Looking for the best dive watches under $300 to accompany you in the dark depths of the vast ocean? If so, you’ve come to the right place!
Dive watches are one of the most versatile and durable types of sports watches.
Since they were first introduced at the turn of the 20th century, dive watches have come a long way in terms of durability, reliability, and style, and now serve utilitarian purposes as well.
In case you’re new to the concept of dive watches, here’s a brief crash course for you.
For dive watches to be able to survive underwater, they have to be water and corrosion-resistant.
Moreover, they should have a unidirectional bezel and luminous markers to allow you to see the time in the dark depths of the sea.
If you’re looking for the best inexpensive dive watch that meets your needs without breaking the bank, then this article is just for you.
If you do have more cash to spend, I also have an overview of the best dive watches under $1000 and the best dive computers for beginners that are mostly under $300 as well.
Best Men’s Dive Watches Under $300
Without further ado, here’s my list of the best dive watches under $300 that are fit to give many luxury watches a run for their money. Dive right in!
Famous for their quartz watches, the Japanese brand Seiko is the true hallmark of quality and style - all offered within an affordable price range.
Their Automatic Deep Blue Dial Men's Watch SKX009K1 is one of the most highly reviewed divers watches on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.3 stars out of 5.
It comes with a price tag of almost $229 and is water-resistant for up to 200 m.
With a silver stainless steel case and a simple black rubber strap, this watch is a powerful timepiece that holds its own against other far pricier models in the market.
It comes with a unidirectional bezel and is nicknamed the Pepsi Diver because of its unusual color combination of blue and red.
Another unusual quirk of this watch is that its language can be changed to Spanish as well.
Seiko is known for creating their own luminous paint, called Lumibrite, which is the reason why their lume is brighter than the average diver watch’s.
This Seiko Diver is powered by the automatic 7S26B self-winding movement and doesn’t have additional hand-winding and hacking capabilities.
So you’ll have to keep the watch in motion to keep it running, which might be inconvenient for some people.
Also, some people may find the strap design a bit uncomfortable, as it tends to pinch the skin underneath at times.
While the design might be too bulky for some people’s liking, the overall effect that the watch gives off is vibrant yet masculine.
Overall, I’d say that this watch is one of the more durable options on the market and will be a good fit for people who are new to dive watches.
Next on our list is Invicta Men’s 8926OB Pro Diver Stainless Steel Automatic Watch, which scores an amazing rating on Amazon.
If you’re a fan of Rolex but have a tight budget, this one’s for you.
Starting at a price of just $84, the Invicta Men's 8926OB Pro Diver Stainless Steel Automatic Watch is inspired by Rolex’s iconic Submariner.
Featuring Japanese automatic movement, the Invicta Pro Driver is water-resistant down to 200 m and has a unidirectional bezel.
Like the Submariner, the Invicta has a magnified date window and comes with a standard stainless steel link bracelet.
While the quality of the watch is fairly good, it’s obviously not perfect, which given its price tag, is to be expected.
For starters, the watch’s lume starts to weaken and fade away over time. It does not seem to be as durable as the previous models in this list.
The bezel might also need some time to loosen up.
Furthermore, the repeated Invicta branding on the product isn’t as subtle as one would’ve hoped for, but given the cheap price and high quality, you can’t really complain about these petty issues.
Luminox is a well-reputed brand that’s known for creating military-grade watches for the U.S Navy SEALs and has an Amazon rating of 4.1 stars.
This watch has a black-blue theme and makes use of a unique self-powered illumination system, which means that this watch needs no external power source to charge the luminous paint on its hands.
The brand claims that this technology will provide continuous illumination for more than 25 years! Let that sink in for a moment.
The Navy Seal Dive Watch features scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and an anti-reflective coating, plus a multi-jeweled Swiss Quartz watch movement.
It has a battery life of 4 years and is backed by a one-year Luminox warranty.
If you’re the type of person who’s usually really clumsy and tends to bump into things a lot, this watch will be perfect for you.
Designed with rough military use in mind, this watch is the kind of durable that doesn’t get easily affected by hits and falls.
Usually, this kind of quality is hard to find under a $500 mark, which is why I think this rugged timepiece provides great value for money and is quite an amazing deal!
Citizen’s Promaster Diver is one of the top-selling diver watches on Amazon, with a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars.
One of the biggest strengths of this design lies in its Eco-Drive technology--the watch is powered by light, thereby relieving you of the tiresome business of changing batteries.
The watch's dark blue polyurethane strap, coupled with the 48 mm stainless steel case and dark blue dial, packs quite a punch in terms of aesthetics and looks extremely high end.
The Promaster is made of anti-reflective mineral crystal, which gives it a sleek matte finish.
The strap is long enough to easily fit around a wetsuit, even if you have large wrists.
However, people with smaller wrists might want to consider cutting part of the strap off or switching it with some other strap or bracelet.
Given the luxury design and solid build of it, the Promaster is a total steal!
If you want to invest in a dive watch that will last you years and give you value for your hard-earned bucks, the Citizen Promaster Professional Diver is the best choice!
Oh and the icing on top? There's also a 5-year limited warranty on the product.
Mako II, by the Japanese brand Orient, is an upgraded version of the original Mako dive watch and improves on the flaws of its predecessor.
One of these flaws was a lack of accuracy, which Mako II was able to successfully overcome.
Mako II is reported to gain only a mere 6-7 seconds in a 24 hour period, which if you think about it, is highly impressive for a watch in this price range.
This watch has an automatic movement but also supports hand winding, which is a huge bonus.
It features a stainless steel bracelet that has a double push safety clasp and is water-resistant for up to 200 m.
The watch has an attractive design and a very solid build to it.
The bezel, however, can be a bit difficult to turn with this model and the size of the watch might feel a bit small to those used to having a bigger timepiece on their wrists.
If you’re looking for a dive watch that looks both elegant and mature and can withstand professional marine activity, all without splurging outside your budget, Mako II is your ideal watch!
Best Women’s Dive Watch Under $300
The market for dive watches, as you've probably noticed by now, is mainly catered towards males.
Most of these watches aren't the most ideal for the fairer sex, as their straps aren't suitable for most females' slim wrists.
Here is one dive watch though that's great for all you scuba ladies out there (hey, I'm one of you - girls that scuba for the win!):
Momentum's M1 Splash is one of the few watches that cater to women.
The M1 Splash is stylish without being overly feminine and makes a statement without compromising on functionality.
This 38 mm stainless steel watch is a powerhouse and is waterproof tested up to 660 ft.
Its band is made to fit even the most petite of wrists and comes in a variety of colors to suit your personal taste.
But don't be fooled by this watch's light exterior, it is packed with tons of features and is as durable and functional as any men's dive watch.
This rugged watch comes with Japanese Quartz Movement and has an estimated battery life of 2-3 years.
Overall, the watch is perfectly suited for most women, because of its light build and small band.
Plus it comes in a HUGE variety of colors!
Moreover, it's quality and functionality is good enough to rival many men's dive watch brands as well.
Best Diver Watch Under 300 – Sealing the Deal!
I hope that my review of these best cheap dive watches has helped you in making your final decision.
You should know by now that having a limited budget should in no way stop you from getting a dive watch that meets your needs and expectations.
The market for dive watches has expanded a great deal now, with a wide variety of watches available at every price level so that you no longer have to sacrifice an arm and a leg to get a reliable, handsome timepiece for your aquatic adventures.
So which one is the best dive watch under 300 for YOU?
Still not sure? No worries, for I’ve summed up the results of our extensive research as simply as I could in the following section:
Best Inexpensive Dive Watch: Invicta Men’s 8926OB Pro Diver Stainless Steel Automatic Watch with Link Bracelet ($84)
Best Entry-Level Dive Watch: Seiko Divers Automatic Deep Blue Dial Men’s Watch SKX009K1 ($228.90)
Best Durable Dive Watch: Luminox Men’s 3001 Quartz Navy Seal Dive Watch ($300)
Best Women’s Dive Watch: Momentum Men and Women’s Quartz Watch M1 Splash ($155)
Best Overall: Citizen Watches Men’s BN0151-09L Promaster Professional Diver ($159.99)
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