It’s a hunt most of us find ourselves on at some point – a classic, 40mm watch with a Submariner case that doesn’t break the bank. As a result many of us find ourselves on the doorstep of the Invicta Pro Diver 8926OB. But when you’re talking about Invicta it no longer becomes a normal watch hunting endeavor. Brand stigma and perceptions of what a watch should be pollute the process and remove the elements most important and valuable to you and your watch hunt: the watch itself and your happiness.
Jump To:
Case | Dial | Bracelet | Movement | Final Thoughts | Popular Pro Diver Models
Invicta Pro Diver Specs
| Case Dimensions: | 40mm x 48mm x 14mm |
| Lug Width: | 20mm |
| Dial Options: | Black, Two-tone black dial, Two-tone blue dial |
| Movement: | NH35 (Mechanical) |
| Crystal: | Mineral |
| Water Resistance: | 200m (but not suitable for diving) |
| Style: | Diver/Sport, but can pull off dressy |
Nothing in your watch collecting journey should influence your perceptions other than your own personal tastes and goals as an enthusiast. So if you’re considering buying this Invicta Pro Diver 8926OB to scratch your 40mm sub case itch than this review is for you. Prejudices and other horology hive-mind bullshit notions are checked at the door in order to bring you an Invicta review that’s only focused on the watch itself as a collection of its parts and a result of its construction in order to answer one question: “is the Invicta Pro Diver any good?”
The Case:
The Invicta Pro Diver’s case is a tug-of-war of extremes for me. There are aspects I find incredible about it but there is also one thing that makes my blood boil.
The best part of the watch is probably the main reason you’re considering it – the 40mm Sub case. Finding a watch that executes the traditional Rolex Submariner case to a high degree is a journey that most watch enthusiasts will find themselves on at some point. Plenty of microbrands offers sub cases and a whole mess of microbrands do as well.
What I can say is that the Sub case on the Invicta Pro Diver 8926OB is executed really well. The machining is solid and the finishing is done well (much better than some other brands charging 6X). The approach that Invicta takes here is one that I’ve honestly come to appreciate wholeheartedly: if it ain’t broke – don’t fix it. Over the years I’ve seen so many different takes on the Sub case that it jaded me to the hunt for a long time. There are some where the dimensions are larger than normal – some have crazy colors going on – some mix Seamaster hands in a Rolex case – and some horological war crimes exists that I don’t want to even bring up.
At 40mm in diameter, approx. 48mm lug to lug, and approx. 14mm thick, the Invicta Pro Diver totally gets it. The reason you’re looking for a Sub case is because you want a Sub case – not a brand’s interpretative spin on one. These classic dimensions coupled with this totally timeless case shape sit very well on the wrist. When I first sized the watch and put it on I had one of those moments where everything just feels like it falls into place. There was no fussing or adjusting or acclamation I had to put my wrist though. I put the Invicta Pro Diver on my wrist and all was well with the world.
The crown diameter is a healthy 7mm, so if you’re like me and enjoy manually winding your watches, you won’t be fumbling with a tiny crown. The sides of the Invicta Pro Diver 8926OB case are polished while the tops of the lugs are brushed to bring out that textured contrast. The back of the case and the case back are polished. The case back features an exhibition window into the movement.
Surprisingly enough the Invicta Pro Diver’s aluminum bezel is quite solid as well. In this price range one would expect the bezel to feel flimsy or cheap, but in this case I’ve found the bezel action to be on point for the price. There can be a bit of wiggle-play between clicks, but honestly for approximately $70 I’m not expecting this thing to be the best bezel ever. But I will say it’s quality was certainly a surprise. I easily use it to time my coffee or my daylight breaks during work.
But I have to confess something here, everyone. I can’t stand the Invicta logo blasted across the side of the Pro Diver case. Why is it there? It doesn’t need to be there and its inclusion actually hurts the Invicta Pro Diver in the eyes of many watch enthusiasts. In moments where I’m enjoying the watch on my wrist I’ll catch a glimpse of the branding on the case side and shudder. Many of you have written in to me on how to remove this logo though with easy steps. So I think I’ll give that a go down the road – stay tuned for details on that.
The Dial:
Again, visually we’re dealing with a dial that’s nearly 1:1 with a Sub. However inspecting the quality of craftsmanship is something worth exploring if you’re looking to buy the Invicta Pro Diver 8926OB. I was surprised to learn that the markers were applied – as are the Invicta Logo and the “INVICTA” brand name beneath. The markers, hands, logo, and brand name are finished quite well with a high polished details. When these Invicta Pro Diver dial elements catch the light it’s very visually pleasing.
The compass rose markers (12, 3, 9) seem to be slightly better polished than the other applied markers on the Invicta Pro Diver. I’m basing this on their ability to catch light better – I believe it’s because of their greater surface area in comparison. The round applied markers may seem a bit too small at times since they don’t have the visual presence they should.
However for me it’s not a deal breaker because I understand why the markers are small – smaller markers means less lume. And using less lume means saving money, which it turn also inform’s the watch’s affordability. Admittedly, the lume isn’t really that great. The application is inconsistent between the markers and also the hands so they appear to be slightly different colors. You’ll most likely find that the hands will emit a glow more often than the markers ever will. Also, the crystal here is mineral and the cyclops/date magnifier gets the job done.
The Bracelet:
Lug width on the Invicta Pro Diver bracelet is 20mm and it tapers down to approx 18mm at the clasp, which I find to be incredibly well balanced and very comfortable. I actually don’t mind the polished center links as much as I thought I would – I think the polished center links really complement the other polished features of the watch while also bringing balance to the brushed surfaces.
The end-links are hollow, which isn’t a surprise given the Invicta’s price. The rest of the links actually have a decently solid feel to them – more so than I was expecting. It doesn’t have that “hollow” or tinny feeling that some super cheap bracelets will have. I’d classify the feel of quality here to be on-par with the bracelets on the newer Orient Mako II models.
Similar to the case, the quality of finishing is admirable here. The finishing on the brushed surfaces of the bracelet are clean and very visually pleasing. Plus the edges of the bracelet don’t have that sharp/unrefined feel that I’ve noticed on other brands out there (especially microbrands). The links also move really smoothly and don’t get friction-stuck to each other.
The clasp here is pretty standard – double locking with the main clasp action being the friction fit and the folding lock clicking on top of that. There are also micro-adjustments here on the clasp, which I found very helpful as I was sizing the Invicta Pro Diver’s bracelet. The main issue I’m having though is that the flip lock is really stiff once it clicks in. In order to open it I really have to force it and I can see little scrape marks on the clasp from where the flip lock is rubbing against it. I could try and use some pliers to bend the sides of the flip lock out slightly (so they don’t scrape as much), but I’d prefer not to mess with it too much.
The Movement
The Invicta Pro Diver (8926OB) features the automatic NH35A (a non-branded 4R35 from Seiko). This right here is one of the most remarkable things about the watch. The quality and finishing of the watch thus far actually did surprise me. But what I knew wouldn’t surprise me is this movement. The NH35 has proven itself for many years to be reliable and dependable enough to be used in way too many watches for me to recall right now.
But what makes the NH35 unique here in the Invicta Pro Diver is that no other watch (that I can think of) has this movement in the Invicta’s price range. It’s an incredible value to get an automatic movement so reliable in a watch that hovers between $60 – $80 USD (I’ve also seen it as low as $40!). Usually microbrands will feature the NH35A and cost anywhere between $300-$500. I know much more goes into that pricing than movements, but honestly we’re not looking at microbrands here. We’re looking to scratch that classic black dial sub case itch while trying not to break the bank.
Invicta personalizes the automatic rotor with its trademark yellow as well as some branding text. As of yet I haven’t noticed any huge regulation/time keeping issues with the Pro Diver. But if I flag anything I’ll be sure to update this piece. Here are some high level specs on the NH35A movement:
- 41 Hour Power Reserve
- -20/ +40 seconds per day
- Manual winding and automatic
- Hacking
So… Can I Dive With The Invicta Pro Diver
This is a contested issue. Being blunt, if you want to dive with a watch (like actually dive), I’d suggest getting something else that’s actually tested and rated for robust dive conditions. That said, if you’re worried about getting the watch wet or slightly submerged that won’t be an issue. The case back screws down, the crown screws in, and everything seems solid in terms of fit and finish. So for swimming or splish-splashing shenanigans you’ll be fine (as long as you actually remember to screw the crown back down).
In fact, I got caught in a mockingly serendipitous Florida thunderstorm the other day and got drenched to the bone while trying to keep my laptop dry. I also happened to be wearing the Invicta Pro Diver 8926OB and the watch was totally fine. Still ticking away.
I know Invicta says it’s rated for 200M, but honestly at this price point it’s one of those “you get what you pay for” situations. I have no doubt that some Invicta Pro Divers can hit 200M without issue. But at under $100 it’s a difficult guarantee to cover all the pieces for dive conditions. That said, the whole water resistance thing shouldn’t be a deal breaker. If I want water resistance I’ll wear one of my proper dive watches. I’m looking at the Invicta Pro Diver 8926OB because I want a watch that embodies that super classic Sub case – nothing more.
Final Thoughts: Is The Invicta Pro Diver Any Good?
When someone is thinking about buying the watch, I think the question is more related to how those with informed horology opinions feel about it. I see threads on forums all the time asking if this watch is any good and the comments are usually all over the place and honestly unhelpful. The worst comment of all is someone telling the poster that for the same money they could get a Seiko SNK or something such. That’s the worst response ever – this isn’t a decision based on value first. The hunt for a 40mm Sub case is a personal decision based on looks – you’re interested in the Invicta Pro Diver because of how it looks.
I think people are really asking “will I regret buying this watch?” and I honestly can’t answer that for you. No one can except you. What I will say is that the potential regret from purchasing this watch may stem from it’s good looks not matching the quality. However, from my time with the watch I’ve found the quality for value to be surprisingly high.
The watch is also exactly what you’d expect it to look like in person – a very classic black dial Sub-style watch. I don’t regret buying this watch – the only regret I have is letting other people’s opinions prevent me from choosing to be happy with my watch choices.
My journey for a 40mm Sub style watch is over because the Invicta Pro Diver delivers exactly what I was looking for. If anything, I hope you’ve found this review helpful in answering some basic questions about the watch. Please take further assurance in that brand offers a 3 year warranty for any new Invicta that gets registered with the site. It covers manufacturer issues related to the hands, dial, and movement.
The Invicta Pro Diver 8926OB usually hovers between $60-$80 on Amazon.*
Please let me know if you have any questions or comments below!
Co-Founder and Senior Editor
Kaz has been collecting watches since 2015, but he’s been fascinated by product design, the Collector’s psychology, and brand marketing his whole life. While sharing the same strong fondness for all things horologically-affordable as Mike (his TBWS partner in crime), Kaz’s collection niche is also focused on vintage Soviet watches as well as watches that feature a unique, but well-designed quirk or visual hook.
Great read, logo on the case totally unnecessary.
Looking forward to Sequels in Sub Homage watches:
– “Return of the Squale”
– “Revenge of the Steinhart”
– “The Microbrands Awaken”…
Also, the polished center links look way too dressy on pictures – put that shiznit on the Shiznit!
Having been one of those people in the late 90s that watches shop nbc when this company was selling their products every Sunday night at 7 pm I ended up buying several Invictas. Oh the horror stories of markers falling off on the dial and waiting one year for the return of the watch to only have nothing done. I moved on and Doxa thanks to the Dirk Pitt novels really started me all over in the hobby and straight in the trash the Invictas went not before I joyfully took them to the gun range for target practice. And that part of my watch collecting history is almost forgotten. It’s a good review but this company will always get my utter and complete disdain! Followed by a small thanks for getting me into the hobby.
my Invicta Pro Diver is wonderful. 5 month average of 0.00. worn and used. placed face up when running slow. Reliable as an oak tree. lume lasts over 8 hours
. no complaints at any price
You must be lucky. I had 2 and one was about 15 to 20 seconds slow a day. The other was a bit better, about 10 seconds slows a day. They must use Seiko’s rejected movements.
Mine is +/- 3 s/d on edge, (like on my wrist), but +15 to 20 s/d face up or face down. Love the watch. Really why the snobery of the logo all over the place? Doesn’t look bad, not very visible any way.
Well done Kaz. Perpetual Girl approves! 😉
I’ve had one of these strapped to the outside of my ski patrol vest via a NATO for 3 years now, skiing about 20 times a year in MN cold. I wind it up, set it, and twist the bezel as needed. The crystal has some scratches but otherwise it’s working and looking ok. Like you say, for 70 bucks it’s great. There are some things like machining marks and weak lume but 70 bucks. 70 bucks. Amazon. Done.
My first watch that started this all was an Invicta 8927. I still have it after 12 years. It’s been repaired a few times.. has the older Miyota 8215. But I still have it. I don’t know that I could part with it.
curious of your opinion on the Swiss Made Invicta divers with Ronda’s. Those that can be had for 250-300.
I have bout a few invicta over the years. Recently my wife wanted a watch, she asked me about a womans invicta. I told her that they make great watches. She now has 7 invicta 2 womens watches and 5 men’s. She likes the men’s watches better because of the chronograph styling. I recently purchased a Russian pro diver a grey and black one for myself that is just awesome. My 1st invicta I purchased about 16 years ago, and is still going strong. I just bought 2 more recently its getting to be a bad habit. Cheers.
Ive been a invita colector. 4 over 20 or so yaers in fact. Im wearing the sub mariner gold invicta. Had it 4. 15. 20 yrs now.still looks good and still saticfys my love. 4 watchs .
I, actually, don’t mind the invicta engraving, on the side. I kind of like it really. Sets it apart from the thousands of other “homages” out there.
And I agree, finding a solid Seiko movement in this price range is unheard is unheard of.
Wow, someone actually feels the same as I do. I thought everyone hated the side engraving and I didn’t know why. I love it. Completely different than any other watch. I am a watch “wearer” not collector. I buy one watch, wear it until it dies and buy another one. I bought my Pro Diver 6 years ago and it’s still going strong. I but dinged up but keeps perfect time to this day.
When I bought it I had no idea what a “homage” watch was. Never knew it looked like a Rolex and didn’t care. I just thought it looked cool, was inexpensive and so I bought it. BTW, nobody has ever mentioned it looked like a Rolex either. Only watch collectors know these things. Don’t buy it for that reason if that’s what you’re thinking.
I have one. It’s an excellent watch.
I own the pro-diver with the Sellita SW200 movement and solid end links. It’s a fantastic watch and I really enjoy the extremely smooth sweeping of the second hand. Just about as smooth as the Rolex In which it is a homage to.
Ive owned one of these for almost 5 years and have been amazed at the quality and durability. I bought it as a beater/swim watch when I worked in a warehouse and given the price point I didn’t expect it to hold up, but it’s stood up to 4 years of abuse and frequent swimming. One of the best value for money watches I own.
Well I had 2 of then and just swimming in pool both started leaking within about a year so its a good watch but not water proof for long.
Thanks for your thourough review. I have owned this watch now for six years. I own a couple of far more expensive Tissots, Seikos and Oris’ but out of every ten days I wear this one 9… Use it while sporting and swimming: never a problem. Yes, it is not a Rolex ( want one) but it is a very good and neat watch. I even got some compliments from Rolex owners :-). Greetings from The Netherlands.
I enjoyed the thorough review and I don’t see why anyone on the fence would not take this watch for quality and looks while being low cost based. And… Automatic. I got here from a Reddit about a guy who moded one to a really good looking Black Bay homage. I guess I gotta try it now.
Great review by the way. I think I know which one to get next.
Excellent review. I’ve been in and out of watch “collecting “ for years and mostly I collect dust! What sold me on your review “non brand seiko movement” whaaa?
Also I saw a teenager wearing this exact watch and thought “ how’s he wearing a Rolex?” Closer look it was this Invicta. Haha just got the two tone gold and silver and will buy the one reviewed here. Anyone in the market for an orange and black sunburst monster Seiko.😂
I have an Invicta Pro Diver 8926a and I agree with your review almost 100%. It’s a great watch for the money.
The bracelet on this watch is one of the short coming parts. An after market Sub Bracelet w/solid end links, screw in links, glide lock clasp (branded or without) can be got on ebay for 30 bucks and fits perfect.
If your handy and feeling adventurous youtube has tons of video’s on dremeling off the case logo and repolishing the area. Sapphire crystals are readily available, but you have to remove and measure your existing crystal before ordering. For some reason this model number comes with 29.5mm on some and 30mm on others. Lastly properly sized ceramic bezel inserts are also available on ebay for about 30 bucks. If you’ve never done any of this stuff before, I’d recommend getting a used beat up one to practice on ( used 8926OB on ebay $20). If you get it right that used watch will probably even negate buying a new one.
One more thing I would like to change is the back cover. I really like the way the exhibition back looks, but if I could find a solid back case cover that fit I’d go for it to bring it closer to gen Sub thickness and profile sitting on the wrist.
Do you have a link to that eBay bracelet? Thanks.
Is the quartz one the same except for the movement? Are there any other differences?
Hey, Jim –
Yea my understanding is that the only difference between the two is the movement
Great review, in my opinion: balanced, and tells you what you need to know to make your own mind up. I’ve bought one of these watches (Invicta 8926OB Pro Diver with the non-branded NH35A movement), because I’m rather anti-snobbish when it comes to brands (not all the time, I admit, but then I’m only human), and I suspected that one could get very acceptable quality for a fraction of the price of mid-to-high-end brands. Indeed, that is the case, in my experience (n=1). Initial readings from my timegrapher are as follows (fully-wound, of course):
Face-up: + 13s/day (+/- 1s)
Face-down: +17s/day (+/- 1s)
Crown-up: +4s/day (+/- 3s)
Crown-down: +7s/day (+/- 1s)
These values are all well, well within the manufacturer tolerances for the NH35A movement, and it’s nice that the watch is a bit fast, rather than slow, because it makes re-setting easier. But MORE IMPRESSIVE BY FAR is the beat error, which, respectively, is 0.1, 0, 0 and 0.3 milliseconds: those are GREAT values, and they speak to the engineering quality of the mechanism: deviation from “true” time is inevitable in a relatively simple, totally mechanical mechanism, but simple mechanisms that are simple AND bad, are simply bad: this one is simple and good – very good! If you want perfect accuracy, get an atomic watch… To be honest, and Rolex will hate this, the regularity of the trace dots from the NH35A is almost as good as from a Rolex automatic work, and I’ve seen a Rolex Submariner ticking 10s fast in every position on my timegrapher, so case closed (excuse the pun!) in my opinion… Yes, for sure there is more variability between Invictas than between Rolexes of the production belt, as it were, but surely one doesn’t have to pay 60x as much for that quality control; and it is doubtless the extraordinarily expensive advertizing and sponsoring that Rolex does that also contributes to a price discrepancy between the two watches… I’m happy with my Invicta so far, and if that continues, I will actually be proud to have the Invicta script visible to the whole world on the case! Sorry Kaz… 🙂
My wife gave me an INVICTA Pro Diver last Christmas and I’m STILL excited. A beautiful, rugged, dependable and accurate time piece.
I absolutely love it! Congradulations INVICTA on producing a watch of this high quality, at a price that even a common joe like myself can afford! ❤😊
I have 3 Invicta 89260B watches. I do sports and swim with all of them.Two of them really run extremely well. The other, although keeps accurate time, has problems. Definitely does not have 41 hours of power reserve and now it stops with no apparent reason. Does anyone here have the same problem? They all look great but I think that the 2 tones black/red is especially nice. On the other hand, you can’t go wrong with the all-black! Great value for your money!
With regard to the 200m water resistance. Virtually NO ONE dives 200m deep. Maybe some guys working on unbderwater pipelines of something. Any dive over 60′ is consedered a “deep dive” and if you dive that deep it requires carefully controlled ascent to avoid “the bends”. The question is why does Rolex charge 10-10X as much for a watch that objectively performs not much better? Besides, if you want a REAL fine watch, you get a Breguet of Patek Philippe, not a freaking drug dealer Rolex.
Drug dealer Rolex? Ha. My grand diver works great. No issues. No one in his right mind is going to go down 300 m.And if you do you won’t spend $100 on a watch When it comes to saving your life.
I have over 30 watches, hi end citizens, Bulova, SEIKO,Expensive gshock’s. I’d rather have 31 watches than one sub, that you’re scared to wear every day. Makes life more interesting. No watch snobbery here, the watch is what it is., Reliable first and foremost, and a head turner.,Secondly.
Great review🍻. Glad I just bought one and look forward for delivery in two weeks to Australia. My Tag stopped working so I was looking for something similar for less than what it costs to fix a quarts Swiss watch. Realistically I work as a gardener and want to jump in the pool after work without taking off my watch. Nothing fancy but I do have standards👍
Took my Rolex in for servicing. Only $1500. Planning on selling it. Bought an Invicta Diver and after a week or so it seems to stop when I go to bed. Like to hear from anyone on what to do.
Put in a watch winder at night
Pretty sure an enthusiast just wrote an article about liking the watch. So not sure that the POV that “watch enthusiasts wouldn’t like this watch” 100% holds water. Not liking the brand for its marketing strategy may be the case for some watch enthusiasts, but to say that no enthusiast can like the brand or the watch simply because of iffy marketing practices doesn’t seem right, and I wouldn’t personally draw such hard lines around the people that enjoy a hobby.
How much of a watches cost is is the name rather than in the sum of the components? Id love a rolex sub, but increasingly question, on limited funds, my rationale. I bought an Invicta, and it stands up to the quality standards appropriate for me and certainly impressed for 120 bux AUS. Is is 100 times worse than a submariner? No. Is it good quality, does it have a good movement and it it pleasing to the eye? Yes. Does it keep good time? Yes. I’ve bought an Oris (mid market) in which the crown keep falling off, and its got a cheap plastic face which has cracked, so tend these days to remove the brand name and look at ‘ does it do what I want it to’. I like the Invicta weight, feel, and detail, so maybe it’s the Henry Ford buy equivalent. They’ve just found a way to offer good things more cheaply.
I really enjoyed reading your review of the 40mm Invicta Submariner homage and feel that most all of your comments are spot on. Some reviews, including this one, however, have criticized the Invicta branding on this diver, especially the Invicta name on the side of the case. I tend to like all the branding on this watch and think it adds its own charm to this beautiful timepiece.
I own the Invicta Men’s Pro Diver 42mm Stainless Steel Automatic Watch, Silver (Model: 29178) and it has become quite special to me. At $75, I feel that the value to quality is nothing short of incredible! Along with my SKX007, I wear this Invicta 42mm Dive Watch daily and hope to do so for many years to come!
Just found this review in searching the braclet lug width.
I agree with the author, these are great watches for the price. I’m on my second one, as the first one died after three years, wearing it to work daily. Work…I’m a machinist, so this watch was regularly soaked in coolant, hydraulic oil, been covered daily with chips and dust from brass to stainless, and it lasted 3 years. Rather than go thru the Invicta Repair Hell Hole, I bought another one. Under $80.
I have the 9937 with the ETA 2824-2 Swiss movement and its been going strong for 6 or 7 years now.. I also have a Rolex, but it mostly sits in the safe. I modded my SKX007 with the Nh36a movement, and using my timegrapher, ALL of my watches will run 1 spd or better. The 9937 gains 1.5 seconds every 30 days.
Great watches for the price, Spend the money and buy a watch winder. Automatics run better in the long haul if they stay wound.
I picked up a Invicta pro diver 25644 it’s the same profile but in bronze. I was told it too has the 4R35 movement and I’ve been happy with its performance. The nice thing is it doesn’t have a ugly logo on the side. I changed out the band with a longer saddle tan leather one and I’ve had many compliments. It been a good watch that looks good on my wrist that’s been keeping time.
I have this Watch and also
the 9937 from Invicta with the Sellita movement. It has a brushed bracelet not polished centre links more like original watch it’s homaging. I found Seiko movement more reliable out of the box. I bought a Steinhart in 42mm. It’s a better quality watch with sapphire crystal and a lovely bracelet but the 8926 is more comfortable and is all you would ever need of course I’d love a Sub but can’t justify the outlay just yet.
@Baird My first automatic was an Orient 3 Star (1970), it’s still running and with regular service, error is at 1 minute a day. Out of my growing collection of Hybdrids and Pure Mechanicals, I’ve grown very fond of this 150 USD, simple Seiko powered Invicta diver. I’ve noticed a 9 second error. In Indian humid climate it’s my daily timing aid, it costs less than a service on the other mechanicals.
I have to admit, my Invicta 89280B (gold/blue Submariner) with the NH35A movement is extremely reliable…it loses around 180 seconds a day. Every day. And it has been for over two years. Good thing I have an iPhone to reset it every few days.
I think it’s finally time to buy a case wrench and try to adjust it myself, because it’d be pretty stupid to spend $30 to have an $80 watch worked on. I like it, great look and feel, but accurate? Nope.
I had a very similar one with just a different bezel…. what happened was the case back randomly fell off while I was wearing it… not sure how that happened but I had not attempted to remove it. So I can;t imagine they’re very water resistant.
top notch review on a watch that gets no respect (apologies to Rodney).
i just purchased the red dial/bezel and root beer dial/bezel version, and like you have $1000 to $2000 Swiss and Japanese auto divers up the wazoo.
in the past i’ve bought these and they were great, fun econo subs. last thing i needed now were any more watches, but when i saw the red and root beer dials, they were hard to find versions that i’d admired for years. so i said, ‘so what if it’s an Invicta starter sub…you love those colors, get them’. and i did, and i’m writing this comment wearing the shockingly gorgeous scarlet red one.
if joy per dollar spent were a factor, these are top watches. they shouldn’t be judged by all the other cr*p Invicta puts out. judged on their own, if you want a great spec, classic style sub that looks good (yes, except for the engraved ‘invicta’ on the side), then this is totally worth it.
you just might find these get lots more wrist time than your high end certified divers. i love mine, and just have fun keeping them on my wrist.
Excellent, honest, fair, balanced review. It was so refreshing. Thank you!
I really like mine. Lots of wear for 3 years and still no complaints. The branding on the case didn’t bother me as much as the gloss finish showing scratches so easily. I took some 1000-grit sandpaper and gave the case and link ends a brushed finish. I like it even better now, and the branding doesn’t stand out so much. Ironically the watch looks more expensive now with the brushed finish!
I have a fairly extensive collection ranging from the Casio F91W to a subtle (ish) Rolex Datejust with a white dial, but I have always avoided the Pro Diver thinking it was going to be flimsy.
I recently got thinking about watch design and I don’t think the Pro-diver has changed much since the 90s (feel free to correct me as I could well be wrong on this). Much of the design is based on the Sub but even the bits people don’t like are still there… Any watch that can achieve that has to have the status of a bit of a cult classic, love it or hate it.
Having finally ordered one and strapped it on my wrist I am impressed with the quality, and whilst not luxury, it is accurate, well built, and a talking point for any watch enthusiast 🙂 I wish I had bought this earlier rather than some of the AliExpress specials with better specs but lack the character, nor the build quality.
I have many Pro Diver watches but my favorite one is the all Titanium one. I enjoyed reading your article. JD from Florida
Even with much costlier choices at hand, the Invicta Pro Diver is the one I most enjoy wearing. Its look, comfort and timekeeping, seem to have me ‘wrapped’. I hope you’re enjoying yours, as well.
Thanks for this good article covering the watch.
I bought one about 2015, knowing it was a cheap homage (my parents both owning real vintage subs). I gave it the benefit of the doubt based on the Seiko movement and amazon reviews. Within 6 months, glass had cracked, movement stopped working and then the bracelet fell apart losing all its pins. That was my personal experience and will never buy another Invicta. I also own a cheapo Cooper CWC homage, and that feels like 10x the quality in comparison. I may even take it diving and see how it fairs!
I like the Invicta 8926OB because it’s a true homage to a submariner. I like its case side engraving because it gives it a real identity; it doesn’t pretend to be a Rolex. It’s the watch that got me into watch collecting and I’ve bought it 3 times already (my first one purchased 15 years ago is still running). After purchase, I usually open up the caseback and pull the crown, then clean and apply silicone on both gaskets. This ensures 100% water resistance for swimming and showering. Repeat it every other year. I often change various bezel inserts to refresh it. Today, despite owning both a 16610 and 14060 sub, I still proudly wear my Invicta Pro Diver.
I love my 8926OB, with one exception… I am CONSTANTLY complimented on my Rolex. Every time that I wear it, without fail. I have to explain that it’s not actually a Rolex because people like it so much that they go in for a closer look. When they realize that it’s an Invicta, I go from someone who was wearing a nice looking watch to someone who was pretending to wear a Rolex. This takes the fun out of this watch for me, but it’s a great watch for the money.
I had resisted buying a Pro Diver for all the reasons people avoid Invicta. That’s likely the only model I would ever buy and even then I would likely get a 1953 before a Pro Diver. After seeing a YouTube watch channel video by a guy who has had an Invicta Pro Diver for 15 years and couldn’t sing its praises enough as a good looking, durable, still ticking watch I reconsidered. Amazon shortly after ran a special sale and listed the watch in this article for $49 (!!) and that was my excuse. Honestly I can’t believe how much I like this watch. It’s got some weight to it. The finish is excellent. It looks great. I’m a firefighter so I wear it to work andI don’t care if it gets beat up. Maybe the cheap price I paid has something extra to do with it but I am really happy with my Pro Diver and recommend it 100%.
I have 2 Invicta Pro Divers. One has a power reserve of 45 hours, the other, 48 hours. On the timegrapher, dial up, both at +\- 1 spd (seconds per day). Dial down, -4 spd, crown down, – 7 spd. I regulated one of them which was +10 spd. The other was close to spot on. Given Seiko’s tolerances (-20 to + 40 spd, 41 hour power reserve), the NH35A overdelivers. And, although it’s much too expensive to pay a watchmaker to service it, a reasonably adept amateur can service one. Aside from changing the battery, try doing that with a quartz movement!
Having done battery watches for many years, I bought an Invicta Pro Diver automatic in 2018, when I retired. I love it!
I’ve tweaked it’s timing several times and it’s currently gaining around 3 to 5 seconds a day. A tweak of ~0.5° on the adjuster makes a massive change in it’s timing. No problem.
Only issue I have with the watch is the design of the watch strap and it’s attachment to the case. Because the last link in the strap only accounts for ~50% of the pin length, accidental overloading of the strap, results in broken pins.
I’ve had 2 or 3 replacements. Not really a problem since I bought a set of pins at a very low price.
Overall… a magnificent timepiece. It will definitely outlive me.
I’m a very happy owner/wearer of my Invicta. Xx