Deep Blue Master 300 m Automatic in Black or Red – $219.98 ($299)
There are few watches on the market that hit this sweet spot. Reasonably affordable, comes with a dependable automatic movement that hacks and hand winds, and is water resistant to not just the entry dive level of 200m, but instead goes beyond that to 300m. Here’s why some of us value that extra 100m:
Water resistance isn’t as simple as “oh I can dive down to 200m below the surface and it’ll still be water tight, and I’ll never be that far down.” It’s a bit more complicated than that. Think back to 7th grade physics. F = MA. And it’s the “A” (acceleration) that can change the game when it comes to recreation on and in the water.
The basic, 300m water resistant model. Feels, wears, and works great.
A watch’s water resistant rating is based on the watch being static and brand new/unused in a certain sub-surface environment. So a 200m watch’s water-proofing gizmos (gaskets and what not, which will wear out over time) can survive the amount of pressure felt when sitting still 200m below the surface (and not for an unlimited amount of time, but that’s another story). If you beat the crap out of your watch in the water? Say you fall off a jet ski, or dive into an incoming wave? That’s a much, much different environment. Think about it. Your watch is no longer existing in a state when it was originally measured, which was dead still under water, lounging about, chilling like Sebastian, devotin’ full time to floatin’. There’s more “A” involved when it comes to actual use of a watch in water. And you might have issues.
So you’re saying you’re NOT a fan of those cheddar biscuits?
That all said, I’ve never had a single issue with any of my 200m timepieces in the water. But, to be safe, I picked up one of these things before a trip last year to a mountain lake, just for that extra water-resistance and durability. It worked and wore great.
Is it some high-end luxury watch? No! But it doesn’t feel cheap either. It’s one robust son of a gun. Sapphire crystal, Miyota hacking and hand winding movement, big crowns that are easy to grip, and the Super-LumiNova coating is bright enough to read in the dark if you wake up in the middle of the night away from home, not knowing where the hell the nearest light switch is. Unidirectional, 120 click bezel has a satisfying snap to it, and the silicone straps they come with are nice and comfy.
Not slim. Beefy. Shown on an after market NATO strap.
The thing is, they’re tough to find on a discount. They sell for $299 direct through Deep Blue, but Huckberry has em’ on sale now for a much more palatable $220. 44mm diameter, 15mm thick (that’s pretty thick) and a standard 22mm lug which makes it easy to change to a NATO strap if you so choose.
Summer’s coming. If you’re in the market for a watch that can handle the sun and surf? Might want to consider one of these. Ships and returns for free.
