Scuba Diving Watches

Which is the Best Dive Watch: Analog or Digital

Scuba diving watches come in two basic types, analog and digital. Both types of watches will have a variety of features, looks and price tag.

Analog Scuba Diving Watches

Analog dive watches are the most popular type of scuba watch. Considered by many to be the classic dive watch, it makes a statement about what you do in your free time. Next time you are on the dive boat, see how many divers are wearing an analog scuba diver watch.

An analog dive watch has two distinct features. The first is a rotating bezel. This is the numbered ring around the face of the watch. The numbers are indicators used for tracking elapsed time underwater. For more information on bezels and how they work, visit our page about the basics of scuba dive watches.

Another defining feature of an analog dive watch is the face (display) of the watch. The face of an analog watch will have luminous numbers and indicators that represent hours, minutes and seconds. There will be two or three luminous sweep hands that will mark the hours, minutes and seconds.

• Automatic Dive Watches: You do not have to wind this type of analog watch or worry about a dive watch battery. The movement of your wrist will cause the mainspring (this is the thing that powers the watch) to be wound by mechanism inside the watch.




• Chronograph Dive Watch: The unique features of this type of dive watch are the small dials on the face of the watch. These dials (usually two or three) will track the elapsed time in hours, minutes and seconds. Much like a stopwatch, there is a button that will start and stop the timing function. There will be another button that will reset the dials to zero.

Some analog dive watches will have the ability to track dive depth, maximum depth and surface interval.

Digital Scuba Diving Watches

If you are looking for a cheap dive watch, then digital is the way to go. For the money, one of the best dive watches is the digital Casio G-Shock. You can find in with a price tag of under $ 100.00 (US). These Casio dive watches have all the features digital dive watches should have. They have a back light that makes it easy to read the display (face) of the watch in dim or no light situations, a stopwatch for tracking elapsed time, a count down timer and at least one alarm function. All of this is enclosed in a rugged, hard rubber case with a matching rubber dive watch band.

Of course, the more features digital scuba diving watches have, the bigger the price tag. The Citizen Eco-Drive dive watch is a good example. It has some great extra features, but it will cost you around $500.00 (US). Here are some of the features of this watch.

• 180 day power reserve



• Current depth digital display



• Depth display to 300 feet (10 bar)



• Measures depth and time of dive



• Measures maximum depth and duration of dive



• Dive log for up to 20 dives



• Auto start/stop dive mode



• Measures surface interval

These are really good extra features and can be found on many brands of digital dive watches. If you are looking for these features on a dive watch, plan on shelling out some cash. Scuba diving watches with these features run around $400.00 to $600.00.

Another feature to consider when you shop for dive watches is the material they are made of. A cheap dive watch is usually enclosed in a rubber case. More professional dive watches can have a case made of stainless steel or titanium. Many divers prefer a titanium dive watch because they are lighter and stronger than stainless steel and they are more resistant to corrosion. Both analog and digital dive watches can have a case or body made of titanium.

For information on the care and maintenance of dive watches, visit our page on thebasics of scuba dive watches. .

If you are shopping for dive watches, visit our online scuba gear store, and follow the link to see a great selection of scuba watches.

When you shop for dive watches, consider the one that best meets your diving needs. The basic function of scuba diving watches is to track your bottom time. Any other features are extra and will depend on your personal preference.