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Dive watches are an extremely common and popular choice to wear in both formal and casual settings. This is largely due to the rise in popularity due to models such as the Omega Seamaster, as well as both the Rolex Submariner and GMT Master II.
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The Strange Rarity Of White Dial Dive Watches
Strangely, dive watches with white dials aren’t all that common and often sell out very fast. There is not quite as much demand for a Seiko dive watch with a black or blue dial compared to a white face dive watch. Again, there is no real reason for this as no color is “better” and it is all mostly down to personal preference.
When thinking about the history of dive watches, it makes sense that there aren’t too many different colors available. This is because dive watches were actually used for diving and not a fashion accessory like they are today. However, many brands have not really caught up with this trend and are still mass producing dark dials which are still very popular, but not as much as they once were.
Even though there are luxury Swiss brands that make these watches, thankfully there are some budget alternatives. Below are a variety of affordable white faced dive watches ranging from around $80 all the way up to $600. Anything past this point goes beyond “affordable” – especially since these are not used for diving. You would have absolutely no problem submerging them and using them to the depth they claim, but there are dive computers that do a much better job than any of these models.
Surprisingly, you will be able to find white dial automatic watches as well as quartz available in this price bracket. Thankfully there are enough brands manufacturing this specific style to have a good selection of choice and quality.
Why Have A White Dial?
There are two main factors of having a white dial dive watch.
The first is purely aesthetic. Some people prefer to have a watch with a white dial since they think it looks a lot nicer than a coloured dial. At the very least, white dial dive watches are a lot less common and cliche than regular colors.
Secondly is visibility. White dials are extremely easy to view in any light setting. Whether the sun is beaming or it is late at night. A white dial is much more visible than a dark blue dial for example.
Best White Dial Dive Watches For Men
Momentum Torpedo
This white dial dive watch is made by Momentum and has water resistance of up to 200 meters. Visually it has both similarities and differences to a classical dive watch. An oversized rotating bezel is the main feature, although this is made of stainless steel and is the same color as the case. Momentum uses an oversized crown at the 4 o’clock position rather than a screw down in the 3 o’clock position that you will usually find.
Perhaps the main difference between this watch and other white dial divers is the lume. Instead of luming the hands and hour indicators, the entire dial of the watch is lumed. This makes sense if you are using the watch on land as it is extremely visible. However, 200 meters underwater may make your life more difficult to see how much time you have left.
Invicta Pro Diver
The Invicta pro diver series is best known for its low specifications, but even lower prices. Quite simply, this is the cheapest white dial dive watch you will be able to find – or certainly the best value for money at the very least. Water resistant up to 200 meters, it is quite astonishing that Invicta are able to find a profit on models like this when they sell for around $50.
It’s quite clear that Invicta has taken the Rolex submariner or GMT master as inspiration for its pro dive series, making full use of a Pepsi colored bezel. If Rolex is the king of the luxury dive watches, Invicta is up there for dive watches under $100.
Gucci Dive Watch
Gucci are not typically a brand you would associate with dive watches, neither would you really want to wear this underwater. However, they do offer something very different which may not appeal to watch enthusiasts but will be enjoyed by fans of the brand.
As you can see, there is a giant cat head in the middle of the dial – not something you will find on many other dive watches, white dial or otherwise. Even with all of this being said, it is a legitimate dive watch and can be used underwater to a depth of up to 200 meters. This uses a Swiss quartz movement, so is slightly higher quality than any of the Japanese made watches on this list. It does however cost a lot more than everything else.
Seiko Prospex SRPE37
Not the absolute cheapest Seiko watch with a white dial, but certainly one of the best. There are some Seiko 5 sport “Sea Urchin” models, but these sell out fast and are often discontinued soon after release.
The prospex model on the other hand is built to professional specifications as its name suggests. This does not mean that the watch has an upgraded movement, as it uses a standard automatic 6R15 – which is nothing special at all. It is however finished to a higher quality than your typical Seiko watch and has a sapphire crystal to protect its textured white dial.
Skagen Fisk
One of the most fashionable white dial dive watches you can buy. Skagen are a minimalist Scandinavian brand that produces very simple and understated fashion watches. The Fisk is a little different from what we are used to seeing, featuring an all black case and strap.
However, the true beauty of the Fisk is in the dial. The lumes of the hour indicators are very well formed and shaped in such a way that you can tell this is clearly a traditional dive watch but has its own modern take on what that should look like. The main selling point of the Skagen Fisk is that you can get hold of it for under $100 which is quite a bargain for such a good looking timepiece.
Victorinox I.N.O.X White Pro Diver
A refreshingly unique take on how a dive watch can look. Victorinox uses a titanium case and bezel alongside a silicon strap, ensuring that the watch is both lightweight and comfortable to wear.
Unlike most other fashionable dive watches, this uses a solid metal bezel with indents on each edge to make ensure it can be easily rotated. As Victorinox are a Swiss brand, you can be sure that their movements are both accurate and reliable. This is a little towards the expensive side for a quartz watch but is one of the only white dial dive watches with a white strap that you can buy.
Pagani GMT
There is no doubt in anyone’s mind what Pagani are up to here. Once again, the Chinese brand that specializes in making homage watches has made something that looks very similar to a Rolex explorer II – at least from a distance. If you examine the dial, it is quite obvious that this watch is not a Rolex, but from a glance it does look strikingly similar.
Of course, under the hood, the Pagani automatic movement cannot be compared to the Explorer. A movement that is made in China is no match for the chronometer standard of Switzerland. With that being said, this is a fairly priced white dial automatic dive watch and a nice homage piece.
Casio MTD-1060D-7AVDF
Arguably not 100% a divers watch since it only offers 100 meters water resistance, this Casio multi-function dial is sold as such. You can tell by the bezel that this is certainly a watch in the style of a diver, but has a jubilee style bracelet which is not typical of this design.
Therefore it’s probably fair to say that this is a modern variation where dive watch meets fashion. This is a direction that the entire industry is moving towards anyway.
At under $100, you really can’t complain either. Casio are a very solid Japanese watch manufacturer and only makes good quality timepieces.
Vostok Komandirskie
Without a doubt the cheapest automatic white dial dive watch you can buy. Vostok are practically unheard of unless you’re a watch enthusiast, but anyone who knows anything about watches knows that Russian brands make very solid mechanical watches. These are certainly not anywhere near the level of luxury Swiss brands, but they are comparable to basic Japanese models.
The fact that Vostok makes its own in house movements is a real selling point when almost every other brand is buying 3rd party from the industry giants. This is a bulky watch and certainly not pretty compared to western brands, but it is unique, great value and well put together.
Luminox
Not your typical dive watch. Luminox watches are built to military standard using materials you will not usually find on watches that are to be worn underwater. Instead of stainless steel, Luminox uses carbonox which is both rugged and lightweight. As well as this, Luminox uses tritium instead of lume paint on their dial, meaning that the radioactive glow will not fade since the half life is 12.3 years.
It is very unusual to find a Luminox watch with a white dial since they usually make military spec all black watches. With that being said, due to their tritium tubes, you will be able to see this watch in the dead of night or up to 200 meters under water.
