Beyond the Hype: A Professional Diver’s Real-World Watch Collection
Ever wondered what watches genuinely stand up to the extreme demands of professional diving? In the video above, our colleague Ben Lowry, a former professional diver, takes us on an intimate journey through his collection, revealing the timepieces that accompanied him during his Coast Guard search and rescue missions and commercial diving career. This isn’t just about collecting; it’s about the tools that inspire confidence, offer reliability, and carry profound personal stories.
Ben’s narrative begins far from the ocean, growing up in the Midwest with a fascination for the deep sea, spurred by his father’s collection of books on diving and submersibles. This early curiosity propelled him into the Coast Guard, a pivotal step toward his destiny underwater. It was here that he first truly appreciated watches for their intended purpose, observing fellow servicemen rely on robust, water-resistant dive watches for missions at sea. His path soon led to commercial diving, a specialized trade requiring rigorous training and a different level of gear—including the watches on his wrist.
Seiko: The Foundation of a Diver’s Collection
For many watch enthusiasts, particularly those who started in the maritime environment, Seiko holds a special place. Ben’s journey mirrors this sentiment, beginning with the iconic **Seiko SKX007 and SKX009**. These models were more than just watches; they were rites of passage for aspiring watch enthusiasts. Their reputation for durability, affordability, and distinctive aesthetics made them a natural choice for life in uniform and underwater.
The SKX, however, proved to be merely the tip of the iceberg, opening a gateway to Seiko’s rich history of tool watches. Ben quickly delved into earlier references like the **Seiko 6309**, one of the brand’s pioneering cushion-case divers that entered production in **1976**. This watch, known for its distinctive four o’clock crown position and short lug-to-lug distance, is a genuine tool watch legend, frequently appearing in old photographs of divers and military personnel due to its comfort and resilience.
Beyond mechanical marvels, Ben also highlighted the practical advantages of Seiko’s quartz divers. Models like the **7548 reference** and the more robust **7C43**, his birth-year watch from **1987**, offered “grab-and-go” convenience and superior shock resistance crucial for demanding maritime environments. The 7C43, distinguished by its “Professional” text on the dial and L-shaped case back gasket (similar to the legendary Tuna), showcased Seiko’s commitment to high-spec quartz movements designed for serious use.
Challenging Water Resistance Myths with the Seiko 5 Sports GMT
Ben also shared an interesting anecdote regarding the **Seiko 5 Sports SSK001 GMT**. Despite not being an ISO-certified dive watch with its 100-meter water resistance and push-pull crown, Ben put it to the test on a scuba trip, diving to approximately **100 feet (about 30 meters)**. His experience highlighted a common misconception: watches with 100m water resistance are often perfectly capable of handling recreational diving depths, debunking the myth that only watches rated for extreme depths are suitable for any water activity. Professional diving, particularly inland commercial diving as Ben practiced, typically occurs at shallower depths, making a 1000-meter rating often more a marketing ploy than a practical necessity for most applications outside of specialized saturation diving.
Citizen: The Unsung Hero of Professional Diving
While some brands capture the collector’s eye with luxury, Citizen has long been a workhorse in professional diving circles. Ben underscored the widespread popularity of Citizen watches among divers, particularly the **Aqualand family**. Launched in **1985** with the C022 and C023, the original Aqualand introduced an integrated digital display alongside an analog one, providing vital information like depth readings and ascent alarms. This innovative design made it an omnipresent feature on the wrists of divers throughout the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s.
Ben’s own **Citizen JP2000-08E**, a modern reproduction of the classic Aqualand, has endured extensive diving with minimal signs of wear thanks to its robust plastic case. Furthermore, he showcased the equally impressive **Analog Aqualand**, which ingeniously crams a wealth of dive data, including real-time and maximum depth tracking, into an all-analog display using a five-hand center stack. This particular piece, an eBay find from a British military surplus supplier, carried extra significance, having been issued to British Royal Navy clearance divers, underscoring its genuine military provenance.
CWC Royal Navy Diver: Military Precision and Practicality
The discussion shifted to another serious military watch brand, **CWC (Cabot Watch Company)**. Following the departure of Rolex Military Submariners from British military issuance, CWC stepped in to provide a more cost-effective yet equally robust alternative. Ben highlighted his **CWC SBS Diver**, a blacked-out version supposedly commissioned by the elite Special Boat Service. This quartz-powered, no-nonsense tool watch exemplifies military-grade functionality, worn on a genuine British military-issued Phoenix nylon NATO strap.
Ben passionately defended the utility of the much-debated NATO strap, emphasizing its unparalleled adaptability for divers who might wear wetsuits, dry suits, or no suit at all. Its adjustable length and secure design make it a superior choice for real-world diving applications, even if it sometimes draws criticism from fashion-conscious enthusiasts.
Doxa and Zodiac: Iconic Dive History with Personal Connections
Dive watch history is incomplete without mention of **Doxa**. Ben’s **Doxa Sub 1200T**, a now-discontinued model with **1200 meters of water resistance** and a helium escape valve, holds immense personal value as his wedding watch from **2015**. Renowned for its association with Jacques Cousteau and featured prominently in Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt novels, Doxa is a brand steeped in ocean exploration lore. Ben’s choice of the black “Sharkhunter” dial over the more common orange “Professional” dial was a deliberate nod to Cousteau’s team and US Navy divers who favored this more subdued aesthetic.
Similarly, the **Zodiac Sea Wolf** stands as a peer among legendary dive watches like the Rolex Submariner and Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. Ben’s vintage example, a gift from his father and his actual wedding-day watch, is a smaller, often overlooked gem. Measuring around **35-36 millimeters**, its slim profile makes it an excellent “dress diver” with a rich history, showcasing Zodiac’s willingness to experiment with vibrant colorways, setting them apart from their more conservative counterparts.
The Scufra Diver One: A Watch That Cheated Death
Not all watches need to be expensive to carry profound stories. Ben’s **Scufra Diver One**, a watch he was wearing during a near-fatal incident in commercial diving, is a testament to this. Working in a river, arranging **4,000-pound** bags of rocks underwater, Ben narrowly escaped being crushed when a bag landed on his helmet. The **$200** Scufra, originally acquired for a review, became an indelible part of his personal narrative—a tangible reminder of survival and the harsh realities of professional diving. It underscores that true tool watches earn their stripes through experience, not just price tags.
Marathon GSAR: Customization for Comfort and Purpose
Ben’s military career, particularly his time in search and rescue, solidified his appreciation for robust timepieces. While G-Shock and Timex Ironman dominated military wrists, Ben, ever the watch nerd, sought out something different. He found it in **Marathon**, a brand often seen on the wrists of military divers.
Having owned six or seven Marathon watches over the years, including the quartz TSAR and the automatic GSAR, Ben found them to be near-perfect modern tool diving watches. However, a persistent issue was the prominent crown’s tendency to rub against the back of his hand, especially when working underwater. This led him to a unique modification: converting his GSAR into a “lefty” watch by rotating the movement with a special date wheel. This custom piece, featuring a white-on-black date disc, significantly improved comfort and added a distinct, personalized touch that Marathon, hopefully, will consider in the future.
Squale and Kirby Morgan: Brands Built by and for Divers
The practice of dive brands and shops commissioning watches from manufacturers in the 1960s and 70s holds a special allure for Ben. His **vintage Squale from the early 1970s**, co-signed with “Blandford SA” (a UK scuba diving supplier), perfectly embodies this era. Squale, a legitimate brand known for making cases for esteemed companies like Blancpain and Tag Heuer, created robust dive watches sold not in jewelry stores but alongside fins and masks in dive shops, solidifying their status as true tools.
Connecting gear directly to its pioneers, Ben also showcased a commemorative watch from **Kirby Morgan**, the brand responsible for **99%** of commercial diving helmets globally. This imposing **44-45mm, 1000-meter dive watch**, powered by a Selita movement, honors Bev Morgan, one of the company’s founders whom Ben had the privilege of meeting. It represents a deeper connection between the equipment that keeps divers alive and the legends who shaped the industry.
Sandoz and the Alang-A-Po Bracelet: A Nod to History on the Wrist
Finally, Ben shared the watch on his wrist: a **1970s Sandoz Submariner**. This early homage to the iconic Rolex Submariner, likely powered by an ETA automatic movement, possesses a unique charm with its ghosted bezel and glorious tritium aging. Its true distinction, however, lies in its bracelet: an **Alang-A-Po**.
These unique bracelets, still crafted by artisans in the Philippines, emerged from a trend where soldiers stopping in the Philippines during the Vietnam War would commission them for their watches. Known for their intricate designs and custom insignia, Ben’s Alang-A-Po features a diving helmet and crossed anchors, representing his past as a diver and his Coast Guard rating as a Boatswain’s Mate. While perhaps not the most comfortable, these bracelets are a captivating, often-overlooked piece of military and watch history, perfectly complementing the vintage aesthetic of watches from that era.
Dive Deeper: Professional Diver Watch Q&A
What kind of watches does a professional diver use?
Professional divers use robust and reliable watches that can withstand extreme underwater conditions. These watches are chosen for their durability, water resistance, and often carry personal significance from real-world diving experiences.
Are famous watch brands like Seiko and Citizen good for professional diving?
Yes, brands like Seiko and Citizen are highly regarded by professional divers. They are known for making durable and affordable dive watches that perform reliably in demanding maritime environments.
Do dive watches need to be rated for extremely deep water, like 1000 meters?
Not always. The article explains that watches with 100 meters of water resistance are often capable of handling recreational diving depths. Very high depth ratings can sometimes be more for marketing than practical necessity for most diving.
What is a NATO strap, and why might a diver use one?
A NATO strap is a type of durable, adjustable nylon watch band. Divers prefer it because its secure design and adjustable length make it practical for wearing over wetsuits or dry suits, providing reliable attachment in challenging conditions.
Can an inexpensive watch be considered a professional diver’s tool?
Yes, the article shows that even a $200 watch can be a professional diver’s tool if it performs reliably during challenging experiences. A watch earns its status through real-world use and survival, not just its price tag.