Been wanting one of these for years, rarely see them for under $500 AUD. I've never used Massdrop before so no comment on their reliability etc. This is a new model of this watch, only thing that has changed seems to be the placement of the logo on the face, collectors seem to prefer the old logo! This is a Japanese domestic model Auto Diver, well respected and collectable.
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There is an extension you can add to the url to see it. Can't seem to remember it right now though…
Press F12 (developer tools), find the div that's in the way, set the display to none (requires some understanding of HTML)
Thankyou. I have an ongoing interest in diving watches But was hesistant to add to the 50 daily emails I already get cheers
Sorry for asking but what makes this a diver`s watch? I am in the market for a serious scuba diving watch (not computer) but there are not that many deals lately.
Pretty much, the fact that it is rated to 200m and has a bezel. The "dive" watch bit is, these days, more about the styling than the functionality (since dive computers have more or less made dive watches obsolete).
A watch that is (1) rated waterproof to 200m or more and (2) has a bezel that can only be rotated anti-clockwise and (3) is labelled in increments to a total of one hour around the bezel is a 'divers' watch.
The point of the rotating bezel is that you align the zero point with the hour hand when you first enter the water and the position of the hour hand thereafter indicates on the bezel how long you've been in the water, in minutes.
The requirement that the bezel can only be rotated anti-clockwise is for safety. If the bezel is accidentally rotated after you enter the water, it can only indicate a longer time, never a shorter time. Any error in the reading will be safer than the 'truth'.
you put the zero point to the minute hand, not the hour hand - else you would be reading hours underwater, not minutes !
Yeah, uh, that's what I meant (but not what I said!). Thanks for the correction! :-)
I'd add that good luminosity so you can see it on night (or cave) dives and a simple plain face so there is less chance of confusion, is also highly recommended.
Check out the SKX007 if you're after a cheaper version. The one on my wrist is 11 years old, has dived to 42m, in four continents, with night and cave dives as well.
Seiko dive watches definitely have a good reputation, though in terms of looks I've never found one that floated my boat (pun intended!).
I didn't realise I had a 'type' until I assembled my whole collection of watches for a photo one day and found that they're ALL dive watches. Five TAG-Heuer Aquaracers (two silver-grey 1500s, two 'Obama' gold-silver, one silver-white 2000), a really old black-blue TAG-Heuer Formula 1, one of those big fat orange Timex depth gauge jobs and assorted other things.
My favourite right now would be the big fat Chinese 'Carnival' all black with white lettering and tritium markers on the hour positions, all of the hands AND the zero position on the bezel. Don't pay more than about AUD$150 on AliExpress, even though many sellers offer them for $400 or more. A really nice watch in the dark or in daylight. The tritium will be perfect for your night and cave dives.
" it can only indicate a longer time, never a shorter time."
Isn't it the opposite way around? pretty sure you wouldn't want to have a 'longer' dive time than you have of oxygen supply ;)
You have a pressure gauge for your gas, if you stay at depth for too long you get bent. Better to think you've been down longer than you have and end the dive, than think you've got ages and get bent.
In terms of calculating how much gas (nitrogen in particular) has accumulated in your body tissues as a result of being underwater in a higher-than-atmospheric-pressure environment, it's safer to over-estimate the amount of time you've been under water than it is to under-estimate.
Decompression sickness (formerly known as "the bends") occurs when a diver returns to the surface with too much gas accumulated in their body tissues so that the gas begins to form bubbles that (if you're lucky) form in muscles and joints, hurt like absolute motherfathering hell and render you unable to ever dive again, or (if you're unlucky) appear as bubbles in your bloodstream that float around to your brain and kill you! If you're double unlucky, they'll form everywhere, hurt like hell, and continue to hurt like hell for the whole time you're dying! :-)
Decompression sickness is seriously dangerous. One episode predisposes a diver to future episodes, so you pretty much shouldn't ever dive again (if you don't want to die!).
It is critical that recreational divers return to the surface before there is any risk of bubbles forming. That's why it's better to make the 'mistake' on the side of safety and return to the surface sooner, than get it wrong and stay down too long.
HTH.
It's rated "diver's 200m" which is a higher standard than just "200m".
TIL
"DIVER'S" printed on the face means it has to be tested (not just certified) down to 125% of the rated depth. Given that very few of these would go even go to 50m, most manufacturers don't bother with the expense of testing each watch and just put "Water resistant" down to some theoretical (and sometimes made up) depth.
…and the bezel stuff mentioned above.
So your saying a $8000 Omega Seamaster isn't a divers watch? lol.
Price has nothing to do with it champ.
The question was what makes this a diver's watch and the answer is ISO 6425. No one's saying you can't dive with it but from a quick search it's not technically a diver's watch.
https://www.omegawatches.com/watches/seamaster/seamaster-300…
Technical data
Water resistance
30 bar (300 metres / 1000 feet)
Water resistant means it hasn't been tested and doesn't meet the standard. Omega can't print "diver's" on there
@OzBragain: Calling bullshit buddy. No way Omega doesn't test their watches specifically designed for diving. The thing has a helium release valve for god's sake. It is chronometer certified which is a lot more strenuous than a pressure test.
Calling bullshit buddy
You can call unicorn shi!t for all I care. Back up your opinion with some fact otherwise it's just another one of the billions of uninformed and useless internet rants.
It is chronometer certified which is a lot more strenuous than a pressure test.
Perhaps you could elaborate? How does "chronometer certified" prove a watch's ability to remain waterproof under pressure?
@OzBragain: it doesn't, it proves is has been tested strenuously. Each individual watch. A pressure test involves 20 minutes in a machine. You really think Omega wouldn't do that?
You really think Omega wouldn't do that?
What you or I think makes no difference, it's what the manufacturer does that determines if a watch meets the standard.
The Seamaster 300 specs I saw do not meet ISO 6425. Regardless of what you think and as much as it may blow your mind, this means that the $8000 Seamaster is not certified as a diver's watch while a $200-$300 Seiko diver is. Again, doesn’t mean the Seamaster won't perform well underwater, it's just not certified as a diver's watch under the international standard.
edit: I've just taken another look at the Seamaster 300 and the fact that it has a Bi-directional rotating bezel makes it useless if not downright dangerous as a dive watch.
Let me guess, you saw it in the latest James Bond movie and thought this must be designed by Q and worth the price!
Please take your rant elsewhere.
The standard mode has a uni directional bezel and I'd be trusting me life with this $5300 Omega over a Seiko.
https://www.omegawatches.com/watches/seamaster/diver-300-m/c…
You can see how badly Seiko ripped off Omega if you follow the link.
I would imagine you learnt a thing or two about watches searching for that quote, congrats :) Unfortunately it's just one guy's opinion on the internet, backed up by…nothing. This makes it about as useful as someone coming back here in 6 years and quoting your unsubstantiated drivel.
I'm sure everyone's bored of this by now we're contributing nothing to the thread. I'm done, feel free to have the last word.
screw down crown as well
As a point of interest, the screw-down crown feature seems to be falling out of favour with some watch makers. Apparently there's other ways of assuring waterproof-ness that supersede the screw-down approach.
I was surprised to find that the Carnival tritium watch I mentioned elsewhere here doesn't have a screw-down crown. Just checked, the Timex T2N812 does. The TAG Aquaracers all do, but they're fairly old watches.
I've also read that the screw-down buttons on the Chase Durer Special Forces UDT 1000XL (aka the 'Michael Westen', a bit of a 'dream' dive watch) are crap and routinely chew out early in the watch's life. I haven't managed to buy one yet 'cos they're out of production and every time someone advertised one for sale, they say the screws are stripped! Go figure!
Great value, but keep in mind these are pretty freaking huge. Big wrists only.
I thought my dive watches were big, then I went in to a Fossil store, now they are huge!
Look up Diesel Big Daddy if you want some cringe.
Watch is Made in Japan (in case anyone is wondering).
Hmm… a good fine. Tempted to buy. eBay is selling for ~ $520. In between thoughts whether I should rush to pull the trigger.
For OP and anyone else who hasn't used MassDrop - I've used them a lot and been very happy with them. At the moment the delivery fees are pretty good to Australia and items have always arrived pretty quickly.
I have heard returns can be a nightmare though, and I'd imagine even more so from Australia so there's that.
Have wanted a nice dive watch for a while… Good price.. Hmm. Wife might have other ideas though.
Ozbargain - causing marital issues since 2006.
Seiko have some nice diver's around $200 out of HK.
Keep in mind that automatic will never be as accurate as quartz movements and have the additional cost of servicing every few years.
Wife might have other ideas though.
It's always easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.
"Seiko have some nice diver's around $200 out of HK."
links and recommendations? :)
There are plenty although probably more in Singapore than Hong Kong, was a bit late in the day to get my facts straight.
www.skywatches.com.sg is well regarded and ebay (I recently used pro-watches) has a good choice
forums.watchuseek.com
45mm is huge. Do they come in smaller size?
Nice watch for the price. Interesting to read the new model got moved to the Prospex range.
I have the cheaper "Orange Monster" SRP315 that I wear active diving and the more expensive MarineMaster SBDX001 that I wear on casual days to work. Both are great looking, functional, reliable time pieces.
I have an "Orange Monster", it's a beast of a watch that I wore for quite a while with a few band changes/experiments along the way. I mostly wear my g-shock now though as it suits my "active lifestyle".
I have a monster as well and have played the strap change game! Always wanted a Sumo though!
Seiko Monster with NATO style strap for the win!
Beautiful watch. Currently saving up for longiness pilots watch.
http://www.chrono24.com.au/longines/avigation-watch-type-a-7…
Hnngggggg
BTW this watch is a complete rip off of a Seamaster.
I think the term in watch circles is 'homage'
Yeah no. It's a completely generic looking tool diver.
Yeah, same font, iconography and colouring as a standard 300M. Complete rip off.
An $8000 wannabe diver vs a real diver? yeah nah
Why are dive watches so popular amongst enthusiasts?
I bought a basic styled Citizen Promaster Land watch for a daily wearer and I LOVED it. I like the styling, the luminosity at night is great.
For those on a budget the Casio 45mm Quartz MDV106-1A is regarded as one of the best diver deals for your dollar.
It has a screw down crown and is rated at 200 metres.
Altatac have it for USD$53.47 delivered. Which is close to AUD$70.00 at the moment with our dollar being a bit stronger.
Amazon link for reviews.
Nice watch for the price but technically not a diver and isn't rated to 200m
For my money I would grab one of the new Seiko 'Turtles' (Reissue of the classic 6309 models).
The Sumo in the OP is not a bad price but they are quite large and have odd proportions IMO (long lug to lug length, and 20mm bracelet/strap width makes them a bit awkward)
Couple of places the Turtles are available are:
http://www.watches88.com/cat-seiko-prospex.cfm
http://www.creationwatches.com/products/seiko-prospex-299/se…
If you are in Sydney you could visit the new Seiko boutique that just opened :)
What a pain . You have to join just to have a look at the site.