The Hundred Dollar Grail: The Nautical Watch

Once upon a time, I owned a sailboat. (Perhaps that's why I'm broke today?) While I live far from the sea, I still have an affinity for nautical stuff.  I think it's very cool to have a nautical watch that evokes the sea in a classy, old man by the sea, kind of way. But, what can I find for $100 that scratches that nautical itch? Here are three watches that pique my interest.  

Nautica Vintage Blue Watch

This first breaks my $100 rule by a dollar or two, but it's a nice looking timepiece. It's the Nautica NAPNVF306 Vintage Blue Silicone Strap Watch. It has a rich look with a deep blue dial, 100-meter water resistance, and a rose gold-tone 90% recycled stainless steel case. It has a look that is similar to the Caravelle Sea Hunter Automatic, but it has hour markers similar to those on a vintage Omega Seamaster.

Nautica Vintage Blue Watch (Amazon Photo)

I absolutely love the vintage styling cues of this Nautica watch. While the look is vintage, the size is contemporary with a 44mm diameter case that is 11.28mm thick.   You can check it out here on Amazon using my affiliate link.

Addiesdive 41mm Yachtmaster Homage

Coming in well under $100, Addiesdive offers a nifty looking Rolex Yachtmaster Homage. It has a classic unidirectional ceramic bezel with numbers in relief, 200-meter water resistance, and a Japanese quartz movement. This watch comes in 14 different color and band combinations.

Addiesdive Men's 41mm Quartz Dive Watch (Amazon Photo)

The Addiesdive watch is well proportioned  with a 41mm diameter case that is 13mm thick. This is a watch that looks the part and would be right at home with the marina set.  To check this watch out, you can use my Amazon affiliate link here.

Invicta Ocean Voyage

Invicta regularly brings us big, bold, watches on the boundary of style. But, if you need a bigger boat, the Invicta Ocean Voyage just might be the one you are looking for! It is a big quartz watch with a 51.5mm diameter case (over 2-inches!). I like the wavy background of the dial that evokes pricier watches from fine makers like Omega. The watch also features a cyclops over the date window and bezel with numbers in relief much like the venerable Rolex Yachtmaster.

Invicta Ocean Voyage (Amazon photo)

Of course, none of those timidly-styled watches incorporate an exposed anchor chain motif. For a big statement watch, you can check this one out on Amazon here using my affiliate link. 

While I tease the respected watchmakers, my point is simple.  You can find an interesting variety of nautical themed watches at a very affordable price point.  Check these out!

Sharp Watch Shoutout: AddiesDive Automatic Dive Watch with Suede Leather Band

 I learned of a new watch brand out on the WatchFreeks Forum, it's called AddiesDive and the watch world is going bonkers over their 1000 meter water resistance dive watch and its amazingly low price point.  Looking beyond that exercise in watch machismo, I found lots of great looking watches under the AddiesDive brand store on Amazon.  The one I thought looked best was an automatic dive watch with an attractive suede leather strap.  This one offers 200 meters of water resistance, an NH35A automatic movement, and a great dive watch look.

 

AddiesDive Automatic Dive Watch with Suede Leather Band

If you are interested in a great looking value priced watch, you can find this watch here on Amazon.

Watch Wearing Wednesday: Invicta Men's Pro-Diver Automatic with Coin-Edged Bezel

Here's a simple dive watch that I bought about 3 years ago.  It's an Invicta Men's Pro-Diver Automatic Watch with a Coin-Edged Bezel that I bought off of Amazon for less than $100. In the dim lights of a local Mexican restaurant, it looks great. It has rotating uni-directional bezel with a coin edge that is easy to grip and rotate.  It also has an exhibition case back.

Invicta Men's Pro-Diver Automatic with Coin-Edged Bezel

 

This watch reminds me of a certain famous brand of dive watch in many ways.  But, it has a very affordable price tag.  I like many features of this sharp-looking Invicta watch and I'll write a full review soon. 

Watch Review: Perry Ellis Deep Diver Men's Sport Watch

A few months ago, I jumped on an incredible watch deal at InvictaStores.com. They were clearing out a batch of Perry Ellis Deep Diver Men's Watches an amazingly low price. While it looks like these watches didn't stay in the Invicta inventory long, it's still worth taking a look at them for all the little things that are right with them. The watches are widely available at more normal prices on Amazon and eBay.

Watch Features and Construction

The attractiveness of the Perry Ellis Deep Diver lies in its simple lines, light weight, and pretty face. But, a longer look reveals that the Perry Ellis Deep Diver offers all of that in a package with some great specifications. With stainless steel construction and 200 meters of water resistance, this watch is the real deal for swimming, snorkeling, and, perhaps, some scuba diving. It has a screw down crown and a unidirectional rotating bezel with countdown markings for 20 minutes.  The strap is made from silicone and is generously sized.

Watch Dimensions

One of the things I like about this watch is that it is big in the face where it counts and small in case thickness. The case diameter for the Perry Ellis Deep Diver is about 45 millimeters. The thickness is about 9 millimeters.  The strap diameter is 20 millimeters for most of the way around and bumps just slightly wider at the watch case.

Overall Impression

I really liked the looks of this sports watch and loved that it had serious water resistance and a screw-down crown.  I also found this watch comfortable to wear for extended periods of time.  With a generously long strap, the watch fit my wrist very well.  Overall, I liked this watch a lot.  I'd consider it a good value at around $80 to $120.  While this watch is rapidly disappearing from the marketplace, you'll find many other great Perry Ellis watches here on Amazon.

For more photographs of this Perry Ellis watch, check out this Watch Wearing Wednesday post about it.

A Guide to Dive or Diver-Style Watches

If you are looking for a gift watch for man this Christmas, you can't get much more manly than a dive or diver-style watch.  Dive watches embody manly virtues like strength and endurance.  They are also available at a wide variety of price points.

Insignum Dive Watch

Some of the fundamental questions to ask before giving someone a dive watch for Christmas are --

• Is the gift recipient actually a scuba diver?
• Does the person snorkel or swim?
• Will the person wear the watch into the ocean or a pool?

Casio Dive Watch

Why all the questions?  It's simple, the specifications for a real dive watch are much more rigorous than the specifications for a diver-style watch.  The world is awash in affordable watches that look like dive watches and there are many solid watches that are rugged enough for swimming.  But, real dive watches are made to withstand high pressures of the depths.

A real dive watch will be able to withstand pressures of at least 1 atmosphere (100 meters or 330 feet).  Serious dive watches are marked as dive watches and often can withstand pressures of 200 or 300 meters.  Generally, dive watches will have screw down crowns that prevent water from infiltrating the watch through the winding stem.

In my collection, I have one dive watch that can survive depths of up to 200 meters.  However, I have many attractive diver-style watches that look great, but are actually not rated for diving.

If you are looking for an entry-level dive watch, the Casio MDV106-1A is a great choice.  It is water resistant to 200 meters and it has a screw-down crown.  It has a uni-directional bezel for tracking elapsed time.  It's a good choice for a watch that will actually spend time in the water or performing other rugged duties.

If you want to stay affordable, there are many good dive watches from companies like Invicta.  However, if you want a real dive watch that looks good at an affordable price, you might try Momentum dive watches. Ultimately, the standards for dive watches are set by brands like Omega and Rolex.  But, there are a lot of fun watch brands to explore along the way.

Three Watches That Look Like A Rolex Submariner

Have you bought a Rolex yet?  

Me neither.   

Are you closer to publishing that best seller or building that real estate empire?  

Me neither.

Have you danced around in your underwear and become a Youtube sensation?  

Me neither.

Any idea of how you are going to get a Rolex?  

Me neither.  Sigh...

Rolex Submariner Professional - By Dr.K. (talk) 17:56, 28 January 2007 (UTC) (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

I'm thinking it might be time to look at watches that evoke that Rolex style at more accessible middle class price points.  The Rolex Submariner has a Rolex movement, a 40 millimeter diameter case that is 13 millimeters thick, a screw down crown, a cyclops magnifier over the date window, and a coin edge unidirectional bezel.  It also has a heft and feel that is unmistakably Rolex.  It also delivers hard core dive watch performance with 300 meters of water resistance.  But, alas, it is sold at a stratospheric price.

Affordable Alternatives to the Rolex Submariner

Instead, I offer three watches that offer the Rolex Submariner look at prices we can all afford.

1. Fanmis Rolex Submariner Homage Watch

Reviewers like the sub-$50 price and looks of this Rolex homage watch.  It has a crown log at 12 o'clock and Rolex style text at 6 o'clock.  It also has the cyclops magnifier and a coin edge rotating bezel.  Like a Rolex Submariner, it has a 40 millimeter diameter case, but it is 12 millimeters thick.  

The reviews are good, but this is a fashion watch don't expect it to be water resistant. It only offers 30-meters of water resistance. You can check out the Fanmis Rolex Submariner homage watch here on Amazon.

  2. Seiko 5 Automatic Dive Watch.

When the world asks middle class watch collectors a difficult question, the answer is usually, "There's a Seiko 5 for that!" While this Seiko 5 has the crown at 4 o'clock, the dial markings are much like the markings on a Submariner.

Seiko 5 Dive Watch (Amazon Photo)

It's a cool looking watch that looks great and fits in any budget and has a nod to the king of dive watches.

3. Orient Men's Ray II Automatic Diving Watch

  Orient is a Japanese company that has been making high quality watches for 65 years.  The Orient Ray II is powered by a 22-jewel automatic movement that is made in house.  The case is 41 millimeters in diameter and 13 millimeters thick.  

Orient Ray 2 Dive Watch (Amazon Photo)

The unidirectional rotating bezel is precision made for precisely 120 clicks.  You will find a coin-edge bezel, but no cyclops over the date.  I like the cool logo, the in-house movement, and the bit of independence and brand value that Orient brings to the table.  The watch is also rated for a respectable 200 meters of water resistance.

Each of these watches evoke the classic dive watch from Rolex.  Yet, they are not counterfeit watches.  Like you, they are simply inspired by a classic design.  They show that you can have the Rolex look even if you don't have the Rolex wallet.

[This article was updated with new links and a new watch in June 2025. If the Rolex Explorer turns your head, check out this post on  affordable alternatives to the venerable Rolex design.]

Casio Marlin Dive Watch (MDV106-1AV): A Stainless Steel Bargain for Divers and Fisherman!

If you are the nautical-type--a diver, a fisherman, a surfer, or someone who likes the beach--you appreciate the look of a dive watch on your wrist.  From Jacques Cousteau to the local fisherman, nearly everyone associated with the sea has a dive watch or two.

Atlantic Blue Marlin

Unfortunately, the high dollar dive watches from Rolex tend to send messages to the populace like - I have money, overcharge me, rip me off, or mug me.  If you want an alternative that fits in everywhere you go, check out this quartz analog dive watch from Casio.  It's technically called the MDV106-1AV.  It's a catchy little moniker someone in marketing must have dreamed up.  Since it has a picture of a Marlin on it, I'll just call it the Casio Marlin Dive Watch.

Casio Marlin Dive Watch (MDV106-1AV)

The Casio Marlin Dive Watch isn't  a big clunker.  It has a 44 millimeter diameter case that is 12 millimeters thick.  The slim watch will fit under a shirt sleeve in the hot sun and it will be less likely to snag on a cleat, railing, or fishing pole.  It has 200 meters of water resistance and a rotating bezel that only rotates in one direction.  The case is stainless steel and the strap is resin.  In short, it looks like a dive watch should and it functions like a dive watch should.  Plus, it's priced right.  You can see the Walmart price in the picture below.  But, Amazon can have it shipped right to your house for the price below:
 
If you are looking for an affordable, durable, timepiece to accompany you on your aquatic adventures, this Casio Marlin is the one to get.  Catch this low key Casio Marlin and get back to fishing.

Striped Blue Marlin - photo by Kate Crandell (originally posted to Flickr as IMG_1958) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Three Affordable Diver Style Watches

Every man has an inner James Bond. That James Bond is evoked every time a man takes a glance at the dial of a dive or dive-style watch. While we all can't afford a Rolex Submariner on a NATO strap, there are plenty of other dive style watches that do fit our budgets. 

Rolex Submariner Watches - Photo by Eternalsleeper at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

Caravelle by Bulova Diver-Style Watch

The first dive-style watch that I added to my collection was this Caravelle by Bulova.  It's an awesome looking watch with the simple dial and rotating bezel that everyone likes.  Unfortunately, the rubber band used tends to deteriorate quickly and finding a replacement that doesn't cost more than the watch is a real challenge.

Caravelle by Bulova Diver-Style Watch

Fortunately, this watch (or one just like it), is available with a stainless steel band.  It makes perfect sense to have the dive look in a rugged package.

Pulsar Diver-Style Watch

If  you like a dive style watch with a black rubber strap, you might check out this Pulsar dive watch.  It gives you the classic look, a reputable watch manufacturer, and a strap in a standard size that you can easily replace when it gets worn out.

This black and business-like watch is Pulsar Model PXH227.  It offers 100 meters of water resistance so that you can actually get it wet and go snorkeling or swimming.

photo By Wusel007 (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Perhaps even better, is this Pulsar diver-style watch on Amazon with solar power and 100 meters of water resistance!

Casio Dive Watch 

If you want a great looking dive watch with 200 meters of water resistance and a great low price, you absolutely have to check out this Casio.

It features a Marlin on the dial and it looks great.  It also gets phenomenal ratings with 4 1/2 stars on Amazon.  Plus, it's priced lower than most of its competition!

Wristwatch Review: Pulsar PS9319 Diver-style Dress Watch

For Christmas 2014, my wife got me this nice Pulsar diver-style watch.  It's model PS9319 and she purchased it at Kohl's.  It was originally marked at $145, but with Kohl's sale price + a 30% off coupon + a $10 off coupon for watches over $50, the price came way, way, down to just over $60.

Pulsar PS9319 Diver-style Dress Watch

It's a well proportioned watch with nice readable markers and a panoramic date window that I don't need to squint to read.  The watch has a curved mineral crystal, a sunburst dial, and a brilliant blue dial color.  The case and bracelet are stainless steel and the watch is water resistant to 100 meters.  That's a lot to like about a reasonably priced watch from the Seiko family of watch companies.  The only downside to this watch is that it has a non-rotating bezel.  That could result in some burned pizzas.  On the plus side, the bezel can never be knocked askew and will always look great!

Initially, this Pulsar Men's PS9319 Quartz Watch was a little too large.  But, I removed a link using the Android watch repair kit that I won in a contest sponsored by my friends over at ZuluTimeZone.com.  With one link removed, the watch fits perfectly.

The watch has a 45 mm diameter case that is 11.65 mm thick.  That makes the watch just the right size for the office without being too heavy or too big.  The bracelet and case have an alternating high gloss shine and satin finish motif that makes the watch dressy enough for an office and rugged enough for casual wear.

Overall, I like this watch very much.  This Pulsar comes in with great looks, perfect proportions, and a very wearable weight.

Pulsar PS9319 Diver-style Dress Watch

Alternatives to Rolex and Omega Dive Watches

Rolex and Omega make some of the most prestigious dive watches in the world. They are legends and rightfully so. They are the watches that are synonymous with adventure. Many, many people want them. But, they cost more than most people can responsibly afford.

That high price opens the door to a lot of scams and a lot companies that make fake watches.  Over on my favorite watch board, we've been discussing an interesting scam to offer homage watches as part of funding a rather hair-brained scheme on kickstarter.  As a consumer, there is no reason to go down that road.  Fortunately, there are plenty of nice dive watches made by legitimate companies.

When the day comes for you to buy a real Rolex or a real Omega Seamaster, you'll be able to do so with pride and with your head held high because it will symbolize real achievement.

Momentum Torpedo Dive Watches

When I was checking out the exciting new Momentum Torpedo dive watches back into 2014, I noticed that the brand also carries some very nice looking traditional dive watches. 

A Momentum Torpedo Dive Watch

As of July 2025, the Momentum Torpedo Eclipse series of dive watches looks like a great value. You get a lot of popular dive watch features in this Momentum watch: 200 meters of water resistance, a screw-down crown, a mineral crystal, a stainless steel case and stainless steel uni-directional bezel, and a rubber or nylon NATO-style band. The hands and number indexes are luminous for low light conditions. The watch is driven by a a reliable Solar-Powered Japanese quartz movement. 

Momentum Torpedo Eclipse

 If you've been wanting a traditional dive watch, the Momentum Torpedo Eclipse might just fit the bill. You can find the Torpedo Eclipse here on Amazon.

Introducing the Momentum Torpedo Dive Watch

Twitter is a great place to learn about interesting watch brands and new watches.  Momentum is a brand that I just learned about.  If you are looking for a dive watch at an affordable price, the new Momentum Torpedo looks like the perfect choice.  It has a case made of solid 316L stainless steel with a manly brushed steel finish.

Since looks alone won't cut it in an unforgiving ocean, the Momentum Torpedo will have impressive specs.  It has a screw down crown and a screw-on back that combine to give give the watch 200 meters (660 feet) of water resistance.  Best of all, the Momentum Torpedo won't torpedo you financially.  The manufacturers suggested retail price is $99 with a NATO strap, $114 with a rubber dive strap, or $144.00 with a bracelet!

The Torpedo is going to hit some other targets as well.  The dimensions of the new Torpedo sound perfect.  The Momentum Torpedo will be a large watch, but not insanely large.  It will have a 47.99 millimeter diameter case (including the crown) and 44.15 mm diameter case every where else.  From lug to lug, the watch will be 50.50 mm.  The band will be a nice 22 millimeters wide.

It will be powered by a Japanese quartz movement and have an anticipated battery life of 3 to 5 years from a 371 silver oxide cell.  It will have a heat-tempered, anti-glare, mineral crystal and there will be an available sapphire upgrade.

Momentum will even have an all-lume dial variant to light up the night!

The Momentum Torpedo is now available at dealers now and on Amazon.com.

A Momentum Torpedo Watch

You can check out other Momentum Watches for Men on Amazon.

Affordable Dive Watches

Spring is sprung!  Summer is coming and it's time to think about trekking to the beach.  For those of us who like watches, spring is a good time to think about waterproof watches.  The Bureau of Fictional Internet Statistics reports that 85% of all stolen watches are taken from shoes left on the beach by swimmers.*  You can help cut that statistic by wearing a waterproof watch!  Fortunately, there are plenty of affordable diver-style watches that will fit the bill.  I've run down some of the brands that I know about here:

A Guide to Dive Watches Under $100

Since I wrote this article, I've learned  of another great watch brand that has a nice dive watch with a screw down crown and 200 meters of water resistance starting at $99.  If you'd like to learn about it, come back on Sunday!

Still the One: My Caravelle Diver-Style Watch

As Thanksgiving and Black Friday approach, I've been thinking a lot about which watch is my favorite and which watch makes the perfect holiday gift.  If I could only pick one watch, I'd have to go with my Caravelle.  It's got that diver-style look that everyone craves and it's backed by a respectable name - Bulova.  While it isn't an Omega, it's still the watch that I wear when I want to feel like James Bond for a Day.

Caravelle by Bulova Diver-Style watch

Since the holidays are almost here, I'll soon be sharing some of my articles on the best watches for various price ranges.

[2024 Update:  The Caravelle watches available today have changed alot since 2012.  I suspect that the rise of the omnipresent Smartphone has hurt the watch market a bit.  But, there always seems to be room for watches that bring a sense of style and identity to the wrist.  Lately, Caravelle has had some interesting new offerings.  I like the looks of this Retro Caravelle diver-style model.]

Caravelle Retro Diver-Style Watch