Invicta Pro Diver Review
Bought the Invicta Pro Diver a couple weeks ago because I was performing a little late night retail therapy and I've had a positive experience with my other Invicta. I wanted a Swiss movement and had recently read another review for the Pro Diver that was positive. It was essentially right next to the register and an impulse buy.
Over the last couple weeks, I've appreciated it for what it is; an inexpensive homage watch. Definite Rolex Submariner vibes from the watch.
It's been running great. Time still matches the time on my phone & computer since I first set it. If I didn't wear it, I kept it wound the entire time. The movement is a NH35, so a decent Japanese movement.
The watch has 200m WR rating. Didn't test it diving, but I did dip it into a glass of tap water for a few minutes and no bubbles came out.
Screw down crown, 2 positions for setting the date & the time. It does hack in the 2nd position.
40mm case size, 45mm lug to lug, 20mm lug width. Combined with the dial/bezel ratio, this wears smaller, more like a 38mm case. The pic above is on my 7.5"diameter/2.4" wide (191mm/60mm) wrist. Total weight: 5.29 ox or 155g on the bracelet. It wears very comfortably.
The clasp is a stamped metal double fold over style and is very secure. So secure that it is a little hard to get it undone.
I've never had a watch with a cyclops before and I probably will not again. The cyclops makes the date unreadable from all angles except for directly above it. Not a fan.
With it being an homage to the Submariner dive watch, it needs a rotating bezel. The bezel on mine does technically rotate, but not well at all. I have another Dive watch and the bezel on that turns so nice compared to the Invicta. I might tear off a nail trying to turn the bezel on the Invicta. It is one-directional like it should be.
Lume on the dial works pretty well. I did not test it extensively, but it seemed to work for the length of a movie at least.
Overall, would I buy it again? No.
Am I glad I bought it? Kind of. Mostly because I know now I'm not a fan of the cyclops from firsthand experience.
Invicta is a brand you sort of have to experience yourself at least once so you know WHY people try to warn you away from it.
The first reason is that most of their watches are so gaudy that even WAY out there drag queens avoid wearing them. This & the other Invicta I own are about as conservative of watches as you will find in Invicta's catalog, so they are wearable for most people.
The other reason is value. Are Invicta's a decent watch for the money? Sort of. You can spend a little more & get a more respected watch/brand like an Orient, or even a Seagull.
I'm going to slightly qualify my overall non-recommendation; my point of view on that is for watch enthusiasts and since I'm on a watch enthusiast forum, that's why I picked No.
If you want to buy this for a teenager, it probably makes sense simply because of the cost, but you can get them a G-Shock for approximately the same price. If they want the Subby homage, this is the easiest watch to scratch that itch at an affordable price for you or for them.
Edit: NH35 is a Seiko movement, not Swiss. Review has been updated. Strike one for my editor.
Invicta Pro Diver Review
Yes
No
- Price
- Clear Caseback
- Automatic Swiss Movement
- Bezel is difficult to turn
- Clasp is a hassle to open sometimes
- Cyclops
Long time watch appreciator, 2022 inductee into the obsession. Originator (or perpetrator depending on your point of view) of #WhimsicalWednesday, #MacroMay & #MacroMonday Omega Speedmaster simp. Like...
im sorry, from my understanding nh35 is a movement from seiko. its a japanese movement not swiss
The movement in the Invicta retails for from $50 to $60 so your not bad off. I put hands on mine and have different hands and dial on order. GS hands and a sterile GS dial with Invicta carved into the side will look cool.
im sorry, from my understanding nh35 is a movement from seiko. its a japanese movement not swiss
Oops. Thanks
The movement in the Invicta retails for from $50 to $60 so your not bad off. I put hands on mine and have different hands and dial on order. GS hands and a sterile GS dial with Invicta carved into the side will look cool.
I think we need to see a picture of that.
The movement in the Invicta retails for from $50 to $60 so your not bad off. I put hands on mine and have different hands and dial on order. GS hands and a sterile GS dial with Invicta carved into the side will look cool.
A mod would be a good idea at this point.
Yeah the cyclops is not good on my Pro Diver either! I like the watch, but it just makes me want to save up some cash and buy an actual Seiko diver tbh.
Amazon will sell the gilt version of this (gold hands and bezel) for cheap before Father's day. My beloved loves the 8927OB.
I've spent too much on Invicta yet each watch was worth the cost of admission. I won't get that money back, ever.
However I give away unwanted watches to relatives, especially nieces and nephews, and they love receiving them. Kept the colorways I love most.
Will I buy another Pro Diver? Well, a two-tone gold/stainless with a green dial is on the list. Cheers.
Amazon will sell the gilt version of this (gold hands and bezel) for cheap before Father's day. My beloved loves the 8927OB.
I've spent too much on Invicta yet each watch was worth the cost of admission. I won't get that money back, ever.
However I give away unwanted watches to relatives, especially nieces and nephews, and they love receiving them. Kept the colorways I love most.
Will I buy another Pro Diver? Well, a two-tone gold/stainless with a green dial is on the list. Cheers.
To each their own.
I prefer to use the money I would spend on Invicta on other brands now.
MTFBWY
I think over all that the Invicta is a good starting point for that someone just getting their feet wet in the vast expansion of horolagy it has a definite proven Japanes movement with nh35 and the vast selection of different styles of watches just enough to help someone decide if they may want to stay at this price point or to maybe move up the ladder a bit to the next level or brand without having to break the bank. Let's face it they're a lot of watch makers out there that don't care if their time pieces even keep the correct time and just because they look nice doesn't mean they function correctly just out to make a buck. So I commend Invicta for going that extra mile to making sure that persons experience in horolagy is a good one whether that customer chooses to just collect their brand or to expand into a more expensive brand that still keeps the same time and styles and in most cases even movements of the less expensive Invicta, let's face it Invicta is definitely a contender in the market with many styles to choose from all of which are at a price point anyone can start collecting, how many of your watch brands can say that? Hundreds compared to thousands a big difference. Think about it! We all need to start somewhere so why not an Invicta to start? Think of it as a step-by-step process for most of us we don't start off with a Mercedes or a rolls. But a lot more conservative as well as dependable toyota or chevy.
My first automatic watch was an Invicta Pro Diver 35701. I've had it since just before Christmas. It is a great watch for the money, around €90. It has spent the last couple of weeks in its box. I let the wind run down. I pulled it back out this morning, gave it a wind, set date & time, absolutely no problem. I would definitely recommend Invicta Pro Divers to those just testing the waters in this hobby.
Smallest Invicta watch part...