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There’s no doubt about it, 38mm dive watches are certainly not the most common size. The general trend of watches has been upwards, with 40mm becoming the gold standard in the last decade. Before this, in the 1950’s it wasn’t uncommon for a man to wear a 30mm dial watch, so the statistics show that we are moving towards bigger watches. This is furthered by brands such as TW Steel, Invicta, and Diesel, who regularly make watches in excess of 45mm and sometimes as big as 60mm.
However, as with all things in life, there is not a one-size fits all. 40mm is simply too big for men who have slim wrists. Although this might be suitable for the average man, 40mm is certainly not the best choice for smaller men.
Dive watches already wear considerably larger than a slimline dress watch, so there is no real need for them to become even larger. This is mostly just a by-product of supply and demand with the consumer populous wanting a larger dial on their watch and Swiss luxury brands bowing to their desires. From a business standpoint, this makes perfect sense but leaves people with fewer options if they have smaller wrists.
Thankfully though, there is a selection (albeit smaller) of 38mm dive watches in a variety of different styles movements such as automatic and quartz.
Are 38mm Dive Watches Fashionable?
38mm dive watches are not really any less fashionable than any other size. They certainly aren’t as popular as the 40mm size, since everyone wants to copy the dimensions of a Rolex submariner. However, if you’re glancing at someone’s wrist, you likely wouldn’t notice a 2mm difference.
What you would notice is if someone with small wrists was wearing a 40mm watch which was too big for them, or somebody with giant wrists trying to pull off a 38mm dial. In all honesty, the most fashionable watch for a man’s wrist is the one that fits it the best.
The Best 38mm Dive Watches
Invicta Pro Diver
One of the best value for money 38mm dive watches you can buy is made by Invicta. This may be a little surprising for those who are familiar with the Invicta brand since they are best known for making oversize watches. However, this is a little untrue, since Invicta has a giant product array, they make all kinds of watches in various sizes.
The pro-diver is really nothing special from a technical standpoint and features a Miyota quartz movement with 200 meters of water resistance. This is covered by a basic mineral glass.
As the specifications are so basic, you are likely wondering why the Invicta pro diver is recommended. Quite simply, it is the price. At less than $50, the pro diver is a real bargain for a watch that looks fairly similar to the Rolex Submariner.
Seiko SKX013K1
Thankfully Seiko makes a 38mm automatic dive watch since most of their range is 40mm+. This is a classic 7S26 caliber movement which is pretty much the entry level into Seiko automatic watches.
The strap may not be to some people’s taste, but this is the classic Seiko dive strap that has been used for decades and is easily interchangeable with many of their other straps such as stainless steel.
It goes without saying that you will always get decent quality for your money with Seiko and a watch which is going to last for a very long time.
Momentum M-Ocean
Momentum are a company that is well known for making bulky dive watches. The M-Ocean is certainly a bulky dive watch but still measures 38mm. This is one of only a few 38mm dive watches with sapphire crystal that you can buy, yet is still fairly inexpensive.
Available in 4 different color schemes, the M-Ocean is a dive watch that has a somewhat retro feel about it and has not followed the trend of modern dive watches. In short, the M-Ocean is pretty good value for money and a sturdy watch that will last for a long time.
San Martin 6200
San Martin are a relatively new and upcoming Chinese brand that actually makes good quality watches. Despite having the made in China stigma hovering above their heads, the specifications of their timepieces say otherwise.
In short, you will get a 38mm automatic dive watch with sapphire crystal for under $300. This simply puts many fashion brands to shame as it excels ahead of them in almost every area possible. San Martin watches are also well known for their bright C3 lume, which just adds to the quality and expense that the brand has put into their watches.
You likely will not find a better value for money automatic dive watch of this size.
Timex Q Reissue Rootbeer
The Timex Q reissue is pretty much the only 38mm rootbeer dive watch you can buy. Despite having the appearance of a divers watch, sadly this actually isn’t the real deal and only offers 50 meters water resistance.
In terms of history, the Timex Q was one of the first quartz watches introduced by the brand back in the 1970s when it began its switch away from automatic movements. As you can see, the Q reissue has kept the retro feel of the original Timex with its jubilee style bracelet and color scheme.
It should be noted that this is relatively expensive given the specification of the watch, but there is nothing else really quite like it for the price.
Tevise – Budget Choice
Tevise are yet another strange Chinese brand that will often refer to themselves as Swiss and print words such as “chronometer” on their dials despite clearly not being made to this standard.
With that being said, they do offer some eye catching dive watches for a decent price. This series of watches is available in 6 different colors and are all 38mm dials.
It should go without saying that the quality of these watches is not really up to the standard of any of the other brands, but for the price, you can’t really go wrong in terms of value.
