Microbrand Dive Watches
I wanted to get fellow watch cruncher’s opinions. I’ve been thinking about getting a microbrand dive watch (dive style or proper diver watch). My biggest problem is getting them in hand. Here’s where you come in to help! Can you share your microbrand divers and your overall experience with them?
Some brands I’m looking at:
Christopher Ward
Baltic
Farer
Monta
Lorier
Traska
Dan Henry
Open to any and every suggestion!
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Kevin P
Welcome to my WatchCrunch profile.
Washington, USA
Member since
Last active: 15 hrs ago
6.75” / 17.15 cm
I have these two CW's and love them both.
C60 300 and C60 Atoll LE
Take a look at used prices and see what the best deals are in your area, that way if you buy it at a good price you should be able to sell it on without losing much. I get good deals on CW but monta are very expensive.
Unimatic, Zodiac and Christopher Ward
Check out Nodus! I had the Retrospect it was a very nice watch.
I don't own any myself, but Baltic have impressed me! Overall they are a little too vintage and a little too small for me, but I have my eyes set on the Tricompax Panda 🤤
That being said, if a little smaller and a little vintage is your style they're great value.
I have these two CW's and love them both.
C60 300 and C60 Atoll LE
oh nice! ive been eyeing the white atoll. how do you like them? pros and cons?
Unimatic, Zodiac and Christopher Ward
thats a nice three watch collection in itself
Not exactly a micro brand but the Bulova Mil Ships is the most interesting dive watch at micro brand money IMO.
thats a nice three watch collection in itself
Thank you!
I have the watch that you've chosen as your pic & I have nothing but good things to say about the watch itself & the brand in general.
For the money I think CW offers excellent quality & has a number of great looking watches to choose from. I've always been happy with any of the watches I've bought from them or pre-worn.
The other brands you ask about I'm afraid I have no experience of owning, so I'm sure there are others on here better qualified than me to offer a broader opinion than mine.
I Will definitely go for CW in the picture.
Zelos and Wise are also worth considering.
oh nice! ive been eyeing the white atoll. how do you like them? pros and cons?
Your big decision IMO on this CW watch is if this dial and look is right for you. I cannot tell you from my perspective any downside in terms of build quality.
Right and left ..not middle. Russian divers
Amphibious
Bulova precisionist
Casio Duro can be a good 1st choice
I love my lorier neptune IV 😍
I’ve had a lot of microbrand divers the ones I currently own are:
Christopher Ward C60 Sapphire
Not sure these guys still count as a microbrand but this is my favourite diver. Fits perfect looks fantastic.
Farer Leven II Titanium
A light nice titanium diver. Don’t get the bracelet as it feels cheap and is the most annoying to resize that I’ve had.
Clemence watches Photic Diver
A little harder to get hold of but if they could have put a date complication on this it would be my favourite. Punches well above it’s price point. Very well made currently running at +4.5s/d
Baltic Acquascaphe Bronze
great QC if I had to do this again I’d probably get the steel or ti version but a very good watch for the price.
Venezianico Nereide gmt Ceratung
Fits surprisingly well considering it’s 42mm size. If you want a diver gmt this is a good one, but if you don’t care about the gmt I’d go for the Chris Ward which is about the same price.
Smiths PRS58 Traveller
Fantastic at the price point but Timefactors are difficult to deal with and don’t pay flipper prices for it.
Norqain Adventure Chrono Day/Date
This might be out of budget but it is without a doubt the best dive style Chronograph I’ve come across.
I’ve had the Dan Henry 1970
To be honest it was okay but felt a little cheaper made. It is substantially cheaper than the others though so that may be okay with you.
Not into microbrands myself, but have had a couple. FWIW not all are equal, I've had Chris Ward and Zelos, the CW is leagues better by every metric.
I have the watch that you've chosen as your pic & I have nothing but good things to say about the watch itself & the brand in general.
For the money I think CW offers excellent quality & has a number of great looking watches to choose from. I've always been happy with any of the watches I've bought from them or pre-worn.
The other brands you ask about I'm afraid I have no experience of owning, so I'm sure there are others on here better qualified than me to offer a broader opinion than mine.
what a beauty
I’ve had a lot of microbrand divers the ones I currently own are:
Christopher Ward C60 Sapphire
Not sure these guys still count as a microbrand but this is my favourite diver. Fits perfect looks fantastic.
Farer Leven II Titanium
A light nice titanium diver. Don’t get the bracelet as it feels cheap and is the most annoying to resize that I’ve had.
Clemence watches Photic Diver
A little harder to get hold of but if they could have put a date complication on this it would be my favourite. Punches well above it’s price point. Very well made currently running at +4.5s/d
Baltic Acquascaphe Bronze
great QC if I had to do this again I’d probably get the steel or ti version but a very good watch for the price.
Venezianico Nereide gmt Ceratung
Fits surprisingly well considering it’s 42mm size. If you want a diver gmt this is a good one, but if you don’t care about the gmt I’d go for the Chris Ward which is about the same price.
Smiths PRS58 Traveller
Fantastic at the price point but Timefactors are difficult to deal with and don’t pay flipper prices for it.
Norqain Adventure Chrono Day/Date
This might be out of budget but it is without a doubt the best dive style Chronograph I’ve come across.
I’ve had the Dan Henry 1970
To be honest it was okay but felt a little cheaper made. It is substantially cheaper than the others though so that may be okay with you.
wow thanks for all the input. super helpful!
For those brands, you have to order them online from their website. The only microbrand I have experience with was Christopher Ward. I ordered to wat h during their pre-order, so it took longer for me to get mine than it would for you to get yours. As for the watches themselves, absolute bang for you buck
Also, they periodically send you a publication called Loupe. It'll give have some previews of their products
For those brands, you have to order them online from their website. The only microbrand I have experience with was Christopher Ward. I ordered to wat h during their pre-order, so it took longer for me to get mine than it would for you to get yours. As for the watches themselves, absolute bang for you buck
Also, they periodically send you a publication called Loupe. It'll give have some previews of their products
just requested the loupe!
Check out Nodus! I had the Retrospect it was a very nice watch.
Or perhaps a Sector deep.
Good list. I have only two, Helm and Maratac respectively. The Helm is ISO certified.
https://helmwatches.com/khuraburi.html
https://countycomm.com/collections/mechanical-watches/products/dual-crown-50atm-stainless-steel-diver-automatic-watch-with-date-bracelet-by-maratac
Good list. I have only two, Helm and Maratac respectively. The Helm is ISO certified.
https://helmwatches.com/khuraburi.html
https://countycomm.com/collections/mechanical-watches/products/dual-crown-50atm-stainless-steel-diver-automatic-watch-with-date-bracelet-by-maratac
I had the opportunity to buy the vanuatu but the timing wasnt right and put myself back on the waitlist.