Dive watch???

[FIREFIGHTER@91]

Ive been a watch nut long before I ever was into diving. Ive been a seiko guy forever, and ive dove a 173 and orange monster for the most part. But what are the brands you like and dive? And most important your opinions pro and con. Ive been looking at a St. mortiz.... not sure of the model,,,,but love the watch, but know nothing of the quality of these guys.What do you guys like. Just looking for stuff to research. Take care and be safe.

[JBRES1]

I wear a Tag Heuer watch, and have for the past 10 years plus.
My watch has been on my wrist 24/7 for most of its life, except when they are in the shop for battery change and tune up. Note, a nice watch isn't cheap to keep.
I have both a Sport Professional 200 meter and an Aquamaster 300 meter watch.
The 200 had been in the shop for a major overhaul after it took a nasty fall. It fell from a tank 30 ft. up to the concrete below. The watch still worked, but the face came loose. All I have to say is , if a watch can take the beating I put it thru and still work, its one damn good dive watch.

Jim Breslin

[KentFromPGH]

I have owned a Tag for over 13 years and it has never failed me underwater.

[vladimir]

Here's the epic watch thread, which has covered it all:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/computers-gauges-watches-analyzers/62385-best-dive-watch-ever.html

[SurDo2]

Rolex Submariner date. I've worn mine every day for 15 years. It's awesome.

[FIREFIGHTER@91]

Here's the epic watch thread, which has covered it all:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/computers-gauges-watches-analyzers/62385-best-dive-watch-ever.html

kick ass thread....thanks. I did a search under "dive watch" but couldnt find anything here. Thanks again.

[mts0628]

Ive been a watch nut long before I ever was into diving. Ive been a seiko guy forever, and ive dove a 173 and orange monster for the most part. But what are the brands you like and dive? And most important your opinions pro and con. Ive been looking at a St. mortiz.... not sure of the model,,,,but love the watch, but know nothing of the quality of these guys.What do you guys like. Just looking for stuff to research. Take care and be safe.

Hey FIREFIGHTER@91:

Here's a cut and paste of my response from an earlier thread:

I favor G-Shocks. I have [many] and use a Casio G-Shock only on my dives. They are nearly indestructible, cheap, low profile, and if something tragic should happen to it, I'd give it a small going away ceremony and then bust out another one in memory and more importantly for serious duty. I wrote this (http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/280032-does-dive-watch-really-need-divers-rated.html#post4341677) as an opinion for another SB Member asking about dive watches and even though I went link crazy, it said everything I wanted to about G-Shocks (and the video is pretty neat). Get one and be done with it.

I hope this helps.

With kind regards,
Thomas

[peterbj7]

I wrote a reply but when I hit [Enter] i lost it. Happens repeatedly with Scubaboard but with no other board I use. VERY tiresome.

I was just saying that I like G-Shocks and have had several, but my normal watch above and below water is a Suunto Stinger. Can't see the point in a traditional "dive watch" any more.

[dmoore19]

I have a Citizen Ecco Drive Aqualand. No need to replace batteries. Great watch, had it on my wrist since the day I bought it. Think it's GREAT! Did I mention no need to replace batteries?

[fnfalman]

Rolex Submariner date. I've worn mine every day for 15 years. It's awesome.

Yep. No batteries to die off at the most inopportuned moment, no solar panels, no capacitors that would malfunction. The only way the Rolex's mechanical movement would die on you is if a boulder were to crash down on your arm.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f308/fnfalman/Dive%20Watches/PIC_41561.jpg

[Teamcasa]

I love this watch! Perfect as a backup as well
Citizen Eco-Drive Aqualand with Dive Log - 20th Anniversary Model
http://www.princetonwatches.com/images/watches/JV0030-01E.jpg

[sambolino44]

I was very happy with my St. Moritz, and got fantastic customer service from them. I liked how thin the watch was, but they don't make that model any more (SMX), or at least they made it larger. I now enjoy my older Citizen Pro Diver, but I don't think they make that one anymore, either. Or once again, they may have a watch with that model name, but it's really different; larger and more cluttered face, so not as easy to read. I found it hard to find a simple, easy to read dive watch that isn't too big.

[sohnje]

Ditto on the rolex subamariner. I have a few a bought over the past years and never had a problem with any of them. Love the perpetual wind and lumanescence.

[peterbj7]

Lot of money for a watch though, you can get a dive computer for less.....

I suppose if I led a "normal" life with occasional trips to the water I'd maybe go for a watch such as these, but as it is I'm in the water most days and I'd rather wear a computer watch like my Stinger (though I hate the battery life). But actually, when I did lead such a life I wore a conventional lightweight watch (mine was an Omega) for everyday life or a particularly tough one like a G-Shock for active sports, then strapped on a couple of dive computers for diving. I actually had a SS Aqualand and gave it away because I never wore it.

[The Great Kazoo]

Citizen Eco Drive. I have had it forever. No batteries.

[Rickg]

My wife is very happy with her St. Moritz M1.

[Geezer]

I alternate between my Luminox and a Citizen Hyper-Aqualand.

[CompuDude]

Citizen Eco Drive. I have had it forever. No batteries.

That's my favorite, too.

Or at least it was, until I lost it. :(

I hope to replace it with another, however. Haven't seen anything out there I like better. Very nice looking watch, reasonably priced, no batteries ever, provides both time and depth functions.

I like the Citizen 20th anniversary watch from a function standpoint, but it's ugly as hell. I wish there were more options for nice-looking dive watches with actual dive features mixed in that don't look like crap. (esp ones with solar power and atomic clock setting!)

http://www.h2ogeek.com/divegear/Citizen_BJ2000-09E-sm.jpg

I'm a huge fan of ana-digi watches, too, but again, finding one that actually looks good also is really really tough. I've found some really nice Breitlings I can't afford, and some Tissots that don't quite do it for me from a beauty standpoint, but nothing perfect.

These days I'm diving my old standby, a 200m swiss army watch, just a straight watch I got at Costco years ago for $60, that just keeps going...

[ZzzKing]

I like the Eco Drive as well. It's a handsome watch, reliable depth gauge and very durable. Reasonably priced for what you get.

[fisheater]

I'm wearing (and actually using) the Citizen Eco-Drive Titanium.

Looks good and was a bargain at CostCo.

[sambolino44]

That's my favorite, too.

Or at least it was, until I lost it. :(

I hope to replace it with another, however. Haven't seen anything out there I like better. Very nice looking watch, reasonably priced, no batteries ever, provides both time and depth functions.

I like the Citizen 20th anniversary watch from a function standpoint, but it's ugly as hell. I wish there were more options for nice-looking dive watches with actual dive features mixed in that don't look like crap. (esp ones with solar power and atomic clock setting!)

http://www.h2ogeek.com/divegear/Citizen_BJ2000-09E-sm.jpg

I'm a huge fan of ana-digi watches, too, but again, finding one that actually looks good also is really really tough. I've found some really nice Breitlings I can't afford, and some Tissots that don't quite do it for me from a beauty standpoint, but nothing perfect.

These days I'm diving my old standby, a 200m swiss army watch, just a straight watch I got at Costco years ago for $60, that just keeps going...

This is an example of the kind of watch that is so cluttered on the face I can't read it.

[The Great Kazoo]

It just looks like that in the picture. I have been wearing this watch for 10 years. I lost the first one, so I bought another. It is not as busy as it looks.

[stadevene]

Anyone try out one of the new(ish) Tissot Sea Touches? They look interesting as all functions seem to work underwater as shown in the (cheesy) video.

YouTube - Tissot Sea-Touch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd6RtGXlPt8)

http://www.timeway.eu/images/Tissot-Sea-Touch-atlant-T-T026-420-17-281-00.jpg

They're pretty darn expensive right now so perhaps nobody has pulled the pin on them.

[chrisc]

Omega SeaMaster Professional Automatic, 16 years and still going strong.

http://www.chronocentric.com/omega/images/sm_3rd_generation.jpg

[CompuDude]

Anyone try out one of the new(ish) Tissot Sea Touches? They look interesting as all functions seem to work underwater as shown in the (cheesy) video.

YouTube - Tissot Sea-Touch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd6RtGXlPt8)

http://www.timeway.eu/images/Tissot-Sea-Touch-atlant-T-T026-420-17-281-00.jpg

They're pretty darn expensive right now so perhaps nobody has pulled the pin on them.

Hadn't seen those yet. Pretty slick, but yeah, pretty expensive, too. For that kind of money (approx $1k?), I'd almost rather just buy a really good backup computer.

[stadevene]

There are a couple on the bay for around $800 but agreed, you could probably buy a second computer, a compass and an eco drive for the price. As a watch guy though, it's still pretty cool.

[ozziworld]

http://www.tissot.ch/virtualdata/usersmanual/142-en.pdf

I checked out the manual for the Tissot Sea-touch and curiously enough they have some disclaimer in the vary back indicating that it is not of 'professional grade' etc. and should only be worn as a 'back-up' .

Does anyone already have this watch?

I think it looks great and was wondering if anyone on scubaboard has any experience with it.

I currently use a 20th Anniversary Aqualand most dives. Also, I have a SBS military watch I use, very tough but also very basic - just a bezel and 200m rating. I like the log and thermometer fuinctions of the aqualand so I use it more now.

This Tissot Sea-touch has the compass too. I am so curious to find out if it all works well underwater.

[stadevene]

I did some reading on one of the watch forums and according to a Tissot rep who posted on the site:


...according to Swiss regulations it can't be called a "diver's watch". This title only goes to pieces with a pressure rating of 300m or over.

Legally it can be sold as a diver's accessory.

Assuming this is correct, and I would except a rep would be pretty confident in stating something like that in public, it seems like the designation is minor.

[ozziworld]

Has no one had any experience with this watch? Seen one or touched one? I have not seen it in stores. See it on ebay though.

[gndpdr]

i've had my citizen eco drive solar tech divers 200m for for going on 10 yrs it's my everyday watch as well i love it

[rab1412000]

casio all the way

my present casio has an integrated compass thats better than thos on the suunto d9's
they have an operating angle of plus/minus 25 degrees
it has a nice looking face thats unlcuttered and has a strong backlight
i use it as my compass nowadays
it has a slightly smaller form factor than a g-shock
as mentioned above, if it falls off or floods (almost impossible ) no worries as ill pick up a ew one from amazon for 40 dollars

SGW100 Series - Sports - Timepiece - Products - CASIO (http://www.casio.com/products/Timepiece/Sports/SGW100_Series/)

[Chugwhump]

I wear a St. Moritz Format II.
I have 6 of them.
My bands are titanium (2) , black resin (2), and leather backed canvas (2).
I wear just one of them all of the time.
They are out of production.
I have had all of the mineral crystals replaced with sapphire crystals.
They do not flood at 165', that is about as deep as I ever go.
They are thin and light as they are titanium.
I think I will be dead before I wear them all out.
I love the look of the Tissot Sea-Touch though....
Chug

[scubapro50]

I was once told that the more buttons you have on the side of a dive watch the more places it could start leaking over time. I would start with a good basic watch with only a screwdown winding stem to set the time and is waterproof to at least 660ft. It could be either battery or selfwinding. You should find something for under $200 that will last for years. Rolex's are great (I own one) but not everyone have the big bucks to purchase ...... that's why they are the most copied design out there.

[ksrtfl]

The Tissot Sea-Touch is a beautiful divers' watch, complete with a host of useful features. Like its other T-Touch counterparts, the Sea-Touch has managed to retain a clean dial, with the hour/minute hands almost magically performing functions usually assigned to sub-dials and additional needles. It could, however, have been a real work of art if the hour/minute hands had been designed more aesthetically, rather than the stern 'road sign' arrows that they seem to be.

Sea-Touch dive functions including dive depth, ascent rate and elapsed time, are the three basic ones that will do for any recreational scuba diver. The auto-actuation of the dive mode on contact with water below 5 ft, (and auto-deactivation 5 min after surfacing) is a also a great feature. The dive log book records all the basic dive data for later recall. All put together, it is more than a regular divers' watch (hence more pricey too) and, is likely to find favour with those who think dive computers are too geeky.

Compared to the first generation T-Touch watch, this one has several improvements including dual time, an LCD backlight and excellent lume that would be visible at the murkiest depths. The compass has got a useful fix, as it can be recalibrated if it gets magnetised and goes erratic. The 200 meter water resistance (incorrectly rated as 100m on the Tissot website) and double-sealed rubberised buttons give it a true diver capability.

Amongst the few depth gauge dive watches, the competition seems to come mainly from Citizen Aqualand. Others like Panerai Submersible Depth Gauge, Jaeger-LeCoultre Diving Geographic and IWC Schaffhausen Deep Two belong to an altogether different luxury league.

The Sea-Touch seems like a great watch, but its true underwater potential needs to be reviewed in earnest by someone who has fathomed it thoroughly in the 'deep'. Depth gauge accuracy, dive mode autoactivation/deactivation and bezel lume durability are items that need to be particularly evaluated in earnest, before the watch can be given a diver's thumbs up.

I can only think of one shortcoming: the watch does not have a standard countdown timer for terrestrial use, though it has 'elapsed dive time' for the dive mode. For the same reason, it does not have a rotating 60-min bezel -- which shall be missed by the uncomplicated folks' who used it as an egg-boiler or a parking meter timer!

[jbubbles]

I'm a Deep Blue fan...great dive watches