Anyone who knows me personally knows that long before I struck up a love affair with gadgets my heart belonged to watches. As early as junior high school I had a fascination with time pieces and started a blossoming collection. Back then I could only afford Swatches and Casios, but as I grew older and as my income increased I began to acquire more valuable pieces including Rolex, Cartier, Panerai, and more. I’ve sold off most of them because in this economy it’s just too hard to hold onto so many valuable things, but I have never lost my addiction. My most recent watch purchase, the Victorinox Swiss Army Dive Master 500M didn’t break the bank, but this rock solid watch wears as nicely as some of my previously owned higher end pieces.
The Dive 500M comes in either all stainless steel or stainless steel with a black rubber strap. I opted for the all stainless version. It features a precision Swiss analog quartz movement which never needs winding. The case of the watch measures a hefty 43mm.
The face of the watch features an anti-reflective Sapphire Crystal. The anti-reflective coating allows the face to be viewed at any angle.
Since this watch is water resistant to 50 ATM (500 meters/1650 feet) it has a screw down crown which insures no water makes its way into the movement. Because it can go so deep it’s not exactly the thinnest watch around. If you wear tight cuffs you may have issue with fastening them over this watch.
The hands, hour markers, bezel marker and logo are all luminous and are amongst some of the brightest I’ve come across. The unidirectional rotating bezel can be used to keep track of elapsed time.
In addition to a safety catch the stainless steel bracelet features a diver’s extension built into the clasp. This allows the watch to be worn over a wet suit if the wearer desires.
Perhaps my favorite thing about the watch is the way the day magnifier is set underneath the crystal. In other watches I’ve owned, the Rolex Submariner for example, its set above the glass resulting in a bubbled look. Placing the magnifier under the glass gives a much cleaner, sleeker look, in my opinion.
With a retail price of $550 this watch is a nice deal. The fact that it can be found on sale for far less makes it an even better one. With features that are found on much higher end watches the Diver 500M is a great “everyday” watch that’s tough enough to withstand a beating, water resistant to as far as most of us will ever venture and versatile enough to be worn on the ball field or boat and then into the dinning room.
Learn more about the Victorinox Swiss Army Diver 500M here.
MSRP: $550
What I Like: Sapphire crystal, screw down crown, anti-reflective coating, Swiss movement
What Needs Improvement: Case is a little thick.
