Divers Chronograph Watches

There are a fair number of "divers" chronograph wristwatches available in the market. Unfortunately, many come with the caveat that the chronograph function should not be used underwater. As pointed out by one of our readers "You essentially have two watches - a divers' watch below the surface where you can't use the chronograph, and a chronograph above when you're not diving." Some divers chronographs are able to both function underwater and withstand the pressures of the deep blue sea.

1. Omega Seamaster 300 M Chrono Diver. The first divers chronograph with functional push-pieces was the Omega Seamaster 300M Chrono Diver. The Omega 300M Chrono Diver has a 300 meter water resistance rating, with the chronograph functions being functional underwater.

The chronograph functions of the Seamaster 300M Chrono Divers are what has become the typical format for most chronograph watches today. The large hour and minute hands tell the time and continuous seconds are displayed in a subdial. The large second hand and two sud-dials with minute and hour totalizators allow you to measure periods of time of up to 12 hours. The chronograph function is manipulated by a start/stop button and a reset button.

The Seamaster 300M Chrono Diver is a mechanical watch which uses an Omega cal. 1164 movement. The cal. 1164 is actually a Omega modified Valjoux 7750 movement. The movement produces 28,800 vibrations per hour (vph) and has a 44 hour power reserve.

This watch has a 41.5 mm case diameter, but it is substantially thicker than most diver watches of the same size. The watch features a helium release valve. You don't really have much of a choice of styles, the blue bezel and dial version pictured above being the only available choice.

2. Omega Planet Ocean Chrono. Another watch with a chronograph function which is functional underwater is Omega's Planet Ocean Chrono. Functionally, it is identical to the Seamaster 300M Chrono Diver except that its sub-dails are located a the 3-6-9 o' clock positions rather than the 12-6-9 format used in the Seamaster 300M Chrono Diver.


The Planet Ocean brings a lot of new things to the floor. It's water resistance rating is 600 meters. Inside the larger 45.5 mm case, you will find the more modern self-winding Omega cal. 3313 movement, which is actually a Omega modified Piguet. The Omega 3313 produces 28,800 vph and has a 52 hour power reserve.

The Planet Ocean Chrono is available in a a variety of styles, with a steel or red gold cases, with matching steel or red gold bracelets. It also come with a choice of leather and rubber straps.

3. Omega Seamaster Apnea. The Omega Seamaster Apnea is another one of Omega's divers chrono's which is fully functional underwater. The Omega Seamaster Apnea is rather different from the Seamaster 300M Chrono and the Planet Ocean Chrono is that instead of counting from 0 seconds to 12 hours, this one counts down.

The watch has seven discs which operate in conjunction with the watches chronograph function. Every minute that passes half a disc is filled, starting from the leftmost disc. After 14 minutes all the discs will be covered in red. The intention is to create an easier to read 14 minute counter.

The Seamaster Apnea is powered by a self-winding the Omega 3601 movement. The Omega 3601 movement is a heavily modified ETA 2892-A2 movement. The watch has a 41mm diameter case which is water resistant to 300 meters. You have a choice of black or white dial and a steel bracelet of rubber strap.

4. IWC Aquatimer Split Minute Chronograph. The IWC Aquatimer Split Minute Chronograph is one of the more innovated divers chronograph watches watch. Instead of the rotating bezel which is used in the typical divers watches, it has a rotating ring behind the the sapphire glass cover. The bezel can be rotated by twisting the crown at the 4 o'clock position. This crown does not screw in, and thus can be used even under water.

The Aquatimer Split Minute Chronograph has a chronograph functions which operates in the typical chronograph fashion. What makes the Aquatimer Split Minute Chronograph interesting is the little rocker switch on the left hand side of the watch. The watch has two main minute hands (one yellow and the other black and yellow), superimposed over each other. When the rocker switch is activated, one minute hand stops moving, and this can be used for measuring the period between the stop hand and moving hand. IWC designed this so that the the rotating ring could be used to measure overall dive time, while the split minute function to measure another relevant even like the period of ascent or the length of a decompression stop.

The chronograph and split seconds function can be used underwater. This could have been our hands down favorite divers watch but it is only rated to a depth of 12 bar (12 ATM or 120 meters).

Like other divers chronographs it is fairly hefty at 44mm. Inside the 44mm case you will find the IWC Calibre 79740 mechanical self-winding movement. This movement produces 28,800 vibrations per hour and has a 42 hour power reserve.

5. Breitling Chrono Avenger M1. Unlike the other watches in this article, Breitling 'scontribution to functional underwater chronographs is a quartz watch. Some way find the watch undesirable because of this feature alone. But before writing this one off, it is one a high end quartz powered by a COSC certified thermocompensated movement. You should also consider that its chronograph function can be used at the watches 1000 meter water resistance rating.


The chronograph function features the 10 minute and 12 hour totalizators as well as the not so usual split seconds function.

This watch has a 44mm titanium cases. It comes in a variety of designs which gives you a choice of dial colors and a titanium bracelet or leather or rubber straps.

6. TAG Heuer Aquagraph Automatic. TAG's entry into the underwater chronograph arena has an impressive 500 meter water resistance rating. More impressive is the chronograph function.


The time is displayed using the large hour and minute hands, with continuous seconds in a sub-dial. Like other chronographs the large second hand is used in conjunction with the chronograph function. What makes the watch innovative is that elapsed minutes are displayed by a large minute hand rather than displaying it in a sub-dial. This should make for much better visibility underwater. A 12 hour totalisator sub-dial is used in conjunction with the chronograph function. A 24 hour sub-dial serves as a day/night indicator.

This watch is powered by the TAG Caliber 60, which is a modified ETA movement.

Are these all? These are the chronographs we have found that have been certified by the manufacturer to be functional at the watches rated water resistance ratings. We will continue to be on the look out for more.