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today, everyone and anyone can "make" a dive watch. all you need is some money and a catalog.
this wasn't always the case... (pun intended) the gold standard in the past was a REAL 100m-300m proof dive watch from a reputable brand, most of which couldn't make a water proof case to save themselves. the seiko 150m diver was really more tool than dress, and perhaps necessarily priced that way too.
long ago... okay, not that long ago in the 90s, when people wanted a low profile, thin and well priced dress diver, i usually recommend tudor subs or omega seamaster pros (no PO and no co-ax in the past, just SEAMASTER).
today, the sub has been truly priced into rolex territory and the seamaster has all sorts of upgrades and offshoots that it too, is priced rather high - even the base model. pricing for the seamaster started creeping up in the late 90s i think, and the tudor probably early to mid 2000s.
the seiko marinemaster 300 was then what i recommended for a while but after having owned it, i found it to be quite thick (especially when paired with the original bracelet) due to its movement, despite it's monoblock case and really nice design.
but i've always felt the fact that it did not have a replaceable tube on a watch with a screw down crown will cause problems in the long run. so i stopped recommending it after i sold mine off.
but the MM300 too, has risen in price... by about $1k i think. as i'm not a seiko hater, what i now do is recommend a $150 seiko dive watch and tell them to buy another dress watch. but some people don't want two watches when they can have just one.
a dive instructor that sold me his watch asked what he should buy to replace his rolex... and i was momentarily at a loss as to what i should say. i told him i'll get back to him after some research.
after checking out websites, it seems there're two "decently priced" ($1k-$1.5k pre-owned) dive watches from a reputable company (no boutique brands, thank you) - the sinn U1 or the stowa prodiver.
i genuinely wanted to recommend him the U1T but it was quite a big watch, whether fully tegimented or not, so that was out. 1000m is really not necessary, whether you're a instructor or not. finally, even if it was properly sized, the price tag would be high if i add the bracelet price in.
the stowa prodiver... i'm unsure about it as i'm really not familiar with the brand but it comes well recommended by many on the internet. which is a problem in itself. the design however, seems too unique for the conservative and old instructor. he then told me second hand was preferred as long as it was serviced.
i ended up trawling sales forums and found a well priced (less than $1.5k with extract of archive, original warranty and service papers) 2892-based omega seamaster and a deal was struck.
i've had the opportunity thus, to examine a watch that i've not touched for a long time. thin. reliable. legible. quite good looking too.
the reason for this post is, i wonder why should people give boutique divers a go... to me it seems to lack the security a well established company provides with regards to the actual watch case - most movements used today are cheap to service and easy to replace.
a watch however, is only as reliable as the case itself. what do you do when you $2k boutique dive watch case has problems down the road?
the exception perhaps, may be MKII as they actually provide replacement cases and parts as part of your package on request (and at a price i guess?) - the onus however is on you and your wallet to make sure you buy the parts when they are available...
do you think people buy a watch today more for form than function? (what's "in" or fashionable now, eg bronze cases or 2000m watches, or 45mm cases or A LOT of tritium gas tubes...) and perhaps more companies are building using the form over function philosophy...?
it's kinda like the pre-quartz era all over again! things certainly look like they've come full circle. now, if i only can find a tudor sub for the same price as when they were sold new...
this wasn't always the case... (pun intended) the gold standard in the past was a REAL 100m-300m proof dive watch from a reputable brand, most of which couldn't make a water proof case to save themselves. the seiko 150m diver was really more tool than dress, and perhaps necessarily priced that way too.
long ago... okay, not that long ago in the 90s, when people wanted a low profile, thin and well priced dress diver, i usually recommend tudor subs or omega seamaster pros (no PO and no co-ax in the past, just SEAMASTER).
today, the sub has been truly priced into rolex territory and the seamaster has all sorts of upgrades and offshoots that it too, is priced rather high - even the base model. pricing for the seamaster started creeping up in the late 90s i think, and the tudor probably early to mid 2000s.
the seiko marinemaster 300 was then what i recommended for a while but after having owned it, i found it to be quite thick (especially when paired with the original bracelet) due to its movement, despite it's monoblock case and really nice design.
but i've always felt the fact that it did not have a replaceable tube on a watch with a screw down crown will cause problems in the long run. so i stopped recommending it after i sold mine off.
but the MM300 too, has risen in price... by about $1k i think. as i'm not a seiko hater, what i now do is recommend a $150 seiko dive watch and tell them to buy another dress watch. but some people don't want two watches when they can have just one.
a dive instructor that sold me his watch asked what he should buy to replace his rolex... and i was momentarily at a loss as to what i should say. i told him i'll get back to him after some research.
after checking out websites, it seems there're two "decently priced" ($1k-$1.5k pre-owned) dive watches from a reputable company (no boutique brands, thank you) - the sinn U1 or the stowa prodiver.
i genuinely wanted to recommend him the U1T but it was quite a big watch, whether fully tegimented or not, so that was out. 1000m is really not necessary, whether you're a instructor or not. finally, even if it was properly sized, the price tag would be high if i add the bracelet price in.
the stowa prodiver... i'm unsure about it as i'm really not familiar with the brand but it comes well recommended by many on the internet. which is a problem in itself. the design however, seems too unique for the conservative and old instructor. he then told me second hand was preferred as long as it was serviced.
i ended up trawling sales forums and found a well priced (less than $1.5k with extract of archive, original warranty and service papers) 2892-based omega seamaster and a deal was struck.
i've had the opportunity thus, to examine a watch that i've not touched for a long time. thin. reliable. legible. quite good looking too.
the reason for this post is, i wonder why should people give boutique divers a go... to me it seems to lack the security a well established company provides with regards to the actual watch case - most movements used today are cheap to service and easy to replace.
a watch however, is only as reliable as the case itself. what do you do when you $2k boutique dive watch case has problems down the road?
the exception perhaps, may be MKII as they actually provide replacement cases and parts as part of your package on request (and at a price i guess?) - the onus however is on you and your wallet to make sure you buy the parts when they are available...
do you think people buy a watch today more for form than function? (what's "in" or fashionable now, eg bronze cases or 2000m watches, or 45mm cases or A LOT of tritium gas tubes...) and perhaps more companies are building using the form over function philosophy...?
it's kinda like the pre-quartz era all over again! things certainly look like they've come full circle. now, if i only can find a tudor sub for the same price as when they were sold new...
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