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Introduction
Buying a high-quality dive watch doesn’t have to break the bank. There are many brands producing high-quality and highly competent tool divers well under the $1,000 mark. For those collector’s moving on from the sub $500 range, this is typically the next step.
So what do you get when you move up to the $500 to $1,000 range" For one, you’re going to gain access to a lot more swiss-made automatic movements. Although you won’t find anything in-house here (outside of Seiko), almost all of these watches are powered by high-quality ETA or Sellita movements. Additionally, you’re going to find a generally higher quality level of materials (like ceramic and sapphire), and more attention paid to details like movement finishing and case polishing. Although you won’t find anything from brands like Rolex or Omega in this price-tier (unless you’re going vintage), there are many gems to be found and some pieces that are considered modern classics.
If you’re looking for something just a little bit cheaper, check out my article Top 5: Best Tool Watches Under $500 for some great suggestions.
Let’s dive in.
Oris Aquis Date
Oris Aquis Date

There aren’t many Swiss brands with over 100 years of watch-making experience that still release watches for under $1,000, but Oris happens to be one of them.
Considered an entry-level luxury brand, Oris is positioned comfortably above brands like Tissot, Victorin...