Best automatic diver watches under 1000
The name might imply that most of these dive watches should have a high price tag. This review is here to set the record straight and take out all the confusion about these dive watches. It should be noted that these watches are really designed to be worn by deep sea divers working at depths 200 to 1000 meters. However anyone doing any water activities from swimming to scuba diving can wear them and get a lot of use out of them, all without needing to worry about water destroying the dive watch.
The other important note is that as an automatic diver watch, it is designed to be powered by movement. Automatic movement, or normal body movement is what powers these watches. However some models will have a battery feature that will keep it running for days after the watch has been taken off.
Below we cover the 5 best automatic diver watches under 1000 that you can wear at a very affordable price.
Seiko SRPB55 Men’s Black Ion Prospex Automatic Dive Watch
Seiko never disappoints. This automatic diver watch has a round dial that comfortably fits on your wrist, silently harvesting the kinetic energy needed to keep it running at depths of up to 200M of water. The soft silicone straps feels natural and are flexible, adding to the athletic appearance of this robust dive watch
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- Stout and durable stainless steel case: The case of this watch is constructed of stainless steel. It can endure the harsh working environment and take some bumps without being damaged.
- Long battery life: It is powered by a nonstandard battery that makes use of the motion of your wrist and can store energy for the next 41 hours.
- Comfortable silicone bands: Measuring 22 mm in width, the black silicone bands make sure that your skin does not develop a rash. It has been tailored to all your diving needs.
- Patented Lumibrite to enhance visibility: Seiko’s reliable Lumibrite engraved markers ensure visible display even under low-light. The black dial further accentuates the illumination.
- Lightweight: It weighs only 10 ounces.
- Water resistance: The dive watch can be used to dive as deep as 200m.
- Mineral unidirectional bezel: Track how long you’ve been swimming with the beautiful rotating bezel by turning it counter-clockwise.
- Traditional analog display: The 43 mm round black dial displays the time, with the calendar showing the date window at 3 o’clock position.
- Attractive appearance: The black straps help it pair up with almost every outfit and make it an appropriate choice for both underwater work and casual events.
Pros vs. Cons
Pros:
- Durable black ion stainless steel case
- Large power reserve
- Rotating bezel
- Light-weight
- Lumibrite hands and markers for good visibility
- Water-resistant depth rating up to 200M
- Budget-friendly price
Cons:
- The calendar does not display day
- Silicone strap might be too informal for daily wear
- Watch face is less durable than sapphire and is easier to get scratched.
- Lacks gas escape outlet
NEYMAR 44mm Men’s Automatic Sport Stainless Steel Watch
The second best automatic diving watch under 1000 is the NEYMAR 44mm Men’s Automatic Sport Stainless Steel Watch. Like the Seiko masterpiece, it has retained the tinge of tradition by featuring a round analog display except that its straps are made of strong stainless steel, which add style and longevity to it. The first sight of this beautiful watch makes it look unlike a divers-timepiece but it has the greatest depth of water resistance of about 1000M!
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- Durable construction: Except for the bezel and case, this watch is thoroughly made up of stainless steel that does not give in to even the roughest of the situations. The sleek steel used to make the 22mm straps and corrugated case have been given a high-polish finish to make it ultra-smooth to wear. The corrugated sides of the case further enhance durability by increasing fracture resistance without augmenting the weight.
- Strong sapphire crystal: The watch comes with a 5 mm thick sapphire crystal and is very resistant to damage even at the deepest depths.
- Swiss blue luminova to make it glow: Darkness underwater or just a power outage? No problem! This bo lin product uses imported Swiss blue luminova in its hands and markers to let them be visibly blue against a black background any time external light gets low.
- Greater depths: The dive watch is water-resistant to astounding depths of about 1000M, a feature that few other diving watches of its kind can offer.
- Helium escape valve to prolong watch life: If you are a professional diver who plans to stay underwater at depths greater than just 200M for long periods, then you might find this feature to be very useful.
- Conventional appearance: The steel straps, round 44 mm analog dial, and buckles make it look like an expensive antique watch.
- Weight: The watch weighs 1.3 pounds, allowing comfortable long-wear with a weight that you know it is rugged and durable.
- Range of color options: For people who are fans of more than just black and silver, this watch offers three other colors: Matte Black, Golden, and Rose Gold.
Pros vs. cons
Pros:
- Durable stainless steel strap
- Sapphire crystal bezel that resists breakage
- Helium release valve
- Strong 16.5mm stainless steel case
- Luminova technology makes low-light visibility possible
- Water-resistant depth rating up to 1000M
- Reasonably priced
Cons:
- Heavier straps than silicone and resin
- Greater weight than competitors
ORIENT Men’s Diving Sports Automatic Watch with Green Dial
For people who find the typical black dials a bit too old-fashioned will love Orient for the diverse colors it uses for its dials. Of all the watches made by the veteran company, we found the automatic watch with the green dial to be one of the best automatic diver watches under 1000. It is suitable for water sports and professional life. The lustrous stainless steel straps only make it more attractive.
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- Sturdy construction: The 22mm silver stainless steel bands make it durable. The fold-over mechanism of the straps makes it easy to carry and place.
- Thick casing to withstand blows: Compared to its rivals, ORIENT has made sure that it rolls out a case that is at least 12.8mm thick. The downside of this might be a greater weight on the wrist, but once you become used to the feel of it, you can subject it to the harshest use without worrying about damaging the case. Its 44mm wide watch face allows for an easier read.
- Reliable power reserve: It can store power to keep it running, even for 40 hours while not in use.
- Sapphire crystal: By opting for sapphire, the company has added years to the watch’s life. The watch face remains resistant to damage even under the pressure exerted by water.
- 200m water-resistance: It allows perfect use at depths of 200m.
- Stainless steel bezel: You can turn the bezel in a counterclockwise direction. Made up of stainless steel, it will hardly ever yield to its surroundings.
- Illuminated accents: The glare of the markers and hands might not be potent enough, nevertheless, they allow for some low-light visibility.
- Lightweight: The weight of the watch is only 5.9 ounces.
- Calendar: It is better than the other two of the three best automatic diver watches under 1000 as it displays the day along with the date window at 3 o’clock.
Pros vs. Cons
Pros:
- Durable stainless steel straps and bezel
- Sapphire dial window for scratch free displays
- Thick casing
- 200m water resistance depth rating
- 40h power reserve
- Day and date display on the calendar
- Aesthetically pleasing green dial
- Affordable Price
Cons:
- Luminous accents do not allow sufficient display in low-light
- Thick casing might increase skin damage and needs habituation
- Lacks gas escape valve
Reef Tiger Super Luminous Dive Watch for Men
Another notable candidate for the best automatic diver watch under 1000 is the Reef Tiger Super Luminous Dive Watch for Men. It has been trusted worldwide by military personnel and professional swimmers for being one of the few water-resistant wrist watches that feature stylish nylon and leather straps.
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Powerful case: This watch will last for many decades all thanks to its polished stainless steel case that can handle depths down to 1000 meters. It is resistant to scratches and chemical agents.
Skin-friendly and comfortable straps: The 22mm wide straps feel very soft on the skin and allow prolonged underwater wear. However, these straps unlike their silicone and stainless steel counterparts are prone to staining. They need to be cleaned after use in water regularly.
Unidirectional steel bezel: The polished rose-gold bezel has an attractive shine. It rotates anticlockwise. Given the construction material, the bezel is durable and can serve for many years.
Illuminated markers and pointers: The dial has a shiny blue color that helps to enhance the shine of the luminous hands and markers so that you can have a perfect view of the time and date display even under low-light.
Adequate water-resistance: It is water-resistant depth rated up to 200M of diving depths, suitable for both professional divers and recreational swimmers.
Uniquely positioned calendar: Unlike most other watches, the Reef Tiger Super Luminous Dive Watch has a date window that is displayed at the 6-o’clock position.
Pros vs. cons:
Pros
- Durable and scratch-resistant steel casing
- Unidirectional stainless steel bezel
- Anti-reflective sapphire dial window and luminous markers for good visibility
- Water-resistant depth rating up to 200m
- Calendar with date display at 6 o’clock
- Unique nylon and leather 22mm straps
- Attractive appearance
Cons
- Heavy as it weighs 32 ounces/2.2pounds
- Leather straps can become stained easily
- Calendar does not display day of the week
- Lacks an alarm
Seiko SUN065 Special Edition Padi Kinetic GMT Diver Watch
Few products can beat a diving watch made in collaboration with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). Seiko has used its watch-making expertise in compliance with the standards dictated by PADI to come with the SUN065.
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Larger and stronger case: Distinct from other enlisted best automatic diver watches under 1000, this product has a 47.5mm large dial, giving you a wide view of the dial and its 4 hands. This stainless steel case has 15 mm thickness that increases its strength.
Durable anti-reflective sapphire crystal: The sapphire crystal is able to resist scratches and tolerate underwater pressures for a long time. The anti-reflective surface gives a clear view even under glaring lights.
Screw-down case back and crown: It lacks a separate helium escape valve but comes with the screw-down mechanism using which you can relieve the watch from any internal pressure that may have built-up due to gas accumulation after prolonged deep diving.
GMT hand: You can take the SUN065 to foreign waters for recreation or professional
competitions without losing track of time. It has an additional small red hand for GMT so that you can have the dial display two separate time-zones at once.
Very large battery reserve: This watch stands out from its competitors by having perhaps the largest energy storage that can fuel it for at least 6 months!
Standard water-resistant depth: You can dive as deep as 200 meters with this watch.
Comfortable wide straps: To be compatible with the larger case, the black straps have a width of 24mm. They are made using high-quality silicone that puts no weight on your wrist and feels very smooth against your skin. The material is waterproof and easy to clean.
Low-light visibility: Its luminous markers and hands allow you to view the display easily even in darker and deeper waters.
Calendar display: To add style, the SUN065 has the date displayed in a modern font between 4 and 5 o’clock.
Rotating bezel: The watch comes with a strong stainless steel bezel that rotates counterclockwise.
Pros vs. cons
Pros
- Large(47.5mm) and thick (15mm) stainless steel case
- 24mm wide sturdy silicone straps for long-wear
- Screw-down system for longevity
- Strong and anti-reflective sapphire crystal dial window
- GMT hand
- Large power reserve that lasts 6 months
- Calendar showing date window
- Luminous markers allow low-light visibility
Cons
- Expensive ($700)
- Does not have a dedicated helium escape valve
- Heavy as it weighs 17.6 ounces
- Lacks an alarm
Conclusion
All of these three dive watches make choosing the best automatic diver watch under 1000 a bit difficult for us. Keeping in view that these watches are to be used by divers, we think the NEYMAR 44mm Men’s Automatic Sport Stainless Steel Watch is the best buy.
We have reached this conclusion because:
- It has a durable and appealing stainless steel construction, ideal for all purposes.
- Comfortable 22mm straps.
- Strong ceramic bezel.
- Best suited for professionals as it comes with an in-built helium escape valve.
- It offers the deepest water resistance depth rating of up to 1000M compared to 200M water-resistance of other watches.
- It has the latest luminova illumination system for low-light conditions.
- It is at a very affordable price.