Much like rugby shirts and Converse Jack Purcells, the best dive watches were never really meant to be a flex. The modern dive watch was created in the 1950s to help SCUBA divers monitor their air supply (hence that rotating bezel around the dial), but it didn’t take long before non-divers who wanted a tough, reliable everyday watch got on board. Just like that rugby shirt, its functional design and solid build translated well to life on land, getting more ruggedly handsome with every knock and ding. And the fact that wearing one made you look like the kind of guy who spear fishes for snapper off Key Biscayne? Well, that didn’t hurt either. The same is true today as it was in the Jacques Cousteau era. Nowadays you can easily spend four or five figures on a dive watch, but the ones below offer nearly as much water-resistant functionality and an equal amount of seagoing swagger for far less money. We dove deep into the e-retail waters and surfaced with the 15 absolute best dive watches under $500.
Want to brush up on your terminology and find your next dream timepiece? Don’t miss GQ’s ultimate guide to watches for men.
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