Diver's watches: Discover the fascination of the underwater world with new products from Blancpain, Bremont, Ralf Tech, Citizen and Doxa
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There are no exact figures on how many diving watches are purchased annually in Germany. However, the fact that Germany is a country of divers is demonstrated by the membership of the Association of German Sport Divers (VDST): around 80,000.
It's no wonder that diving watches are among the most popular timepieces. Even though dive computers are now used when diving, the traditional diving watch serves as a backup or as a distinguishing mark on dry land.
Aside from that, there are plenty of self-proclaimed landlubbers who simply appreciate the sporty look. Or the security of knowing that, if the worst comes to the worst, a diving watch will be a reliable companion on their wrist, even in the wet. But you should take a close look at what's really possible with each "diving watch."
What makes a diving watch a diving watch?
This is defined by the standards DIN 8306 and ISO 6425. The requirements to be met include water resistance, readability underwater, and the ability to measure diving time.
ISO 6425 is the best-known standard for diving watches, but other standards also exist, some of which contain different or additional testing requirements. These include DIN 8306, for example, which has more specific and stringent requirements.
Diving watch standard ISO 6425
ISO 6425 was introduced by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 1996 and defines the minimum requirements, test methods, and marking criteria that a watch must meet to be considered a true diving watch. It was last updated in 2018.
Resistance to water pressure: According to ISO 6425, a diving watch must withstand at least the isostatic pressure prevailing under test conditions at a depth of 100 meters. This does not mean that such a timepiece would survive a 100-meter dive unscathed. Not at all. It is even recommended that such a watch be worn only when washing hands, showering, bathing, swimming, or snorkeling – but not while diving. A timepiece with a water resistance of 20 bar or higher is suitable for diving at shallow depths.
Resistance to condensation: The watch glass is then wiped with a cloth after one minute. There should be no condensation on the inside of the watch glass.
The watch is placed on a hotplate at 40°C for 10 to 20 minutes. A drop of water (18–25°C) is then placed on the watch glass and wiped off after one minute. No condensation should form inside.
Resistance to thermal shock: The watch is immersed in 30 cm of water for 10 minutes at 40 °C, 5 °C, and then again at 40 °C. A maximum of one minute must pass between immersions. Water ingress or condensation is not permitted.
Resistance to corrosion: The watch must be resistant to corrosion from seawater. To test this property, the product is immersed in a 30 g/l salt solution for 24 hours. The case and accessories are then examined for changes, particularly the functionality of the moving components and the rotating bezel.
Readability: The clock must be readable from a distance of 25 centimeters in complete darkness.
Resistance to magnetism: The watch is exposed to three magnetic direct current fields of 4,800 A/m and must not exceed its accuracy of +/- 30 seconds per day, as determined before the test, despite the magnetic field.
Resistance to shocks: For this test, the bracelet must be firmly attached to the watch. The watch must withstand a force of 200 N on each spring bar in opposite directions.
Dive time display: An essential function of diving watches is the accurate display of dive time. The watch should allow the elapsed time during a dive to be quickly read. This is usually achieved via a rotating bezel, which is set before the dive begins. For safety reasons, the bezel can only be rotated in one direction to prevent the displayed dive time from being inadvertently reduced.
Legibility: There are also slight differences in legibility. The DIN standard specifies even more precise requirements regarding the visibility of the markings and their luminosity underwater.
Blancpain – “Fifty Fathoms Automatique 38 mm”
Developed in 1953 under the leadership of then-CEO Jean-Jacques Fiechter—a passionate diver and pioneer of underwater exploration—the "Fifty Fathoms" is considered by many to be the world's first true diving watch. With it, the manufacturer introduced innovative features such as a lockable rotating bezel, increased water resistance, a high-contrast dial with luminous markers, an automatic movement, and anti-magnetic protection.
The newest members of the family protect their inner workings with a casing made of stainless steel, grade 23 titanium, or rose gold. This movement houses the in-house Caliber 1150, with a 100-hour power reserve and a silicon balance spring for high resistance to magnetism and temperature fluctuations. Visible through the sapphire crystal case back, it also reveals the movement's finishing and the 18-carat gold rotor with NAC coating. The latter is inspired by the original design of the "Fifty Fathoms" from 1953.
The sunburst dial is also available in blue or black. These are surrounded by a matching unidirectional rotating bezel with a domed sapphire crystal insert.
All dials also feature extra-large, luminous indices. Each watch is available with a choice of straps, including tropic rubber, canvas, and NATO straps, as well as titanium or stainless steel bracelets with satin and polished finishes.
Movement: Automatic caliber 1150
Power reserve: 100 hours
Materials: Stainless steel, titanium grade 23, rose gold, sapphire crystal
Housing dimensions: 38 mm
Watertightness: 30 bar
Bracelet: Tropic rubber, canvas, NATO strap, titanium, stainless steel
RRP: 16.350-33.250 €
Bremont – “Submarine 500m”
Since its launch, the Supermarine series has become a mainstay of the British watch brand's collections. The latest model, the Supermarine 500M, boasts optimized performance and a refreshed design.
The updates include the use of 904L steel and the latest generation of Superluminova. The new dial design ensures clear legibility in any environment, and the adjusted case proportions and new strap options ensure a comfortable fit. The oversized crown allows for easy operation, even with diving gloves.
Bremont renews the Supermarine 500m, the latest evolution of the acclaimed Supermarine collection, precision-crafted for adventure. The new 43mm model builds on the collection's heritage, enhancing performance and design. In 2024, significant improvements were introduced to exceed the collection's already rigorous standards. Thanks to its helium escape valve, the Submarine 500m is designed for the challenges of deep-sea diving.
Movement: Automatic caliber BB64AH
Power reserve: 56 hours
Materials: Stainless steel, ceramic, sapphire crystal
Housing dimensions: 43 mm
Watertightness: 50 bar
Bracelet: Stainless steel (with micro-adjustment and quick-change system), rubber, NATO strap
RRP: 4.900-5.200 €
Ralf Tech – “The Beast Black Amphibian”
Discreet understatement isn't the strong suit of the French diving watch brand. Frank Huyghe, founder, managing director, and professional diver, isn't aiming for that either. Instead, he's focused on durable, serviceable, and "genuine" Tolwatches.
The latest example is the new "The Beast Black Amphibian," limited to 50 pieces, designed by Jeff Scott, former US Navy diver and editor of Deepsea MGZN. The dial features the "Amphibian" logo and a new logo: a wave with a trident that glows at night thanks to Luminova—a reference to Poseidon and Neptune, the rulers of the seas. It is surrounded by a unidirectional rotating bezel with 120 clicks.
On the back of the black PVD stainless steel case, an octopus with a trident frolics, a tribute to the brand's first "Amphibian" model. The "Encapsulation" system, a special deep-screwed connection, eliminates the need for a helium escape valve.
Movement: Micro-hybrid movement RTE001
Duration: 100,000 hours
Materials: Stainless steel (PVD black), Ceramfine, sapphire crystal (5.9 mm)
Housing dimensions: 47.7 mm
Watertightness: 300 bar
Bracelet: Rubber
Limitation: 50 copies
RRP: 3.300 €
Citizen – “Promaster Eco-Drive 200M”
With water resistance up to 20 bar, a unidirectional rotating bezel for the dive time display, excellent readability underwater, and other ISO-relevant features, these four new additions to the Promaster line are designed to complement a diving suit, but are equally suitable for a business suit.
A gold-colored version with a green dial, in particular, sets a special design accent. All rely on light as an energy source, transformed by Citizen's environmentally friendly Eco-Drive technology.
Movement: Caliber E168 (Eco-Drive)
Power reserve: 180 days
Materials: stainless steel, gold-plated stainless steel
Housing dimensions: 40.55 mm
Watertightness: 20 bar
Bracelet: Stainless steel
RRP: 349 or 399 €
Doxa – “SUB 750T”
With this edition, the Swiss brand opens the third chapter of its homage to the American author, who significantly contributed to making the "SUB" diving watches known worldwide. Clive Cussler's works have sold over 100 million units worldwide. In doing so, he also introduced his readers to Doxa's diving watches. For the author, who has published more than 85 books, the orange dial of the "SUB" was a perfect fit for the wrist of Dirk Pitt, the hero of his novels.
Clive Cussler would have turned 94 this year, so Doxa has limited the "SUB 750T" to 94 pieces. The screw-down caseback also features an engraved compass rose. This design element appears repeatedly in Clive Cussler's literary and personal life. For him, this "star of the sea" was not only a navigational instrument, but also a symbol of the constant call of the oceans, adventure, and exploration.
In keeping with Clive Cussler's commitment to preserving maritime heritage, Doxa will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this special edition to NUMA, the organization Cussler founded in 1979 to search for and preserve historic wrecks.
Movement: Automatic movement SW 300
Power reserve: 56 hours
Materials: stainless steel, sapphire crystal
Housing dimensions: 45 mm
Watertightness: 75 bar
Bracelet: Stainless steel (with diving suit extension), NATO
Limitation: 94 copies
RRP: 2.890 €
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