top 5 (european) divers that are Must haves?

[Bhutton]

Thoughts?

For me:
1) DSSD
2) SD
3) FF
4) PloProf
5) JLC - NSA

Honorable Mention? IWC Deep two

Annnnnd... Fight. ;)

if I had to go overall divers, then of course you end up with the endless Tuna/Aqualand etc debates... lets stick to quality here boys :)

[balboa73]

1 DSSD
2 Omega PO 2500D
3 IWC Aquatimer 2000
4 JLC Navy Seals
5 Omega PO 8500 Titanium

Honourable Mention: SEIKO 'Marinemaster' 300 PROSPEX

[h999r]

I can only name 4 top list.
1. AP diver
2. RM028
3. DSSD
4. Sea dweller.

[Psmith]

Non-Rolex, right? (not on the lists so far )


Well, FF of course

Beyond that, and Omega, it's really 'diver style' watches from the other HH houses, plus a zillion mid-level and micro-brands

Seiko are Japanese of course, but a few (including some GS models) would make the list otherwise

[lja1821]

1. Submariner
2. AP diver
3. Omega smp
4. Pam lum sub 1000
5. FF

[kilyung]

In no particular order, IMO the best are...

BP FF, AP Diver, Tudor Pelagos, Rolex DSSD, Panerai 364, Omega PloProf

[sierra11b]

Two lists... I cheated with the first and went ten

Modern:

Sea Dweller
DSSD
Grand Seiko SBGA031
BP FF "No Radition"
Tudor Pelagos
Seiko Prospex SBDX001
Omega Ploprof
Omega 8500 PO
Sinn U1 Tegimented
Doxa 750T (for some orange )

Vintage Grails:

5514 COMEX
5517 MilSub
Tudor 9401/0 MN Blue Snowflake
Officine Panerai 3646
Tornek-Rayville

[TSW]

Originally Posted by h999r

I can only name 4 top list.
1. AP diver
2. RM028
3. DSSD
4. Sea dweller.

[aboen]

Blancpain FF
DSSD
PloProf

[craniotes]

- AP Diver
- JLC NSA
- Rolex DSSD
- Blancpain Fifty-Fathoms 50th Anniversary
- Chopard Pro One/GO Sport Evolution PanoDate (tie)

Done.

Regards,
Adam

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by craniotes

- AP Diver
- JLC NSA
- Rolex DSSD
- Blancpain Fifty-Fathoms 50th Anniversary
- Chopard Pro One/GO Sport Evolution PanoDate (tie)

Done.

Regards,
Adam

No IWC? If they find out on TZ they're going to yank your moderator status!

[kilyung]

Originally Posted by JP Chestnut

No IWC? If they find out on TZ they're going to yank your moderator status!

That's the great thing about Adam. He calls it like he sees it... no BS. However I do like the Deep TWO.

[craniotes]

Originally Posted by JP Chestnut

No IWC? If they find out on TZ they're going to yank your moderator status!

Yup, Mike's got me nailed there pretty good. Frankly, I'm surprised they tolerate me as it is.

But seriously, as much as I've come to appreciate the new Aquatimers, when I see a question like the one posed here, I'm looking at strictly high-end which means in-house movements, etc. To me, the Aquatimer has never been about being high-end in the vein of Blancpain or Audemars, but rather about being a proper dive watch that can be used in anger, yet still has a whiff of luxury about it.

The DSSD strikes a good compromise in this regard, IMO, in that it's expertly finished, houses a 3135 replete with a Breguet overcoil and free-sprung balance, but it can wreck dive on the Andrea Doria and not break a sweat. To this end, if IWC stuck their c.80110 in an AT 2000, I might be singing a different tune.

Might.

The above notwithstanding, my Galapagos is going with me to the grave.

Regards,
Adam

[dukerules]

modern divers:
AP Diver
BP FF of any variant
DSSD
JLC NSA
And I guess I'll be the first to say it--the 114060. Strikes the perfect blend of luxury and toolishness for me.

[VetteBandit]

My modern diver list has a top 3....in no particular order:

Top 3:
Rolex SD, BP FF, JLC NSA

Any two of the following could work, but I don't feel as strongly about them:
Omega 8500 PO, 14060, AP Diver, PAM 24 (I really like it for some crazy reason), JLC Tribute to DS Euro

[Andrés G]

Originally Posted by aboen

Blancpain FF
DSSD
PloProf

You got it.

[George Ab]

Seadweller 4000, IWC Aquatimer (particularly the discontinued 3536), JLC NSA (mainly because I'm wearing one today).

[ghotihead2001]

"Must" haves? Thats a strong endorsement....

The Rolex Sub, pick a model...not sure i agree with the SD, or DSSD...though ive never owned one so maybe i should reserve comment (comment would be: its overkill)

BP FF

Beyond that...it a question of taste....i dont think anything else has the history/iconic status, maybe a seamaster? but im not an omega fan and dont know much about them cept that theyve been around for a long time....

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by craniotes

The above notwithstanding, my Galapagos is going with me to the grave.

Regards,
Adam

Good post. I'm interested in how your Galapagos is looking after some use. There is a long thread on WUS where a few owners are complaining about split rubber after small impacts. As someone with engineering training, that was my first thought when I saw that watch. Is yours still holding up?

Just to stay on topic, my top 5 divers (from 1990 forward) would be:
IWC 3536
BP 50 Fathoms (the special edition 40mm version)
Omega PloProf (so ugly it's cool)
Rolex SD (with lug holes)
????

[capote]

Two is enough, Seadweller 16600 for the style and Ploprof for the hell of it.

[craniotes]

Originally Posted by JP Chestnut

Good post. I'm interested in how your Galapagos is looking after some use. There is a long thread on WUS where a few owners are complaining about split rubber after small impacts. As someone with engineering training, that was my first thought when I saw that watch. Is yours still holding up?

I've gotta say, thus far it's holding up like a champ. Unlike some folks, I actually wear my watches, which means that since I took delivery of the Galapagos, it's been in the shower, in the pool, bathed the kids, played with said kids at playgrounds and in the snow (worn outside of my gloves, I might add), gone hiking, been banged against door jambs and subway turnstiles and generally taken its lumps with no complaint.

Condition of said watch? Still indistinguishable from new. Interestingly enough, the strap is starting to take on a bit of a shine, which is perfectly normal for rubber straps, but the case remains resolutely matte, which leads me to believe that the vulcanization process they use to coat the steel yields a more resistant, tougher rubber than usual.



As for the chaps who are complaining about peeling -- yes, I've followed that thread as well -- honestly, I can't help but believe that somehow they're to blame. Even though I usually hate siding with the company against the "little guy", if my watch is emblematic of all Galapagos ATs, then these guys clearly abusing the hell out of their watches, 'cuz that coating is double-tough. The friction of a shirt cuff ain't gonna rub it off, as one of them claims.

Regards,
Adam

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by craniotes

As for the chaps who are complaining about peeling -- yes, I've followed that thread as well -- honestly, I can't help but believe that somehow they're to blame. Even though I usually hate siding with the company against the "little guy", if my watch is emblematic of all Galapagos ATs, then these guys clearly abusing the hell out of their watches, 'cuz that coating is double-tough. The friction of a shirt cuff ain't gonna rub it off, as one of them claims.

Regards,
Adam

Thanks for the report Adam.

I agree with you regarding the questionable use of some of those watches - I recall someone mentioning that they slit the rubber on the sharp edge of a tool cabinet. I've sliced my hand badly on just such a thing and couldn't imagine letting any moderately expensive watch get near one!

Have a good day!

[Bhutton]

I disagree about this thread being divers that can't dive - if anything i wouldn't put an AP ROO on here - pretty sure it doesn't meet the criteria of being a dive watch.

Right up there with hublot and their non turning bezels ;)

[craniotes]

Originally Posted by Bhutton

I disagree about this thread being divers that can't dive - if anything i wouldn't put an AP ROO on here - pretty sure it doesn't meet the criteria of being a dive watch.

Right up there with hublot and their non turning bezels ;)

Actually, the AP Diver is a fully ISO 6425-certified dive watch, which means that among other things, it was tested to 125% of its maximum-rated depth, tested for shock-resistance, extreme temperature resistance, magnetic field resistance, underwater legibility, luminosity, etc.

Just because most folks wouldn't go diving with it doesn't mean they couldn't. Hell, go do a search on Hodinkee.com and you can see video of my buddy wreck diving with one. Admittedly, mine wouldn't be my first choice to go down on the Andrea Doria (that internal bezel is a bit fiddly to operate -- AP could learn a thing or two from IWC in this department), but it could easily handle 200'+ under the North Atlantic with zero problems.

Regards,
Adam

[Survivor]

In no particular order....

Omega Planet Ocean 45MM (either 2500 or 8500)
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms
Seadweller 4000 and/or DSSD
Breitling Seawolf
Omega Ploprof

[AK797]

Originally Posted by Peppe1019

1. Submariner
2. AP diver
3. Omega smp
4. Pam lum sub 1000
5. FF

Swap Pam for JLC NDS and thats mine

[dsk28]

Originally Posted by h999r

I can only name 4 top list.
1. AP diver
2. RM028
3. DSSD
4. Sea dweller.

[RobearH]

AP Diver
Blancpain FF
Jaeger NSD
IWC Deep Two
DSSD

[AK797]

.

[conkers]

Biased slightly, but I love my stealth RM diver. Lume is not the best though it must be said!