Dive watches are just plain awesome, sporting a luxurious look and feel without being too classy like dress watches. While dive watches are, well, made for diving, you don’t really have to be a diver to get one.
Unfortunately, though, they can be quite expensive, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a nice one at an affordable price. In this guide, we’ve reviewed some of the best dive watches under $300 to help you pick the right one for you without breaking the bank.
Comparison Table
| Model | Band Material | Band Color | Dial Color | Depth Rating |
| Seiko Analogue SRPD53K1 | Stainless Steel | Silver | Blue | 100m |
| Orient Men’s Kamasu | Stainless Steel | Silver | Blue | 200m |
| Citizen Eco Drive Promaster | Polyurethane | Black | Black | 200m |
| Invicta Men’s Pro Diver Scuba | Polyurethane | Black | Black | 100m |
The 4 Best Dive Watches Under $300 in 2020
Let’s get to our top sub-$300 dive watches list right away without wasting too much time.
1. Seiko Analogue Automatic Watch SRPD53K1 – Best Overall
The first dive watch on our list is the Seiko Analogue Automatic Watch SRPD53K1, and we’ve made sure that it’s a unique one. Flaunting a stainless steel band and casing, this watch is made to last and withstand the most challenging conditions.
More on the design, the watch is mostly silver, with a navy blue dial and bezel, giving it a cool look and feel. The 0-20min portion of the bezel is colored in red.
With Automatic Movement, the Seiko SRPD53K1 has a time accuracy of plus or minus 3 seconds/day, which is pretty impressive for those who value even the smallest units of time. Also, the bezel is unidirectional, so you don’t have to worry about accidental rotation.
The Seiko Prospex is somewhat large and heavy, but that’s pretty common for an all stainless steel dive watch. The case size is 43mm with a thickness of 13mm, and the band can be easily adjusted by removing some clasps.
The watch is equipped with a small date display that also shows the day. Furthermore, the hands and hour markers have a Lumibrite coating that enhances visibility in the dark.
Lastly, the Seiko Prospez Padi is water-resistant for up to 100 meters, allowing you to dive deep into the ocean without worrying about damaging it.
Pros
- Automatic movement
- Lumibrite hands and hour markers
- Unidirectional bezel
- Waterproof up to 100m
- Date display magnifier
Cons
- A bit bulky
Bottom Line
This automatic dive watch is one of the Japanese manufacturer’s most astonishing products. With the excellent build quality and superior aesthetics, nothing comes close to the Seiko Analogue at this price range.
2. Orient Men’s Kamasu – Runner Up
Coming next on our list is the Orient Men’s Kamasu dive watch. This is probably the finest alternative to the Seiko Prospex, with comparable build quality and design. It looks so good that you can easily mistake it for a Rolex from a distance. The navy blue dial goes pretty well with the silver band, giving it a beautiful finish.
The Orient Kamasu features a depth rating of 200 meters, letting you dive deep without damaging your watch. Moreover, it has a stainless steel band and casing that can withstand the toughest conditions with its rust-resistant properties. Additionally, the sapphire crystal is second to none when it comes to scratch and shock resistance.
It’s also worth noting that the 120-click bezel is unidirectional, giving you precise movement under the surface of the water.
Pros:
- Stylish design
- Sapphire crystal
- Water-resistant up to 200 meters
- One-way rotation bezel
Cons:
- Band clasps are a bit too long
Bottom Line
The Orient Men’s Kamasu is an excellent dive watch for under $300 with a premium dive watch’s looks and muscles.
3. Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster BN0150-28E – Best Value
Citizen is famous for creating some aesthetically pleasing dive watches with premium materials, and the best part is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get one. And the Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster is no exception!
The Citizen Promaster’s water resistance rating is 200 meters, which is pretty much on par with other dive watches in this class. It also has a date display.
Also, the watch is light-powered, meaning that both natural and artificial light sources can power the watch; how cool is that? Moreover, the anti-reflective mineral crystal, coupled with the luminous hands, gives you a remarkable visibility level, no matter how dark or bright it is.
Furthermore, the one-way rotating elapsed-time bezel prevents accidental bumps from messing with the timer’s progress. We also love the fact that the strap has an adjustable buckle closure, something that watchmakers tend to neglect in many of their models.
Pros:
- Anti-reflective mineral crystal and luminous hands
- Light-powered Eco-Drive
- Water-resistant up to 200 meters
- Date-display
- Long warranty period (5 years)
Cons:
- The band isn’t very durable
Bottom Line
The Tokyo-based watchmaker definitely knows how to pull off a stylish and durable dive watch at an attractive price, and the Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster BN0150-28E is an excellent example of that.
4. Invicta Men’s Pro Diver Scuba 6981 – Best Budget
The Invicta Pro Diver is an affordable dive watch that won’t make you miss out on much while boasting a beautiful black and gold design that gives it a premium look and feel. You can hardly tell that this is a budget dive watch with such a bold style.
Moreover, the polyurethane band provides the best tradeoff between comfort and durability, and the casing is made of stainless steel to protect the watch from rusting.
The Invicta Pro Diver features a Japanese Quartz movement with an accuracy of +/- 15 seconds. Additionally, it has a depth rating of 100 meters, which isn’t the best you can get, but we just can’t complain at this price point.
The luminous hands and hour markers make it easy for you to check the time, even when diving in spots with limited sunlight. Furthermore, you get a unidirectional bezel to maintain the timer’s accuracy. It also has 3 additional mini subdials, including 60min, 60sec, and 24hr dials.
It’s worth noting that this watch has a case size of 48mm, which might be a little too big for some people.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Bold black and gold design
- Luminous hands and hour markers
- Unidirectional
- Has functional subdials
Cons:
- Depth rating is limited to 100 meters
- Huge case size
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a reliable and stylish dive watch that won’t set you back too much, the Invicta Pro Diver Scuba is definitely worth taking a look at.
Factors to Consider When Shopping for a Dive Watch
Here are a few factors to keep in mind when choosing a dive watch that’s less than $300.
Band and Casing Materials
Dive watch bands are usually made of rubber, stainless steel, or titanium. Rubber bands are pretty comfortable and lighter than the latter two, but they may wear out over time.
On the other hand, stainless steel and titanium bands are much stronger and have rust-resistant properties. They’re heavier, though.
As for the casing, titanium and stainless are hands-down your best options. Some dive watches have resin casings, but they’re just not as strong or good-looking as stainless steel and titanium casings.
Nevertheless, choosing the band and casing materials is ultimately down to your personal preference and how you want your watch to look like.
Water Resistance
It’s a no-brainer that any dive watch you get will have some level of water resistance. What could differ is the depth rating. While a dive watch’s depth rating may not matter that much for those who get a dive watch purely for the style, it does make a huge difference for divers.
A minimum depth rating of 100m is recommended for divers. Hardcore divers may possibly need a dive watch with a depth rating of up to 200m to withstand the water pressure; it’s your call.
Dive Bezel
When picking a dive watch, make sure that its bezel turns in only one direction, which is counterclockwise in most watches. The reason is that a bezel that can rotate in both directions may show inaccurate time tracking if you accidentally hit it with something.
Adjustability
Before choosing a dive watch, make sure that it’s adjustable, especially if it has a stainless steel or titanium band. Many dive watches can be adjusted by simply removing some of the band’s clasps until it fits your wrist.
Final Thoughts
Now that we’ve reviewed the best dive watches under $300 and gave you a brief idea about how to pick the right one, we’ll conclude our guide with a few recommendations to make the choice easier for you.
Our favorite pick is the Seiko Analogue. This dive watch is simply beautiful, and it can definitely last you a long time. We honestly think it’s the best dive watch you could get under the $300 price tag.
Alternatively, if you’re on a tighter budget, you can go for the Invicta Pro Diver. Its depth rating is lower than the Seiko Prospex, but it’s surely comparable in many other aspects.