The Best Dive Watches Of 2023 — Fratello’s Top 10 Picks From Blancpain, Longines, Omega, And More
With Dubai Watch Week behind us, the last big watch event of the year is over. This usually means that all the big releases have been unveiled. And as the end of the year is approaching quickly, it’s time to start looking back. So, in the upcoming weeks, we’ll look back at some of the best releases of the year. This week, we will begin with the best dive watches of 2023. The most popular watch category has seen an impressive number of great releases. We have lined up our ten favorites of the year for our first retrospective list.
The list season has officially started! I am a sucker for lists, as you would expect. After all, I have been writing lists for quite some time for Fratello. But when it comes to making lists, the choices can be tough, especially in a popular category like dive watches. There are so many different options that it’s almost impossible to make a list that pleases everyone. But after much discussion among the Fratello team, we have come up with a Top 10 that we feel covers the best divers of 2023. Without further do, let’s dive in.
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 2: Tech Gombessa
Let’s start with Act 2 instead of the first act. Out of the Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary models, the Fifty Fathoms Act 2: Tech Gombessa was the one that blew us away. Act 1 was a great tribute to the iconic Fifty Fathoms from 1953, but it wasn’t that surprising. The Tech Gombessa showed the future of the Fifty Fathoms by introducing some serious dive technology combined with the icon’s familiar looks.
As Nacho explained in his introduction article, the Tech Gombessa celebrates the birth of the Gombessa Expeditions. For the missions, Blancpain, led by its CEO Marc Hayek and diver/photographer Laurent Ballesta, worked on a new and innovative watch. The idea was to develop a watch to track elapsed dive times of up to three hours.
Consequently, this watch does away with the traditional 60-minute dive bezel. The Tech Gombessa features a special bezel that can track dive times up to three hours with an extra hand. For this watch, Blancpain specially developed the 13P8 self-winding caliber, which boasts a 120-hour power reserve. It is housed in a 47mm lugless Grade 23 titanium case that is 14.81mm thick. The bezel insert, featuring the three-hour scale, is black ceramic with light green luminescent numerals.
The 97% light-absorbing black dial features solid orange numerals and markers made from luminescent material that lights up blue in the dark. It creates an impressive and modern look for this innovative model that shows the future of mechanical dive watches, particularly the Fifty Fathoms. Yes, the Tech Gombessa is a big watch and very expensive at €28,500, but it’s also an impressive statement about the future of mechanical divers.
Omega Seamaster Ploprof 1200M Summer Blue
This year also marked the comeback of the stainless steel Ploprof. As part of Omega’s 75th Anniversary series of Seamaster watches, the brand unexpectedly dropped a new steel Ploprof model. Sure, there is still the titanium version of the Ploprof 1200M, but that’s not the same.
Fans of the Ploprof know that steel is the way to go, and Omega reintroduced it in style! On top of that, the new steel Ploprof was reduced in size to resemble the original PloProf 600M from the 1970s. This makes the new Ploprof more wearable.
The 55mm × 45mm × 15.5mm O-Megasteel monobloc case looks amazing and is surprisingly compact compared to its predecessor. To be clear, it measures 55mm across but just 45mm from lug to lug, giving the watch a better fit on a wider range of wrists than its 55mm × 48mm counterparts. The beautiful blue colorway and the blue rubber strap add a good dose of style to the overall functional presence of the Ploprof.
Inside the case, Omega uses its in-house caliber 8912. The Master Chronometer-certified movement has a 60-hour power reserve and is hidden under the ribbed case back, which features an engraved depiction of Poseidon. The new €15,800 Ploprof 1200M marks the return of a legend and is one of this year’s best overall in our book.
Sinn T50 GDBR
One of this year’s biggest surprises was Sinn’s new trio of T50 models. In particular, the two-tone T50 GDBR turned out to be a surprisingly brilliant dive watch. Sure, the full-titanium T50 is an equally impressive diver that combines Sinn’s traditional functionality with a good sense of style. For this list, though, we chose the two-tone option, which was the most unexpected.
The T50 GDBR has a 41mm bead-blasted titanium case with a Goldbronze bezel. It is a combination that seems strictly aesthetical, but as this is Sinn we’re talking about, you know it is functional. Goldbronze has better compatibility with the skin and higher corrosion resistance in seawater.
The case measures 12.3mm thick, 47mm long, and 20mm between the lugs. It also packs a 500m water resistance rating. Furthermore, the T50 GDBR comes with an Ar-Dehumidifying capsule, and this two-tone version is Tegimented to avoid scratching, just like the regular titanium version. A Sellita SW300-1 powers all Sinn T50 models, providing a 56-hour power reserve.
Get the full-titanium T50 for €3,380 on a silicone strap, or choose our favorite, the T50 GDBR, on a silicone strap for €4,140, and you’ll end up with one the most surprising and good-looking dive watches of 2023.
Oris AquisPro 4000M
The Oris AquisPro 4000M is an absolute beast of a watch that measures 49.5mm in diameter and a whopping 23.4mm thick. As the name suggests, it is also water resistant to an impressive 4,000 meters. Add the substantial weight of 200 grams despite the use of titanium, and you’ll understand by the numbers alone that this is an extreme diver. Despite those extraordinary specs, the AquisPro 4000M wears comfortably for such a big watch thanks to the 26mm rubber strap, as Gerard mentioned in his review. The strap perfectly balances this behemoth of a case on your wrist.
The watch’s bezel is equipped with the Oris-patented Rotation Safety System. When pushed down, the bezel is in the locked position, and when pulled up, you can rotate it. Furthermore, the watch has a helium escape valve for saturation diving. Lastly, the watch is powered by the brand’s in-house caliber 400-2 with a five-day (120-hour) power reserve.
At €5,700, this extreme diver is affordable when compared to its competitors, the Rolex Deepsea and Omega Ultra Deep. As Gerard put it so well, “Now Oris has a pointless, hors catégorie dive watch of its own. And compared to other well-known pointless dive watches, this might be my favorite.” And we agree with him on that.
Longines Legend Diver
Having just debuted last week, the latest Longines Legend Diver is still very fresh. But it has easily been one of the brand’s best new introductions and has quickly become a Fratello favorite. As Robert-Jan explained in his review, it seems like Longines has listened to its fans and created a great new version of this classic. What stands out immediately when compared to the familiar 42mm Legend Diver is this new model’s 39mm case size and the absence of a date window. The 39mm case with its two crowns is 12.7mm thick and 47mm from lug to lug. Those are perfect dimensions for a variety of wrist sizes.
To power this watch, Longines uses its COSC-certified automatic caliber L888.6, which has a 72-hour power reserve. You can choose a black or blue dial, and the Legend Diver is available with a beads-of-rice bracelet, a brown two-piece leather strap, or a blue NATO strap. The first gives the watch that extra injection of vintage style.
When picking a favorite dial, it comes down to personal preference. Both look great in combination with the white fauxtina-less numerals and markers. This new Longines Legend Diver is the full package and combines great style with modern specs. Get it on the bracelet or leather strap for €3,600 or on the blue NATO strap for €3,350.
Unimatic Modello Uno U1S-PD5 ProDiver
We have seen many versions of the Unimatic Modello Uno over the past few years. Unimatic’s design take on a modern dive watch proved to be a perfect canvas for unlimited creativity. With the two new ProDiver models, Unimatic focused on using its signature style to produce its most capable dive watches to date.
The first is the U1S-PD3, which is water resistant to 300 meters. But it’s the U1S-PD5 that sparked our interest. With two simple adjustments, the watch becomes water resistant to 500 meters. The first is a thicker 3mm sapphire crystal, and the second is an optimized construction of the crown tube that uses a double rubber O-ring mechanism to prevent water from coming in.
As a result, at 12mm thick, the case of the U1S-PD5 is only slightly thicker than the 11.6mm U1S-PD3. Overall, the U1S-PD5 is very wearable, featuring a 40mm case with a 41.5mm bezel, a 49mm length, and a 22mm lug spacing. Another new element is the lume-infused ceramic bezel insert, which lights up blue in the dark and contrasts nicely with the orange lume on the dial.
To power the watch, Unimatic uses a trusty Sellita SW200-1. Get the Unimatic U1S-PD5 on the new stainless steel bracelet for €1,300 (excluding taxes), and you’ll end up with a great modern dive tool that looks stellar as well.
Tudor Black Bay 54
When it comes to Tudor, there are several releases that we could have chosen, such as the Black Bay “Burgundy” Master Chronometer or the black Pelagos FXD. But Tudor caught us off guard with the Black Bay 54 during Watches and Wonders. The smallest of the Black Bay divers gained a lot of praise.
Its 37mm size is a great option for people with smaller wrists, but that’s not all. Tudor also did everything right regarding the watch’s design. This model was inspired by the Tudor ref. 7922 from 1954, and it gets rid of the gilt-tone details on the bezel that are overkill on the Black Bay 58.
The 37mm case is a little over 11mm thick, measures 46mm from lug to lug, and has a 200m water resistance rating. Its black aluminum bezel insert features a 60-minute scale with only five-minute intervals marked, resulting in a clean look. The black dial is graced by a gilt-tone minute track and handset with the characteristic snowflake hand.
Inside the case, Tudor equips the Black Bay 54 with the Kenissi-produced automatic caliber MT5400, offering 70 hours of power reserve. Get it on the bracelet for €3,880, and you’ll have a fantastic vintage-inspired diver. The Black Bay 54 took us by surprise in March. Months later, it still feels just as impressive.
Aquastar Model 60
We’re staying with the vintage-inspired dive watches with the Aquastar Model 60. The modern reinterpretation of the first-ever Aquastar diver with modern specs is a great watch. It looks far more conventional than the popular Deepstar models, but the Model 60 has the same charm as its collection mates. Leave it up to Aquastar leader Rick Marei to bring the goods.
The watch has a 37mm skin-diver-style case with a 47mm lug-to-lug and an 11mm thickness. It’s water resistant to 200 meters and houses the La Joux-Perret G100 movement with a 68-hour power reserve.
The skin-diver case dons a stainless steel bezel paired with a straightforward black dial with painted luminous markers and a date window at 3 o’clock. The handset consists of a syringe-style minute hand and a cut-off hour hand. The watch has plenty of vintage charm while still looking like a capable dive tool. And that’s where the magic of this piece is. Choose either a beads-of-rice bracelet or a NATO strap to finish the look. At €1,199, the Aquastar Model 60 is one of the year’s best affordable dive watches.
Seiko Prospex SJE093
We’re staying in skin-diver territory with the Seiko Prospex SJE093, a reinterpretation of the famous 62MAS. It was one of the highlights of Seiko’s many watch releases this year. This modern version of the first Seiko dive watch from 1965 has a case measuring 38mm in diameter and 12.5mm in thickness.
As a result, the watch respects the original diameter of the 62MAS, which is more than can be said for Seiko’s previous re-editions. This is made possible thanks to a new movement. As Daan explained, the automatic caliber 6L37 is a slimmed-down version of the 6L35.
On top of that, it is more durable and more resistant to shocks while keeping the 45-hour power reserve. The brushed case is paired with a hard-coated stainless steel bezel insert and a dark gray dial with a subtle sunburst effect. Fitted with a black Tropic-style strap, this modern version of the iconic 62MAS looks stunning. The production run of the Seiko Prospex SJE093 was limited to 1,965 pieces with a price of €3,700.
Formex Reef Radiant Bronze
Closing out our Top 10 list of the best dive watches of 2023 is the Formex Reef Radiant Bronze. This special limited edition was a collaboration created with Collective, and it stands out immediately. But it must be said that the regular models of the Formex Reef are equally impressive dive watches that are hard to beat when it comes to value for money.
The Radiant Bronze version for Collective stands out because of its bronze dial. This in-house-produced dial is lacquered to prevent it from forming a patina (which you might want on a bronze case but probably not on a dial). The result is rather stunning, and it shows a deep, defined vertically brushed finish.
The dial sits within a 42mm stainless steel case that is 11.4mm thick, 47mm long, and water resistant to 300 meters. Furthermore, the watch features a toolless interchangeable bezel with a black ceramic insert. The quick-release bracelet and toolless micro-adjustable clasp make it easy to size and comfortable to wear.
Formex equips the Reef with a COSC-certified Sellita SW300-1 movement with 56 hours of power reserve. While all 50 pieces sold out at €2,080, the equally impressive regular version goes for €1,960, making it a best-in-class offering under €2K and the perfect watch to end this list.
Final thoughts on the best dive watches of 2023
There you have it — our top 10 picks for the best dive watches released in 2023. Of course, in a popular category like this, plenty of other options might have deserved a spot on this list. That’s why I want to pass the question over to you. What are your favorite dive watches that came out his year? Let us know your picks in the comments section, and we will see you next week for a new best-of-2023 list!
