What makes a dive watch?
A dive watch is built to be read and trusted underwater. That means serious water resistance and a crown that seals tight.
It also needs a rotating bezel for timing a dive and bright lume (luminous paint) on the hands and markers.
Most of the watches on this page are automatic, wound by the motion of your wrist.
A few are quartz, for anyone who would rather have a battery and grab-and-go accuracy.
100m, 200m or 300m: what the rating means
A water resistance rating is the pressure a watch has been tested to. It isn't a depth you can safely take it to.
Moving through the water adds pressure, so treat the number as headroom.
- 100m (10 bar): swimming, surfing and everyday water sports.
- 200m (20 bar or 20ATM): the usual rating for a dedicated dive watch. Suits snorkelling and recreational diving, with the crown screwed down.
- 300m (30 bar): extra margin for people who dive often.
ISO 6425 sets out what a divers' watch must do, including water resistance of at least 100m and being readable in the dark, among other requirements.
None of the watches in this collection is listed as ISO 6425 certified, so we don't describe them that way. Each product page lists the tested rating instead.
Which of these are genuine divers?
We'd rather tell you plainly. These are rated to 200m or more:
- 300m: the Sea-Gull Ocean Series 41mm automatic, with screw-down construction.
- 200m automatic: San Martin's SN0017, SN0138, SN0142, SN0126 and Abalone SN0046, BERNY's steel and titanium divers, the ADDIESDIVE AD2102 and the Heimdallr 47mm Tuna.
- 200m quartz: the ADDIESDIVE AD2040 and AD2050 GMT, and the HEIMDALLR Tactical Frog.
One piece is dive-style rather than a 200m diver. The Yelang V1019 has a rotating bezel and screw-down crown, but it's rated to 100m.
That's plenty for swimming and the beach.
What to look for in a dive watch
A screw-down crown. The crown threads onto the case to keep water out. Many of the San Martin and BERNY divers here have one, and each product page says so.
A unidirectional bezel. It turns one way only, so a knock can shorten your timed dive but never extend it.
San Martin and ADDIESDIVE use 120-click bezels, some with ceramic inserts.
Strong lume. Look for C3, BGW9 or BGW-X1 Super-LumiNova on the hands and markers. They glow green or blue after charging in light.
Sapphire crystal. Every automatic diver on this page has a sapphire crystal, which resists scratches far better than mineral glass.
Steel or titanium. Most cases are 316L stainless steel. BERNY's titanium divers are noticeably lighter; one weighs just 83g.
The movements inside
Each product page names the movement, or calibre, so you know exactly what's ticking inside:
- Seiko NH35 and NH36: tough, widely serviced Japanese automatics, found in the San Martin Abalone, ADDIESDIVE AD2102, Heimdallr Tuna and Yelang V1019.
- Miyota 8215, 8205 and 90S5: Japanese automatics in BERNY's divers and San Martin's SN0126.
- Sea-Gull ST2130 and ST1612: in the San Martin SN0017 and SN0138, and a BERNY titanium diver.
- YN55 and PT5000: in the San Martin SN0142 and a BERNY 200m diver.
New to automatic movements? Our complete guide to mechanical watches explains how they work.
Dive watch sizes for every wrist
Dive watches tend to run large, but this collection spans 37mm to 47mm.
For smaller wrists, including many women's wrists, start with the 37mm San Martin SN0138, the 38mm SN0126 or the 39.5mm SN0142.
From 40mm to 42mm you'll find most of the BERNY and San Martin range. The ADDIESDIVE AD2102 (44.5mm) and Heimdallr Tuna (47mm) suit bigger wrists and bolder tastes.
Not sure what fits? Our watch size guide shows how to measure your wrist. You can also browse men's watches and women's watches.
Looking after a dive watch
- Screw the crown down fully before any swim, and check it again after setting the time.
- Don't use the crown or any pushers underwater.
- Rinse in fresh water after the ocean or a chlorinated pool.
- Avoid hot showers, spas and saunas, which can damage the seals.
- Have the seals checked when the watch is serviced, every few years.
Why buy a dive watch from Time & Lustre
- Honest specs: we list the movement, case size, crystal and water resistance wherever the maker supplies them. If something's missing, ask us.
- Your consumer rights: Australian Consumer Law guarantees apply to every purchase. Some brands add their own warranty; see the product page.
- 30-day returns on unworn watches in their original packaging. See our returns policy.
- Tracked delivery Australia-wide, free on orders over $50. See our shipping policy for delivery times.
Want something self-winding for every day, not just the water? Browse all our automatic watches.