I own a lot of watches. I’ve thinned the herd a bit but I still have a considerably large collection of watches with a heavy emphasis on divers.

Why does someone who doesn’t dive recreationally own divers? Because by design they tend to be robust, quality built watches with exquisite water resistance and an ability to take a beating. As an avid surfer, boater and off-road enthusiast the diver is quite alluring. Being powered by the ETA 2824-2 automatic mechanical (self winding) movement which for all intents and purposes is the small block Chevy/Ford of the watch world makes it a great performer and easy to tune/maintain.

Of all the brands I own there is one that manages to always find its way back onto my wrist and always manages to bring me considerable joy of ownership when being worn. My Doxa Sub 1200T Searambler. I like my Sub 5000T sharkhunter quite a bit too but the smaller Sub 1200T Searambler on a NATO strap is just perfect.

What is your favorite beater/well worn dive watch?

Like the OP, I'm not a diver though I appreciate the ruggedness of a quality dive watch. My 16610 Rolex Sub is my only watch. With few exceptions, I've worn it every day for over 22 years. Unless I'm performing a task where I know in advance there is a strong likelihood of it becoming damaged, it remains on my wrist. The bracelet is well worn though the watch itself displays only few dings here and there.

My most worn watch is also a dive watch. It is a Breitling Avenger II Seawolf with the yellow dial.
It also Has the ETA 2824-2 movement in it and it is a work horse. The watch is built like a tank and it is heavy however it is very comfortable to wear.
It is rated for 3000 meters but the most it has seen is going down a water slide on a cruise ship.
This is my go to watch whenever my wife and I go on vacation. She has the Breitling Supreocean II 36 that she wears when we go on vacation.

I rotate through my watches so all are equally worn. I have an Omega diver and a Reactor diver. The Omega is also a GMT so I give a nod to that one but I've had the Reactor much longer.

And I don't even swim much less dive. I tell people I bought the Reactor because it's suppose to allow me to dive down to 1,000 meters but I can't even swim with it.

I have a couple of dive watches, but when it comes to being well worn (or beaten), my two Casio G-Shocks have gotten all that attention, and a whole lot of it.

Of those rated at 300m or better I'd say my original October 2001 contract Marathon SAR and vintage 1975 Aquastar Benthos I are my fav diving watches.

I was issued a Marathon GSAR when I was in the CG. I wore it for years. I only retired it when Mrs. Mike gave me a Citizen Eco-Drive Garrison. I haven’t been diving since ‘99.



I love black faced dive watches and think the Rolex Submariner is the best of the best Sir! With honors. I like the simplicity and almost clean bezel.

If I won the lottery I’d get a Rolex Submariner…maybe with the date , maybe w/o .

My GSAR is a second best, and I’d never sell it… Not mine just a pic online.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MikeinNC,

From purely an aesthetic standpoint I think the previous generation Omega Seamaster Professional Chronograph (three sub dials) with the blue dial and the gorgeous Black and Yellow color way would be the watches I scooped up along with the current Gen with a silver dial if I won the lottery. (Only getting one wouldn’t work ) My first experience with Omega was BAD but the Chronograph Seamaster is VERY tempting.

Current favorite diver is my Christopher Ward Trident Pro 600. I forget if it is running an ETA 2824 or Sellita SW-200. Water resistance is 600m and has a ceramic bezel. Really good lume as well.

I have a Marathon J-SAR and a Rolex DSSD, and a few more in the collection.

I don't swim, so a diver watch for me is purely decoration, but I love big face, hefty wrist machinery. A couple of IWC divers and Seiko's and some that most folks have never heard of, like my latest two - a Spinnaker Piccard, and a Chris Lewiston Canister Field watch - one a veritable cartoon of a watch, the other a genuine workpiece.

Favorite beater?

It's a tie between my Marathon GSAR that I wear to work daily or the Christopher Ward GMT I wear most often when I'm off or traveling.

I have an Omega Seamaster that I love, but it has too much sentimental value to wear places where it might take abuse.

That Trident is a solid watch. I have one as well (slightly older model with the ceramic bezel but the old style hands) and it is WAY more watch than the price would suggest. Ward's fit and finish is outstanding. It's just slightly larger than I prefer when compared with the c65 based watches like my GMT.

My grail watch is a Rolex GMT with the Pepsi bezel. I'm not really a Rolex guy, but that watch has always had an affect on me. I blame Magnum PI. Sadly that one will most likely always be outside of my reach.

For an "actual" Diver I guess it would be this Seiko I was wearing for work prior to getting a Glycene:



If you broaden the definition a bit, my everyday when I'm not working is a Fortis B42 that's kind of getting up there in age... It definitely looks "well worn". Just an awesome chrono all around!



I am trying to talk myself out of ordering one of those Canister watches that got mentioned a couple weeks ago...

Bill R

That would be my Omega Seamaster. I prefer it on the bracelet, only because of the micro adjustment feature. This one gets worn the most, but it’s in constant rotation with my IWC.

I'll be That Guy

I used to be a NAUI Assistant Instructor but I don't do it anymore.

Still wear the watch I bought in 1978 though.

My Omega Seamaster 2254.50, purchased in 2003. It’s kept great time, well within COSC standards of -4/+6 sec/day. The illumination, which is the brightest I’ve ever seen, seems to be as bright as the day I bought it.

I'm not sure how many years I wore this one but it needs service and has been retired. Oh, no diver, either.

My daily wear is a Citizen Divers 200M (black) that I got from the one and only Dave Troung about 4 or 5 years ago. It replaced the same watch I had in blue that my wife lost when I handed it to her just before going under anesthesia.

Also have a 2 tone Rolex GMT(1981) with a jubilee band and a stainless Pepsi GMT (1961). These get worn occasionally but not near the water.

I've owned and worn this Rolex James Cameron Deep Sea Sea-Dweller for about three years now. There's other watch I own that I like and wear, but this one will be around as long as I am!