The timepieces to invest in now.

These days, you’re much more likely to find a diving watch in the boardroom than you are near the Great Barrier Reef. Because dive watches are seldom used for their originally intended purpose (computer watches that gauge nitrogen tissue loading and decompression stops are now de rigueur while diving, thank you), some may argue that nobody needs a sapphire-glass, carbine-coated, marine-worthy watch with deep-sea visibility anymore. But desires aren’t the same as needs, of course. A decent diving watch is robust, rugged and a standout accessory in a league (and often price point) of its own. They are exceptionally well-made, too, and will likely keep ticking for generations. Whether you’re using a diving watch to explore the deep, or are simply looking for something that won’t break in the bath, the five diving watches we’ve picked out below represent the most innovative, most reliable and most beautifully-crafted investments on the market.

OFFICINE PANERAI

Established in Florence in 1860, Panerai has a storied history, and in 1900 became the official supplier to the Regina Marina – Italy’s navy. The calibre of Panerai’s watches are as vaunted as their techy aesthetics, and the style of this 47mm Luminor Submersible is based on an archival design that commandos wore back in the 1950s. Considering that it comes with luminescent Arabic numerals and indices, boasts a flyback chronograph and immersion timer, and is finished with a durable rubber strap, its suitability for naval infantry is clear. And, let’s be honest, its impressive good looks don’t hurt, either.

RESSENCE

Ressence, founded in Antwerp in 2010 by Mr Benoit Mintiens, may not boast a century-long legacy to compare with some of the watchmakers on this list, but what the brand lacks in history it more than makes up for in cutting-edge innovation. On most diving watches, for instance, refraction underwater makes it hard to see the face. But this isn’t a problem for Ressence’s Type 5 watch. Eliminating what is known in physics as “total internal reflection”, its unique oil-filled design renders the timepiece completely legible from all angles, as well as making it lightweight, and all the components are consistently lubricated. Its body is hydrodynamic, and Ressence’s unique patented ROCS 5 system (a 142-part horological complication) means that the watch’s hands are perpetually moving, making it exceptionally accurate, not to mention sleek.

TAG HEUER

Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer is known for its sturdy and solid watches, which have been pushing the frontiers of innovation for more than 150 years. This Aquaracer Automatic Chronograph is just one example of its superior quality – its strap is made from a tough, utilitarian nylon, and it has a sandblasted black titanium carbide coated case, with hand-applied blackened gold indexes with grey luminescent markers for ultimate visibility even when it’s dark. Thanks to its horizontal-striped face and subtly-ridged chronographs, it’s one of the sportier-looking diving watches on the market – wear it to lend a contemporary edge to a suit.

ORIS

Oris’ point of difference, not taking into account its knack for making impossibly beautiful Swiss timepieces, is that it is heavily involved in coral reef conservation and restoration, and has teamed up with a number of non-profit organisations in the last decade on numerous environmental efforts. Its Divers Heritage model is based on an archival design from 1965, and its unidirectional black bezel, domed anti-reflective sapphire crystal lens and its in-house 733 automatic movement with 38-hour power reserve make it the ultimate marriage of style and substance.

MONTBLANC

Montblanc may peg itself as a watch purveyor centred on the calm and mindful precision of horologists, but the brand’s prestigious TimeWalker Date gives a nod towards high-octane petrol heads. It has a rotating ceramic bezel inspired by the kind of fuel caps you get on old-school racing cars, and its numerals are rendered in luminescent increments of five, shot through with a red second hand to evoke the feel of a dashboard speed dial. As such, it will look right at home with the wearer’s hands are on the wheel, and will add plenty of sartorial horsepower to your watch collection.