Buying Guide - Our unique selection of 10 Diver watches under $1,000
What is it about diving watches? There is something truly remarkable about this category. Is it because they are well built with enough water resistance? Or perhaps because they are cool enough to be worn with a tuxedo? Whatever the real reason is, a good dive watch is usually the cornerstone of anyone’s collection. Here at Extropian, we have compiled what it can be amongst the 10 best divers you can have under 1000 USD.
We always try to make things a bit different in order to keep our readers entertained. We avoided the usual suspects such as Seiko, Citizen, and other obvious brands, not because they are not worth it but because everyone else has included them on their list. We hope you enjoy this one, let’s begin (or dive in).
The new kids on the block
Venezianico is a brand that we handle quite a few times at Extropian and we are always impressed
with their quality and price. The Nereide could be considered their flagship line and their platform
for experimental watches. The base model is what we are here for, you can push for extra
configurations and still stay within our budget, but we believe that the Nereide 42 with a stainless-
steel bracelet and 200 meters of water resistance, offers true value for whoever wants to adorn
their wrist with as sophisticated diver. The watch is powered by the Seiko NH35A which we believe it
helps to enter the brand, it has the same look and feel than their more upscale models. This boys are
coming with a bang and well under 600 USD. For more information, please visit here:
https://www.extropian.co/watches/venezianico-nereide-39-3121502c
Elegant and futuristic
Who said that a diving watch cannot be worn to a fancy dinner? We agree that it must be an elegant and a bit more restrained than other counter parts but that does exist. Peren as a brand is a testament to elegance with their Nera collection by focusing on minimalistic designs. What we like about this line is that the watch doesn’t feel austere, on the contrary, the watch is full of details and nuances such as the coin edge or matte bezel texture on the dial. A Swiss movement and 39mm in diameter complete what can be in our opinion a very compelling package at 765 USD. For more information, please visit here: https://www.extropian.co/watches/peren-watches-nera-rogue-nera-nera-rogue
Original and unique
There is something nice about having something original, unfortunately is not common in the watch world. Unique designs are usually expensive as the brands need to monetize the research and development, but the guys at Mitch Mason have made this happen. Their Maelstrom series is a node to supercompressor divers but with a modern feel, nothing here feels vintage. Their unique handsets with the sandwich dials plus the inner rotating bezel bring the Maelstrom to another level of uniqueness. Everything feels specifically designed for them, nothing off the shelf from the supplier. Having 300 meters of water resistance and a price of 599 USD, it would be hard to find a suitable competitor.
For more information, please visit here: https://www.extropian.co/watches/mitch-mason-watches-maelstrom-all-marimo-green
Is not all about diving.
Why people like diving? Or at least the concept of it? Well, is relaxing and also a peaceful exercise that connects you to nature. This is what the guys at Ikigai want to expose. There is no heritage or nostalgia applied to their watches, but pure design mixed with good will. Ikigai is trying a new approach, and we believe they succeed with their Kame collection. Inspired on the details which can fund on sea turtles, the Kame is an original concept successfully translated into a wristwatch. With lugs that mimic our friendly aquatic creature, the 40mm case with well applied superluminova are the main reasons on why we love this brand. The Kame RRP is 550 USD and it is currently on pre order at 495USD. For more information, please visit here: https://www.extropian.co/watches/ikigai-watches-kame-all-mystic-purple
it’s all about quality.
If you want to have peace of mind and assurance that what is coming in the mail is reliable with built quality, well Traska as a brand is one of our first choices. We have seen and handle many of their watches and we are always impressed with the attention to detail from them. Their bracelets are over engineered, and their dials are clean with legibility in mind. Their Freediver is one of those watches that just feels right, with a size at 40.5, the dial breathes nicely using their signature mint colour, it is a popular choice but in Traska has become one of their main characteristics, it is refreshing. At a price of 685 USD with a stainless-steel bracelet, we cannot thing a better option for a retro nostalgic watch, again quality is assured. For more information, please visit here: https://www.extropian.co/watches/traska-freediver-6-no-date-ref-1186-mint-green
From a diver for divers
No one knows better what a diving watch needs to be successful than an actual diver. Paul Scurfield is a British commercial diver who has decided to make his own watches for personal use. Quickly these no nonsense do it all equipment gain recognition in the UK by being not only reliable but built to last. Good looks aside, we have chosen the Diver One D1-500 Titanium in orange. To us this is the quintessential diver because of its legibility, affordability and reliability, all the boxes ticked. With a titanium 40mm case and a 500 meters rating depth, the Diver One is the one of the best values out there well under 500 USD. That is if you can find one unfortunately, they are always sold out. For more information, please visit here: https://www.scurfawatches.com/product/diver-one-d1-500-titanium-orange/
Form the US with Love
We meet the guys from Nodus a while back and one thing that stood out is that their watches really reflect their personality. What we love about the brand is how highly complicated their watches are and the Avalon is not different. The Avalon II in Bronze is one of our first choices when you want a big watch that can be worn in a great variety of wrists. With 43.5mm in diameter the Avalon II is not a small but the under 50mm lug to lug makes it wear well. The dial is nicely executed with great lume and perfect symmetry, the date at 6 and large markers do help with the overall composition. With 300 meters of water resistance and a price of 700 USD, you could do much worse. For more information, please visit here:
https://www.extropian.co/watches/nodus-avalon-ii-bronze-blue
From Downunder
Houtman is a brand that has been pushing the limits of what a watch should look and feel. We particularly enjoyed their Murchison pilots style watches but is their Pilbara series which launched the Australian brand to fame. With excellent proportions and a robust construction, our choice will be their Wild Violet Diver. It is a fun but well executed watch that packs all the features you need on a diver such as 200 meter of water resistance, 41mm ca and a unique stainless-steel bracelet with micro adjustment. The best part is the dial, it is one of the most beautiful purple dials we have seen, there is nothing like it. At 467USD feels that that price is too good to be true in our opinion. For more information, please visit here:
https://www.extropian.co/watches/houtman-watches-pilbara-all-wild-violet
The microbrand that stated everything.
It is impossible to have a list with best divers under any price point without talking about Halios. This is the Canadian brand that defies the way that watches are being marketed. Jason the founder is not driven by making tons of watches so he can make tons of money. Him and the brand are more focused on making a product with attention to detail that includes an amazing aftersales relationship. That said the watches are also incredibly good looking, from the colours used to their proportions, everything seems spot on. For us the top of the cake is the Seaforth IV in Bahama Yellow, the 40mm slim case (with 41mm at the bezel) can be ordered in titanium or stainless-steel. It feels and looks right, no date and very small crownguards. The Seaforth IV starts at 735 USD which we believe it is very competitive. It is becoming a bit of an icon. For more information, please visit here: https://halioswatches.com/products/sfiv?variant=43331101130906
The usual suspect
If there is a watch brand that we can all agree that deserves our admiration is Squale. The Swiss based brand is always mentioned in almost any dive conversation. It is also true that there are questionable models in the line up but, their heritage pieces remain one of the best kept secrets in watchmaking. For this article we have chosen their new Squale 1545 Grey which is around 900 USD at retail price. The 1545 includes a 40mm case and all the iconic traits that made Squale what it is today. Polished accents mixed with radical lively colours the 1545 line is one of the best-looking divers out there in our opinion. The watch is also well sized, so it works in many wrists which is key to be selected on this list. The 1545 includes retro looks with modern techniques such as a ceramic bezel, 200 meters of water resistance and a FKM rubber strap. A solid choice for a one a one watch collection. For more information, please visit here: https://squale.ch/en/1545-grey-rubber
So, there you have it, 10 watches that we believe will bring joy to your wrist. Whether you are in the depths of the sea or sitting in your desk, there is no excuse on having a boring time piece nowadays. There is so much offer and we are not saying that is a definitive list but you cannot go wrong with any of these beauties. The price points are getting lower while the quality gets better, it is all about planning.
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Created the 2025-01-04
Modified the 2025-01-10