Offers
Sell
Exchange
Search
+44 844 247 8884
GBP
My Basket
Buy
Sell
Exchange
+44 844 247 8884
Help

Dive Watches

Created for diving professionals, dive watches boast high water resistance, highly legible dials and help tell divers how long they’ve been submerged for via a rotational bezel. They’re loved for their distinctive and robust design, making them one of the most popular watch genres around.

Read more
Filters
Filters
Brands
No matching results found
Popular Brands
  1. Rolex Rolex
  2. Breitling Breitling
  3. Omega Omega
  4. Tag Heuer Tag Heuer
  5. Panerai Panerai
  6. IWC IWC
  7. Tudor Tudor
  8. Cartier Cartier
  9. Hublot Hublot
  10. Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet
  11. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  12. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  13. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
All Brands
  1. Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet
  2. Ball Ball
  3. Baume et Mercier Baume et Mercier
  4. Bell and Ross Bell and Ross
  5. Breitling Breitling
  6. Bremont Bremont
  7. Bvlgari Bvlgari
  8. Carl F. Bucherer Carl F. Bucherer
  9. Cartier Cartier
  10. Chanel Chanel
  11. Chopard Chopard
  12. Eterna Eterna
  13. Franck Muller Franck Muller
  14. Frederique Constant Frederique Constant
  15. Girard Perregaux Girard Perregaux
  16. Graham Graham
  17. Grand Seiko Grand Seiko
  18. H. Moser and Cie H. Moser and Cie
  19. Hamilton Hamilton
  20. Hublot Hublot
  21. IWC IWC
  22. Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre
  23. JeanRichard JeanRichard
  24. Longines Longines
  25. Maurice Lacroix Maurice Lacroix
  26. Montblanc Montblanc
  27. Omega Omega
  28. Oris Oris
  29. Panerai Panerai
  30. Parmigiani Parmigiani
  31. Patek Philippe Patek Philippe
  32. Perrelet Perrelet
  33. Rado Rado
  34. Raymond Weil Raymond Weil
  35. Richard Mille Richard Mille
  36. Roger Dubuis Roger Dubuis
  37. Rolex Rolex
  38. Tag Heuer Tag Heuer
  39. Tissot Tissot
  40. Tudor Tudor
  41. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin
  42. Zenith Zenith
Series
Case Size
The size of a watch is very important for style and comfort. If you prefer an oversized watch like a Panerai Luminor, you’ll probably want Large. If you’re looking for something more discreet like a Rolex Lady Datejust, you’ll want Small. For everything in between, Medium.
Price
Min
£
-
Max
£
Year
More Filters
Stock Type
  1. Stock Stock
Case Material
  1. Bronze Bronze
  2. Carbon Carbon
  3. Ceramic Ceramic
  4. Platinum Platinum
  5. Rose Gold Rose Gold
  6. Silver Silver
  7. Steel Steel
  8. Steel & Rose Gold Steel & Rose Gold
  9. Steel & Rose Gold Plated Steel & Rose Gold Plated
  10. Steel & White Gold Steel & White Gold
  11. Steel & Yellow Gold Steel & Yellow Gold
  12. Steel & Yellow Gold Plated Steel & Yellow Gold Plated
  13. Titanium Titanium
  14. White Gold White Gold
  15. Yellow Gold Yellow Gold
  16. Yellow Gold Plated Yellow Gold Plated
Dial Colour
Black
Blue
Bronze
Brown
Champagne
Diamond
Green
Grey
Ivory
Orange
Pink
Red
Salmon
Silver
Specialised
White
Yellow
Strap
  1. Bracelet Bracelet
  2. Fabric Fabric
  3. Leather Leather
  4. Rubber Rubber
Box and Papers
  1. Original box Original box
  1. Original papers Original papers
Movement
A mechanical watch is powered by a spring. Manual mechanical watches must be hand wound. Automatic watches are also mechanical, and are wound by a weight that spins with the wearer's movements. A quartz watch is battery powered and extremely accurate.
  1. Automatic Automatic
  2. Manual Manual
  3. Quartz Quartz
Promotion
Limited Edition
  1. Limited Edition Limited Edition
Reset Results (1036)
Results (1,036)
Sort
Rolex Day-Date II 218239 267700

Rolex
Day-Date II
218239

Box
Papers
Year 2011
£27,335
Rolex Deepsea 126660 - (D'Blue) 267016
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Deepsea
126660 - (D'Blue)

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£12,355
Rolex Deepsea 116660 278793

Rolex
Deepsea
116660

Box
Papers
Year 2014
£9,180
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116680 275305

Rolex
Yacht-Master II
116680

Box
Papers
Year 2018
£13,610
Breitling Chronomat AB0115 269747

Breitling
Chronomat
AB0115

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£5,055
Rolex Explorer 40 224270 279015
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Explorer 40
224270

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£7,250
Rolex Deepsea 116660 272219

Rolex
Deepsea
116660

Box
Papers
Year 2013
£9,180
Breitling Chronomat Evolution B13356 270604

Breitling
Chronomat Evolution
B13356

Box
Papers
Year 2007
£3,930
Rolex Explorer 40 224270 281465
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Explorer 40
224270

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£7,750
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116680 278093

Rolex
Yacht-Master II
116680

Box
Papers
Year 2019
£14,030
Rolex Datejust Lady 31 278240 267259
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust Lady 31
278240

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£6,890
Rolex Deepsea 126660 - (D'Blue) 280558

Rolex
Deepsea
126660 - (D'Blue)

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£12,735
Rolex Datejust 41 126300 280382
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust 41
126300

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£8,385
Rolex Sky-Dweller 326934 279290

Rolex
Sky-Dweller
326934

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£18,190
Rolex Datejust 41 126334 280229

Rolex
Datejust 41
126334

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£9,260
Rolex Explorer II 16570 272841

Rolex
Explorer II
16570

Box
Papers
Year 2004
£7,030
Rolex Datejust 41 126331 271818

Rolex
Datejust 41
126331

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£9,735
Rolex Datejust 41 126300 278848
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust 41
126300

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£9,840
Breitling SuperOcean Chrono A13340 270190

Breitling
SuperOcean Chrono
A13340

Box
Papers
Year 2012
£2,575
Breitling Super Avenger A13370 281623

Breitling
Super Avenger
A13370

Box
Papers
Year 2012
£2,950
Rolex Datejust Lady 69173 269496
Vintage

Rolex
Datejust Lady
69173

Box
Papers
Year 1996
£3,695
Rolex Deepsea 116660 266136

Rolex
Deepsea
116660

Box
Papers
Year 2008
£8,650
Rolex Datejust Lady 179171 258261

Rolex
Datejust Lady
179171

Box
Papers
Year 2005
£7,450
Rolex Datejust Lady 31 278274 279295
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Datejust Lady 31
278274

Box
Papers
Year 2021
£6,870
Rolex Sky-Dweller 326935 275373
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Sky-Dweller
326935

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£34,970
Rolex Datejust Lady 79173 263742

Rolex
Datejust Lady
79173

Box
Papers
Year 2001
£3,750
Breitling Aerospace E79362 275523

Breitling
Aerospace
E79362

Box
Papers
Year 2009
£2,340
Breitling Callistino D52043 260593

Breitling
Callistino
D52043

Box
Papers
Year 2002
£1,735
Rolex Datejust Lady 69173 266593
Vintage

Rolex
Datejust Lady
69173

Box
Papers
Year 1989
£4,100
Rolex Datejust Lady 31 178241 273451

Rolex
Datejust Lady 31
178241

Box
Papers
Year 2015
£7,745
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116689 246161

Rolex
Yacht-Master II
116689

Box
Papers
Year 2010
£25,170
Rolex Datejust Lady 31 178344 277615

Rolex
Datejust Lady 31
178344

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£12,950
Rolex Datejust Lady 79160 272851

Rolex
Datejust Lady
79160

Box
Papers
Year 2006
£3,720
Breitling Premier A13315 273437

Breitling
Premier
A13315

Box
Papers
Year 2020
£4,025
Rolex Datejust Lady 69160 269142
Vintage

Rolex
Datejust Lady
69160

Box
Papers
Year 1997
£3,940
Rolex Explorer II 226570 282780
Manufacturer's Warranty

Rolex
Explorer II
226570

Box
Papers
Year 2023
£8,800
Breitling Chronomat AB0115 254316

Breitling
Chronomat
AB0115

Box
Papers
Year 2018
£4,950
Rolex Yacht-Master II 116680 275509

Rolex
Yacht-Master II
116680

Box
Papers
Year 2017
£12,885
Rolex Datejust Lady 179171 275197

Rolex
Datejust Lady
179171

Box
Papers
Year 2011
£6,825
Rolex Datejust Lady 79174 269132

Rolex
Datejust Lady
79174

Box
Papers
Year 2002
£4,780
Rolex Datejust Lady 79174 269746

Rolex
Datejust Lady
79174

Box
Papers
Year 2004
£5,140
Rolex Explorer II 16570 260337

Rolex
Explorer II
16570

Box
Papers
Year 2005
£8,115

Dive Watches

History

The dive watch, a symbol of adventure and resilience, has a rich and exciting history that stretches back to 1927 when Rolex launched its Oyster model. This innovative watch, with its screw-down case and crown, is considered the first fully water-resistant wristwatch.

Famously, it was worn that year by a young swimmer called Mercedes Gleitz who was the first woman to swim the English Channel. To advertise the feat—and the capabilities of its latest watch—Rolex bought the front page of the most widely read British newspaper of the time, the Daily Mail.

Rolex went on to supply movements to Panerai, who developed the dive watch further with the specialist timepieces they made for the frogmen of the Italian navy in the late 1930s. These early dive watches had a water resistance of 30 metres—unimpressive by today’s standards which requires a dive watch to have a minimum water resistance of 100 metres.

By the mid-1950s, scuba-diving was a popular worldwide pastime due to the invention of the aqualung a decade earlier. This led to a spate of similar-looking dive watches like Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms, which featured the first rotating bezel—enabling divers to accurately measure immersion time—and the Rolex Submariner. Both these watches were water-resistant to 100 metres, while the Zodiac Sea Wolf, released shortly afterwards, doubled this to 200 metres.

In the decades since, dive watches have become more and more capable of withstanding extreme water pressure. In 2012, Rolex launched its Deepsea Challenge model which boasted an incredible 12,000 metres water resistance. In the same year it was attached to a submersible that Hollywood director James Cameron piloted to the deepest part of the world’s oceans—the Marianas Trench—to a depth of 10,898 metres, surviving the ordeal unscathed.

Key features

Today, dive watches continue to push boundaries, incorporating advanced technologies and materials such as helium escape valves, luminescent dials, and enhanced water resistance.

What sets dive watches apart from other timepieces? Let's look at what makes a dive watch unique, designed specifically for the rigours of underwater exploration.

Firstly, their exceptional water resistance is critical. Unlike standard watches, dive watches can withstand the extreme conditions of deep-sea diving, with a water resistance rating of at least 100 metres and many capable of depths up to 300 metres or much more.

Additional features of a dive watch include a unidirectional rotating bezel for tracking immersion time, bold luminous markers and hands for good visibility in murky conditions, and a helium escape valve to prevent damage during decompression. Most dive watches don’t have the latter as they are only of use in saturation diving when a diver spends time in a decompression chamber.

Some diving watches even incorporate helium-filled cases and built-in depth gauges, allowing divers to monitor their current depth without the need for additional equipment. These features make dive watches a useful tool for underwater exploration, although in an age of wearable dive computers they are more often now used as a back-up option.

One thing every mechanical dive watch must have is a constantly running seconds hand, or some kind of display indicating the watch is running that can be viewed in total darkness.

The science of water Resistance in dive watches

Water resistance is a vital feature of a dive watch. Special seals and gaskets prevent water infiltration, while robust materials like stainless steel or titanium ensure durability and resistance to corrosion. Rigorous testing verifies a dive watch's ability to withstand different pressures and temperatures, simulating the conditions encountered underwater.

Water resistance is measured in metres or bar units, indicating the depth to which the watch can be submerged safely. It's worth noting that factors such as water temperature and movement can affect a diving watch's performance underwater.

Popular dive watch models

The Rolex Submariner is a classic choice, renowned for its robustness and precision, and capable of withstanding depths of up to 300 metres. It was famously worn by James Bond until the 1990s when he swapped one dive watch for another: the equally iconic Omega Seamaster.

Other enduring models that are as timeless as they are stylish include the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, Breitling Superocean, Panerai Luminor and IWC Aquatimer. Fellow Swiss brands Tudor and TAG Heuer offer more affordable choices like the Black Bay and Aquaracer, respectively.

At Watchfinder, we offer a vast selection of pre-owned luxury dive watches from all of the aforementioned brands, from Rolex to IWC, catering to every budget and taste. Explore our collection and discover the exceptional craftsmanship and performance of these remarkable watches.

Read more