Three Cool Dive Watches For Under €300 — From Citizen, Helm, And Scurfa

You didn’t think this was possible, but value props are still out there in 2023

March 20, 2023

comments 15

Don’t get me wrong, I love writing about unreachable grail watches from brands like Laurent Ferrier, Vacheron Constantin, and Greubel Forsey. But I also remain rather grounded in real life, with my all-metal G-Shock in red probably my most worn watch this year. And I started with Seiko and microbrands on a sub-€500 budget. Seiko might have pumped up its prices, but both Japanese big-brand and microbrand watches can still be found with serious specs for under €300.

And let’s address the “dive watch” terminology too, for real. I’ve never strapped on a set of air tanks (yet), but I have always loved the genre. A 200–300m depth rating simply spells Solid with a capital S to me, and it’s comforting in a “super strong big brother” kind of way. And who knows? It might also inspire you to lift your behind off the sofa. With water resistance as the main criterion here, there is one watch in this story with tough specs but no bezel, and I’m not ashamed of it.

Citizen Promaster BN0157-11X

The Promaster range is a beloved staple of the Citizen catalog and has been for decades. The watches are big and brawny, and they exude a bulletproof style that rubs off on you. Whether you actually dive in your spare time or merely need a tough wrist buddy for the odd scramble through the woods on your mountain bike, the 44mm BN0157-11X represents big (no pun intended) value for €249. The urethane strap might not be as comfortable as soft silicone, but then again, it doesn’t attract dust the way silicone does, and how about this new colorway?

We know Citizen divers from their monochrome pure-tool looks with perhaps a flash of a “Pepsi” bezel, but this jungle-olive tonality is nothing but cool. This is just a very good 200m-rated everyday watch. Citizen’s accurate quartz-based Eco-Drive caliber will charge up in the sun, leaving you a massive 180-day power reserve. I’m impressed.

Helm Komodo

Helm is a solid microbrand that is continuously restocking its big-indexed lineup. There is a big emphasis on legibility, with some of the biggest, boldest handsets and diver’s indices I’ve seen. The Komodo has been on my radar for a couple of years, and each of its searingly bright-popping versions will give you serious value for money. At a mere US$295 (roughly €276), the dragon-lizard-named one is the only mechanical watch in this story. And for under €300, that is rather interesting. In fact, all six of Helm’s tool-watch lines are priced under $400, which is why they have a cult following.

Like the Helm Vanuatu in the image at the top of this article (courtesy of OceanicTime), the design language is crystal clear, and the Komodo has a size advantage. Not only does it have a 300m depth rating and a solid Seiko NH35 date movement, but the compact 40mm case is ISO 6425 compliant. Yes, this is a bona fide diver’s tool for this price and one that’s hard to beat. Pick any of its summer-fresh colors, and you’ll have a great first diver. You can pick one up directly from Helm Watches.

Scurfa Top Side Crew

For some reason, the small British brand Scurfa has chosen to label the Top Side Crew watch a ladies’ model. I say it is simply an ultra-fresh summer watch with a knockout price for anyone. At a tiddly £164 (roughly €187), this Scurfa with its Patek-ish case is also the cheapest entry ticket to a tough grade of “Tiffany” cool. The only thing missing here is a timing bezel, but let’s forget about that for a minute. With Grade A BGW9 Super-LumiNova emitting a dial-matching blue glow, this is a striking watch for the price. And yes, the Swiss-made Ronda 715SM offers accurate timekeeping, while the beveled case has a proper 200m depth rating too. At less than €200, I wouldn’t question its aquatic pretensions, and it’s a great size to boot.

Excluding the crown but including the Nauti-like bumpers, it’s 40mm across and 37mm diagonally without them. The applied indices with matching round hands appear to rise off the bright mint-turquoise background of the honeycomb dial and make it look three times the price. This 10mm-slim Scurfa Top Side Crew is nothing but a huge bargain. It’s available online from Scurfa Watches.

So what do you reckon, Fratelli? Are these watches super value or what? Feel free to add your favorite water-ready bargains in the comments. I’d love to hear about them.

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Three Cool Dive Watches For Under €300 — From Citizen, Helm, And Scurfa

Scurfa actually has both mens and ladies models for the Top Side Crew, with sizing and dial color options differentiating the two. The turquoise is available in both.

And the best if them remains the Orient… with proper in-house movement.

DL
Carpentractor says:

Mar 21, 2023 at 03:09

My brother has the Orient, it was his first mechanical, and it is an incredible watch, as well as a great value. It simply looks the business and as you say, it’s the genuine article.

You can’t go wrong with Promaster and there’s always watches available online for big discounts, including the more desirable titanium models. Eco-drive is perfect for dive watches; the same stuff that charges the lume also powers the watch!

I didn’t realise Scurfa made a GADA, but this one looks very sweet and in a great size. Really hard to go wrong at that price.

Well, none of these look too bad!
That’s a short but fun list.

Three proper watches and with a date complication, to be actually usable from TRUE watch enthusiasts.

Love the Citizen.
I had a revelation this year. I have dreamed for years of getting a properly, unequivocally good watch, like a SMP, OP. Breitling etc. A real, “forever” watch. I thought it would “cure me”
But now I have, I still love the affordable options!

Enuona says:

Mar 21, 2023 at 23:19

My old Promaster has crap lume and Citizen don’t appear to be overly focused on that feature. Are they a treat for someone who regards lume as important or best forgotten?

1. MB
  MarkB says:
  
  Mar 23, 2023 at 10:51
  
  My wife bought me a Citizen dive-style chronograph. I don’t enjoy wearing it, but the lume is so good that I use it as a bed-side clock.
  
  1. Enuona says:
    
    Mar 23, 2023 at 11:22
    
    Insomnia caused by Citizen 🙂
    
    Have been prejudicial and simply written the lume aspect off as far as Citizen goes, thus thanks! Much appreciated.
    
    1. SC
      Tam O’ Banter says:
      
      Jul 01, 2023 at 15:29
      
      I bought the Citizen BN0158-18X (the bright green dial/bezel version) about two hours ago and I have just checked the lume. To do this I always shine a light bulb directly on the dial from about 6 inches away for a count of 30s, then immediately go into my bathroom and turn off the light. It’s by no means the “incandescent” lume of Seiko but it’s better than my Swiss watches tend to be. The watch itself is satisfyingly robust & legible without being too big. I suppose it does help that I have been wearing a Baby Tuna for the last couple of days.

I’ve been wearing a TAG dive watch for more than twenty years and love the robust, no need to worry build of a dive watch. Then three years ago I stumbled upon the Vostok Amphibia, automatic, built like a tank and waterproof to 600m + I now have three, choose from a huge variety of case and face options, I always swap the bezel and strap as the factory aren’t to my taste and you have a £100 Automatic watch you can beat the crap out of and it just comes back for more. Cool history with the watch too.

Beutifull watches superb

Good luck getting hand on a Komodo. I don’t know what the current waiting list is but its going to be a long wait for someone going to be added to the waitlist. I have been waiting since Aug 2021 for a Vanuatu and a Khuraburi! But Helm makes killer watches.

Personally, IMHO, THE WATCH for ME is the SEIKO srpe93 ‘TURTLE’!