Back when I first got certified to scuba dive I used to love going to the dive shop and checking out all the cool dive watches in the case. What I liked about the watches at the dive shop is that they are made to take diving. There are so many “dive watches” out there that will never go beyond a swimming pool. Many of them couldn’t even handle real dive conditions. Well I cam across the Phoibos Ocean Master while browsing divers online and I reached out to them. They we able to send me one out to review and I really like what I see. Want to see a real dive watch? Keep reading.
The Dial
Any real divers watch should have a dial that’s simple and visible in all conditions. This Phoibos Ocean Master has done good on the dial. Its a simple three hander with date. One of the most important parts on a dive watch is that minute hand. You don’t time your dive in hours, you time it in minutes, so that minute hand has to stand out. In this case the minute hand is bright orange which is one of the best color choices to use when diving. When descending most colors will start to fade but the orange color tends to not fade out. The hour makers are very large and in any condition they will be easy to see at a glance. Protecting the dial is sapphire crystal. The bezel is 120 click unidirectional with very little play. Great part about the bezel is its very easy grip and rotate. Even with wet hands or with dive gloves on there is always good grip on the bezel. The hands on this Ocean Master are mounted to a reliable Seiko SII NH35A automatic movement.
The Case
Made from 316L brushed Stainless steel and measuring in at 43mm wide and 14.5mm thick this watch is large but not crazy large like some divers out there. Although this case is pretty thick its still comfortable on the wrist because of the tapered case back. This watch is rated with a water resistance of 1000m or 3300ft. This is serious dive watch territory. The crown is screw down and of course for a serious dive watch there must be the helium valve. This has a manual helium release valave at the 2’oclock position. For most people this is a cool talking point but for the few deep diving commercial divers its a real necessity.
The Bracelet
Normally on watches that are in the sub 500 dollar range I find that the bracelets tend to pinch and pull hair which can be very annoying. With the Phoibos Ocean Master I did not find that an issue at all. The bracelet which is made from 316L brushed stainless steel is very smooth and like are tight so there is no pulling or pinching going on. The clasp is double locking and has a divers extension. If you are going to make a real dive watch you need that divers extension.
Loving that lume!
The hands and indices are filled with Super-LumiNova C3 . Charge time is quick and the glow lasts for a long time. All that you need to see in low light is very visible.
Overall Impression
If you want a dive watch that can really be a dive watch then the Phoibos Ocean Master is a pretty good choice. With great water resistance, helium valve, and divers extension this can cover all that a diver could need. Build quality is excellent and for all this the price is only $299 USD which is $100 off of the retail price of $399 which is great for all you get. If you want one go check them out at phoiboswatch.com.
Review Summary
- Brand and model: Phoibos Ocean Master
- Price: Retail $399 USD on sale right now for $299 USD
- Who’s it for? Tool watch folks and actual divers.
- Would I wear it? For sure.
- What I’d change: Nothing, its a real diver.
- The best thing about it: Overall quality.
Tech Specs from Phoibos
- Case:316L Stainless steel 43mmX 48mm
- Band:316L Stainless steel 22mm width bracelet
- Clasp:Three-fold clasp with push button release
- Glass:Sapphire crystal
- Water resistance:1000M(3300ft)
- Case size: Diameter 43.0mm Thickness 14.5mm
- Bezel:120-click unidirectional bezel
- Helium Release Valve: at 2 o’clock position
- Crown:Screw-Down crown
- Lume:Super-LumiNova C3 on hands, indices
