could you explain that part here in the comments for us. Thanks.
Glad I found your channel. I am learning diving and looking to get my first dive watch, Currently, I use a G shock but as you said, I am doubtful when the battery would die. I mean, its rated battery life is 2 years and its well past those 2 years and I don't even remember when I last changed its battery. I am also looking at Eco drive dive watches because I am told the rechargeable battery lasts for over 15 years and in best cases, over 20 years. Should I consider them even though they are quartz powered by light and a charge holding component? Please help. Somehow I feel quartz comfortable to wear and that is why I have not purchased an automatic dive watch yet.
The citizen eco drive watches are awesome. with eco-drive, its not so much of a concern re. changing battery cause in theory it should take a long time before you need one. My personal preference is a mechanical watch - mostly for the love of horology.
@@jcbmax1 the issue is how well was the gasket applied and caseback sealed after a battery change. Doing a battery changes is really inexpensive and something that you can do yourself. Very few of us have the equipment to pressure test the caseback after a battery change. Some dealers charge a lot to pressure test the caseback. I prefer automatic as the caseback is pressure tested at the factory (especially if you are purchasing from a reputable brand such as seiko, omega, etc). So in theory, you don't have to worry about the seal until 5 to 10 years when you need to service the watch, and at that point, the dealer would still pressure test the case as part of their service.
Realistically, dive watches are deprecated technology. Don't get me wrong, I love them and I always have one when I dive, but it is for the pleasure of wearing them, not as a primary or backup tool. For openwater diving, if you have an equipment malfunction you end the dive and head to the surface. If you want a backup, for the price of a proper dive watch, you can actually by a second dive computer.
What about watches with a crown guard but with no screw crown. I've seen many of them that are rated up to 2-300 meters. What's the difference and point of a screw in crown.
No screw down crowns only rely on o rings to maintain water resistance... they may be in theory able to achieve water resistance but I wouldn’t fully trust it at depth... what of your accidentally pump the crown into open position compromising the resistance. I like the safety of a screw down crown and crown guards... it’s all about redundancy and I like knowing that the watch can take a good bang. Everything on a dive boat (or during a dive) is bound to get a ding or two, so robustness and redundancy are your friends
Great video. I have a watch rated to 300 meters, screw down crown, but no crown guards. The most this watch will see is swimming in the pool and ocean surf. Should be OK? (ISO rating doesn't mention guards. Is this a personal preference?)
Hi Jack - pool should be ok. the crown guard is important IMHO when you are diving as the chances of you banging the watch as you get into the scuba gear or while diving are high. The crown guard helps deflect direct blows to the crown that can undermine water resistance. So, while i don't doubt that your watch can resist water at typical scuba diving depth, the crown guard just adds a bit more robustness against blows, which are occur frequently on a swaying dive boat and when you have reduced dexterity underwater.
Why do you recommend a crown guard for underwater use? there many certified divers like the citizen promaster which don't have a crown guard but a nice screw down crown and seem to work very well for underwater use.
What are your thoughts on the Phoibos Watches? I have their Ocean Master that has a max depth of 3300 feet, which I'd suppose you'd only reach in a yellow submarine going to look at an octopuses garden. Lol
interesting... looks like a new microbrand ... they look cool, but lack a crown guard (although they have a screw down crown)... you probably can take it to depth... but i would just get a seiko at the price if you want a watch to dive with. cheers
Wonderful video! Thank you this video. Love diver's watch.. hope to own one.. I would like to ask: is it true if you use it, you have to service every once a year or so? to care for the gasket..
What is the size of Chris ward that you have ? I have the very same omega seamaster, and I want to buy CW GMT. I'm wondering how the CW wears in comparison to Omega.
Paul Shtein I got the 38 mm ward gmt... despite the smaller diameter is is actually thicker than the omega... for my wrists, I really enjoy the 38 mm c Ward... I would say it is more comfortable on bracelet for my wrist than the smp
Never used it... if you are not planing on taking it diving, then i don't see any issues re. crown guards. I personally wouldn't dive with a watch without crown guards... A force applied perpendicular to the crown step can damage the step and o-ring and potentially shear the crown altogether . Crown guards help deflect any direct blows to the crown and attached stem. there are a lot of heavy equipment on dive boats, and certainly no shortages of metal rings and objects (e.g. torch lights,), gas tanks that you need to contend with underwater. There could also be coral heads or rocks, boat ladders, etc. So lots of opportunities for knocking your watch into hard surfaces while diving. So i wouldn't risk diving with a watch without crown guards
Why the gmt though? Are you traveling long distances through different time zones under water😆. Jk.. Nice divers man. Skx and seamaster are a staples for any collector. CW makes great pieces as well. Picked up their C65 super compressor last year. Planning on moving to Florida soon so im going to actually use my divers for their intended purposes instead of the occasional swim and water-skiing i do in the summer now.
:) I can hold my breath really long :) just good to know what time it is in my home town while I am diving half a world away… ithe super compressor looks really nice!
DJZROB ZOMBIE citizen makes some fantastic dive watches and their eco drive technology is pretty amazing. My concern with quarts divers is that - like my dive computer - the batteries eventually need to be replaced and when they do, you risk compromising the seal and water resistance of the watch, the eco drive can run for 20 years or so so no issues there. I didn’t include them here because I don’t own one. Just a preference for mechanical watches - if for nothing but the nostalgia
Not sure if I’ve seen a mechanical dive watch with a navigation compass, but there are standalone navigation compasses that you can wear as a watch while diving. Underwater navigation compasses have a coupe of extra features that you don’t usually find on land compasses
the crown guards are not needed for water tightness per se - just for mechanical protection of the crown and stem. getting in and out of scuba gear risks bumping your watch/crown, and there are lots of potential for bumping your watch on a dive boat or while diving. so i personally wouldn't use it for scuba, but it will be safe for other water activities that are gentler on watches from a mechanical perspective
Hi Nasim. you should be ok... the watch has a screw down crown . My own concerns would be something banging / catching on the crown, which noticeably sticks out of the case because of the lack of crown guards. Its not my preference but you can certainly dive with it.
Just curious on the part for the crown guard. I have a seiko SBDC105 rated for 200m and has a screw down crown but no crown guard. Are your concerns just with bumping the crown and damaging the movement ?
yeah, the concern is that you pump the crown lin a way that can compromise the mechanical integrity of the crown seal. dive boats are very bumpy and divers are super clumsy once we get our flippers and a good 40 to 50 pounds of gear and weights on. i've seen pumps damage tank seals! the crown guard gives you extra protection by deflecting the impact away from the stem of the crown. Again - these are just my considerations for scuba diving with a watch - i am sure that a screw down crown with no guards can be taken to most divining depth - i would just be concerned of things pump into it leading to leaks.
Some watches have a recessed crown so once you screw it is not flush with case it actually goes a little bit inside. IMHO the guard is not really to protect the crown from bumps as it is very hard to hit the crown while you are wearing it, it more effective preventing the crown getting rubbed and unscrewed which would open the seal and get it fludded.
i've heard good things. just not a big fan of watches with batteries... when you need to change the battery, you have to be very careful with no getting any dirt/dust on the o rings, and ideally, it should be checked for pressure. For watch with a mechanical movement - you don't have that issue. (yes, when you service the watch, you will need to make sure the watch is sealed, but that is typically part of the service).
A question about swimming. Should I feel free to swim in the sea with a 300m rated dive watch like Steinhart Ocean One? I am aware of the rubber gaskets and screw down crown, which must be checked each year. I learned the hard way when on the 4th year of ownership without service my watch suffered water damage (I might not have screwed down the crown properly). After I got the watch back from repair, they said the watch was already watertight, before and after the repair, and that I probably didn't screw down the crown properly. So I went for a swim the other day and immediately the watch stopped, with a drop of water under the glass. This time, the crown was screwed down tightly. So what is the issue? Are their tests faulty or trivial? Is the watch low quality? Is the pressure from swimming able to overcome the 300m rating? Am I crazy for swimming with a dive watch? Thanks. Edit: now that I think of it, I rotated the bezel under water. Can this cause a leak?
There shouldn’t be any issues with swimming or diving with a 300m dive watch provided that it’s from a reputable brand and that it was pressured tested and passed by the manufacturer/watchmaker. Rotating the bezel should not compromise the deal in any way as it’s attached to the outside of the case. My guess is that you have a faulty watch or perhaps your watchmaker didn’t do a proper pressure test
I guess the downvotes are from those who wanted to see reef tank stuff. I actually used a cheap Ironman 100M watch that I later learned wasn't really designed to be used for diving. I leaned that the one thing one shouldn't do with it is hit buttons at depth. And yet I did at least hit the light button and the chronograph at 90 feet. When the battery finally was nearly expended I got a 200 M version that is designed for diving. As I am only certified to go down to 100 feet (soon, 130) I'm not too worried. I'm confused, though, about why you are spending so much on a dive watch instead of getting a second, cheap, dive computer. My new watch was about 50 USD, and I needed a new watch anyway (it would not be reliable at depth once the battery was replaced). Note that I have a good but cheap dive computer. No one should dive without a computer.
yeah, this is a niche video! the reason that i like dive watches is that you can also wear them to tell time... the dive computers are too bulky to be wearing everyday. But with a dive watch, you can essentially wear it all the time and then doubles as a back up when underwater, so win win!
About that battery changing thing. I thought that if the battery was changed the right way it wouldn't impact the waterproof ability of the watch (i.e. if the worker seals back the watch, but I think it's a bit more expensive than a regular battery change). I'm pretty much a noob to this so if you could explain why you had to change the watch anyways when it ran out of battery...
great questions. under normal circumstances, i wait for the regular service period to check pressure - so about once every 5 to 7 years. If i get a knock on the watch, then i tried to get it pressure (and time keeping) tested as soon as a i can. i never mess around with removing the caseback as dust can creep in and compromise water resistance.
@@scottykicker27 depends on the watch... mostly i use a trusted local watchmaker, but for the Omegas, i prefer to send them to the manusfacture's service center. I should say that i don't usually worry about the pressure testing unless i am dealing with an new used watch where you don't really know whats under the hood. I haven't had any issues with casebacks of diving becoming loose over time. But, certainly do get them checked if you have opened the case back yourself [i don't recommend it] or if you just acquired a watch on the secondary market.
good for your to notice, but i'll mention that most modern automatics have a built in provision that allows the quick date change mechanism to skip over the date wheel when the hands are engaged in reverse. eg. have a look at this video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ato4Oj0Awko.html
Great video, but the only watches I would personally dive with is an ISO 6425 certified watch or a watch with equivalent testing, like the Omega Seamaster or the Submariner. This way each watch is tested through rigorous conditions to get the certification, rather than just a regular 200M watch. Have great diving and cheers
