Have you ever found yourself gazing at a sleek, robust dive watch and wondered, “Who actually uses these things to their full potential?” If you’ve just watched Ben Lowry share his incredible collection and journey from the Midwest to a professional diver, you already have a compelling answer. Ben’s story isn’t just about accumulating beautiful timepieces; it’s a testament to how these instruments become companions in the most demanding environments, each piece carrying a narrative of resilience, utility, and sometimes, even survival. His career, spanning the United States Coast Guard and commercial diving, provided a unique testing ground for watches often romanticized but rarely pushed to their limits by their owners.
For many watch enthusiasts, the term “dive watch” often conjures images of deep-sea exploration or perhaps just a stylish accessory for a day at the beach. However, as Ben eloquently demonstrates, the real world of professional diving presents challenges far beyond the casual dip. His insights debunk common myths, highlight genuine utility, and reveal the surprisingly accessible entry points into serious watch collecting. This article delves deeper into the practicalities, the history, and the personal stories behind the professional diver’s watches that accompanied Ben through his extraordinary career.
From Midwest Dreams to Maritime Realities: Ben’s Diving Journey
Ben Lowry’s path to becoming a professional diver was anything but conventional, especially for someone growing up far from the ocean. His father’s collection of books on the ocean, diving, and submersibles ignited a spark that would eventually lead him to join the Coast Guard. While not immediately a diver, Ben’s time in the Coast Guard exposed him to maritime environments where durable, water-resistant watches were not just accessories but essential gear. He recalls seeing many colleagues opting for capable dive watches to withstand the rigors of missions on boats, setting the stage for his own appreciation.
It was during his Coast Guard service that a chance encounter with commercial divers on a search and rescue case profoundly impacted Ben. Seeing a diver in a full helmet, unfazed by the chaos of a damaged barge, revealed an entirely new career path. This experience, which he describes with vivid detail, involved a 125-foot barge being tossed by a ferry wake, highlighting the unpredictable and often dangerous nature of the work. The opportunity to interact with these professionals, who explained their specialized trade, cemented Ben’s decision to attend dive school directly after leaving the Coast Guard. This foundational experience underscores the authentic connection Ben has with every watch in his collection, transforming them from mere objects into true tools of his trade.
Seiko’s Enduring Legacy: The Gateway to Dive Watch Collecting
Ben’s watch collecting journey, much like that of countless enthusiasts, began with Seiko. He humorously notes that if you started collecting when he did and hadn’t owned a Seiko SKX007 or SKX009, you “weren’t doing it right.” These models, renowned for their durability and affordability, were perfect for his maritime environment. They offered the right look, complemented his uniform, and transitioned seamlessly into his diving gear. Beyond their initial appeal, the SKX models acted as a gateway to Seiko’s rich history, particularly leading collectors to appreciate earlier, iconic pieces like the 6309.
The Seiko 6309, one of Seiko’s first cushion case divers after the legendary 6105, entered production in 1976 and swiftly became a “tool watch legend.” Its distinctive silhouette, with the 4 o’clock crown position and rounded lugs, is instantly recognizable in vintage photos of divers and military personnel. This design, often featuring a short lug-to-lug distance, made larger Seiko divers surprisingly wearable even on smaller wrists—a practical advantage Ben himself appreciated. Critically, these watches provided an accessible entry point into serious, capable dive watches at a time when expensive options like Rolex, Tudor, or Omega were simply out of reach for a new military or diving professional.
Beyond Mechanical: The Robustness of Quartz Seiko Divers
Yet, the depth of Seiko’s contribution extends beyond its mechanical marvels to its highly capable quartz offerings. Ben explains that the SKX wasn’t Seiko’s first iteration of that now-famous aesthetic; several quartz variants, like those under the 7548 reference, shared similar dimensions and dial layouts. For a professional diver, the benefits of quartz are undeniable. As Ben highlights, in a “hard use” or “maritime environment,” the reliability of a grab-and-go quartz watch, which doesn’t require constant winding or crown manipulation, is invaluable. This “cliché” rings true for anyone needing immediate, precise timekeeping without fuss.
A particular favorite of Ben’s is the Seiko 7C43, a “souped-up quartz Seiko dive watch” from 1987—his birth year. This model, identified by “PROFESSIONAL” text on its dial, featured a higher torque, higher-spec quartz movement and an L-shaped gasket on the case back, a detail typically found in their iconic “Tuna” divers. Such features underline Seiko’s commitment to building genuinely professional-grade quartz watches for diving, proving that cutting-edge technology and robust construction were not exclusive to mechanical movements. Finding this specific model, a “deep cut” for collectors, took Ben four or five years of dedicated searching, underscoring the passion involved in his collecting journey.
Challenging Conventional Wisdom: The Seiko 5 Sports GMT
The discussion takes an intriguing turn with the Seiko 5 Sports SSKOO1 GMT, a watch that initially seems out of place in a professional diver’s collection due to its 100-meter water resistance and push-pull crown. Released to “incredible fanfare” last year, this watch offers an attainable GMT function, which Ben finds inherently logical for divers who often travel to their dive sites. Despite its non-ISO certification for diving, Ben decided to put it to the test, taking it on a scuba trip where he dove to approximately 100 feet (about 30 meters). His experience confirmed that the watch performed flawlessly, even at depths commonly encountered by recreational divers.
This experiment serves as a powerful anecdote to challenge the common anxieties surrounding watch water resistance. Ben notes that people often “get a little bit too deep in the weeds” with concerns about showering or even walking through a sprinkler with a 100-meter rated watch. He points out that while saturation divers work at extreme depths, much of the professional diving he did, particularly inland commercial diving, typically occurs at shallower depths. Even professional divers working in deeper waters like the Gulf of Mexico or the North Sea rarely exceed 200-300 feet (around 60-90 meters)—which is well within a 100-meter watch’s capabilities, remembering that 100 meters is approximately 330 feet. This perspective effectively debunks the “1000-meter rated dive watch is just a little bit BS and a little bit marketing-oriented” myth for the vast majority of diving scenarios.
Citizen Aqualand: The Unsung Hero of Professional Diving
Switching gears, Ben introduces Citizen, a brand he believes is an “unsung hero” in professional diving circles. While many watch enthusiasts recognize Citizen’s popular Eco-Drive divers, it’s the Aqualand family that holds a special place in the professional community. Launched in 1985 with the C022 and C023 models, the Aqualand was revolutionary for its integrated digital display alongside an analog one. This combination provided crucial dive functions like real-time depth, ascent alarms, and maximum depth tracking, positioning it as a powerful tool just short of a full-fledged dive computer.
Ben asserts that anyone looking at content featuring divers from the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s will see the Aqualand “everywhere.” He personally uses a modern reproduction, the JP2000-08E, which he has taken “extensively diving,” yet it remains in pristine condition thanks to its robust blasted case. Beyond the ana-digi models, Citizen also introduced the analog Aqualand, which “crammed” a wealth of information into a multi-hand analog display. This complex layout, featuring five hands center-stack, tracks both real-time depth and maximum depth, a critical data point for decompression calculations. Ben’s acquisition of an analog Aqualand, sourced from a British military surplus supplier, carries significant history as it was once issued to the British Royal Navy’s clearance divers, further cementing its legitimate tool watch status.
Military Pedigree: CWC and Marathon’s Unyielding Utility
The conversation naturally flows into watches with undeniable military pedigree, starting with CWC (Cabot Watch Company). Ben explains that CWC stepped in as a more cost-effective and practical alternative when Rolex military Submariners ceased being issued to British military divers. This decision reflected a pragmatic shift, as issuing expensive Rolexes to individuals who might lose or damage them no longer made financial sense. CWC specializes in simple, straightforward “military watches,” not merely military-style. The SBS (Special Boat Service) version, a blacked-out model supposedly requested by an elite special operations unit, exemplifies their purposeful design.
Ben insists that the CWC SBS is best worn on a military-issued Phoenix nylon strap, the original supplier for the British military’s NATO straps. He passionately defends nylon NATO straps, acknowledging that while some might not appreciate their aesthetic for daily wear, their utility in a diving context is unparalleled. Their adaptability to various exposure suits (wetsuits, drysuits, or no suit) and the ability to tuck away excess length make them an ideal choice for practical use, capable of adjusting to fluctuating wrist sizes and conditions underwater.
Marathon GSAR: A Customization Story from the Coast Guard
Another brand deeply intertwined with military utility is Marathon. During his Coast Guard service from 2011 to 2015, Ben, a self-proclaimed “watch nerd,” sought an alternative to the ubiquitous G-Shocks and Timex Ironmans worn by most. He vividly recounts seeing a “super salty old guy” Coast Guard diver wearing a Marathon, recognizing it immediately as a serious tool watch. This encounter left a lasting impression, leading Ben to acquire the first of many Marathon watches—he estimates owning “six or seven” over the years, often selling them to impressed military or diving colleagues.
While Marathon’s GSAR (Government Search and Rescue) is a near-perfect modern tool dive watch, Ben found one minor ergonomic flaw for his smaller wrist: the prominent, knurled crown would dig into the back of his hand, especially when his skin was already softened from prolonged underwater work. His solution? A custom “lefty” modification, achieved by finding an online artisan who produces a special date wheel that allows the movement to be rotated 180 degrees. This modification, which includes a white-on-black date disc, not only makes the watch significantly more comfortable but also adds a unique, watch-nerd-approved touch. This personal touch highlights how even the most robust tool watches can be tailored for individual needs and preferences, deepening the connection between diver and timepiece.
Doxa and Scufra: Watches Forged in Personal Experience
The conversation pivots to watches with profound personal significance, starting with Ben’s Doxa Sub 1200T. Acquired in 2015 to commemorate his marriage and entry into commercial diving, this watch quickly became an extension of his identity. Doxa, a “legendary brand in the world of diving,” boasts an impressive heritage, famously endorsed by Jacques Cousteau and featured in Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt novels. Ben chose the black “Sharkhunter” dial over Doxa’s iconic orange, specifically because Cousteau and his team, as well as US Navy divers in projects like Sea Lab, often sported the black or silver dials. Despite its 1200 meters of water resistance and helium escape valve, Ben decided from day one that he would “not baby it,” wearing it through the rigors of commercial diving, including working in challenging underwater environments. While the photos show minimal wear, the scratches and marks are testaments to a life lived fully and authentically with the watch.
Perhaps the most intensely personal watch in Ben’s collection is the Scufra Diver One. This $200 watch holds an indelible memory of a near-death experience during a river diving job. Ben recounts the terrifying incident of being struck by a 4000-pound bag of rocks, which pushed him through a rock pile he had been building. The watch was on his wrist during this harrowing moment. Having initially sought a Scufra to review as an aspiring watch writer, Ben found that this timepiece ultimately became a symbol of survival and a permanent reminder of the immense risks inherent in commercial diving. The fact that an inexpensive watch could be present during such a life-altering event underscores that true value often transcends monetary cost, rooting a watch’s significance in lived experience rather than market value.
Vintage Charms and Niche Tributes: Squale, Kirby Morgan, and Sandoz
Ben also highlights the fascinating trend from the 1960s and 70s where dive brands, shops, and organizations would commission watches from manufacturers, creating unique co-signed pieces. His vintage Squale, from the early 1970s, exemplifies this. Squale, a brand now recognized by many watch enthusiasts, has a “legitimate history” of manufacturing cases for prestigious brands like Blancpain and Doxa. The Squale in Ben’s collection is co-signed by Blandford SA, a scuba diving supplier in the UK. For Ben, the allure lies in the fact that such a watch was sold not as jewelry but as a piece of equipment alongside fins and masks in a dive shop—a practice largely “missing from the industry today.” This emphasizes the tool-first mentality of vintage dive watches.
A truly unique piece is the commemorative watch from Kirby Morgan, the brand responsible for manufacturing 99% of the fiberglass diving helmets used by commercial divers. Based where Ben attended dive school, Kirby Morgan holds deep reverence for every diver. When co-founder Bev Morgan passed away, the SB Watch Company, an American microbrand, produced a limited-edition watch in his honor. This “huge,” 44-45mm, 1000-meter dive watch with a Sellita movement pays tribute to a legend Ben had the privilege of meeting. The watch, a chunky, solid diver with impressive lume, embodies the spirit of the diving community and the equipment that keeps divers alive, carrying forward the legacy of an “absolute legend” in the diving world.
Rounding out his collection, Ben showcases a Sandoz Submariner from the 1970s, an early homage to the iconic Rolex Submariner. This vintage piece, likely featuring an ETA automatic movement, has aged beautifully with a “ghosted bezel” and “glorious” tritium lume. However, its most distinctive feature is the bracelet: an Alang-apo. These unique bracelets, still made by artisans in the Philippines, gained popularity among American servicemen traveling through the Philippines during the Vietnam War. They typically feature the wearer’s military insignia, a tradition Ben honors with his own Alang-apo bracelet, adorned with a diving helmet and the crossed anchors of his Coast Guard Boatswain’s Mate rating insignia. Despite not being the most comfortable, these bracelets offer a “cool” and “underserved” look, deeply connecting the watch to the wearer’s military service and personal journey.
Submerge Your Questions: Your Dive Watch Q&A
What is the main topic of this article?
This article explores the watch collection and experiences of professional diver Ben Lowry, highlighting how his watches served as essential tools throughout his Coast Guard and commercial diving career.
Why are dive watches important to a professional diver like Ben Lowry?
For Ben, dive watches are more than just accessories; they are vital tools and companions that provide reliability and utility in the demanding and often dangerous environments of professional diving.
What watch brand did Ben Lowry start his collection with?
Ben Lowry’s watch collecting journey began with Seiko, particularly models like the SKX007 or SKX009, which were known for their durability and affordability in maritime settings.
Do all professional dive watches need extremely high water resistance ratings?
Not always. Ben explains that while some watches have extreme ratings, many professional diving tasks occur at shallower depths, and a watch with 100 meters of water resistance can perform flawlessly in common diving scenarios.