Timex Just Launched Its Best Dive Watch Ever

This Seiko Slayer is basically Timex’s affordable take on a Tudor Pelagos.

timex dive watch on a divers wrist underwater

Published October 10, 2024

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Whatever Timex is doing, I sure hope they keep doing it.

The quintessential budget American watch brand has been on a tear lately with an increasing number of watches that appeal to the enthusiast market. These watches have been utilizing automatic movements from known manufacturers and high-end materials like titanium and sapphire, and they boast some attractive and crowd-pleasing designs.

The price points on these recent watches are also decidedly higher than what we’re used to seeing from Timex. The fantastic Expedition GMT Titanium Automatic that launched last month, for example, costs $549 — a big jump from a brand famous for its sub-$100 watches. But for what you’re getting, these pricier new Timexes are still serious bargains and are among the best watches you can get at their respective SRPs.

Now, Timex has turned its attention to its dive watch line and given the same enthusiast-aimed makeover that we’ve seen recently on some of its GMTs and dress watches. Meet the Deepwater Reef 200 Titanium Automatic, the watch that might just become known as Timex’s Seiko Slayer.

Timex Deepwater Reef 200 Titanium Automatic

$479 at Timex

The New Best Diver Under $500?

Like the aforementioned titanium GMT, Timex’s new diver combines high-end materials and a Japanese automatic movement with a design that recalls classic iconic sports watches.

The Deepwater Reef 200 has some Rolex influence on the dial by way of its cyclops date window and the shape of its indices, but otherwise, this looks like a pretty modern and original diver — it reminds me more of a Tudor Pelagos than any Rolex diver.

The case and toothy unidirectional bezel are both made from rugged and lightweight titanium, giving the watch a premium and contemporary feel.

a timex dive watch — Has Timex ever made a better dive watch than this?

The bezel is also fully lumed, with mint-green Super-LumiNova filling every mark on the bezel and furthering the watch’s classic-meets-contemporary styling. The pip is even double-lumed with both a pearl and a printed triangle, showing Timex spared no expense when it comes to making sure this watch glows nicely underwater or in the dark.

The indices are solid blocks of lume and the handset is lume-filled as well and features a partially skeletonized, industrial design. It contrasts with the traditionally shaped indices and cyclops date window, again contributing to the watch’s old-meets-new vibe. (I’m starting to think this style direction was a deliberate move from Timex.)

closeup of a timex dive watch dial — With its titanium construction and intense lume treatment, the Deepwater Reef 200 is essentially Timex’s take on the Tudor Pelagos.

The 41mm case has a sapphire crystal on the front and an engraved screw-down caseback, while the crown also screws down to ensure 200m of water resistance. Instead of a logo, the crown is signed with a curved arrow reminding you to screw it in. It’s a fun touch, but I’d rather see it in mint green to match the bezel instead of the bright red Timex used, as its current design clashes with the rest of the watch.

Inside the watch is a Cal. 8215 automatic from Miyota. While not one of Miyota’s more premium 9-series movements, the 8215 is still a widely used affordable automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve, 21 jewels and performance comparable to the similarly priced Seiko Cal. NH35.

a timex dive watch underwater seen from the back — The loopless rubber strap design adds an additional premium touch.

Finally, we have the strap, which is more interesting than it first appears. It’s a black rubber strap which, at first glance, looks very similar to the style used on classic affordable divers like the Seiko SKX and Citizen Promaster Dive Eco-Drive due to its large ripples near the lugs. But the strap is more modernized than it would appear, as it features a handy loopless clasp design that allows you to tuck your excess length underneath instead of outside the strap. It’s a nice touch.

Pricing and Availability

With the Deepwater Reef’s materials, movement, and styling, Timex has created a seriously compelling watch that is almost certainly the best diver the brand has ever produced. Naturally, it’s priced higher than pretty much any Timex diver too, with an SRP of $479. That puts it squarely in entry-level Seiko dive-watch territory.

But when you look at everything you’re getting — titanium, sapphire, Super-LumiNova everywhere, a Miyota automatic, a premium rubber strap — that price seems beyond reasonable, and it easily makes this Timex one of the best divers you can get for under 500 bucks.