It’s tricky business finding alternatives to the Swatch x Blancpain Fifty Fathoms; seldom do we see high-low collaborations of this kind in the industry. Indeed the bioceramic dive watch looms large in the minds of both collectors and the mainstream public, and for good reason. While the lightweight colorful dive watch is great fun, however, those who are looking beyond the hype for more substantial dive watches around a similar price point should consider these options here in the Windup Watch Shop.

The Seiko 5 SKX Sports

You knew this one was coming. As the spiritual successor of the original SKX-series (AKA the gateway drug for so many of us in the watch game), the current SKX sports goes toe-to-toe with the Swatch on the spec sheet. From a wearability standpoint, both are just over 42mm wide but the Seiko is more compact lug-to-lug (46mm vs 48mm) and is a full millimeter thinner. Both are also water resistant to 100 meters, which is perfectly suitable for swimming. As a legitimate collection-starter and ender, Seiko SKX offers the experience of a stainless steel automatic dive watch that is immediately recognizable. Oh, and it’s $100 less than the Fifty Fathoms – go spend that extra money on some straps and hit the pool.

The Citizen Promaster Dive Eco Drive (In Titanium)

If you’re searching for a lightweight dive watch with greater scratch-resistance than the Swatch Fifty Fathoms, the Citizen Promaster may be your fighter. For essentially the same price, the Citizen Promaster offers double the water resistance, a fully titanium case and bracelet, and full ISO-certification for diving. It’s also even thinner than the aforementioned Seiko at 12mm thick. While not a traditional mechanical movement, the solar-powered Eco Drive movement is Citizen’s specialty; it is famously worry-free and will last many years without maintenance or battery changes. Hard to go wrong with a durable, lightweight watch from a company that has been making dive watches longer than Swatch has been around.

 

BOLDR x Nitecore T-Rex

Now for something out of left field. For the uninitiated, BOLDR is a young Singapore-based brand making durable sports watches at relatively affordable prices. Their collaboration with Nitecore is a stealthy PVD-black stainless dive/utility watch that is paired with a Nitecore Torch flashlight. Though somewhat niche in appeal (dinosaur lovers, anyone?), it is eminently wearable (40mm x 46mm x 12.3mm) and features thoughtful inside-baseball design touches like the California dial as well as practical considerations like brighter C3 lume and 200 meters of water resistance. This one is ready for adventure.