Best beater dive watch under £200

[EllisAndrews]

Hi gents

Looking for a dive watch as an everyday workhorse something that I can just grab and go, alo preferably something that has a sapphire crystal and keeps decent time. What do you recommend? Any pics would be appreciated too

Cheers

 

[rbscebu]

For dive duty or just waterproof for things like swimming?

 

[EllisAndrews]

For dive duty or just waterproof for things like swimming?

Just waterproof for everyday things

 

[rbscebu]

With a budget of up to 200 quid, you have a lot to choose from. Today I just ordered a second "diver's" analogue watch by Q&Q (Citizen) for about £20. Rated to 10 atmospheres (100m) it meets all of your requirements except for saphire glass.

​

My current watch (pictured above) is the same and has served me well for almost 10 years. It is now on its 3rd battery I ordered the second watch as a backup - just in case.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Citizen either the Eco Drive (my preference)
BN0151-17L
BN0150-10E
or the self winding
NY0040-09EE
NY0086-16LE

honorable mention Orient Mako III/Kamasu

Orient Kamasu Diver Watch | RA-AA0002L19A RA-AA0002L AA0002LB | Orient Watch USA

Orient Diver Kamasu Diving Watch, SKU: RA-AA0002L19A. Only after diving into the design and specifications of the Kamasu will it be clear as to why it s...

www.orientwatchusa.com

 

[Whilliam]

A watch that can really take a thuggish beating without showing it is Citizen's ProMaster Tough (BN0211-50E), solar powered by an Eco Drive movement. And, yes, it has a sapphire crystal.

It's not a dive watch, but it is rated water resistant to 200 meters and does have a screw-down crown. Moreover, it features Citizen's "Super Titanium" surface treatment, which protects against scratches, scuffs and wear.

I have the black dial version that comes with a s/s bracelet (also titanium treated). Other offerings (at least here in the U.S.) include a black case/dial model with a black urethane/nylon strap; and s/s cased green dial and blue dial models, each with a color matched urethane/nylon strap.

(FWTW, I also have two Citizen World timer watches, each with Citizen's titanium surface treatment. They are both 25 years old and neither shows a scratch.)

I believe Citizen also offers a lone of ProMaster Tough dive watches with a unidirectional bezels, but I don't know the reference numbers.

Sorry to sound like such a fanboy, but unless you must have a mechanical watch, these Eco Drives are an excellent way to go.

 

[MrSpeedy]

Lot of great suggestions already. Will add the Casio Duro (MDV106-1A) to the list.

 

[RenoRichard]

For an inexpensive automatic, an Invicta 8926 is worth a look.

 

[ByMyBeard]

Plenty of good suggestions here, and I don't have any to add. I will say that I've never owned a sapphire crystal, and have never had a problem with crystals scratching either. If you find one that suits your needs and price, that's great. But personally I'm not sure you really need a sapphire for a grab and go everyday. With that being said, my go to would be a Duro for quartz, and Pro Diver for an auto. Or you could get one of each in different colors, and still be under your 200.

 

[dojpros]

If sapphire is really driving the train-your best bet is likely to be with something from Orient in an automatic

Orient Kamasu Diver Watch | RA-AA0004E19A RA-AA0004E AA0004E | Orient Watch USA

Orient Diver Kamasu Diving Watch, SKU: RA-AA0004E19A. Only after diving into the design and specifications of the Kamasu will it be clear as to why it s...

www.orientwatchusa.com

OR

Scurfa in quartz
Scurfa Watches | Reliable timepieces designed for divers - https://www.scurfawatches.com/

OR
Victorinox INOX in quartz

Swiss Army Victorinox 2417231 Wrist Watch for Men's for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Swiss Army Victorinox 2417231 Wrist Watch for Men's at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

If you move off the sapphire requirement, The Casio Duro or something by Citizen is really tough to beat.

 

[Flintstone65]

I'm pretty new to the watch game, so take my "recommendations" with a big grain of salt:

1. SteelDive 1970. Sapphire Crystal, 200 meters water resistance, great lume, fits small wrists. Downside, it's an homage of a Seiko 6105 (not everyone likes an homage). I picked up mine for well under $100. You can get it in blue, black and green.
   
   
2. Vostok Amphibia divers. Definitely NOT a Sapphire Crystal, but for a beater my pref is actually acrylic. I know it seems silly, but Polywatch paste has taken out some pretty deep scratches, and the watch itself is 100 meters and very inexpensive (less than $70).
   
   
   
   
3. Lastly, if you want an on-the-go, no fuss, no muss, ACTUAL beater watch -- I'd recommend the Casio GWM 5610. Water resistant to 200m, multiband (periodically picks up a radio signal to keep the time accurate), and solar charged battery. This is a G-Shock, and if you're really going to beat (and I mean BEAT) your watch, then I'd go this direction. Still under 200 pounds, and under 100 pounds if you wait for a sale.
   
   

 

[ylekot]

If you can get by the sapphire requirement, I too find the Casio Duro to be very difficult to beat.

 

[ByMyBeard]

I'm pretty new to the watch game, so take my "recommendations" with a big grain of salt:

1. SteelDive 1970. Sapphire Crystal, 200 meters water resistance, great lume, fits small wrists. Downside, it's an homage of a Seiko 6105 (not everyone likes an homage). I picked up mine for well under $100. You can get it in blue, black and green...

Wow...I'm impressed with this one. I've been looking for a green dial also. May need to pick one of these up the next time I want to spend money on myself. Which, is not very often...

 

[EllisAndrews]

I'm thinking about an orient ray 2 not a deal breaker but doesn't seem to have sapphire crystal has anyone got any experience with these?

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

I'm thinking about an orient ray 2 not a deal breaker but doesn't seem to have sapphire crystal has anyone got any experience with these?

I have got a couple Orient watches. Good watches, but I don't know if the fit the bill for being the "just grab and go" watch you list as one of your criteria. No automatic watch is unless you wear it every day. If you don't, and it stops, you will have to set the date and time. Not a problem, but just not "grab and go" like a quartz watch.

You also wanted a watch that kept decent time. I don't know what your definition of decent is, but my Orients both gain time. About 15 - 20 seconds a day. My cheapest quartz watch keeps better time.

All my divers are automatics, except one, a Seiko SNE499 solar. If I was to get another quartz diver, I'd look at Certina.

 

[Rhody]

I’d say a seiko would fit the bill but their prices have gone up. When I got my sk007 it was around 200 but times have changed.

 

[dojpros]

A buddy of mine was you a few years back as he was not wanting to wear his Rolex sub on the shooting range any longer after getting its first lube/oil/adjust in its 20 yr plus life cycle.

He bought both a Casio Duro and a Citizen Promaster. Neither are Sapphire. The Citizen stays in the safe.

He is now a 3 watch guy.

a. the Duro most days

b. some kind of a G-shock when he goes into the field as a contractor/evaluator

c. the sub for certain business casual and up things.

I suspect you could do much worse that a blue faced duro, a black faced duro and a slew of other straps in various colors/texture all in for well under 200 pounds.

 

[bigbrucefan]

I don't know a thing about sapphire crystals, but I've yet to see another submariner homage that can match the Invicta 8926OB in the bangforbuck category at 84 bucks.