The Seiko Kinetic Scubamaster is not the most expensive watch I own, but it is probably the rarest and most unique. In fact, I think it comes pretty close to being the ultimate diver watch. It is feature rich, extremely tough, very accurate, and has a bold, distinguished look. Here’s a feature-by-feature breakdown:

The watches I cover in this article go way deeper than your typical diver; deeper than the current 1,220 meter Rolex Sea Dweller; deeper, even, than the Breitling Steelfish which maxes out at a comparably casual 2,000 meters. There are a handful of watches out there that can literally scrape the bottom of the deepest known parts of the ocean, and I call these watches “extreme divers”.

Sapphire crystal. The Scubamaster’s crystal is highly scratch-resistant synthetic sapphire which is set down below the bezel for extra protection.

This model comes in a choice of dial colors (blue, black, orange, silver, and yellow), and is outfitted with a mineral crystal. Something that sets the Abyss apart from the other extreme divers is the day of the week in additional to the date. Like all the extreme divers, the case of the Abyss is filled with silicone oil to keep the pressure equalized, and it has a very prominent air bubble which will undoubtedly draw bewildered looks and plenty of questions from perfect strangers.

If you want a watch that you can see at anytime during the night, or if you work for long periods of time in a darkened environment, or if want a watch that you can use for night diving, you probably want tritium. I’m an amateur diver, so I don’t need hardcore equipment, but I really like being able to wake up at any time during the night and easily read the time. It’s worth noting that the MTM Black Seal actually uses a combination of tritium and some sort of luminescent material, as well. The tritium tubes are used for the indices and hour and minute hands, and the luminescent material is used for the numbers which means initially, you can see everything in the dark, but over time, only the indices and hands are visible (which is really all you need).

The MTM Black Seal is a big watch. With a 44 mm case and weighing in at 7.5 oz (about 2.5 ounces heavier than the bulky Rolex Sea-Dweller), it’s a serious piece of equipment. That said, I have relatively narrow wrists, and somehow, I’ve been able to get away with wearing the Black Seal. The shape of the case and lugs bends nicely along the curve of my wrist which allows it to sit very comfortably in place, wearing much lighter than it actually is. And of course the Velcro strap reduces the weight considerably, as well.

Next up is the MTM Black Seal (read the full review here). This one is defiantly worth a few minutes of your time. With an oil-filled case, the MTM Black Seal claims to be completely waterproof to 12,000 meters (39,000 feet), and even adds some interesting features like a high-end Swiss quartz movement, a sapphire crystal (much harder then the mineral crystal found on the Abyss), and Tritium-filled glass tubes on all the markers. Tritium gas is electro-phosphorescent meaning it glows all the time, and the tubes have enough gas to glow for 25 years. This is far more useful then luminous paint because it glows brightly and constantly without the need to charge from ambient light. At $1,800, the Black Seal is a serious watch with a serious look and a very comprehensive set of features.

And then there’s the crown. The crown is big and textured to make it easy to grasp, and the threading of the crown and stem is precise which makes it very easy to release and reseal. This may seem like a given, but I’ve handled enough watches with difficult to manage screwdown crowns that I really appreciate when it’s done right.