Why a Super Compressor Is the Best Alternative to Traditional Dive Watches

Everybody knows the typical dive watch look: a functional design, legible and, most of all, a prominent rotating bezel. Typified by watches like the Rolex Submariner, this formula comes in myriad variations and is so ubiquitous that you’d be forgiven for thinking that any other design wouldn’t even qualify as a dive watch. You’d be mistaken, though.

In the 1960s, an interesting type of watch case was developed called a super compressor. The idea was that water pressure itself — the very thing that dive watches are built to withstand — would serve to tighten the watch’s seals: the spring-loaded case back would compress as the underwater atmospheres increased.

A range of watch brands made this type of watch using the same cases. In addition to the nifty compressing case, these watches also had another very specific feature: a ring around the dial (an “inner bezel”) lived under the crystal and could be rotated via a crown at 2 o’clock. Like the (outer) bezel of a typical dive watch, divers used this to time all sorts of important safety measures while diving.

The result was a unique look, with two crowns: one at 2 o’clock and another functioning as a normal crown (for winding and time setting) at 4 o’clock. The watches made in this style today are sometimes called “super compressors” even though they use the same method of achieving water resistance as other modern dive watches (rather than the spring-loaded, compressing case, which didn’t turn out to be the most efficient solution).

Today, the super compressor-style watch offers some of the same appeal as more traditional dive watches, but often with a sleeker but still very sporty look. Most of all, it’s a dive watch with some neat history, and it doesn’t look like every other dive watch. (Though keep in mind that if you actually want to use your dive watch while diving, operating an inner rotating crown underwater can prove a headache.) Here are some of the best modern examples you can buy.

Timex

Timex Waterbury Dive

• $179.00 at Timex

• Diameter: 41mm
• Movement: Quartz
• Water Resistance: 100m

What does Timex do best? That’s right: they offer highly affordable quartz watches, and that’s exactly what their version of a Super Compressor is. While we wouldn’t rely on it for diving, it does have 100m of water resistance and delivers the sporty look in a nicely sized case, if that’s what you’re after (and there are a couple of color options available, too).

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Dan Henry 1970 Automatic Diver

• $290.00 at danhenrywatches.com

• Diameter: 40mm or 44mm
• Movement: Seiko NH35 automatic
• Water Resistance: 200m

Collector Dan Henry started his own watch brand with the purpose of offering vintage watch styles and homages at very accessible prices. The 1970 Automatic Diver has the classic look of compressor divers from the era it’s named for and is powered by a basic Seiko automatic movement. Available in several different color schemes, it appropriately comes on a Tropic-style rubber dive strap.

Read our full review of the Dan Henry 1970.

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Marnaut Seascape

• $761.00 at marnaut.com

• Diameter: 40mm
• Movement: Miyota 9015 automatic
• Water Resistance: 200m

Marnaut is a young, Kickstarter-funded watch company based in Croatia that’s focused on dive watches. Their second product is the super compressor-inspired Seascape, and it features not only the solid specs expected of this type of watch but a reasonable price and the brand’s signature dial: the radial dots are said to be based on a sea urchin.

Baltic

Baltic Aquascaphe Dual-Crown

• $708.00 at baltic-watches.com

• Diameter: 39mm
• Movement: Automatic
• Water Resistance: 200m

Baltic did a really nice job with its rendering of the super compressor concept. Design lovers will appreciate its pared-back refinement, and others will like its handsome tool-watch appeal and perfect proportions. It’s available in three variations: blue or black dials in steel or a black dial in a black PVD-coated case.

Farer

Farer Titanium Series Aqua Compressor

• $1,175.00 at farer.com

• Diameter: 41mm
• Movement: Sellita SW200 automatic
• Water Resistance: 300m

Farer adds its own personality to the classic super compressor: a striking and colorful rendition, as always, but also a lightweight titanium case. The specs are right, too, and all this together makes its price at just north of $1k feel like a pretty strong value. Did we mention that the size should be just about right, too, and the C-shaped case adds another feature that helps it stand out among more traditional designs.

Christopher Ward

Christopher Ward C65 Super Compressor

• $1,375.00 at christopherward.com

• Diameter: 41mm
• Movement: Sellita SW200 automatic
• Water Resistance: 150m

A steel bracelet and shimmering blue dial with sporty orange highlights give this dive watch a contemporary feel. The real noteworthy feature of the C65 Super Compressor, however, is that it actually offers the compressing case technology, which is almost unheard of today.

Alpina

Alpina Seastrong Diver 300 Heritage

• $1,895.00 at alpinawatches.com

• Diameter: 42mm
• Movement: Sellita SW200 automatic
• Water Resistance: 300m

What you can expect from Alpina (and its sister brand Frederique Constant for dress watches) is simply traditional Swiss watchmaking with a rock-solid build and strong value. Here that formula takes the form of a super compressor. It’s water-resistant to 300m and powered by a Swiss automatic movement, and newer models like this one feature a no-date design (often preferred by enthusiasts) rather than the odd 3:30 date on previous models.

Hodinkee

Longines Legend Diver

• $2,425.00 at Hodinkee

• Diameter: 39mm
• Movement: ETA A31.L11 automatic
• Water Resistance: 300m

The Legend Diver is a modern classic resurrects a Longines watch from the brand’s mid-century archives. It debuted in 42mm back in 2007 and quickly became an enthusiast favorite, but was given an overhaul in 2023 with a number of significant improvements, including a new 39mm case sizer, better lume, a COSC-certified movement and a true bracelet with fitted end links.

Read our full Longines Legend Diver review.

jaeger

Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Automatic

• $10,500.00 at jaeger-lecoultre.com

• Diameter: 41mm
• Movement: Jaeger-LeCoultre 898/1 automatic
• Water Resistance: 100m

JLC made super compressors way back in the late 1960s. By including an in-house movement on its Polaris Automatic (visible through the back), the brand was able to keep the case nice and thin at 11.2mm. More versions in the collection are offered not only with other colors and strap options but with complications such as a chronograph, world time, date or an alarm.

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