Best Dive Watch For Small Wrist

The underwater experience has never been the same since dive watches were invented. Although they were made initially for the simple task of telling time underwater, recent brands have included essential mechanical tracking and health monitoring features for divers.

Since diving watches typically have a rugged and masculine design, they are made to accommodate the thick wrists of average men. So, if you’ve got smaller wrists, you may find getting a suitable diving watch challenging. 

To find the best dive watches for your small wrist, read our top picks for the type of watches that will fit your small wrist, and learn how large a watch should be.

Best Dive Watch for Small Wrist

1. Pantor Seahorse Pro Diver

Product Description

This Pantor Seahorse Pro Diver is one of the great options for divers with a limited budget. This watch has impressive specs and features for a small wristwatch, especially since most diving watches with similar specs come in bulky designs.

Additionally, this diver’s watch is water resistant to up to 1000 meters, has strong stainless steel straps, and a helium valve for helium to be safely released.

The hands and dial have a Swiss C3 SuperLumiNova that offers a beautiful glow in the dark, giving you enough lumination to see your wristwatch underwater.

With a watch screen of just 33 millimeters and an elegant design, this product is an excellent choice for divers with a smaller wrist.

Pros

  • Illuminated hands and dial
  • Accurate mechanism
  • 1000m water resistance
  • 33mm watch screen
  • Durable 
  • Lightweight 

Cons

  • Unreliable screw-down crown
  • Expensive

Interested in this product? Click here!

2. Tudor Submariner Reference 75190 (Mid Size)

Product Description

This domed sapphire crystal watch is one of the best dive watches on the market and is similar to the Tudor Black Bay. 

This original watch features a unidirectional bezel which is usually safer for divers as it prevents accidental turning of the bezel.

With a 200-meter water-resistance level, this watch has a twin lock winding crown to ensure that water doesn’t get into your wristwatch.

In addition, the casing and straps have an elegant design with polished stainless steel material. Meanwhile, the movement is the Tudor-signed ETA self-winding caliber 2824-2, with a power reserve of up to 42 hours.

Although the 39-millimeter diving watch has a vintage design, Tudor included a modern look by adding Super-LumiNova hands and a dial for some glow in the dark.

But most importantly, this watch gives excellent value for an affordable price compared to other luxury watches. It is a classic blend of vintage and modern diving watches for the small wristed among us.

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Matte dial with polished stainless steel
  • Luminous hands
  • Classy vintage design
  • Scratch-resistant
  • Bold display

Cons

  • Stainless steel bracelet needs improvement.

Interested in this watch? Click here!

3. Davos Ternos Professional Watch

Product Description

For this level of quality, one might even say this timepiece is underpriced. This automatic diving watch has a medium-sized 42-millimeter diameter that is perfect for any wrist between seven to 12 inches.

Moreover, it has a stainless steel casing, bracelet, precise mechanism, and a fine finish. The water resistance level is 500 meters or 660 feet and has an impressive two-year warranty policy.

Since this diving watch has an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, you may assume it would be difficult to see through under bright light, but do not worry.

Lastly, it also has an automatic helium escape valve, luminous hands, screw pins, and a two-tone ceramic rotating bezel, making it more convenient to press, unlike steel.

Pros

  • Anti-reflective sapphire crystal glass
  • Two-year warranty policy
  • Accurate mechanism
  • Long-lasting build
  • Ceramic rotating bezel

Cons

  • The luminous hands only last for a couple of minutes.

Interested in this product? Click here!

4. Longines Hydroquest Diver Watch

Product Description

As always, you can trust Longines to get it right regarding aesthetically pleasing products in the luxury watch market. Plus, the five-year warranty policy for this is undoubtedly mouth-watering.

This diving watch has a sophisticated look with functional performance. Moreover, it has a water resistance level of 300 meters with a diameter of 39 millimeters.

This elegant design is a testament to Longines’s rich history and style. Meanwhile, its figures come coated using a Super LumiNova finishing, and its black rotating bezel is unidirectional.

Lastly, its sapphire crystal glass is scratch-resistant and treated with an anti-reflective coating. Its beautiful polished stainless steel bracelet is also a great fashion accessory.

Pros

  • Anti-reflective sapphire crystal
  • Elegant 
  • Scratch-resistant glass
  • Illuminated hands and Arabic numerals
  • Impressive five-year warranty policy
  • Affordable
  • Lightweight 

Cons

  • Hand indicating seconds has no lume
  • Jutting crown

Interested in this product? Click here to buy it!

5. Vintage Oris Diver Super Star

Product Description

The Vintage Oris Diver Super Star is one of the market’s most rugged vintage diving watches. This watch was made in 1960 and had a refined antique design with modern functionality. 

Its 36-millimeter diameter makes it an excellent option for small wrists. Also, it comes with a durable bracelet made with textile and a case material made with stainless steel.

Like the Oris Divers Sixty-five, another functional vintage watch from this brand, it has a manual winding movement, a classic representation of its vintage era.

Lastly, the case material is chrome plated and has a black dial. So if you’re out for a functional vintage diving watch with good value, you should try this watch.

Pros

  • Lovely vintage design
  • Modern functions
  • Functional
  • Lightweight 

Cons

  • Scarce to find
  • Old
  • No warranty policy

Interested in this watch? Click here to buy it!

6. Omega SeaMaster 36.25 MM Diver 300M

Product Description

This quintessential dive watch from Omega is an excellent option for lovers of luxury watches. This watch features hands and a bright and illuminated dial, which tends to last long.

Additionally, it uses the omega caliber 1538 movement, which features +12 seconds yearly. Since it’s a quartz watch, you can expect more accuracy than a regular mechanical timepiece.

Moreover, it has a jump hour section that gives you room to switch time zones if you ever need to. The lightweight design and small diameter of about 36 millimeters mean it’s an excellent option for small wrists. 

Lastly, the Omega Seamaster has a water resistance level of 300 meters or 660 feet and a helium escape valve just by the side.

Pros

  • Jump-Hour Feature
  • Accurate
  • Durable
  • Luminous hands
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Helium escape valve is barely functional
  • Rotating bezel could use some improvement

Interested in this watch? Click here! 

7. Rolex Yacht-Master 37

Product Description

This diver’s watch holds a high historical value in watchmaking that cannot be erased. 

The Rolex Yacht-Master 37 has a bold display with a matte background, making the watch’s hands and figures stand out. Moreover, its magnifying lens makes the display clearer and more daring, making it easier to read.

Furthermore, the bidirectional rotating bezel is made from platinum, making it less prone to scratches. Plus, it gives the diver an exceptional 360 degrees of flexibility concerning timing. 

With its beautiful oyster bracelet, this self-winding automatic watch has a 2236 movement certified by the COSC, the institute that certifies chronometer movements in Switzerland.

Pros

  • Durable
  • Magnifying lens
  • Matte background for bolder display
  • Accurate movement
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Expensive

Interested in this product? Click here!

What to Look For in a Dive Watch for Small Wrist?

Best Dive Watch For Small Wrist

To select the best watches for a good diving experience, you have to consider the following factors:

1. Water Resistance

When a diving watch has up to 100 meters of water resistance, it means that it is suitable for you to go swimming up to 330 feet deep. Anything less makes it an unsuitable option.

Most diving watches typically have 200 to 300 meters of water resistance and can go as deep as 660 to 990 feet, which makes them suitable for various water sporting activities.

The most suitable watches for diving are those between 500 meters to 1000 meters and can go from 1650 feet deep to 3300 feet.

2. Luminous Hands

Since it can get pretty dark underwater, you cannot see your watch screen unless your watch is adequately illuminated.

Therefore, a good diving watch should have luminous hands and figures to tell the time quickly.

Diving watches also have an illuminated dot on the 12 o’clock marker to make the structure of the watch clearer if you ever get confused.

3. ISO Certification

The essence of an ISO certification is that the watch has been duly tested and subjected to high-level procedures to guarantee its abilities.

Its ISO 6425 testing is the standard test for a diving watch. Any watch that passes its test can inscribe the word “diver” on the watch dial.

However, luxury brands do their tests sometimes, so some of their diving watches may not have this inscription.

4. Rotating Bezel

A rotating bezel helps the diver to tell the time easily underwater. As it rotates into its 60 sections, the diver can tell how many minutes have passed since he went underneath.

Using this, the diver can calculate how much air supply he has left and when he should begin his ascent back to the surface.

A diver’s watch may have a unidirectional or a bidirectional rotating bezel.

While a unidirectional bezel emphasizes accurate timing, a bidirectional bezel gives more room for 360-degree flexibility.

A malfunctioning bezel would be devastating for the diver because it takes away the ability to calculate how many minutes he has spent underwater.

4. Durability

Due to the pressure the watch would be subjected to. You need a diver to watch with a rugged build that can survive high-impact underwater activities.

The watch’s straps must be firm and made with suitable materials that can withstand underwater pressure, such as rubber or titanium.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a 36-millimeter dive watch too small?

Most of the relevant features you need for diving watches would make the timepiece bulky, so finding a small diving watch that performs optimally may be challenging.

The recommended size for a small diving watch would be anything from 34 to 42 millimeters. Anything below this would have a questionable performance.

Therefore, a 36-millimeter watch is not too small, though you may get fewer features from it compared to other bulkier designs.

What is the most petite Seiko diver watch?

Of all Seiko watches, the most petite dive watch is the Seiko SKX013. Although it’s a smaller watch, it’s a bit heavy. This is because it was only built to withstand rugged water sporting activities. Additionally, it has a 38-millimeter diameter and is quite affordable for its value.

What size should a dive watch be?

Dive watches typically have different diameter sizes and are intended for different wrist sizes. The average diving watch size comes from 38 to 46-millimeter. 

There are smaller sizes for smaller wrists and much bulkier dive watches for bigger wrists. Knowing your wrist size and what diameter you need is essential.

So, the expected size of a diving watch depends first and foremost on the features it offers and on the comfort of the intended wearer.

Can you casually wear a dive watch?

Although diving watches are made primarily for swimming, diving, and other water sports, you can decide to dorn your dive watch casually or as a dress watch.

Since most professional divers now use dive computers instead, you might say that dive watches now play a much more casual role.

Besides, some dive watches for small wrists have aesthetically pleasing designs, making them the perfect fashion accessory.

Are small dive watches coming back into fashion?

A few decades ago, smaller dive watches were the norm, and bulky dive watches were the exception. But the reverse is the case today.

As influential brands incorporated new features into their products, the dive watches became bulkier and thicker. If you’re looking for smaller wristwatches, you have to expect fewer features.

But as dive watches play a more fashionable role, the demand for smaller dive watches has been on the increase. 

Some brands now make mid-size watches as an alternative to their bulkier designs. No brand would take such a step if it didn’t have a reasonable demand.

So, it’s safe to say that dive watches for small wrists are more common now in the fashion scene than they were a few years ago.

Conclusion

Best Dive Watch For Small Wrist

Watch enthusiasts consider dive watches an option for professional divers now since the dive watch exists and offers better functions.

Nevertheless, a diving watch is an excellent tool if you’re into scuba diving, professional swimming activities, or just splashing around in the water.

The water resistance features also make it an excellent choice for an everyday watch.

Overall, we recommend the Longines Hydroquest Diver watch, not just because it’s affordable but because it is functional for your small wrist. You can rely on this watch for a safe diving experience beneath the waves, and you don’t even have to break the bank.

If you found this article helpful, check more watch-related articles on EvesWatch.com.

Other related articles: