The secret to the most popular dive watches 

"it's a low bar, but that's the bar" Another great quote hidden in your content.

Hi I’m Mike and it’s been 139 days since my last watch purchase……………and the 12 step meeting continues 😎!

Aside from water resistance and a rotating bezel, I'd say LUME is a must! And good amounts of it :) Love your videos, thanks for posting!

Subtle, dry humor paired with tons of information all wrapped up in a no-nonsense presentation. I cannot believe that this is „free content“. Amazing work Mike.

My beater dive watch is the Casio Duro (MDV106-1A). 200m, feels decent on the wrist, good bezel action. $50, reliable, and good on an actual dive. I’ve got other dive watches - Seiko, Christopher Ward, and Tudor… but my Duro is my beater. When I dive I wear my dive computer on one wrist, and my Duro on the other.

20+ years of collecting, and I'm finally branching out of my "Diver's" phase 😅

I love the new Zenith divers, they are doing something different and I applaud them for it!

Best and highest quality watch youtuber I have ever seen. Thumbs up 👍👍

Thanks for the upload Mike

The original JLC Polaris with the memovox and inner rotating bezel insert

I like how you added the “x days since last watch purchase”. Let’s see what happens to that number after a couple more months.

As always, your analysis is superb! Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the hobby.

Another fantastic video, Mike. It warms my heart to see your number of subscribers gradually continue to rise day after day; you're absolutely killing it and your numbers reflect just that. Cheers from Texas.

Just bought a boring diver - the Tudor Pelagos 39 in titanium. Although it does not do anything different than the rest, it just checks all the boxes for me and fits my lifestyle. I guess that is exactly why this category is so popular as you said. Not risky and can be worn anywhere. It is just an easy choice.

As usual Mike did a fantastic job answering the question of why dive watches are so popular. Using the KIS approach I would add that dive watches are so popular because they are a true sports watch! Whether you wear a dive watch on land or swim in the pool or snorkel in the ocean or are a sports or professional diver, there is a watch for you. No other watch says "sporty" like a dive watch!

In my free time, I was a Dive instructor we talked 30-40 years ago with 1280 dives under my belt. I used only Seiko and Citizen which at that time cost 300 to 400US Dollar . They did the job and never let me down! If you are a serious diver, there is no need to buy a luxury Dive watch but some people have plenty of money to spend.

Great insight as always. I love your channel and content. Finally a channel that doesn't just cover Rolex or Tudor but pushes people to buck the trends.

Love your videos. Congrats on the 139-day hiatus from watch buying. My favorite diver is the gunmetal Seiko LX SNR043/SBDC037, but only 200 exist.

Excellent content as always. I can't imagine parting with my BB54 😊

Mike I really do enjoy your video insights into WATCHES and obviously the same ideas apply to many other products we buy! Taking your comments on dive watches, it shows why I enjoy my current car and the ideal replacement. Many thanks. The same ideas apply in the medical world although people do not realise the SCOPE available . . . average . . . or . . . ideal.

Your channel, along with Watch Chris have become my two favorite to watch, excellent point of view as usual. 🙏🏾

Important video. Change is good. Encourage innovation. I don't have anything like the extreme diver, but I will have one once it touches down in Las Vegas.

It’s a joy to listen to your views. And it’s hard not to agree :). Personally, my divers are more in the entry level luxury or premium segment and my dress watches, chronographs and GMTs are higher-end. I’m just more comfortable with a slightly lower end diver. That being said, I do prefere my more expensive pieces to fly a bit under the radar, maybe that’s why I prefere dress/casual pieces at the higher end. Cheers from Portugal (just got back from Mozambique)

Love the count up day counter at the end 👌🏻

That's why I love the Zenith DED. Fantastic looking diver that stands out in a sea of conforming designs.

I plan to be one of the few people buying the Zenith Defy revival diver

Excellent as always. I'm wearing my Sub 14060 on a RubberB strap, very comfortable, very boring and I love it. Reality is, I don't need other watches with this, but have them because I enjoy watches. ( office watch, dress watch etc)

Your point on specs don’t sell they just drive up the cost is (for the most part) very true and I never thought about it that way. I’m wearing a Pelagos 39, which has 200m of water resistance. Would I have been more likely to buy it at 300m? No, I bought it for the materials, design, and build quality. It’s not often in a video someone says something, I take a step back and say wow they are right … I didn’t know that’s what sold me on the product. Great job, keep on making these amazing videos please!

I just noticed the MG Wing gundam kit on the back. I like building gunpla and because of the intricacies in details on some of the kit, I became appreciative on intricate detailed craftsmanship. This is why I started being fascinated by antique furniture, architecture and finally mechanical watches.

I agree with you about the Sinn Hydro having specs that are incredibly niche. That said, a standard U50 has unique looks (well, comparatively) and very good specs and is also very wearable (just 11mm thickness). I think Sinn should be applauded for that combination.

Another profound analysis, thank you, Sir. You always open up new perspectives. One short comment on Sinn's Hydro watches: The development goal was a watch that is readible under any angle under water. The 5000m WD is just a side effect.

I really enjoy your themed videos! I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on other categories: pilot watches, GADA watches, etc

Very good content, a distinct lack of stealth sales so common on RU-vid watch channels.

Best way to start my weekend

Many good points here. Thank you. One related, but slightly off-topic idea that comes to mind idea is that brands need, at their core, an icon. Almost Rolex' entire line-up (Explorer, Submariner, Daytona) are icons where the design can be traced back several generations and the purchase is seen in that continuum. Changes to these watches are iterative. To purchase a Submariner today, for example, is a choice to join in an historical progression, to become a part of a storied, popular history. At a glance, a modern Submariner is a successor to the first models produced. Doxa Sub 300s are also icons. You buy one today, and you've established a connection with Jacques Cousteau and Clive Cussler. For Seiko Willards, also, their military history is a link to the past where the purchaser becomes part of the story. This is where Omega is flailing. Their only icon is the Speedmaster, imho, and its not a diver. The Seamaster has come in so many different styles and configurations that none are truly iconic. Iconography and our respect for traditional forms represents a deep-seated human desire, perhaps representing stability and permanence in an often chaotic world. The most successful watches understand this, imho. All the best.

ISO 6425:2018 Horology Divers' watches is an international standard for a dive watch. Many “true” Seiko dive watches have “Diver’s” on a dial. Meaning they are compliant to the ISO 6425. As is my Marathon GSAR. Then there are watches that have just the design clues of a dive watch. Newer Seiko SKX models come to mind. Steel Rolex Sub is still the dive watch for me regardless of the price. CWC dive watches look great imho. If you want a true pedigree for a reasonable price then there is Zodiac Sea Wolf. One of the OG dive watches alongside Blancpain FF and Rolex Sub.

You mentioned them without focusing on them, but your concluding passage (with which I agree, fwiw) points to why Sinn is successful. A distinctive style, sets them apart from the pack but instantly recognizable as "Premium Diver".

I believe a compass is a must in any practical dive watch . The casio frogman is the one u really need when it comes to diving .

You didn’t say ‘let’s dive in!’ 🤣 Great perspectives. Bond switching from the wet suit to the tux in Dr No in his Submariner set the diver up as the best all arounder. 139 days? That’s ridiculous. I’ve bought 3… or is it 4? 😀

Excellent video. Keep it up going.

At a certain point as a collector it is tempting to want to graduate from the generic sub to the more niche fifty fathoms - but even price aside how do you reconcile a tool watch having those materials and finishing? It is like paying extra for features that undermine the very idea of the diver concept.

I very much like the Blancpain Fiftyfathoms day date desert it’s dial is just so stunning! It combines everything I love in watches ✌🏻

Love your content and style - would very much enjoy to hear your views of the AP Royal Oak Offshore Diver - thanks for all of your content creation

I recently bought the Oris Aquis Bracenet. The relief bezel and super unique dial first grabbed my attention. But I keep finding more details, like the applied indices reflection of light or the subtle changes in the bracelet center link, that keeps holding my gaze.

Excellent take on the industry. I have the older iteration of the Longines Hydroconquest with a green dial and feel, whilst the new version is a nice watch, Longines have played it a bit too safe in my opinion with the updated model and the old watch had more unique styling when pitted against its similar priced competitors.

So, by your definition, my 43mm Aragon DiveMaster 4 EVO with Platinum MoP dial is a true GADA. Tough enough for work and play, yet it has the looks for a suit and tie. A $165 winner 🏆 😊

Thank for another good video!

Thanks Mike. Loving your vids! Isn't lume (including on the seconds hand) not as well a criterion in addition to depth rating and bezel?

The best conventional ultra-beater is likely the Casio MDV106 "Duro" -- 600,000 worldwide sales in the last 12 years or so.

Hi! Today I actually had the Bremont SUPERMARINE in my hand and wow. I was surprised. It’s really good. The 904L steel does indeed shine quite well and the bracelet and case are extremely well made. I was way more impressed than I would have thought. In hand it’s a brilliant watch.

I own a pre-redesign Supermarine from Bremont, and it is one of my daily drivers. I held the new green Supermarine a couple of days ago from my local AD, and was very pleasantly surprised - it is MUCH better in person than in pictures - it is really very high quality for about a $1,000 less than the prior version. Yes, it is very traditional, and I am sad to see the unique case design of the predecessors leave the lineup, but properly marketed, I think it will do just fine - the new Supermarine solves for the "Bremont is too expensive for what you get" complaint and is still a very high quality watch in person. I also own a BB58 - different vibe, and now more expensive.

Dive watches are fantastic! Great value and flexibility. Usually more experimental and robust and in spite of mine never going deeper than a meter or two, the reassurance the ISO ratings and water resistance brings make them tough great all rounders and GADA watches! Take care Mike!

A great value and serious dive watch is the Seiko Padi collaboration. Also love the red & blue colors on the bezel.

After several years buying and owning dive watches I’ve realised I’ve turned away from the generic submariner look. The ones I’ve kept have been a Sinn, a Zelos bronze and a Marathon GSAR. It has just struck me that, unconsciously, I’ve been drawn to these watches BECAUSE they look different. They may be polarising but they definitely stand out and fulfil their role extremely well. Great discussion. I enjoyed it immensely. 👍🏼

I recently picked up an Ocean Crowler Core Diver and for the price, I am beyond happy. It is surprising well finished, its different enough to stand out without getting ridiculous, has serious specs, and gets far more complements than my much more expensive watches.

I just love this channel. Keep it up!

a seiko dive watch is a thing of beauty. i love my bb58 too

I need the timing bezel, weather it's for diving or cooking / grilling something delicious in the kitchen! Plus they look good!

Nice video, as always ! Bremont Supermarine, looks pretty good and I like the date window on it, but its a lot more expensive than Black Bay 58/54; will be quite hard for a buyer to overlook that fact. Not a fan of the new logo and London text though.

JLC Polaris is an interesting one. Yama with the bezel lock mechanism

I like a dive watch to be large and well designed, like the Willard or MM300 I also like a small slim skin diver, a black bay or 62 Mas Not interested in luxury in a diver but I am in a sports watch or dress

The Citizen Orca (also the limited all black / PVD), The Citizen Aqualand JP2000 (+ the full lume dial version) are great dive watches, original, functional and attractive. The Orca may be polarizing. Great legibility. and they are iconic and on the budget side.

You can hydrofill a casio 200 h with silicone oil, and have a Water Resistance of 4000m+ for €35,- or so 😂 But my favourite divers are the Aquaracer night diver, 42mm case, and the 63MAS , 38mm case (both of which I built Seiko Mod homages in 40mm for).

I think Doxa, Seiko and partly Oris with their vintage divers 65 (vintage 12, 3, 6 and 9 markers) are doing a great job of offering something different.

I must admit Seiko is probably the best right now in terms of churning out both unique and classic divers. I like the approach of using vintage designs with modern upgrades. I think the new 62mas 3 day is going to be a massive hit.

I like the looks of the Tuseno Shell back diver. Interesting design with the use of a sandwich dial, and incorporating the date. It looks in a rudimentary way like a Rolex sub (the looks say "I'm a drive watch!)...but NO, its design is fresh, and no one would mistake it for a Sub.

One I do really like as a slightly different diver is the Rado Captain Cook. Its immediately recognisable as a dive watch... But then the doomed saphhire and in-sloping bezel mean it catches the light differently and feels both slightly more dainty and yet somehow rather like a nautical instrument in a way that really holds appeal on a watch which associates with water. Been tempted and not jumped, but I don't wear my diver all that much as it is.

Seiko does it well. They do both the conventional designs and esoteric designs at various different price points. Their brand heritage for divers is also top notch which trickles down to all their dive watches even if the specfic model deserves it or not.

As always you're adapt at puting your watcher's thoughs into words.

With its sculpted bezel, skeleton hands and cupcake, the Omega 300M is one of those less conventional divers, but it still suits the casual and office wearer.

The relaunched Aquastar Deepstar II with it smaller case, small seconds and gorgeous color ways is doing the retro diver thing just right.

Thanks 🙏

I think most people don't dive with a Submariner, but I did. Dived all over the world for over 40 years with my beloved Subby. Looks as good now as it did when I bought it :)

As a dive master with over 4 decades of experience, I started out with a Seiko Capt. Willard, and other brands before going to dive computers. The lesson I learned early was the value of a crown guard after tearing the crown off of a Certina as I was gearing up for a dive.

What would you recommend as a watch to wear while surfing or swimming but can also be worn at work or dressed up. Budget $150. I love the look of Blancpain 50 fathoms. Hate the swatch collaboration

Still diving after all these years, albeit in the pool… Great video. 👍👍👍

Mike -- I encourage you to take a look at Serica, in particular the 5303 COSC Chronometre 300m diver. It has a design aesthetic unlike anything else I've seen -- part Art-Deco'ish, part modern -- and comes with an absolutely sublime mesh bracelet. About as "non-convergent" as any diver I've ever seen. Black enamel dial, dual ceramic/stainless steel bezel, soft-iron cage. Having recently acquired and experienced the 5303, I feel it punches well above its weight. Serica is a young (5 years old) Paris-based company taking an entirely different approach to watch design. Their 8315 GMT is also extremely unique. I'm tempted to pull the trigger on that one too.

Omega Seamaster 300 heritage is my favourite dive watch with vintage aesthetic but modern parts. Longines ultra chron is a notable mention

This is why I am leaning heavily towards the Ulysse Nardin Divers (specifically the Diver 44mm). They are a bit on the larger side, but I have a 7.5" wrist so I can wear it comfortably. It is clearly a diver, but it definitely looks different enough - small seconds, circular date window, power reserve indicator - from the conventional design to be appealing to me. And being UN, they have great history and experience in the marine timekeeping world.

Great Video! I’ve not watched anyone yet put out so much insight about a specific topic. What do you think about Aquastar? Or Yema with their Morteau movement?

Here is my list of fantastic Dive watches, Longines Hydroconquest, Oris Aquis, Doxa sub 200, 300. Tudor BB58 and 41, Squale 50 Atmos Omega Seamaster, Rolex Submariner. Christopher Ward Trident line is great bang for the buck.

Great video but also, nice Wing Gundam ew version on your shelf!

My favourite diver design is the current gen Breitling Superocean (NOT the heritage). It draws inspiration from their archives, has its unique looks without being over the top.

The new zenith and the panerai submersible, both look a bit different from the regular divers (tudor, rolex, monta, etc)

I liked dive watches untill I went diving. They are seriously useless compared to dive computers 😅. Just kidding still like divers, they just look great.

I bought my seiko sne589, because i was looking for 1 watch for everything. I wear it for work, beach, hiking and traveling. I have it with a rubber strap. It is always spot-on: maybe 2 seconds per month. I do not mind scratches on it, this way it ot only tells time, it also keeps it, my memory logbook. I may consider a turtle or a captain willard in the future. I am not a fan of small diameters.

Ah do your videos only come out on Saturdays? Now I can save time from refreshing and checking RU-vid every day 😂

As usual, let's talk about diving watches without talking about Diving, or Divers ( professional or amateur) or certifications and what they mean. Why some watches have the word "diver" written on the dial and others don't. Are divers in general watch enthusiasts or collectors? Do they even use a dive watch or need it? I think people would be shocked about the number of Citizen promaster QUARTZ that actually goes on the wrist of professional divers when they go underwater and they have to take off the smart watch. Love your videos anyway 😉

Another great video thank you, thought provoking as always. You're right about a convergence around design but isn't that the same with most retail segments. I would say it's less likely given the amount spent on watches versus shirts or sneakers but what if someone likes the brand Bremont (not me, ruined the logo) but wants something similar to a Submariner. The suits in corporate are saying we need to check a box in our lineup, copy something that works. Yes, it makes a world fairly uniform but the suits leave it up to another brand to be the guinea pig and try something new. If it works copy it. If not, they lean over to the next guy and are like "I told you it wasn't going to work."

Mike - I really enjoy your content! good job -thanks for your contribution to our cmmunity

I also like the new Zenith extreme diver 👍🏻

Your content is so special, deep and entertaining. Its the "luxury content" vs. a lot of beaters (you know who i am thinking about) and below. Did you ever think about doing a book??! Transcribe the audio, correct and add pics and the book of "watches 42" is mainly done. Take the content and train a LLM and then you have the ultimate chatbot for watch nerds. In any case: Please do not stop 😎

I see what you did Mike, an entire video on Divers and no mention of Omega Seamaster 300M. Well, since you give us an opportunity to state a Non Conventional Successful Diver, let me state the obvious, it is the 300M. While the Submariner design makes it the staple for Divers, 300M to me is the unique and yet massively popular one. A unique case, distinct lugs, distinct He escape valve (also shared in the Omega family though), distinct bezel (docagonal) and a very distinct and easily recognisable movement. This is the most mainstream yet one of the most distinct divers. You can recognise it from its shadow. PS 139 days of no purchase, implies a big purchase on the horizon?

I was not expecting to reflect philosophically about modern customs with the excuse of a talk about dive watches, but then I clearly understood why this channel is so interesting...

GP Sea Hawks are a cool innovative design which I have loved for years. Currently they are discontinued. One of my grail watches GP Sea Hawk in Titanium with a rose gold bezel. From the early 2010s. Wow are they beautiful!

Hey, I am diving for the last 20 years multiple PADI certifications, etc) But not earning money by it. And honestly dive computer is the only thing I am using underwater. For the hype or to “show off” that I am a diver (like it is something to be proud of) I would go for Aquastar (because of the history), Farer Endeavor Ocean White (you can use them as a back up time keeping during both night/day dives), almost any Oris (I would go with the depth gauge - at least something useful), CW C60 Elite 1000 (great value/price), or Rolex (because you can resell anytime and lose your money)

Great job on the video. My take on different is the Breitling Super Ocean Heritage watches. They looked at their past and others copied them and yet still missed the mark. My first version Super Ocean Heritage 42 in stainless with bracelet and black dial is my favorite dive watch other than the Doca gifted to me by Clive Cussler

Agreed. Big miss by Bremont this year, not only with the Supermarine but also their entire re-branding campaign. But maybe I’ll pay off in a few years? I still love the BB58 Blue and hope to get that one day. But I really like what Formex and Christopher Ward have been doing the last few years. I love the e interchangeable bezels of the Formex!

I would say Squale (1521, Matic, Master) and Sinn are trying in their own way and the Aquaracer is quite a different looking diver. Omega does a good job sticking to the HEV, without it I think it will look much more generic.

I got a Vostok amphibia 510059 scuba dude for my 1st anniversary from my wife. Put an orange sailcloth/rubber strap on it and looks great, I've got it dialed in to +/- 1 sec/day.