Rolex vs Tudor vs Omega– Which Dive Watch Should You Choose?

The dive watch is one of the most iconic watch designs ever. Most brands have their own version of this legendary but simplistic watch. The Submariner started it all (unless you’re a Blancpain stan) in 1954 with the ref. 6204.

In the 71 years since, not only the Submariner, but dive watches overall have become the most popular style of watch worldwide. Their rugged and timeless design combined with their durability and reliability make them the perfect option for any watch wearer. No matter whether you work in an office or in the most inhospitable places on earth, a dive watch will be a trusty companion.

Because of their popularity, almost every brand has had a go at producing their own version of a dive watch. But there are three brands that stand high above the rest. Rolex, Omega and Tudor have each dominated the market with their high-quality luxury dive watches. But which one is the best overall? To find out I’ll be diving (pun intended) into the history, engineering, wearability and pricing of the Submariner, Seamaster Professional, and Tudor Black Bay. Let’s get into it.

The Rolex Submariner has the richest history of all three having been the original dive watch design. Throughout its life it has been used by everyone from saturation divers to bankers, special forces units to hedge fund managers. It’s also been a star on screen, including the watch worn by Sean Connery’s James Bond in “Dr. No”. The design of the Submariner has remained consistent and iconic, evolving rather than being revolutionised.

The Seamaster line actually pre-dates the Submariner. However, it was not a dive watch but a much dressier reference that featured a new innovative O-ring gasket for improved water resistance. Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s Omega was king, but the release of the Submariner worried them. The first Seamaster 300 diver came out in 1957 and was Omega’s attempt to catch up to the brilliant Submariner that had caught them off-guard. The Seamaster gained a lot of credibility when it became the official watch of James Bond!

The Tudor Black Bay has a slightly more varied history, but still a strong one none the less. As most of you will know, Tudor was founded in 1926 by Hans Wilsdorf, founder of Rolex. The aim of Tudor was to give customers a watch of quality but more affordable than Rolex. So, when 1954’s Rolex Submariner launched, a Tudor version shortly followed. This is where the story of the Black Bay begins.

During its production up until the late 1990s the Tudor Submariner was a favourite choice for standard issue wristwatch for many armed forces. There was a short break in production while Tudor reinvented itself, but in 2012 the Black Bay was born and launched Tudor into the stand-alone brand that it is today. No longer a ‘poor man’s Rolex’.

My winner for this category has to be the Submariner. It started the dive watch story and is now one of the most recognisable and iconic watches in the world.

Score —

Submariner: I

Seamaster: 0

Black Bay: 0

All three of these watches boast impressive movements that are durable, accurate and if serviced, will outlive all of us. But there are a few key differences.

The Rolex features the Superlative Chronometer certified calibre 3135. A superbly accurate and well decorated movement that is reliable, easy to service, and durable. For Rolex, accuracy is key and so you would be hard pressed to find a good condition Submariner that is running outside of the +2/-2 second range.

Tudor also use a traditional escapement in the MT series of in-house calibres. Depending on model these have been either COSC or METAS certified and will also be accurate and durable. Less well finished than the Rolex but that’s what you would expect for the lower price. And with the solid case back, you’re not going to notice a change.

The Omega is the standout watch in this category. They use something called a Co-Axial escapement. A three-pronged innovation that reduces energy loss and wear in the escapement and was originally conceived by legendary watch maker, George Daniels. This movement is also METAS Master Chronometer certified and visible through an exhibition case back.

The winner here is the Seamaster. The Co-Axial escapement is one of the biggest innovations in traditional watch making, and they’ve made it commercially available rather than limiting it to a one-off Haute Horology piece.

Score —

Submariner: I

Seamaster: I

Black Bay: 0

This is where things get a little tricky. Firstly, preferred case size is subjective. Secondly, the case size varies depending on which exact reference of each of these models you choose. Starting with the modern references, the Seamaster is the largest of the three and the largest Seamaster ever at 42mm and 13.6mm thick. That’s the Co-Axial movement causing the chunky profile.

The 126610 Submariner is 41mm and 12.3mm thick; but check those with your callipers as Rolex tend to be smaller than the claimed diameter.

And finally, the Black Bay is 41mm and 13mm thick in its original form. As I mentioned earlier, 39mm and 37mm version are available in the Black Bay 58 and 54 respectively. The Black Bay 54 is 11.2mm thick making it the slimmest in this list, but it wears taller than expected due to its slab-sided case.

For this category I’m not going to select a winner because there is no overall ‘best’ case size or wearability. Having said that though, I am going to pick my favourite from my experience. The 39-40mm and 12mm thickness of the older Submariners wins by a landslide for me. I’m talking 16800 or 16610 references with their contoured case edges, they wear like a dream, and I absolutely love them.

Score —

Submariner: I

Seamaster: I

Black Bay: 0

Another tricky category. Value will be perceived differently from person to person. So, before I put my opinion on this, here are the facts. At the time of writing this a Rolex Submariner Date retails for £9,100; a Seamaster Professional on bracelet is £5,600 and our trusty Black Bay 41 is keeping things real at £3,920.

You could quite easily look at this and say that the Tudor is the best value, less than half of the price of the Rolex and markedly lower than the Omega. And you would be right. You could also say the Omega is the best value because of the material and movement upgrades over the Tudor but still priced far lower than the Rolex. Again, you would be right.

And then you have people like me. People that believe that the most expensive watch on this list is the best value. The Submariner is all the watch anyone could ever need, it is the most iconic watch of all time. One that many people strive their whole lives to own and built to a higher standard than the other two watches in this list. And all that provenance and quality is available for under £10,000. Which is a shed load of money, but it does buy you the most iconic watch of all time. I think it’s worth it.

But let’s bring it back down to earth for a second, the Tudor wins here objectively as it offers the most for the price by far!

Score —

Submariner: I

Seamaster: I

Black Bay: I

It would seem that we have a three-way tie. To pick an overall winner is tricky for many reasons. They each offer something unique and will be a great addition to any collection or even a stand-alone piece. If you asked me which I’d choose, it’s the Rolex every time.

But I want to hear your thoughts, let me know which is the perfect dive watch for you and why!