Review of A $39 Automatic Dive Watch
While browsing the internet for new watch releases, we came across something interesting. A new dive watch from Invicta touting a price tag of only $39! Our first thought was, this has definitely got to be a quartz…but we were wrong! This $39 Pro Diver comes complete with a NH35 automatic movement and 200M of water resistance, this was a deal we couldn’t pass up!
Before you order this watch you may be asking, is it worth it? Also, as a modder you may be asking, am I able to modify this Invicta? Well, all of your questions will be answered in this watch review as we break down this Invicta piece by piece from a modders perspective. Get ready for the most in depth review of a watch you’ve ever read.
The Watch Box
Obviously, the first thing you will encounter when buying a new watch is the box. Many people, believe it or not, collect watch boxes. Not only to look at a nice box, it also helps the resale value if you ever decide to sell the watch.
This model of watch came in the familiar Pro Diver box that most of the more affordable Invicta’s arrive in. Their trademark yellow color and familiar logo are the first things you’ll notice. The box feels of great quality but I can’t get over the smell of the glue holding it all together. I’m sure that’ll dissipate as time goes on. I did notice it can be slightly difficult closing the box, as it doesn’t quite want to line back up once opened.
What's Included With the Watch?
I didn’t expect to receive much with the watch given the price point. However, the box alone wasn’t bad for the price. In the box you also receive an Invicta microfiber cleaning cloth and a warranty/instruction manual.
As for the watch, it came well packaged with an Invicta hard tag, and a plastic film covering the front and back glass. I am already impressed with the price of this watch and I haven’t even touched it yet.
How's The Quality of The Case?
My initial inspection of the case is not bad at all. The case has mirror polished sides, with deep brushing on the lugs. The case is made out of 316L stainless steel, and comes with a screw-down crown. The case is an homage to the Rolex Sea-Dweller like many brands have done. The black sub bezel is a nice contrast to the silver case and accents the insert numbers well. The watch does have more weight than I expected it to have but that’s a good thing, weighing in at 96 grams.
One thing watch modders hate when modding an invicta is the huge “Invicta” text engraved on the side of the case. Well you don’t have to worry about that with this Pro Diver model! It comes with a nice clean polished side. I do wish it came with drilled lugs, but honestly the lack of holes on the side actually meshes really well with the clean design.
Quality of The Strap
As expected the quality of the strap is not the greatest. Now don’t get me wrong, it is not a bad strap by any means, I just prefer metal bracelets.
The strap that comes on this model of pro diver is a 22mm red polyester woven strap. The tail end comes with a strip of leather stitched on to the center of the holes. Some people might like this style and to be honest it was pretty comfortable. However, after wearing this watch for a few days, I noticed the strap was becoming rather itchy.
Fortunately, the 22mm size made it very easy to change the band to something I liked a little more.
Invicta Pro Diver 35486 Specs
For the price of this watch you actually get some pretty decent specs comparable to a new Seiko. Let’s go over the details and sizes of this watch.
- Case Size: 44mm
- Lug to Lug: 52mm
- Lug width: 22mm
- Case including crown: 48.2mm
- Water Resistance: 200M with screw down crown
- Movement: NH35 Automatic Movement
- Case material: Stainless Steel
- Crystal: Flame Fusion
- Caseback: Flame Fusion Exhibition
- Strap: Red Polyester
Can I Modify This Invicta?
Okay, now to get to the part everyone is wondering, can you mod this watch? Well of course! Every watch can be modified, but to what extent? Let’s open up this watch and see what the sizes are!
NH35 Movement
The first thing you’ll notice is the movement. It is indeed an NH35 just as advertised. The NH35 comes with a custom Invicta rotor found on all of their automatic pro diver models. This particular movement seems to be a TMI produced NH35 and not the more typical SII found in many microbrand watches. Don’t worry though, there is no difference in specs or quality between TMI and SII.
This will make changing hands easy, as there are many varieties on NH35 hands on the market. We will get into that more later. You’ll also notice printed on the caseback are the words “assembled in Malaysia”
Chapter Ring and Dial Size
I was sorely disappointed when I removed the dial/movement assembly. The dial and chapter ring were stuck together into one piece unlike the Parnis version of the Sea-Dweller homage.
These pieces can be separated, however I can’t assure the dial won’t be damaged in the process. The outside diameter of the chapter ring and dial are 32.2mm and the inner diameter is 28.9mm.
If you can get a custom chapter ring made at 28.9mm x 32.2mm then you will be able to replace the dial with any 29mm NH35 dial from Ebay.
I will note that the dial and interior of the watch were absolutely spotless without a single spec of dust. I was truly impressed with the cleanliness of the assembly which can be subpar in cheaper watches.
Replacement NH35 Hands
Luckily, since the inner diameter of the chapter ring is 28.9mm the visible dial size is much closer to Seiko’s 28.5mm dial size. This will allow you to replace the hands with any aftermarket NH35 hand sets.
The cleanliness of the hands were also very apparent like the dial was. It was extremely clean and the hands didn’t have a single scratch or spec of dust on them. The finishing was phenomenal and the hands were stacked perfectly parallel to each other. The red second hand comes with the trademark Invicta logo and was a nice touch to compliment the red strap.
Bezel and Bezel Insert
Being that the case is 44mm in diameter, I already figured that the SKX007 bezel inserts would not fit. The brushed aluminum bezel insert is not the best material but does look good on the watch. The measurements of the insert are as follows:
OD: 40.8mm
ID: 33.5mm
Where Can I Buy This Watch?
You can purchase this Invicta Pro Diver straight from the Invicta website! Hurry as it’s only on sale for a limited time and is already being sold on Amazon for $81!
Invicta Link : Pro-Diver 35486
Amazon Link: Pro-Diver 35486
Conclusion
In conclusion, this watch is definitely worth the money! No, it’s not going to replace a Seiko and it’s not the best watch for modding, but you get plenty of bang for your buck! For just $39 you’ll get an NH35 automatic watch, with 200m of water resistance, a screw-down crown, and a 120 click bezel. The only thing I changed on this watch was the strap, and that’s all it needed to be the perfect daily wear!
If you want to get yours, then buy it straight from Invicta’s website as these are already selling for $81 on Amazon.