Gear guide
Best dive watches under $1,000
Picked from Amazon listings, not hands-on tests. How we pick
Top picks at a glance
Compare all picks
Closest match for the job
Mido Ocean Star 200, 80 hours, sapphire, 200 m
Stated 80-hour reserve and 200 m water resistance in one watch, with a screw-down crown.
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Most for the money on paper
Orient Kamasu 41.8mm, sapphire, 200 m
Sapphire crystal and a screw-down crown are both stated, uncommon together at this price.
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Most complete listing
Seiko Prospex SRPK01 45mm, sapphire, 200 m
The listing rates it for diving to 200 m, with a screw-down crown and screw case back.
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Step-up dive watches under $1,000 separate themselves from entry divers in a few specific ways: sapphire instead of mineral or Hardlex crystal, a power reserve beyond the usual 40 hours, and a water rating of 200 to 300 m with a screw-down crown. Listings do not always state all of these, and some carry their own caveats, such as a 200 m rating that the seller says is not meant for diving. This guide compares eight divers from Mido, Seiko, Bulova, Certina, Tissot, Orient and Hamilton on case size, movement, power reserve, water resistance and crystal, using only what each listing states. Missing figures are marked Not stated so you can check them before you buy.
Compare the picks
- Mido Ocean Star 200, 80 hours, sapphire, 200 m
- Case size
- 41 mm
- Movement
- Mido automatic, day/date
- Power reserve
- 80 hours
- Water resistance
- 200 m
- Orient Kamasu 41.8mm, sapphire, 200 m
- Case size
- 41.8 mm
- Movement
- Orient F922 automatic, hand-winding
- Power reserve
- Not stated
- Water resistance
- 200 m
- Seiko Prospex SRPK01 45mm, sapphire, 200 m
- Case size
- 45 mm
- Movement
- Seiko 4R36 automatic, day/date
- Power reserve
- 41 hours
- Water resistance
- 200 m
Certina DS Action Diver 38mm, 300 m- Case size
- 38 mm
- Movement
- Powermatic 80 with Nivachron
- Power reserve
- Not stated
- Water resistance
- 300 m
Seiko Prospex SRPJ93, 4R35, sapphire, 200 m- Case size
- Not stated
- Movement
- Seiko 4R35 automatic, date
- Power reserve
- 41 hours
- Water resistance
- 200 m
Tissot Seastar 1000 40mm Powermatic 80, 300 m- Case size
- 40 mm
- Movement
- Swiss Powermatic 80 automatic
- Power reserve
- Not stated
- Water resistance
- 300 m
Bulova Marine Star Series B 41mm, 200 m, sapphire- Case size
- 41 mm
- Movement
- Automatic
- Power reserve
- 42 hours
- Water resistance
- 200 m
Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba 40mm, 80-hour H-10- Case size
- 40 mm
- Movement
- Swiss H-10 automatic
- Power reserve
- 80 hours
- Water resistance
- 100 m
| Pick | Case size | Movement | Power reserve | Water resistance | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mido Ocean Star 200, 80 hours, sapphire, 200 m | 41 mm | Mido automatic, day/date | 80 hours | 200 m | - | Amazon |
| Orient Kamasu 41.8mm, sapphire, 200 m | 41.8 mm | Orient F922 automatic, hand-winding | Not stated | 200 m | - | Amazon |
| Seiko Prospex SRPK01 45mm, sapphire, 200 m | 45 mm | Seiko 4R36 automatic, day/date | 41 hours | 200 m | - | Amazon |
| Certina DS Action Diver 38mm, 300 m | 38 mm | Powermatic 80 with Nivachron | Not stated | 300 m | - | Amazon |
| Seiko Prospex SRPJ93, 4R35, sapphire, 200 m | Not stated | Seiko 4R35 automatic, date | 41 hours | 200 m | - | Amazon |
| Tissot Seastar 1000 40mm Powermatic 80, 300 m | 40 mm | Swiss Powermatic 80 automatic | Not stated | 300 m | - | Amazon |
| Bulova Marine Star Series B 41mm, 200 m, sapphire | 41 mm | Automatic | 42 hours | 200 m | - | Amazon |
| Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba 40mm, 80-hour H-10 | 40 mm | Swiss H-10 automatic | 80 hours | 100 m | - | Amazon |
Facts are taken from each Amazon listing. Prices are checked daily and shown with their date.
The picks in detail
Pick 1 · MIDO
Mido Ocean Star 200, 80 hours, sapphire, 200 m
See price on AmazonA 41 mm Swiss diver near the top of the budget. The listing states an 80-hour reserve, day/date, 200 m with a screw-down crown, sapphire crystal and an 11.7 mm thick case.
What the listing offers
- Stated 80-hour reserve and 200 m water resistance in one watch, with a screw-down crown.
- Sapphire crystal with anti-reflection on both sides, per the listing, helps legibility in bright light.
- The bracelet has a folding clasp with a diving extension and a quick-change system, per the listing.
Limits to know
- At $980 it uses almost the whole budget, leaving little room for a spare strap.
- The listing gives an 11.7 mm thickness but no lug to lug figure, so fit on small wrists is unclear.
Pick 2 · Orient
Orient Kamasu 41.8mm, sapphire, 200 m
See price on AmazonA dive-style automatic with sapphire, a screw-down crown and a 120-click unidirectional bezel. The listing states 47 mm lug to lug and 12.8 mm thickness, a compact fit for a 41.8 mm case.
What the listing offers
- Sapphire crystal and a screw-down crown are both stated, uncommon together at this price.
- 47 mm lug to lug is shorter than most divers of this diameter, per the listing dimensions.
- The F922 movement hand-winds and hacks, and adds a day and date display.
Limits to know
- The listing describes the 200 m rating as suited to marine activity and surface water sports but not diving.
- The red dial on this listing is a bold choice and may not suit every wardrobe.
Pick 3 · SEIKO
Seiko Prospex SRPK01 45mm, sapphire, 200 m
See price on AmazonA 45 mm Prospex PADI Special Edition diver. The listing states the 4R36 with day/date, 200 m with screw-down crown and case back, sapphire, a ceramic bezel display and LumiBrite.
What the listing offers
- The listing rates it for diving to 200 m, with a screw-down crown and screw case back.
- Sapphire with inner anti-reflective coating and a ceramic bezel display, per the listing.
- LumiBrite on hands, indexes and bezel is stated for low-light reading.
Limits to know
- The 45 mm case per the listing will be large on small wrists.
- 41-hour reserve per the listing is about half of the Mido or Hamilton.
Pick 4 · Certina
Certina DS Action Diver 38mm, 300 m
See price on AmazonA true diver in a 38 mm case on a steel bracelet. The listing states the Powermatic 80 movement with Nivachron, 300 m water resistance and a double locking foldover clasp.
What the listing offers
- The best fit here for small-wrist buyers who want a real dive watch, with 300 m stated.
- Double locking foldover clasp per the listing adds security on the bracelet.
- The listing states a 2 year international warranty.
Limits to know
- Lug to lug is not stated, and the listed 38.00 mm thickness looks like a data error. Confirm it.
- At $920 it is the most expensive watch in this guide.
Pick 5 · SEIKO
Seiko Prospex SRPJ93, 4R35, sapphire, 200 m
See price on AmazonA blue PADI Special Edition Prospex diver on a silicone band. The listing states the 4R35 with 23 jewels, 200 m, screw-down crown, sapphire and a ceramic bezel display.
What the listing offers
- 200 m diver's rating with screw-down crown and screw case back, per the listing.
- Sapphire with inner anti-reflective coating and a ceramic bezel display are stated.
- Hand-winding and a stop-second function are stated for the 4R35.
Limits to know
- Case size is not stated on this listing.
- It ships on a silicone band per the listing, not a bracelet.
Pick 6 · Tissot
Tissot Seastar 1000 40mm Powermatic 80, 300 m
See price on AmazonA 40 mm Seastar 1000 with a green dial. The listing states 300 m (1000 ft) water resistance and Super-LumiNova on the hands and hour markers.
What the listing offers
- 300 m water resistance is stated on the listing.
- Super-LumiNova on hands and markers per the listing for dim conditions.
- A 40 mm case is a middle size that works on most wrists.
Limits to know
- The listing is thin: no reserve in hours, crystal or strap details.
- At $875 it costs more than divers whose listings state more specs.
Pick 7 · Bulova
Bulova Marine Star Series B 41mm, 200 m, sapphire
See price on AmazonBulova's redesigned Marine Star in a 41 mm steel case with a unidirectional timing bezel, H-link bracelet and display case back. A good sport pick for buyers who want sapphire and a see-through back.
What the listing offers
- The listing states 200 m water resistance, a screw-down crown and a sapphire crystal.
- A case back crystal shows the automatic movement, which has 42 hours of power per the listing.
- The unidirectional bezel has a bi-color aluminum insert with a timing scale.
Limits to know
- Lug to lug length and thickness are not stated, so wrist fit is harder to judge.
- The listing does not name the movement caliber or say whether it hacks or hand-winds.
Pick 8 · Hamilton
Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba 40mm, 80-hour H-10
See price on AmazonA 40 mm diver-style Hamilton with a black dial on a steel bracelet. The listing states the H-10 with an 80-hour reserve, sapphire and 100 m water resistance.
What the listing offers
- The 80-hour reserve per the listing is among the longest here.
- Sapphire crystal and a folding clasp bracelet are stated.
- A 40 mm case size suits a wide range of wrists.
Limits to know
- 100 m is the lowest rating in this guide, short of the 200 to 300 m picks.
- The listing does not state a screw-down crown or the bezel type.
Read before you buy
- Why some dive watches have helium valvesWhat a helium escape valve does, why saturation divers needed one, the difference between automatic and manual valves, and why most owners never use it.
- What makes a real dive watch: ISO 6425 explainedISO 6425 sets the tests a watch must pass to say DIVER'S on the dial: at least 100 m, an overpressure test, a timing bezel, night legibility and more.
- Watch water resistance ratings explained: 30, 50, 100 and 200 mWhat 30 m, 50 m, 100 m, 200 m and 300 m water resistance ratings mean in real life, why 30 m is not 30 meters deep, and when a watch is truly a diver.
- Is the Tissot PRX waterproofThe Tissot PRX is water resistant to 10 bar (100 m). What that means for swimming, showers and the beach, why it is not a dive watch, and when to check the crown.
- How to use a dive watch bezelHow to use the rotating bezel on a dive watch: line up the triangle, read elapsed time, and why the bezel only turns one way. Works for dives, parking and cooking.
More gear: Dive watches
Lume & Bezel chooses every product independently from what its Amazon listing states. We may earn a commission from the links above. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.