10 Best Gold Dive Watches at European Watch Company

Dive watches are often considered the ultimate tool watches. Built to withstand the ocean’s salt water as well as everyday wear, we have come to associate them with stainless steel, and sometimes titanium. But as the luxury watch market has expanded, so too has the materials that dive watches are offered in. Yes a gold dive watch might not be the most practical, but, nevertheless, they have become popular additions to many brands’ catalogs. So we thought we’d take a look at 10 great gold divers that we have seen at European Watch Company.

Rolex Submariner Submariner White Gold Ref. 126619LB

Price: $32,000-$38,000, Case Size: 41mm, Thickness: 12.3mm, Lug-to-Lug: 47.6mm, Lug Width: 21mm, Water Resistance: 300M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: White Gold

When you think of a diver, you think of the Rolex Submariner. And when you think of a gold watch you probably also think of a Rolex. You might not necessarily be thinking of a gold Submariner, but Rolex actually makes a few different variations of this precious metal dive watch. If you are looking for a gold dive watch that flies a bit under the radar, the Ref. 126619LB in white gold might be for you. The only way you can tell that this watch is gold and not steel (besides the watch) is the blue bezel. The blue bezel is not offered on stainless steel models. 

Rolex Submariner 116618 18K Yellow Gold Blue Dial Ref. 116618LB

Price: $30,000-$35,000, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 12.2mm, Lug-to-Lug: 48mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 300M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Yellow Gold

Gold Rolex are generally not subtle (besides, perhaps, the white gold Submariner discussed above). And second Submariner on our list, the Ref. 11618 in yellow gold is sure to stand out. Because who doesn’t want their gold Rolex to be loud and make a statement? Like the white gold Submariner, this variation also has a blue bezel (though it is of a lighter shade), but it also has a blue dial and yellow gold case. Yes, this piece can go 300 meters into the depths of the ocean, but it also stands out from across the room.

Rolex Deepsea Ref. 136668LB

Price: $60,000-$65,000, Case Size: 44mm, Thickness: 17.7mm, Lug-to-Lug: 51.8mm, Lug Width: 21mm, Water Resistance: 3900M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Yellow Gold

One of the newest releases at the 2024 iteration of Watches & Wonders, the Rolex Deepsea Ref. 136668LB left many scratching their heads. Why would Rolex create a massive yellow gold Rolex Deepsea with an escape valve, ring lock system, and a water resistance of 3,900 meters? Well, Rolex’s answer is probably “because we can, and because people will buy it.” I guess that’s a good enough reason for Rolex to make any watch. And we’d surely love to see someone dive with this behemoth of a watch.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ref. 15711OI

Price: $46,000-$53,000, Case Size: 42mm, Thickness: 13.6mm, Lug-to-Lug: 53.8mm, Lug Width: N/A, Water Resistance: 300M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Rose Gold

Audemars Piguet is not really known for their divers, but the Royal Oak Diver is one of our favorite divers on the market. Like all of the Royal Oak Divers, the Ref. 15711OI has an internal dive bezel that is operated by a crown at 10 o’clock. This allows the iconic octagonal Royal Oak bezel to remain unencumbered, complete with the 8 screws. While the case is rose gold, the bezel is actually titanium, giving this watch a bit of a unique two-tone look. If you are looking for a diver that is out of the ordinary, the Royal Oak Ref. 15711OI is a great choice.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary Act 3 Ref. 5901-5630-NANA

Price: $28,000-$32,000, Case Size: 41.3mm, Thickness: 13.3mm, Lug-to-Lug: 50mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 300M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Bronze Gold

Besides the Rolex Submariner, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is the most famous dive watch. And there are debates about which of the two watches was actually the “first modern diver”. We aren’t going to wade into that dispute, but one Fifty Fathoms we really like is the 70th Anniversary Act 3 Ref. 5901-5630-NANA. This piece looks incredibly similar to some of the earliest Fifty Fathoms watches from the 1950s. The big difference is that this watch has a brushed bronze gold case. And what exactly is bronze gold? Well, it is a patented alloy enriched with 37.5% 9k gold and 50% copper. 

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Ref. 5000-36S40-O52A

Price: $17,000-$21,000, Case Size: 43mm, Thickness: 13.4mm, Lug-to-Lug: N/A, Lug Width: 23mm, Water Resistance: 50M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Rose Gold

We love the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe because it is a slimmed down, modernized version of the Fifty Fathoms. And the Bathyscaphe Ref. 5000-36S40-O52A is a favorite. The watch features a beautiful deep blue sunray dial with matching blue bezel. And the Sedna gold case (a variation of rose gold) really brings the entire watch together. This watch can be dressed up or down, and that’s why it’s one of the most versatile gold divers on this list. 

Richard Mille RM028

Price: $145,000-$155,000, Case Size: 47mm, Thickness: 14.6mm, Lug-to-Lug: N/A, Lug Width: N/A, Water Resistance: 300M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Rose Gold

If you didn’t know that Richard Mille makes divers, I probably wouldn’t blame you. The brand is most well known for their tonneau cases and extreme shock resistance. Well, the RM028 is most definitely not a tonneau shaped watch. The watch features a more traditional circular gold case with gold bezel. But don’t worry, the RM028 does feature an openworked dial, something present on pretty much every watch from the brand. It does a good job of mixing RM style with dive functionality. Though if you are a Richard Mille traditionalist, we’d say look elsewhere. 

Breguet Marine Ref. 5517BR/G3/5ZU

Price: $25,000-$30,000, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 11.5mm, Lug-to-Lug: N/A, Lug Width: N/A, Water Resistance: 100M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Rose Gold

We struggled to decide whether to classify the Breguet Marine as a dive watch. It lacks a dive bezel and only has 100 meters of water resistance (the bare minimum among today’s dive watches). We must admit, it’s probably better suited for scuba diving (or lounging on the beach) than on your deep sea adventures. But regardless, the watch is beautiful. The grey guilloche dial resembles the waves of the ocean, and the coin-edge case gives the watch a touch of class.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving Pro Navy Seals Ref. Q1852670

Price: $32,000-$36,000, Case Size: 44mm, Thickness: 16.25mm, Lug-to-Lug: N/A, Lug Width: 23mm, Water Resistance: 300M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Rose Gold

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor is a true technical dive watch. This piece has a chronograph, a patented crown locking mechanism, 300m of water resistance, and a whole lot of lume. And, oh yeah, it’s housed in a rose gold case. At 44mm, it’s a big watch. But if you want something gold and heavy duty, this is the watch for you.  

Tudor Black Bay 58 18K Ref. M79018V

Price: $28,000-$32,000, Case Size: 39mm, Thickness: 12.7mm, Lug-to-Lug: 47.7mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 200m, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Yellow Gold

I don’t think anyone was expecting Tudor to release a $32,000 all gold Black Bay Diver during Watches & Wonder 2024, but they did. I am not sure whether this watch was necessary by any means. I mean, you can get a gold Submariner for a few more thousand dollars. But it is interesting to see Tudor branch out beyond the under $10,000 price-point they’re known for. And this watch is actually pretty attractive. It features a 39mm yellow gold case and bracelet and an interesting green gilt dial and bezel. It may not be for everyone, but we like it.

For more, check out our 25 favorite dive watches.