Yes, it's totally fine to be keen on knowing what the best dive watches are without having any intention of ever actually using them for diving. Splashing around in the pool? Sure. Descending to the Mariana Trench? Perhaps not.
“Dive watches remain a core category for watch enthusiasm because the format combines a useful overbuilt do-anything ethos with the still very popular charm of mid-century exceptionalism,” says James Stacey of Hodinkee and The Grey Nato podcast. "Dive watches were born of need and worn by the types of people that many of us aspire to be in our modern lives. Even if you don't dive, the vibe of a great dive watch is rooted in purpose and fuss-free capability.
And though dive watches have a less tool-like context today, the rakish personality of the modern dive watch is based in a deeply appealing history. With a great dive watch, you feel you can do anything." Whatever your reason for wanting to eek out the best dive watches, here is our ultimate guide to what you need to look for, what you should (and shouldn’t) be buying, and any other deep, pressing questions you might be fathoming – like what characteristics define a dive watch.
What is a dive watch? Though the vast majority of dive watches have now been superseded in functionality by dive computers, dive watches were originally used by divers to calculate the amount of time spent underwater – important when you’re dealing with oxygen tanks with limited supply. Technically speaking, a div.
