$5,000. A lotta money. For $5k, your watch better tell the time real good.
Well, the good news is that it almost certainly will. $5,000 is well into entry-level luxury territory — and by that admittedly arbitrary term, we mean that you can absolutely buy a great watch from a blue chip Swiss, German, Japanese or American brand that will last you a lifetime. In fact, it'll probably last well beyond your lifetime, and your kids and grandkids will be enjoying it many decades hence.
Though you're not quite in Rolex Submariner or Omega Seamaster Diver 300 territory yet (at least on a bracelet — you can get the latter on rubber for under $5k!), there are plenty of other options from big names that come in below the $5,000 mark that deserve your attention. All these watches have premium and necessary features such as screw-down crowns, sapphire crystals, unidirectional rotating dive bezels and powerful lume. Better yet, each comes with a great warranty.
So without further ado, here are some of the best divers under $5k. Happy diving!
Sinn EZM3 3
You're getting so much watch when you buy a Sinn that it makes you look around, wondering if you're doing something illegal. The EZM 3 is perhaps the German company's most badass watch: a specialized diver configured with the crown on the left so as not to dig into the wrist or foul equipment, it features an antimagnetic case, an inert gas-filled cavity with a dehumidifier capsule to prevent fogging and "special micro-lubricating techniques allows for operation down to -45 degrees centigrade." Oh, and it also tells the time.
Diameter: 41mm
Movement: ETA 2824-2 automatic
Water Resistance: 500m
Price: $2,280
TAG Heuer Aquaracer
If you're looking for something that's gonna catch people's eye, look no further — the oversized case (43mm) and striking blue sunray dial on this Aquaracer should do the trick nicely. Outfitted with TAG's Sellita/ETA-based Calibre 5 movement with 38 hours of power reserve, it features genuine good looks and a wildly cool matching bezel with "tortoise shell" effect. And with 300m of water resistance, it's more than adequate for all your diving needs.
Diameter: 43mm
Movement: TAG Heuer Calibre 5 automatic
Water Resistance: 300m
Price: $2,700
Longines Legend Diver Bronze
Longines sells a hell of a watch for the money. In this case, you're getting a bronze-cased version of their famous vintage reissue, which they've dubbed the Legend Diver. This 42mm watch encompasses a dual-crown design (one to set the time, the other to control the inner bezel), a funky green dial, an automatic Swiss movement and two straps (one leather, and one NATO). If you like your dive watches full-retro, then it pays to look into the Longines catalog.
Diameter: 42mm
Movement: Longines L888 automatic (ETA base)
Water Resistance: 300m
Price: $3,000
Breitling Superocean Automatic 42
If classic dive watch styling is more your thing, than you could do much worse than the Breitling Superocean Series. This 42mm version is kitted out with an automatic, chronometer-certified movement, an impressive 500m of water resistance, and matching steel bracelet. Its oversized Arabic indices doused in Super-LumiNova should be hard to miss underwater, and you also get a handy date complication at 3 o'clock. In short, if you're a fan of the Submariner but don't want to spend that kind of money, you should definitely look here.
Diameter: 42mm
Movement: Breitling cal. 17 automatic
Water Resistance: 500m
Price: $3,950
Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver Black Matte
If you dig Bell & Ross's aviation-themed, instrument panel aesthetic but want it in a diver package, well, you're in luck — it certainly exists, and in multiple iterations. One of the coolest of these is the Black Matte model, which makes use of a ceramic case, black dial and matching black bezel for a cool, tactical effect that wouldn't look out of place on an aircraft carrier. 42mm in diameter and outfitted with a Swiss automatic movement, this is the perfect diver for someone interested in a military vibe.
Diameter: 42mm
Movement: Bell & Ross BR-CAL.302 automatic (Sellita base)
Water Resistance: 300m
Price: $3,990
Oris Carl Brashear Caliber 401 Limited Edition
This special limited edition is part of a collection honoring diving legend Carl Brashear, the first African American man to graduate from the U.S. Navy Diving & Salvage School in 1954. It features a 40mm bronze case and is the first Oris diver to house an in-house movement, the Caliber 401, which has an impressive 5-day power reserve, antimagnetic properties and and a small seconds display at six o'clock. Shipping on a strap from Erika's Originals that mimics old Marine Nationale fabric models, it's a striking, value-packed watch that honors the legacy of a trailblazer.
Diameter: 40mm
Movement: Oris Caliber 401 automatic
Water Resistance: 100m
Price: $4,200
Tudor Pelagos
Few modern watches exhibit more serious diver cred than Tudor's Pelagos. Though it makes use of the brand's famous "snowflake" handset, this thing is otherwise fully in the 21st century: it's got a titanium/steel case, one of the best dive bracelets on the market, an in-house, chronometer-certified Tudor movement with 70 hours of power reserve, 500m of water resistance, a helium escape valve...need we go on? Oh, and it also comes in black, and even a lefty configuration.
Diameter: 42mm
Movement: Tudor cal. MT5612 automatic
Water Resistance: 500m
Price: $4,575
Doxa Sub 300 Carbon Aqua Lung US Divers Sharkhunter
A special edition, all-black Sub 300 made in partnership with Aqualung, this is easily one of the coolest dive watches on the market right now, full stop. It features a 42.5mm carbon case, a COSC-certified version of the Swiss automatic ETA 2824-2 movement, a matching black rubber strap and Doxa's famous decompression bezel in black, white and yellow. And 300m of water resistance ensures you can go as deep as you like.
Diameter: 42.5mm
Movement: ETA 2824-2 automatic (COSC-certified)
Water Resistance: 300m
Price: $4,790
Omega Seamaster Diver 300
I mean, what else could you possibly want for under $5,000? You're getting an in-house, co-axial, master chronometer-certified movement from one of the best watchmakers in the world, plus a helium escape valve, a domed, sapphire crystal with antireflective treatment on both sides, a gorgeous wave dial with date complication at six o'clock, and a comfortable rubber strap. So long as you can pull off a 42mm case, this is an easy recommendation.
Diameter: 42mm
Movement: Omega cal. 8800 automatic
Water Resistance: 300m
Price: $4,900
Bremont S501/BR
Named in honor of the iconic British aircraft manufacturer of the WWII-era Spitfire, the Supermarine is Bremont's first and most well known diver. With its offset crown, Swiss automatic movement and matching bracelet, it's certainly a handsome, useful watch, but the true interest lies in its construction: the 43mm Trip-Tick, three-part case is designed by Bremont and makes for easier service in the event that only one part of the case needs attention or replacing.
Diameter: 43mm
Movement: Bremont cal. BE-92AE automatic (ETA base)
Water Resistance: 300m
Price: $4,995
