Best Dive Watches Under $500 in 2026: 7 Current Picks

A dive watch needs more than a rotating bezel. For swimming, snorkelling and recreational diving, look for at least 200m of water resistance, a screw-down crown, a unidirectional bezel (it only turns one way, so a knock can only shorten your timed dive, never lengthen it) and luminous hands and markers you can read in dark water. ISO 6425 certification goes further: the watch is tested against a set of dive watch requirements, including water resistance, legibility and shock resistance.

This guide covers dive watches you can buy new for under $500 at the end of 2026. Two popular picks from older lists are no longer made: the Orient Mako II has been replaced by the Kamasu, and the Seiko SKX007 was discontinued in 2019. We have not tested these watches ourselves. Specifications come from the brands and retailers, and prices are typical US prices at the time of writing unless noted. In practice, most divers time their dives with a dive computer and treat the watch as a backup.

The Picks Compared

1. Citizen Promaster Dive BN0150: Best Overall

The BN0150 is the only watch here certified to ISO 6425, and it combines that with Citizen's Eco-Drive solar movement, so it never needs a battery change or winding in normal use. It has a screw-down crown, 200m water resistance and large luminous markers, and it keeps far better time than any mechanical watch on this list.

Trade-offs: the 44mm case is large for slim wrists, it usually comes on a rubber strap, and the crystal is mineral glass rather than sapphire. Prices have risen in recent years and now run from about $225 to $325.

Best for: Anyone who wants a real dive watch that needs no maintenance. See our Citizen Promaster Diver guide.

2. Orient Kamasu: Best Automatic

The Kamasu replaced the Mako II as Orient's affordable automatic diver and improved on it with a sapphire crystal. It has 200m water resistance, a screw-down crown and Orient's in-house F6922 movement, which can be hand wound and stops the seconds hand for setting. The 41.8mm case is 12.8mm thick.

Trade-offs: list prices vary widely between retailers, though it is often discounted below $375. Reviewers quote accuracy of around +10 to +15 seconds a day.

Best for: A mechanical dive watch with sapphire for less than $400.

3. Tissot Seastar 1000 Quartz: Most Water Resistance

The Seastar 1000 Quartz is rated to 300m, the highest here, with sapphire crystal, a screw-down crown and caseback, and a unidirectional bezel in a 40mm case. It uses Tissot's Swiss F06.412 quartz movement with a date.

Trade-offs: it sits at the very top of this budget. Tissot lists it at €495 in Germany and UK retailers at about £425. US prices depend on the dial and bracelet and can be close to or slightly above $500.

Best for: A Swiss quartz diver with the most depth rating for the money.

4. Bulova Marine Star Automatic 98B465: Sapphire and a Bolder Look

The Marine Star Automatic has a 41mm steel case, anti-reflective sapphire crystal, 200m water resistance and a Miyota 8215 automatic movement with about 42 hours of reserve. It comes on a rubber strap with a gradient dial and a two-tone bezel.

Trade-offs: the Miyota 8215 cannot stop its seconds hand for precise setting, and its bold styling is less versatile than the Kamasu. The list price is $495, but it is often sold for less.

Best for: A sapphire automatic diver with a sportier look.

5. Seiko 5 Sports SRPD: Dive Style for Daily Wear

The SRPD took over the SKX007's case shape when Seiko discontinued it. It has a 42.5mm case, 13.4mm thick, with a short 46mm lug-to-lug length, and the 4R36 automatic with hand winding.

Trade-offs: it is a dive-style watch rather than a dive watch. The crown does not screw down, water resistance is 100m and it has a display caseback, so it suits swimming but not scuba diving.

Best for: The look of a diver for everyday wear and swimming. See our Seiko 5 Sports SRPD guide.

6. Casio Duro MDV106: The Diver

For about $45, the Duro has 200m water resistance, a screw-down crown and a rotating bezel, with a quartz movement and a resin strap that suits the water.

Trade-offs: the bezel action is loose, the date magnifier is large and the mineral crystal scratches. It is not a certified dive watch.

Best for: Swimming, snorkelling and holidays on a small budget.

7. Casio G-Shock GW6900: Tough Digital

The GW6900 is not a traditional dive watch, but it is rated to 200m, charges by solar power and sets itself by radio signal. Its G-Shock case is built to survive drops and knocks.

Trade-offs: no rotating bezel, so you time a dive with the stopwatch, and at 17.7mm it is the thickest watch here.

Best for: Water sports and hard use where a digital display is more practical than a bezel.

Also Worth Knowing

• Seiko Prospex Turtle SRPE93: a certified Seiko diver that now lists at about $525 in the US, just over this budget. It is often found for less on the secondary market.
• Seiko SKX007: discontinued in 2019 and now sold used, often for more than its original price.
• Want the Submariner look specifically? See our Submariner alternatives under $500.

How to Choose

• Movement: solar quartz (Citizen, G-Shock) needs the least care; automatic (Kamasu, Bulova, Seiko 5) needs regular wear or winding and occasional servicing.
• Water resistance: 100m is enough for swimming. For scuba diving, choose 200m with a screw-down crown.
• Size: most dive watches are 40mm to 44mm. The Tissot and Kamasu suit slimmer wrists best here; the Citizen and Duro wear larger.
• Crystal: sapphire resists scratches far better than mineral glass. The Kamasu, Tissot and Bulova have it.

The Bottom Line

The Citizen Promaster Dive BN0150 is the most practical dive watch under $500, with ISO 6425 certification and solar power. The Orient Kamasu is the best automatic option, and the Tissot Seastar 1000 Quartz gives the highest water resistance if you can stretch to the top of the budget.

Sources

• Citizen Promaster Dive BN0150: Long Island Watch
• Orient Kamasu: Two Broke Watch Snobs review; Strapcode
• Tissot Seastar 1000 Quartz: WatchBase; Tissot
• Bulova Marine Star 98B465: Bulova; Kay
• Seiko 5 Sports SRPD: WatchBase
• Casio Duro MDV106: HiConsumption hands-on
• Casio G-Shock GW6900: G-Central specifications
• Seiko Prospex Turtle SRPE93: Exquisite Timepieces