The Best New Dive Watches On The Market Today — Top 10 From Seiko, Doxa, Longines, And More
Summer is underway, and people are leaving to enjoy a couple of weeks of vacation. On trips like these, the chances are pretty high that you will pack at least one dive watch. Dive watches are versatile in their appearance and can withstand any activity you might undertake. Whether on land or in water, dive watches can take a beating. On top of that, they often come in stand-out colors that fit the summer vibe. All these factors combine to make a dive watch the perfect summer companion. For this list, we picked ten of the best recent releases that could grace your wrist during those long summer days. Let’s jump in!
It’s been only a week since we had the grand finale of our Summer Splash competition. It comes as no surprise that the two watches that battled it out in the finals were two dive watches. In the end, the Tudor Pelagos FXD took the win after going up against the Serica 5303-3. Both are dive watches that have been released quite recently and both deserve to be on this list. But we also recognize that these two watches have already had extended coverage on Fratello. As such, mentioning them is more than enough.
A list of recent releases
For this list, we focused on watches that have been released recently and therefore still feel fresh and new. In other words, none of the familiar faces that have been around for a while. If we went with those, ten spots would not nearly be enough to cover all the great dive watches that are out there anyway. It’s no surprise that dive watches are the most popular category of watches overall. As we all know, a good dive watch will be appropriate in a variety of situations, from its actual purpose in the water to a fancy dinner and everything in between. So, let’s find out about some of the best recent dive watches that are currently available.
Longines Ultra-Chron Diver
Let’s start this list off with one of the most remarkable recent releases. Longines has been making waves in recent times with some spectacular watches. My personal favorite is the Spirit Zulu Time GMT. Another winner is the recently introduced Ultra-Chron Diver. It combines vintage-inspired style with a modern-day execution. The watch has a 43mm case that is 13.6mm thick, 49mm lug-to-lug, and 300m water resistant. Inside the case, Longines uses the ETA-developed automatic L836.6 movement. This high-beat caliber operates at 36,000vph and delivers 52 hours of power reserve. As Robert-Jan explained in his review, the Ultra-Chron packs a ton of vintage character with its retro case shape, sapphire bezel insert, grained black dial with the Ultra-Chron logo, and brilliant multi-link bracelet. At €3,310 on the bracelet, this is another great release from Longines.
Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver 200m
The next watch on this list will be available in the coming weeks. But when it was announced, quite a few Fratello team members were pleasantly surprised to see this modern take on Citizen’s old Challenge Divers. As a vintage Citizen collector, no one was more pleasantly surprised than Mike, though. As he explained in his introduction article, in contrast to Seiko, for instance, Citizen is not known to spend a lot of effort in reviving its classics. That’s why it was great seeing the announcement of this titanium diver. The watch features a 41mm Super Titanium case that is 12.3mm thick and water resistant to 200 meters. Citizen powers this watch with its automatic in-house caliber 9051. It operates at 28,800vph and has a power reserve of 42 hours. When it comes out, you have the choice of a blue-dial version on the bracelet for €750, but the black dial version on the black rubber strap is our favorite for €650. We can’t wait to take this for a spin when it comes out in August.
Seiko Prospex SPB317
Next up is the Seiko Prospex SPB317. Now, I have to be honest, the Seiko 6105-8000 has never been one of my favorite vintage Seiko divers. With the 62MAS, the 6159-7000/1, and the “Captain Willard”, the brand has other icons that I prefer over the 6105-8000. This is also the reason that I wasn’t too excited when the modern reissue was first announced. But that quickly changed when I saw it around the wrist of our own Daan de Groot. In his review, he perfectly explained why this watch is such a great timepiece: it wears like a charm. With a case that is 41.5mm in diameter and 12.3mm in height, you would think it’s a substantial watch. But as Daan explained, it wears a bit smaller, making it perfect for a variety of wrist sizes. Add the familiar 6R35 movement, and this is simply a very solid release. But where it blows the other modern re-issues — the SPB143 (62MAS) and SPB151 (“Captain Willard”) — out of the water is how good it looks on a variety of straps. It looks brilliant on a Tropic strap, a NATO strap, and the silicone strap it comes on for €950.
Omega Seamaster Professional Ultra Deep Titanium
When Omega unveiled the initial 52.5mm Ultra Deep that was tested up to a depth of 10,927 meters, we knew it would get a follow-up of that 2019 release. Back in March of this year, we finally saw the introduction of Omega’s new line of Seamaster Professional Ultra Deep divers. The absolute best out of the bunch is, without a doubt, the titanium version of Ultra Deep that Robert-Jan reviewed. It comes with a big 45.5mm titanium case with a thickness of 18.12mm and a lug-to-lug of 56mm. The case is characterized by its fixed “Manta” lugs and is water resistant to 6000 meters. It’s not a big boy for nothing! The watch features a cool gray and blue color scheme with a bezel made of ceramized titanium. Inside the case, Omega uses the in-house-developed caliber 8912, basically the dateless version of caliber 8900. This Co-Axial automatic movement was also used for the Ploprof and operates at 25,200vph and has a 60-hour power reserve. The list price of €13,000 is serious business, but what you get in return is one of the most serious dive watches out there.
Doxa SUB 300 Carbon Whitepearl
We tend to associate Doxa with colorful releases. Whether it is bright yellow or orange, the brand is known for watches that are the perfect summer watch for many. But in a stroke of brilliance, Doxa released a series of white versions of all of its watches called the “Whitepearl” editions. Where a watch with a white dial is completely normal for most brands, for Doxa, this is a slight revolution. But the results are stunning, and the Whitepearl series left me surprised in the best way possible. My personal favorite is the SUB 300 Carbon Whitepearl. It is very light and the carbon contrasts very well with the white dial and white rubber strap. The watch comes with a 42.5mm carbon case that is 13.4mm thick and water resistant to 300 meters. As Nacho explained in his review, it also comes with a grippy carbon bezel and an ultra-cool full-lume dial. Granted, at €3,890, this is not the cheapest of Doxa options, but it sure is the coolest.
Aquastar Deepstar Chronograph 39mm
People who know me knew this was coming. I love what Rick Marei and his team at Aquastar are doing. The revival of the Aquastar brand has been one of my favorite stories in recent times. When Mike took the first Deepstar to the Fratello offices back in 2020, I was sold on the spot. I love everything about the watch, except for maybe one thing — its size. The initial model featured a 40.5mm case with a lug-to-lug of 50.5mm. While it fit my wrist perfectly, it was rather, shall we say, “present”. Enter, the 2022 version of the same watch with a 39mm case and a slightly friendlier 49mm lug span. It is still substantial but a bit friendlier on the eye and the wrist. What remains, though, is the skin diver case, the unique dial design, and the bezel with its decompression scale. Inside the stainless steel case, Aquastar uses the same La Joux-Perret column-wheel automatic chronograph that powered this model’s bigger brother. The watch is available for €3,590 on a Tropic-style rubber strap or for €3,790 on a beads-of-rice bracelet. Both look stunning on this quirky but brilliant timepiece.
Christopher Ward C65 Aquitaine GMT
When it comes to offering great value for money, the name Christopher Ward often pops up in discussions amongst the Fratelli. One of the brand’s more recent releases that stands out is the C65 Aquitaine GMT that Tomas reviewed last month. The White Sand version of that watch features a great white dial with a standout curved blue sapphire bezel and some nice vintage-looking lume. It gives the watch a ton of character. Furthermore, it features a 41mm stainless steel case that is water resistant to 200 meters. To power the watch, Christopher Ward used the Sellita SW330-2 that comes with the extra GMT hand for a second timezone. When it comes to your choices, you can get the C65 Aquitaine GMT with a Tropic-style rubber strap for €1,450, a choice of two leather straps for €1,465, or a stainless steel bracelet for €1,640. I would opt for the last option but probably throw the rubber strap in there as well because it gives the watch so much character. On top of that, it creates a brilliant summer companion.
Mido Ocean Star 600 Chronometer Black DLC
We stay in the same price category with this brand new Mido Ocean Star 600 Chronometer Black DLC. Lex introduced it in one of his weekly Monday morning Coffee Corner Watch Talks. I personally like a well-done, stealthy dive watch, and this black DLC version of this Ocean Star is just that. It features a black DLC-coated stainless steel case that measures 43.5 × 14.1mm. With the black DLC-coated bracelet the watch weighs a very substantial 220 grams. But if you swap out the bracelet for the black rubber strap, it becomes a lot lighter while maintaining its stealthy presence. The watch comes equipped with a ceramic bezel, screw-down crown, double-AR-coated sapphire crystal, and a helium valve to handle the effects of diving up to 600 meters below the water’s surface. Thanks to the Grade X Super-LumiNova, the watch lights up brightly in darker lighting conditions. Inside the case, Mido uses the COSC-certified version of the Caliber 80 Si. This chronometer-rated caliber provides a healthy 80 hours of power reserve. At €1,650, this is nothing short of an impressive release.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date
This Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date is one of my favorite recent releases. Unfortunately, I was not in the office while we had it in for review. I would have loved to try it and be mesmerized by the brilliant green color of this Boutique Edition. Technically, the Polaris Date is not a recent release, but this unique green version definitely is. And what a difference it makes! The double-gradient green dial is an absolute peach and combined with the orange details and the creamy-colored lume, it creates something spectacular. It makes the characteristic design of the Polaris pop with its internal bezel, two crowns on the right side of the case, and a very recognizable style of the numerals. Add the khaki rubber strap, and I’m completely sold. Inside the 42mm stainless steel case, which is water resistant to 200 meters, Jaeger-LeCoultre uses its automatic Calibre 899AB with 70 hours of power reserve. At €9,950, this is not a cheap choice, but it has so much style and class that it is a unique pick.
Baltic Aquascaphe Titanium
For the last watch on this list, we go back to a more affordable option. Our own Thomas van Straaten wore the new Baltic Aquascaphe Titanium for a couple of days, and he was very impressed by the French brand’s newest offering. So impressed, even, that he decided to pull the trigger and order the blue version of this new dive watch. The Aquascaphe Titanium features a 41mm titanium case that is 13.6mm thick. To be more precise, the brand actually made the bezel slightly larger than the 39mm bezel of the regular Aquascaphe. The bezel comes fitted with a lumed, brushed ceramic inlay. It’s a step away from the sapphire inlay of the regular model and gives the watch a more professional look. You can choose between the black version that you see pictured and the aforementioned blue version. Aside from the different dial and bezel colors, both watches also differ in the lume color that is used. The black version features green-glowing lume, and the blue version has blue-glowing lume. Baltic powers the Aquascaphe Titanium with the automatic Miyota 9039 caliber for 42 hours of power reserve. Priced at €710 excluding VAT, this is a very tempting daily summer watch.
Final thoughts
There you have it — a list of ten recently released dive watches that could be perfect for your summer adventures or great additions to any collection. Add the Tudor Pelagos FXD and the Serica 5303-3 as the two finalists of our Summer Splash competition, and you have a pretty good idea of how popular dive watches are. And I certainly realize that this list is by no means complete. There are so many great watches that could have been on this list. That’s why I pass the question to you…
What is your favorite recently released dive watch? Let us know in the comments section what your pick would be.
