Dr. N.
Summer is the ideal season to wear a dive watch. Not just for the obvious usefulness of a timepiece waterproof in a seaside setting. In the heat, perspiration increases and leather straps can become annoying: not to mention that the increased wear of the leather, due to rubbing with damp skin, shortens the life of the strap. Furthermore, diving watches are generally quite robust, due to their construction: this is a feature that is certainly welcome in a season characterized by outdoor activities such as summer.
However, the diving watches we have seen so far are characterized by a rather high price. Since bringing a watch worth many thousands of euros to the beach can lead to the loss of the serenity that the holiday itself is intended to provide, let's see together what choices the watch market offers diving watches for less than a thousand euros.
The classic choice: Seiko Skx
Il Seiko SKX it has been an icon of popular diving watchmaking for decades. This watch has everything to be a real one diver: the water resistance of two hundred meters ensured by the screw-down case back and crown, the unidirectional rotating bezel, the high readability of the dial, the massive dimensions of the case – 42 millimeters – make it an ideal timepiece for aquatic activities. The winding crown mounted at four o'clock helps avoid rubbing on the back of the hand.
The self-winding mechanical movement of the Seiko SKX it is made by Seiko and boasts 40 hours of power reserve: so, if you happen to forget it in the hotel room, you will find it still ticking the next day.
The affordable choice: Orient Ray II
Orient is a subsidiary of Seiko. The watches it produces are made with the same quality levels as the parent company. They are just less well-known in terms of brand and sometimes more bland in aesthetics. L'Orient Ray II it is an inspirational watch diver equipped with technical qualities similar to those of the Seiko SKX, with a more conventional style.
Also 'Orient Ray II It features an in-house self-winding mechanical movement, being part of the same Seiko group.
The refined choice: Doxa Sub 200
For those who want to stand out with a timepiece that harks back to the golden age of scuba diving, Doxa, a watchmaking company that became famous in those years, the Sixties, offers the Under 200. Characterized by a domed sapphire crystal that recalls the shape of the plexiglass of the past, by clearly legible graphics and by an ETA movement, this diving watch compensates for the high cost - relative to the price range in which we are moving, clearly - with the quality of execution.
We cannot help but recommend trying the orange dial: chosen for its superior underwater visibility, it has become a symbol of the manufacturing company, making the Doxa name at home among diving enthusiasts around the world.
The professional choice: Squale 1521
Squale It's a name that sounds familiar to diving watch enthusiasts. Already in the XNUMXs it produced its own diving watches. It then combines this production with the supply of waterproof cases to companies such as Blancpain and Heuer. The current Squale range features the Lo as its entry-level watch Shark 1521, which is close to the upper price limit we have set ourselves, but for very good reasons: it is in fact a watch that resists up to fifty atmospheres, making it the one in our selection that is most definitely oriented towards professional use.
The movement is a well-proven ETA, as in the case of Doxa. The winding crown, mounted at four o'clock as in the Seiko SKX, is another original touch that aesthetically characterizes this watch.
The unconventional choice: Vostok Amphibia
Di Vostok e of Amphibia we have already had the opportunity to talk about it in other articles. Vostok is a Russian watch manufacturer, who also creates the movements himself. The Amphibia is its best known and most appreciated model, and for a very good reason: having been in production since the times of the USSR, the cost of the machinery has been amply amortized and the price, more than competitive, is unique. With around sixty euros you put one on your wrist self-winding diving watch. The style is vintage, but not because the watch is a reissue in vintage style, as well as why the Vostok Amphibia it's vintage: case with a not excessive diameter, 39 millimeters which is really "just right" on the wrist, simple and clean dial, plexi glass. The wide availability of dials of every color allows you to customize each watch according to your taste.
Defects? It is not suitable for professional diving, as it is non-unidirectional rotating bezel. The original equipment bracelet is made of sheet metal, as is to be expected in this price range, but numerous alternatives are available, even from the same manufacturer and always at reasonable costs.
Which of these cheap divers is best for summer 2020?
These watches all have variable aesthetics and prices, satisfying every need. Whether you are looking for a professional instrument like the Squale 1521 or you appreciate the unconventional originality of the Vostok Amphibia, the choice is truly wide.
However, all these diving watches have in common that they are equipped with mechanical movements: quWe explain to you why this gift should not be underestimated.
