Dive watches aren’t known for being the cheapest piece of dive equipment. Considering the fact Rolex and Omega were two of the first brands to make dive watches, it is no wonder they are still associated with high price tags. But, there are great watches to be had that won’t break the bank. We’ve got your guide to the very best dive watches on the market under $100.
Let’s dive in.
What are the best dive watches under $100?
TEKMAGIC Waterproof Digital Scuba Diving Watch
Tekmagic is a manufacturer of digital scuba diving watches. We’ll say it ahead of time, these watches aren’t exactly going to help you stand out at the local explorers club. They are simple electronic watches made with divers in mind. You can do everything you need to do from telling time to timing your dive. There isn’t anything fancy about these but they definitely come in at a great price range if you are looking for a cheap dive watch.
Pros:
- This TEKMAGIC watch has everything you need. You can tell the time, track the date, set alarms, and run a timer. The most important part here for divers is obviously going to be the timer. It is easy to get to and can be started and stopped with an easy press of the button. As we mentioned in the description, there is nothing fancy about this watch. It does exactly what it is supposed to when you need it to.
- The strap and case are made from a rubber resin which will not corrode. You will still need to make sure and wash it with fresh water after saltwater diving as the battery cover is stainless steel. But, it should hold up well against the elements.
- One cool feature which attracted us to this watch was the dual digital and analog display. This makes it handy in the event that the battery ever goes out on a dive. One thing to note is that it does not have a rotating bezel. You won’t be able to use the analog part for precession time tracking. But, if the battery ever runs out while mid-dive, you will still have an idea of how long you have left before you need to ascend.
Biggest Con:
- The main issue we have is that the watch band is quite stiff. This means it will begin to get uncomfortable after wearing it all day. As we mentioned above, it won’t corrode which is the most important aspect of the band material. But, it would be nice to have a non-corrosive band that is also comfortable.
Casio Men’s Black Analog Dive Watch
- 200 M Water Resistance
- Diver inspired Rotating bezel with anti reverse, Screw down crown
- Date display Regular timekeeping Analog: 3 hands (Hour, minute, second)
- Hands and hour markers with large fluorescent areas for easy reading
- Stainless Steel Case w/ Black Resin Band
Casio has been a leading watch manufacturer for over five decades. They are known for creating durable and quality budget-friendly watches. If you want a dive watch that is easy on the pockets yet ready to be put through the wringer, this is it. It is a simple analog dive watch with a resin band and stainless steel case. There is nothing fancy about it but at the same time, there is nothing you have to worry about breaking. It will do the exact job you want it too both above and below the water for many years.
Pros:
- The watch face is large and easy to read with bright illumination dials and notches. This is very important if you will ever be using your dive watch in low light situations whether above or below the water.
- It has an anti-reverse bezel. This means the bezel isn’t going to move around while you are mid-dive. We really like this feature as many dive watches come with a multi-directional bezel that is easy to accidentally move. If you are mid-dive and move the bezel even just a little it can completely knock off your calculations.
- The Casio Men’s Black dive watch is certified waterproof for up to 200m (660ft). This is more than enough for even the most hardcore technical divers looking to push the limits. If you are the average recreational diver, you will have no problems with diving depth.
Biggest Con:
- The one drawback of this watch is that it doesn’t have a fully luminous bezel. As we mentioned, the hands and notches are all luminous making it easy to tell the time even in low light situations. But, the bezel is not luminous which will make it more difficult to tell the time when diving in low light situations. You will need to flash your dive light to check the watch.
Invicta Men’s 8932 Pro Diver Watch
- Stainless steel case 37.5mm diameter x 11mm thick; Black dial; Luminous hands and hour markers
- Japanese quartz movement, PC32A Caliber; Assembled in Japan; SR626SW battery included; Watch weight:...
- Stainless steel band, 215mm L x 18mm W; Band is adjustable by adding/removing links; Fold over...
- Mineral crystal; Push/pull crown; Unidirectional stainless steel bezel with black top bezel ring;...
Invicta has been in the watchmaking game for over 180 years. With that kind of history, it’s a safe bet you can rely on their watches to do the exact job. This is one of their entry-level dive watches which has everything you need to keep track of time while in the water. It’s simple yet effective and looks stylish so you can comfortably wear it both above and below the water. This differs from the other watches we’ve looked at so far in that it has a metal band instead of a resin band.
Pros:
- The 8932 Pro Diver uses Japanese quartz movement. You can read more about quartz movement if you want the technical details but the main benefits are better accuracy. Unlike a mechanical watch, you don’t have to regularly wind up this watch and it doesn’t lose time the same way a mechanical watch does. This is more important above the water as you won’t have to regularly adjust the time for accuracy.
- This is water-resistant up to 200m (660ft). You can safely use this for recreational scuba diving and even some lower-level technical diving. We do not recommend this for high-level technical diving at extreme depths.
- The entire watch is made from stainless steel which means it will be resistant to corrosion. You need to make sure you rinse it after diving just to be on the safe side. But, assuming you properly maintain your watch, you should plenty of years of diving out of this before you need to worry about replacing it.
Biggest Con:
- One thing that we don’t like is this watch runs a bit small. If you are a man with a larger wrist this may not be the best fit for you. For men with smaller wrists or those who like smaller watch faces, this is a great option. We personally like larger watch faces for our dive watches as it makes it easier to read most of the time.
Casio Men’s Super Illuminator Diver Watch
- 44mm Case Diameter
- Super illuminator led, 100 M water resistant, stainless steel bracelet
- Quartz Movement
- Water Resistant To 330 Feet
- Accuracy: ±20 seconds per month
Another Casio in the lineup. As we mentioned above, they’ve been a major player in the watch manufacturing business for over fifty years. If you’re looking for something a little more sophisticated than the Casio dive watch above, the Super Illuminator is the way to go. This is an all stainless steel watch with a stainless steel band. The watch has the look of the Rolex Submariner without the bank-busting price tag. It’s a great choice for divers who want the ruggedness of a dive watch below water but something sophisticated enough to wear in the office topside.
Pros:
- The face on this watch is giant. This is very helpful when you are diving so that you don’t have to strain your eyes too much to see your time. The numbers on the bezel, the hands, and the notches on the watch face are all large and contrast well against the black background of the watch. A major plus in our book.
- This is a super accurate watch. The average time loss for this is only plus or minus 20 seconds each month. There are many other watches on the market which can lose as much as a few minutes or more each month. Some of those watches are even quite expensive with prices in the tens of thousands. Having the peace of mind that your watch is giving you the correct time great. Especially, knowing it doesn’t come at a premium price.
- The Super Illuminator has an anti-reverse rotating bezel. What this means is that the bezel only turns in one direction. As we’ve stated above, we like this feature. In our experience, watches with unidirectional rotating bezels can be easy to turn. This makes it easier to accidentally move the bezel when you don’t want to. The last thing you want is to be mid-dive and have all of your calculations thrown off because you accidentally brushed your dive watch against your BCD or another piece of equipment. Anti-reverse bezels are the way to go.
Biggest Con:
- The biggest drawback of this watch is that it is only rated to a depth of 100m (330ft). If you are a deep diver or technical diver, this is not the watch for you. The super illuminator is better for lower to mid-depth recreational divers. We do not recommend you take this beyond 30m to 40m (100ft – 130ft).
Stuhrling Original Men’s Pro Diver Watch
- EASY TO READ luminescent baton-style hands and indices, collected in a coin edge bezel and finished...
- ULTRA-ACCURATE and reliable Japanese Miyota movement for precision time keeping on your wrist watch
- FULLY ADJUSTABLE triple row stainless steel link bracelet with push button deployant safety clasp on...
- WATER RESISTANT Our Depthmaster Dive Watch is protected up to 10 ATM (100 meters/330 feet), suitable...
- COMPREHENSIVE WARRANTY: All Stührling Timepieces include a 2 Year Comprehensive International...
This is the newest brand on this list. Stuhrling is a New York based watch manufacturer which was founded in 1999. They carried on the tradition of famed Swiss watchmaker Max Stuhrling. Their pro diver series of watches are a great choice for recreational divers looking to look good above the water but who want something highly functional below the surface. This is a watch best suited to low to medium depth recreational divers. As with the Casio Super Illuminator above, this is only rated to a depth of 100m (330ft).
Pros:
- We’ll be the first ones to admit that you should never purchase a dive watch based on looks alone. Oftentimes, the best looking dive watches can be the worst performing when you actually get them underwater. But, the Stuhrling Men’s Pro Diver is an excellent choice for both looks and functionality. It has a green watch face with a silver and gold band. Perfect for the board room or the boat.
- This watch utilizes a Miyota movement mechanism. This is an automatic type movement where the movement of the person wearing the watch powers it and keeps it running. This differs from a mechanical watch in that it doesn’t need to be wound. Also, this is a good option if you do not plan on wearing your watch every day. It can store up to 40 hours of reserve power so that it won’t lose time if you are not wearing the watch.
- As with the other watches on this list, the notches and numbers on the face and the bezel are large and easy to read. You don’t want to have to strain to read your watch during a dive. The best dive watches have faces and numbers big enough to quickly glance at and see. The illumination on the face is also quite bright making this even easier to see during lower light situations.
Biggest Con:
- As with the Casio Super Illuminator above, we do not recommend this for technical divers. This is a major drawback for us as we would always prefer a watch with deeper water resistance. For the price, it is to be expected that some performance would be sacrificed. But, if you are planning on getting into deep diving or technical diving, you may want to opt for a watch with a better depth rating.
Momentum Men’s Torpedo Dive Watch
- RUGGED DESIGN: This is our ultra-tough budget dive watch. This watch case is loaded with features...
- LONG LASTING PRECISION: These fashionable watches come equipped with Japanese Quartz Movement for...
- WATERPROOF PERFORMANCE: These waterproof watches for men are tested up to 200M / 660FT, making them...
- DURABLE ON YOUR WRIST: These wrist watches for men come with diving grade bands that features solid...
- IDEAL GIFT: The Torpedo makes for a great gift watch - whether it’s a birthday, an anniversary or...
Momentum is second only to Stuhrling in the newness of the company. This is a Canadian watch manufacturer that has been in business since the early 1980s. They design watches with active wearers in mind. Their watches are geared towards outdoors enthusiasts and are designed to take a beating. One fo the things we like about their Torpedo Dive Watch is how ruggedly it has been designed. They design the watch from one block of stainless steel which they cut down. This makes it more durable and also helps to keep water out.
Pros:
- The Torpedo is rated to a depth of 200m (660ft). This means it is more suitable for deeper divers who are going at or below deeper recreational depths. This still isn’t a good option for high-level technical divers looking ot push the limits when it comes to depth. But, for most divers, this watch is more than adequate for the depths you will be diving to.
- One thing we like about the design of this watch is the strap. More often than not, dive watches come with stiff and uncomfortable plastic straps that can become painful to wear by the end of the day. This is a problem that affects dive watches both cheap and expensive. The Torpedo, however, uses diving grade nylon. This makes it a more comfortable option if you don’t want a metal band and are tired of rubber bands digging into your wrist.
- We like the Japanese quartz movement. As we previously noted this is perhaps the most accurate of all watch movement types. Quartz movement watches do not lose much time over the course of the month which means you do not have to reset them nearly as often as mechanical watches. This makes them a more precise option for divers both above and below the surface.
Biggest Con:
- There is one glaring drawback to this watch which we truly dislike. The bezel is stainless steel and all of the numbers are simply engraved into it. They have not been painted nor have they been made luminous. So, in a lower light situation, you will be struggling to read the numbers on the bezel. Or, if there is too much light glaring off the watch, you may struggle as well. The notches on the watch face are also smaller than others on this list. Overall, we like the durability of this but the design is lacking a bit in comparison to the others.
You may have noticed after reading through this list that there is one thing missing. Where are all the women’s dive watches for under $100? Well, truth be told, there are not a lot of choices when it comes to women’s dive watches. Especially at this price range. But, we’ve found an excellent option that should do the trick.
Invicta Women’s 8939 Pro Diver Watch
- Stainless steel case 24.5mm diameter x 11mm thick; Black dial; Luminous hands and hour markers
- Japanese quartz movement, PC22A Caliber; Assembled in Japan; SR626SW battery included; Watch weight:...
- Stainless steel band, 170mm L x 12mm W; Band is adjustable by adding/removing links; Fold over...
- Mineral crystal; Push/pull crown; Unidirectional stainless steel bezel with black top bezel ring;...
This is the women’s counterpart to the Invicta Men’s 8932 Pro Diver we reviewed above. It is similar in style and design. As we mentioned in that review, Invicta is a quality Swiss manufacturer founded in the early to mid-1800s. Their watches are reliable and fashionable making them a good option for both diving and everyday use. The Women’s 8939 has the same technical specs as the Men’s 8932 so we won’t be going over all of them again. The main difference here is that the band and the face are smaller making them easier to fit on smaller sized wrists. If you are a woman with a larger sized wrist and prefer a larger watch, the Men’s 8932 is the way to go.
In Conclusion
When it comes to watches, more expensive doesn’t always mean you are getting the best deal. As you can see from this list, there are plenty of dive watches under $100 which will last you for many years of diving and that will look good both in and out of the water.
What are your thoughts? Do you have any other recommendations for dive watches in the under $100 price range? Or, have you used one of the above watches in the past? Let us know what you think in the comments section below. We are always interested in what our fellow divers have to say.
This page was last updated on 2022-08-29. Affiliate links and Product Images are from Amazon PAAPI
