Celebrating Fun in the Sun with 5 Reasonably Priced Dive Watches

Summer is the season of sunshine, warm temperatures, long nights, cool drinks, and, of course, boatloads of fun in and around the water. Whether it’s a pool, lake, or even the ocean you’re jumping into (or lounging by), a proper watch lover has something fitting on the wrist. And what could be better for such an occasion than a robust and stylish dive watch? So, with that in mind, here are five stylish dive watches priced under 2,500 euros to match your beachy vibe (and brightly coloured Speedos, perhaps).

Doxa SUB 200T

Doxa recently trimmed down its iconic SUB 300 to a more compact 39mm diameter and added a fresh Sea Emerald green dial colour as it introduced the fittingly named SUB 200T. Following a move by the brand to uphold its diving heritage but have a little fun with it, there’s more to the SUB 200T than just its new size. Still very capable as a dive watch, it not only sports a new colour, but the dial now has a flat or sunray-brushed finish. Inside, a Sellita SW200-1 diligently does its job. Fitted to a FKM rubber strap for EUR 1,550 or a beads-of-rice bracelet for EUR 1,590, the Doxa SUB 200T is part of the permanent collection.

For more information, please visit DoxaWatches.com.

Quick Facts – 39mm x 41.50mm x 10.70mm – stainless steel, brushed & polished – unidirectional bezel with double scale – sapphire crystal – solid caseback – 200m water-resistant – 8 dial colours, flat or sunray finish – applied markers & hands with Super-LumiNova – Sellita SW200-1, automatic – 28,800vph – 38h power reserve – hours, minutes, seconds, date – FKM rubber strap or BoR bracelet – permanent collection – EUR 1,550 (FKM rubber) – EUR 1,590 (BoR bracelet)

Yema Navygraf slim CMM.20

Another compelling dive watch with plenty of history behind it is the Yema Navygraf Slim CMM.20. This 39mm wide diver has a black sapphire crystal bezel insert, black lacquered dial, Super-LumiNova markets and hands, and a bright yellow central seconds hand. At 9.50mm in height, it’s also a very slim watch, hence the name. Yema has fitted it with the CMM.20 micro-rotor manufacture movement, beating at a rate of 28,800vph and delivering an ample 70 hours of power reserve. Strapped to a black leather strap (so maybe more for the poolside), this limited edition of 200 pieces will set you back EUR 1,990.

For more information, please visit Yema.com.

Quick Facts – 39mm x 9.5mm – stainless steel, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – unidirectional bezel with sapphire insert – 300m water-resistant – black lacquered dial – applied markers & hands with Super-LumiNova – yellow seconds hand – calibre CMM.20, micro-rotor automatic – manufacture movement – 28,800vph – 70h power reserve – hours, minutes, seconds – black grained leather strap with pin buckle – limited edition of 200 pieces – EUR 1,990

Seiko Prospex 1965 Diver’s SPB451 & SPB453

Seiko is, of course, not to be overlooked when it comes to dive watches. The Japanese manufacturer has plenty of compelling watches in its arsenal, but recent stand-out examples are the 62-MAS-inspired Prospex 1965 Diver SPB451 and SPB453. Finished in black or blue, it is now slimmer, has a higher water resistance, a longer power reserve, a new date position and a reworked bracelet compared to previous editions of the Prospex 1965 series. Priced at EUR 1,400, it sits at the higher end of Seiko’s portfolio, which is quite reasonable for what you get. There’s also a grey-and-gilt limited edition available for a price of EUR 1,600.

For more information, please visit SeikoWatches.com.

Quick Facts – 40mm x 13.0mm – stainless steel, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal – solid caseback – 300m water-resistant – black or blue dial – raised markers & hands with LumiBrite – date at 04:30 – calibre 6R55, in-house automatic – 21,600vph – 72h power reserve – central hours, minutes, seconds, date – three-link stainless steel bracelet with folding clasp and diving extension – available from Seiko boutiques and retailers worldwide from June 2024 – EUR 1,400

Peren Regia x Automatic 39 diver

A dive watch with a very different vibe and an even better sticker price, perhaps, is the Peren Regia X Automatic 39 Diver. This modern, Swiss-made watch has a design influenced by the ancient Sarmizegetusa Regia Calendar in Transylvania, if you’re interested. Regardless, the black dial has a compelling mix of markers and hands, with the date unconventionally placed at noon. The double scale on the diving bezel on the Regia X is also a nice touch, adding to its charm. Hidden under a solid caseback is a Sellita SW200-1 automatic with 38 hours of power. Limited to 300 pieces, it retails for CHF 963 on black FKM rubber or fabric straps.

For more information, please visit PerenWatches.com.

Quick Facts – 39mm x 12.8mm – stainless steel, bead-blasted – sapphire crystal – solid caseback – unidirectional diving bezel with double scale – 200m water-resistant – black dial with 3D Super-LumiNova markers – white hands with Super-LumiNova – date at noon – Sellita SW200-1, automatic – 28,800vph – 38h power reserve – hours, minutes, hacking seconds, date – black FKM rubber or black fabric strap, stainless steel bracelet – limited to 300 pieces – CHF 963

Méraud Bonaire MKII

The final compelling dive watch is the Méraud Bonaire MKII, which is a big step up from this small Belgian watchmaking brand. The retro-styled diver comes in at 39mm across in three handsome colours: glossy Onyx Black, Moss Green or sunray-brushed Marine Blue. Lacking a date, the dial is nicely balanced with large applied markers and sword- and lollipop-shaped hands, all with Super-LumiNova inserts. Beating away under the sapphire crystal caseback is the La Joux Perret G101 automatic with 68 hours of autonomy. Méraud presents it on a Tropic style rubber strap for EUR 925 or a stainless steel bracelet for EUR 1,025 (excl. VAT).

For more information, please visit Méraud-Watches.com.

Quick Facts – 39mm x 12.2mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – unidirectional bezel with acrylic “Bakelite” insert – screw-down crown – sapphire crystal front & back – 200m water-resistant – blue, green or black dial – applied markers & hands with Super-LumiNova – lollipop seconds hand – La Joux-Perret G101, automatic – 28,800vph – 68h power reserve – signed tungsten rotor – tropic-style rubber strap or stainless steel bracelet – EUR 925 or EUR 1,025 (excl. VAT)