So my brother's wife told me he needs a new dive watch..i'm looking at these, which one would you WANT?

http://www.breitling.com/en/models/aeromarine/superocean_steelfish/

http://www.breitling.com/en/models/aeromarine/avenger_seawolf/

Also if you know of any other good dive watches, let me know.

11/10/2005 12:11:00 PM

I think the first one's more attractive

but I know nothing about diving so I can't help you there.

11/10/2005 12:15:31 PM

their site is slow as fuck

11/10/2005 12:20:23 PM

Yea, I'm kind of trying to go on use rather than looks, although I like the first one better too.

11/10/2005 12:25:37 PM

if price isn't a problem, as i didn't see it, but its only safe to assume... i'd go with the second one. Titanium is a much better metal for diving, especially if he uses it in salt water.

11/10/2005 12:58:35 PM

does your brother have a dive computer? a computer is FAR, FAR more useful than an ordinary dive watch, and they make wristwatch computers.

Something like a Suunto Stinger would work nicely.

It's pretty good looking for what it is, but the Breitling will kill it on bling factor. As a functional piece, though, I'd much rather have the computer.

of course, some people dive with both a gauge-style computer, then additionally wear a regular dive watch (or i guess some people might wear both a regular watch and a computer watch). If he already has a computer, and just wants a nice dive watch, you're on the right track. talk to QTPie--I THINK she's a Breitling dealer.

[Edited on November 10, 2005 at 1:04 PM. Reason : ^Suunto makes a Ti version of the Stinger, too]

11/10/2005 1:03:52 PM

yea, I'd personally go with the watch + computer, having one level of basic redundancy is priceless at depth.

11/10/2005 1:14:34 PM

true, although if your computer died, it's not like you couldn't ascend safely, and i personally wouldn't stay down there and try to wing it and salvage a screwed up dive on tables. compressed air is cheap...recompression and funerals are expensive.

basically what i'm saying is that i would put much higher priority on having a computer than a regular watch...then if you end up getting and using both, great.


[Edited on November 10, 2005 at 1:41 PM. Reason : asfadsf]

[Edited on November 10, 2005 at 1:43 PM. Reason : asdfadf]

11/10/2005 1:26:15 PM

I like the Rolex Submariner (specifically the 50th anniv edition with the green face), but you could probably settle for a Tag Heuer Aquaracer to save costs. Whether or not those have any real function in diving is beyond me.

Between the two Breitlings I'd go with the titanium one. Ti watches are comfy because they are so light.

11/10/2005 1:38:38 PM

^^oh im not suggesting using it to continue a dive if your computer failed, but its still mighty hard to make an ascent and proper deco stops without knowing your depth or time.

11/10/2005 6:03:14 PM

The Suunto D9 is by far the nicest dive watch on the market, but more than likely more than you are willing to spend. I have the ladies version of the St. Moritz Storm, and have been very happy with it. http://www.st-moritz.com/pages/storm.php

11/10/2005 7:08:54 PM

^^i'm just saying that i wouldn't worry about it, because (A) i'm not gonna be diving without a buddy, so that's my redundancy right there, and (B) as long as you haven't really been pushing your no-deco limits hard, you should be able to just ascend right up at a normal rate.

i mean, yeah, the more redundancy the better, but i don't have a dive watch. i'm not worried about it.

11/10/2005 7:57:11 PM

Depends on what you mean--"by far the nicest dive watch on market."

The Suunto D9 is a nice dive watch, I'll agree. But do you really NEED all those features? Do you really NEED a digital compass? While it might seem cool to have a wireless transmitter to tell you the remaining pressure in your tank, that's really just something else to break. Knowing the stupidity of most people they'll use this WITHOUT using an analog pressure gauge and then it will break and they're screwed. Most people will buy a D9 for it's "cool factor." Along the same lines---do you know anyone who switches mixes 3 times underwater? Two times is understandable if you're using a decompression mix, but 3 could be a little much unless you're doing some extra-serious trimix diving (or very very very long nitrox diving, ie: a back gas plus a deco mix at 70ft and 20ft), and if you're doing that then you're probably not using a dive computer as a dive computer, you're just using a bottom timer/depth gauge and just about any dive computer can perform that function. As to that, the Suunto D9 does NOT calculate bottom time for trimix.

Personally I use a DiveRite NiTek Plus--usually around $495 retail will be the lowest you'll find it. You can use it as a standard watch to wear every day (as I do) , but the instant you go under it goes into dive computer mode (unless, as said before, you tell it to go into gauge mode and it'll just function as a bottom timer/depth gauge). Ability to switch mixes underwater (1st: Air [21%] to 50%, 2nd: Air to 99%), will calculate decompression stops up to 90ft deep. Dive log of 60 dives (using the 30-second sampling mode) or 30 dives (using the 15-second sampling mode). Ability to connect to a computer using a separately purchased piece of hardware and connect to DiveRite software to download your dive log and show you the profile of any of your dives.

I've used my NiTek Plus for a while now and love it; I would highly recommend it.
http://www.diveriteexpress.com/computers/nitekplus.shtml
(Note: the picture there is terrible and doesn't do it justice)

Good luck!

11/10/2005 9:04:08 PM

Honestly, I have done a lot of diving and the best watch I like to dive with is a Tag Heuer that's water proof to 600'

As long as she's doing non compression dives she doesn't need a watch specifically for divers (I doubt she will ever dive to 600'!)

I like it because I can still wear it everyday and it will last me a lifetime! It can be a little pricey though depending on which one you buy.




[Edited on November 10, 2005 at 9:16 PM. Reason : .]

11/10/2005 9:14:31 PM

between the two breitlings, go with the seawolf....but if your really looking for a nice watch that doubles as a dive watch...the only way to go is with a Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000...its a good looking watch, thats good to 4000 feet...what more could you want is a straight dive watch...

11/11/2005 1:01:55 AM

Help?

11/13/2005 9:11:31 PM

dive computers are for pussies...real men use a slate and a pencil

11/13/2005 9:20:05 PM

Dive computers are for those of us who like to spend more time underwater.

11/14/2005 1:15:58 AM

Sorry to say, the two watches you're looking at aren't "dive watches" except that the bevel (#'s around the face on outside) can be moved. Some people call any watch with this feature a "dive watch" From what I can see neither watch keeps the dive time, depth, etc. as some of the dive watches described by the other responses.

If your brother really is a diver, I agree with theDuke866 in his assesment about buying a computer as opposed to the watch computers.

If your brother is not a diver and/or has specifically mentioned these watches, i like the look of the first one

11/15/2005 1:57:41 AM

GET A DIVE COMPUTER, a good one, not a shitpiece

11/15/2005 6:59:33 PM

She said they need a watch for work...and if I should be looking at something else..the please point me in the direction of dive watches.

11/16/2005 12:39:24 PM