I cant quite explain it but I think I'm starting to drift away from the chunky dive bezel watches that first got me into watches, the Sub, the BB, the great seiko divers, etc. I used to love dive watches. (Submariner type watches - rotating bezels, screw down crowns, 100/200m ratings, etc.). I would say of 12 half decent watches in my box, 4 of them are divers.
Having worked with some underwater inspectors they all seem to wear big high tech dive computers on the job and to be honest if I was even going to the local pool with the kids I'd wear a GShock in case I lost an expensive dive watch. Then recently a bloke at work asked me what the rotating bezel was for, I explained the function as a dive timer and the possibilities for GMT function and I just felt a bit silly afterwards (a bit Walter Mitty).
Whats wrong with me ? Am I growing old as I sleepwalk to middle age or have I just become self conscious about wearing decent dive watches whilst not being a deepsea diver !
Has anyone else experienced these thoughts ? Is it temporary or permanent ?
I wouldn't be surprised if dive type watches were the most popular type of watch amongst WIS and none WIS alike. I use my (modest) divers to time my lessons many times a day, every day. A moving bezel is extremely useful and I'd genuinely miss it if I didn't have it. The 500M water resistence on my Helson SD40 will most likely never get used though!
I can relate. I used to be 100% divers, but more recently I find myself branching out into other areas, as evidenced by this Stowa I picked up in December. Variety is a good thing.
I'm also moving away from large divers to 36mm - 38mm sized watches. I prefer the size and the less fussy appearance.
Most of my collection has been dive watches over the years, but as I know longer dive my tastes are changing to slimmer lighter watches, always tool and military inspired though.
My passion will always be for dive watches first and foremost.
Variety is the spice of life. There's definitely room for an over engineered 3000 metre dive watch though.
I have to agree with the OP, most of my collection have a dive bezel and having just had my bezel realigned on my Subc, I'm finding bezels are just becoming an annoyance. I thought this might be my final purchase for an everyday watch but I'm being drawn now to the Explorer and the Omega Aqua Terra. I would defiantly buy no bigger than 40mm nowadays either and my next watch will be smaller. I did try on a Pelagos a while back which felt huge next to the Sub so that's a no from me. My next outing I'll try the Explorer on and see if it wears much smaller. So for now I'm looking at non-bezel watches....but who knows what I'll buy next
I've come full circle on this one. I started off with dive bezels and thought they were fantastic for a long time. I then bought an Omega Railmaster and after a short period of time wondered why I'd got so fussed about dive bezels (given that I'm not a diver in any way shape or form).
I then didn't go anywhere near a dive bezel for years, until I saw a watch with a lovely bezel a few weeks ago. It's barely come off my wrist since then and I'm now a fan of these bezels again.
I find this game to be a journey, i had the exact same thoughts a month or two ago but i think there is room for one dive watch in my small collection
More than likely my tastes will change soon enough and i would be looking for another, a nice diverse collection that i can rotate will hopefully keep the costs of this interest under control
I'm relieved at this comment and glad of the others (thought I was alone on this part of my WIS journey)...Originally Posted by David r
My 4 divers probably cost me a cumulative £5.5k and the value if I flipped them all would probably be in the £1.8k territory. So I probably wouldnt sell them due to good memories and the diminished return (even though wrist time is getting very low).
I think its just as I mature I'm starting to prefer simpler watches.
So, when I was 30 this Glycine Combat was my attained grail and will always be a special watch for me;
As I turn 40 this is my next grail (Zenith Capitan Central Sec. B Edition);
What a difference 10 years makes.......
I find I use my bezel for timing most days, I really only need a "nearest minute" accuracy so the bezel is a useful feature to me.
Fret not TT. Middle Age is well behind me and I still love divers. The cause of your problem is probably some winter bug you've picked up and with Spring well on its way no doubt divers will be back on the menu for you.
Can`t say I`m a massive fan of dive watches, I prefer something a bit more elegant. I own a couple of divers and I go through phases of wearing them, but I`ll put them away for months and not miss them either.
Paul
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