In Review: The Invicta 5053 Pro Diver Automatic Watch

Invicta 40mm Pro Diver Automatic 5053 – $87.45 (usually $80 – $100)

• model: 5053 Pro Diver
• size: 40mm width, 14.1mm thick, 20mm lug width
• movement: Automatic (Seiko NH35A, assembled in Malaysia)
• water resistance: 200m
• crystal: Mineral
• etc: Screw down crown. Exhibition caseback. 120 click bezel.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Invicta’s 5053 Pro Automatic is a sycophant. Because this thing looks so much like a very well known and very expensive icon, one has to wonder how Invicta gets away with it.

Clearly inspired* by an icon.
(*an understatement to say the least)

Doesn’t mean it’s not a good watch though. And if there was ever a “gateway drug” for getting into automatic tool/dive watches, this be it. One has to assume there are more than a few Rolex wearers out there who somewhere, deep back in the dark corners of their watch box, they have an Invicta hanging out.

Shown on a 7.5″ wrist.
Wears a smidge smaller than that in real life.

The Invicta Pro Automatic Diver is a staple in the affordable men’s style world. At 40mm it looks great on almost all wrists. With 200m of water resistance, an established automatic movement, and classic good looks, it punches well above its historical price of somewhere under $100. But there’s a catch. An eye-catching catch. And it’s an eye-sore of an eye-catching catch:

Coulda done without that logo.

That engraved INVICTA on the 9 o’clock side isn’t great. But… eh…. compromises must be made. And it’s really not as noticeable in person while wearing it (especially with long sleeves). Additionally, if you’re a DIY-er, you can always try to take it off yourself.

Automatic movement hacks and hand winds. 

The movement is a Seiko designed NH35A which has been assembled in Malaysia. It hacks, it hand winds, and it’s a watchmaker’s textbook definition of workhorse. Said workhorse has a “window” in its stable, as the exhibition caseback allows the owner to see the guts and gears and yellow-green rotor, which eye-rollingly says “U.S.A. PRODUCT DESIGN” on it.

Sure.

Excels on aftermarket NATO straps

The stock bracelet ain’t great, but that’s not unexpected considering the price. The clasp is a pressure snap close instead of two-button, and it can be pretty resistant to opening depending on the day. The end links are hollow and not solid. The lug width is a standard 20mm, and there’s not much taper to the bracelet, of which the center links are polished. That’s not favored by some of us (it can look cheesy/pick up too much glisten and glare on sunny days), but you could always try to knock the shine down by scrubbing up/brushing the polish to a matching(-ish) finish with the other links.

Polished (center) links on a cheap watch can sometimes look… cheap.

Style wise it excels on aftermarket NATO straps. Swapping out the bracelet for a NATO means no more polished center links on a (cheap) tool watch, and a fabric strap with stripes distracts from that INVICTA logo engraved on the side:

Is it a great watch? Nah. It’s shamelessly derivative, the bracelet is unnecessarily shiny, and that etched INVICTA on the side was a “c’mon man” level decision (although perhaps made in an attempt to parry trademark infringement lawyers. “SeE iT’s NoT a CoPy DuHhHH.“)

But it is a thoroughly good watch. A terrific, legendary-in-its-own right gateway to developing a love of wristwatches… watch. It’s a watch many of us love wearing with almost any outfit, and in almost any condition.

Because if it gets damaged or even sinks to the bottom of a lake? It’s not like you lost a Rolex.

You just lost a watch which looks a lot like one.