Exploring the Depths (Part-13): From Vietnam-Era Divers to Shipwreck GMTs

⏱ 7-9 min read
📅 Updated Oct 2026
🔍 5 Watches Reviewed

Welcome back to Exploring the Depths, our series on dive watches that deserve a place on your wrist. Part 13 spans a wide range. One watch is a 46 mm tritium-lit Swiss brute. Another is a French-designed vintage homage, and a third is a reissue of a Vietnam-era military diver. Then comes a modern Swiss-made favorite from the microbrand world, and finally a limited-run GMT diver from Western Australia that hasn’t hit wrists yet.

The price spread is big, from around ~$485 (the Alkimos’s planned full price) to $2,550. So we’re not saying one watch beats all the others. The question is which one fits the diver, collector or desk-diver reading this.

All specs and prices below come from each brand’s own product page at the time of writing (October 2026). Prices and availability change, so check before you buy.

Alkimos Ghostship GMT (Limited Edition)

Brief synopsis: The Alkimos Ghostship GMT is the newcomer of the lineup, and it comes with a story. The Australian microbrand takes its name from the Alkimos Shipwreck, which has rested off the coast of Western Australia since running aground in 1963 and has since become a local legend. The Ghostship GMT is limited to just 50 individually numbered pieces, offered in Indian Ocean or Midnight editions with a choice of Oyster or Jubilee-style bracelet. Inside the 40 mm stainless steel case is a Seiko NH34 automatic GMT movement with an independent 24-hour hand, paired with a sapphire crystal, a screw-down crown, BGW9 Super-LumiNova and 200 m of water resistance.

At a planned price of ~$485, it’s one of the most affordable true GMT divers around. The caveat is that it’s still pre-production: the brand plans to build two samples for inspection before approving the full run. That makes it an exciting pick, but one for buyers comfortable backing a new brand.

[photo credit: alkimoswatches.com.au]

Specs:

Case: 316L stainless steel, 40.5 mm, 12.5 mm thick

Movement: Seiko NH34 automatic GMT with independent 24-hour hand

Bezel: black ceramic 24-hour GMT bezel

Crystal: sapphire

Water resistance: 200 m (660 ft), screw-down crown

Lume: BGW9 Super-LumiNova

Extras: date at 3 o’clock, engraved rotor, choice of exhibition or solid caseback

Warranty: one-year manufacturer defect warranty

Price: ~$485

Pros:

+ A true GMT with an independent hour hand and a sapphire crystal for under $500 is hard to beat.

+ The NH34 is a proven, affordable and easily serviced movement.

+ Numbered edition of 50 with a distinctive Australian story.

+ Reservation is refundable if the watch doesn’t enter production.

Cons:

- Pre-production: two samples will be made and inspected before the remaining watches are approved, so no one has verified the finished product yet.

- The listing currently shows the variants as sold out or unavailable.

- Only a one-year warranty, and the brand has no track record yet.

Traser P67 Diver Automatic

Brief synopsis: The Traser P67 Diver Automatic is built for people who want a diver that keeps working when the lights go out. Traser’s trigalight technology uses tritium gas tubes that glow continuously with no charging, so the hands, markers and logo stay readable in total darkness, while Super-LumiNova on the hour markers and bezel adds extra brightness after light exposure. The 46 mm stainless steel case houses a Swiss automatic movement and is topped with an anti-reflective sapphire crystal and a unidirectional ceramic bezel with a luminous glass seal, designed to be easy to turn even with gloves. With a screw-down crown, a helium valve and a 500 m (50 bar) water resistance rating, it is far more capable than most people will ever need, and the stainless steel bracelet keeps the look tough and serious. At $1,565 for the watch with a rubber strap and $1,700 for the stainless steel bracelet, it offers a lot of tool-watch hardware for the money, but its 46mm size is best suited to larger wrists.

[photo credit: www.traser.com]

Specs:

Case: stainless steel, 46 mm

Bezel: unidirectional ceramic with luminous glass seal

Crystal: anti-reflective sapphire

Movement: Swiss Made automatic

Water resistance: 50 bar (500 m), screw-down crown, helium valve

Strap: stainless steel bracelet or rubber strap, 22 mm

Lume: trigalight (tritium) plus Super-LumiNova

Warranty: 24 months

Price: $1,565 (rubber strap) / $1,700 USD (stainless steel bracelet)

Pros:

+ Tritium tubes mean the hands, markers and logo stay readable in total darkness, hours after Super-LumiNova fades.

+ A 500 m rating and helium valve are far beyond what most people will ever need.

+ The ceramic bezel resists scratches and is designed to be easy to turn with gloves.

+ Swiss automatic movement and a full steel bracelet at a mid-range price.

Cons:

- At 46 mm, it will overwhelm smaller wrists.

- The product page doesn’t name the movement caliber, which matters to enthusiasts who care about serviceability.

- Tritium decays over time, so the tubes will gradually dim over a decade or more.

Carlingue Diver Watch 01 (CT-001-B)

Brief synopsis: The Carlingue Diver Watch 01 is a charming, affordable take on the skin-diver watches of the 1950s and 60s. Designed in France and engineered and assembled in Switzerland, it comes in a compact 316L steel case that measures 40 mm across, 11.85 mm thick and 51 mm lug to lug, so it sits comfortably on most wrists and slides easily under a cuff. The black domed, sandblasted dial has painted Arabic numerals and Super-LumiNova, and the unidirectional bezel, sapphire crystal and screw-down crown give it a solid dive-watch spec sheet, including 200 m of water resistance. Inside is a Miyota 9039 automatic movement beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour, with a 42-hour power reserve, so it may stop if you leave it off the wrist over a long weekend. Weighing only 87 g on its black silicone strap, it is one of the lightest of the five, easy to wear every day and a great entry point at ~$763.

[photo credit: carlingue-watches.com]

Specs:

Case: 316L steel, 40 mm (40.5 mm with bezel), 11.85 mm thick, 51 mm lug-to-lug

Bezel: unidirectional, steel with black PVD and Super-LumiNova

Crystal: sapphire with anti-reflective coating on the underside

Movement: Miyota 9039 automatic, 28,800 vph, 42-hour power reserve

Water resistance: 200 m (20 ATM), screw-down crown and caseback

Strap: black silicone, steel buckle

Weight: 87 g

Warranty: 24 months international

Price: ~$763

Pros:

+ At 40 mm and 11.85 mm thick, it wears comfortably and slips under a cuff.

+ The sandblasted domed dial and vintage skin-diver proportions give it real character.

+ A sapphire crystal and screw-down crown at this price is a good deal.

+ The silicone strap suits actual water use.

Cons:

- A 42-hour power reserve is on the short side, so it will stop if you rest it over a weekend.

- The Miyota 9039 is reliable but not a prestige movement.

- The listing shows a silicone strap, and a steel bracelet appears to be a separate (newer) option.

Benrus Type 1 MIL SPEC

Brief synopsis: This is the history-buff’s pick. The Benrus Type 1 MIL SPEC carries real military heritage. Benrus reached its peak during World War II and the Vietnam era, when it became a trusted supplier of military-issued watches. The original Type 1 was built in the 1970s to the U.S. military’s MIL-W-50717 specification, for elite units like the Navy SEALs and Army Rangers. The watch reviewed here is a modern reissue that recreates that design with a sterile dial, an asymmetrical bead-blasted case and oversized luminous markers. Instead of a vintage piece with a vintage price tag and service headaches, you get the same no-nonsense look with a sapphire crystal,
a screw-down crown and 370 m of water resistance, built in Switzerland.

[photo credit: benrus.com]

Specs:

Case: stainless steel, 39.5 mm, sandblasted closed caseback with MIL SPEC engraving

benrus

Bezel: bi-directional rotating sandblasted 316L, aluminum inner ring

Crystal: double domed sapphire crystal with AR coating

Crown: screw-down

Movement: Swiss ETA 2892 automatic, 42-hour power reserve

Water resistance: up to 370 metres (1,200 feet)

Origin: designed, engineered and made in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland

Price: $1,795

Pros:

+ Authentic mil-spec design with a legible dial, a minimalist case and 1,200 ft of water resistance.

+ A 39.5 mm case size is versatile and comfortable.

+ Swiss-made with a well-regarded ETA-based movement, which any watchmaker can service.

+ Real military heritage, not just marketing.

Cons:

- The reviewer called the price substantial for a watch running an ETA 2892, with part of the cost coming from the Benrus name.

- Spartan by design: no frills, no date, no extras.

- Some collectors find the price steep next to rival mil-diver homages.

Monta Oceanking

Brief synopsis: The Monta Oceanking is the most refined watch in this lineup. Monta launched the Oceanking in 2016, and this third generation brings a redesigned dial with applied indices, larger lume and a wet-look lacquer finish, plus a ceramic bezel with a patent-pending assembly and 120 satisfying clicks. The 316L stainless steel case is 40.5 mm wide, 12 mm thick and 48 mm lug to lug, so it stays compact and comfortable, and the flat, beveled sapphire crystal and screw-down crown support a 300 m (1,000 ft) depth rating. Inside is the Swiss-made Monta Caliber M-22 automatic movement with a 56-hour power reserve, making it a practical choice for daily wear. The bracelet is a highlight too, with a quick-adjust clasp offering six slots for on-the-fly micro-adjustment. At $2,550 it is the priciest watch here, Monta positions it as a modern luxury tool watch, but you are paying for polish, comfort and thoughtful details.

[photo credit: montawatch.com]

Specs:

Case: 316L stainless steel, 40.5 mm, 12 mm thick, 48 mm lug-to-lug, 20 mm lug width

Bezel: black ceramic with Super-LumiNova BGW9

Crystal: flat, beveled sapphire with seven anti-reflective layers on the underside

Movement: Monta Caliber M-22 automatic, 56-hour power reserve

Water resistance: 300 m (1,000 ft), screw-down crown

Bracelet: steel with quick-adjust clasp and two half-links

Warranty: two-year international

Price: $2,550

Pros:

+ A 48 mm lug-to-lug keeps it compact on most wrists, and the 12 mm thickness is slim for a diver.

+ The bracelet and clasp are standout features, with easy micro-adjustment.

+ A 56-hour power reserve and Swiss-made construction.

+ A wet-look lacquer dial with applied indices and generous lume.

Cons:

- It is the most expensive watch in this lineup.

- Monta production is limited, and the product page flags limited quantities.

- At $2,550, it competes with well-known Swiss heritage brands.

Quick Comparison Table

Dive Watch Comparison: Exploring the Depths (Part 13)

Watch	Price	Case Size	Thickness	Movement	Water Resistance	Power Reserve	Standout Feature	Warranty
Traser P67 Diver Automatic	$1,565-1,700	46 mm	n/a	Swiss automatic	500 m	n/a	Tritium lume	2 years
Carlingue Diver 01	~$763	40 mm	11.85 mm	Miyota 9039	200 m	42 h	Vintage skin-diver style	2 years
Benrus Type 1 MIL SPEC	$1,795	39.5 mm	14.40 mm	Swiss ETA-based automatic	370 m	42 h	Mil-spec heritage	2 years
Monta Oceanking	$2,550	40.5 mm	12 mm	Monta M-22	300 m	56 h	Quick-adjust clasp	2 years
Alkimos Ghostship GMT	~$485 (pre-order)	40.5 mm	12.5 mm	Seiko NH34 GMT	200 m	41 h	True GMT, limited to 50	1 year

n/a = not stated on the manufacturer's product page.

Final Verdict

Best overall: the Monta Oceanking. It has the best finishing, the best bracelet and the most polished design, and you pay for it.

Best for tool-watch purists: the Traser P67. Tritium lume and a 500 m rating make it the most utilitarian watch here, if you can handle 46 mm.

Best for history lovers: the Benrus Type 1 MIL SPEC. It’s a legitimate piece of military-diver heritage in a very wearable size.

Best value for classic style: the Carlingue Diver 01. Vintage proportions, sapphire and a 40 mm case for ~$763.

Best for adventurers on a budget: the Alkimos Ghostship GMT. Offering a true GMT for under $500 is highly compelling. Because this is a pre-production run for an emerging microbrand, backers are essentially joining the first wave of development. Consider placing a reservation if you love being part of a brand's growth story from day one.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best dive watch under $1,000 in this list?

The Carlingue Diver 01 (~$763) is the most affordable finished watch. The Alkimos Ghostship GMT is planned at ~$485 but is not yet in production.

Which watch has the highest water resistance?

The Traser P67 Diver Automatic, rated to 50 bar (500 m) with a helium valve. The Benrus Type 1 follows at 370 m.

What is tritium lume, and does it need charging?

Traser’s trigalight uses tritium gas tubes that glow on their own, with no light exposure needed. Super-LumiNova, used by the other brands, must be charged by light and fades over hours.

Which watch is best for small wrists?

The Benrus Type 1 (39.5 mm), Carlingue (40 mm, 51 mm lug-to-lug) and Monta (48 mm lug-to-lug) are all comfortable on smaller wrists. The 46 mm Traser is the largest.

Which one is a GMT?

Only the Alkimos Ghostship GMT, with an independent 24-hour hand.

Is the Alkimos Ghostship GMT available now?

It’s a limited run of 50 offered through a reservation. Final production depends on two inspected samples, and the reservation is refundable if it doesn’t proceed. For more information check the brand’s site.

Are these real dive watches or just divers in style?

All five have screw-down crowns, sapphire crystals and at least 200 m of water resistance. For actual scuba use, check the manufacturer’s guidance and service the watch regularly.