Invicta Pro Diver 8928OB Men's Automatic Watch – 40 mm
Invicta Pro Diver 8928OB Men's Automatic Watch – 40 mm
| Dimensions: | 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 cm; 250 Grams |
| Model: | 8928OB |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Metal batteries required. |
| Manufacture: | Invicta |
| Department: | Men's |
| Dimensions: | 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 cm; 250 Grams |
| Origin: | Malaysia |
Great watch
I have 2 of these now I intend to buy more as gifts very nice watch look more then it cost super watch if you go to YouTube you will see it’s one of the best watches you can buy so happy with these fine timepieces
Very good quality watch for the most part – I would imagine at this price point each watch has it’s less than perfect elements. The black Pro Diver is a good looking watch which fits in perfectly for every day smart-casual use leaving my Seiko “Captain Willard” for the special occasions.
The Invicta engraving does look garish at first sight but in use I can honestly say I have never noticed it.
It’s slightly sad that the latest models don’t have the yellow rotor.
Good solid watch
I like this watch. Really we made. Seems to keep good time for an automatic. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because the screw down knob sometimes comes unscrewed as I wear it. A good point in its favour is that you can manually wind it which is handy if you don’t wear it every day to keep it going. Some cheaper automatics don’t have that facility.
Great Timekeepe
Always hankered after an automatic watch but couldn’t afford the high end prices of some of the premium brands, so after a lot of research bit the bullet and purchased the pro diver. Excellent fit, easy to read but more importantly it’s keeping excellent time, friend of mine has a Monroe automatic and he was well impressed at how well it was performing given the price point. As per other reviews, the rotor is no longer yellow but what the heck, it’s waterproof, got a display back, keeps excellent time ! The bezel is the only let down, very hard to turn but that may loosen over time and use. Would recommend !
Why Pay More?
For the price this is watch is unbeatable. Had mine almost a year now & it not only looks good but keeps time perfectly. No winding required either.
Yes, people do mistake it for a premium brand but I guess that is to be expected given that, apart from the logo, it is almost identical.
Dupe of a Rolex. Fooled Rolex rippers
Bought for my partner who loves it. He was out one night and police stopped him outside a bar to tell him he was being watched by a gang of suspected Rolex rippers. He told them they would of been really disappointed as it only cost 70 on offer on Amazon.
Very elegant watch
I bought this watch for under 80 pounds. My first automatic watch and it hasn’t disappointed. It looks more expensive than other 200+ watches I have. Very recommended on this colour scheme.
Purchased this as my second invicta watch. the Seiko movement inside is perfect and loses hardly any noticeable time and considering many other brands use this movement on watches of 4 times the price of this watch then what’s not to like. The Homage to the Rolex Submariner is clear but with enough invicta branding that it’s not trying to be a fake Rolex. and I like the Invicta logo.
The strap is a little rattly but when on the wrist not noticeable if worn in a snug fit. the Lum isn’t brilliant but then the Lum on my breitling isn’t that much better. as for waterproofness its passed my test of being able to be warn in the hot tub which is about as deep as I go.
I love the watch, not really sure how it compares to other pro-diver or Rolex or Omega for that reason but I’m pretty sure is is 1/20th of what Rolex costs. So no regrets about that, also the quality and the looks are banging. Only regret and my greatest is that the dials are not fluorescent, can’t really see the time when I’m in a movie theatre or at night which I think is a major drawback for me. I mean kids watches have these, I want to see the time when I’m at the movies or when I’m outside at night. Other than that it’s a 5 star watch.
If you know, you know. If you don’t know you’d think it was a Rolly Sub or maybe it’s third cousin, a Tudor
Keeps plenty good enough time for someone who hasn’t, and isn’t likely to go to the international space station or deep sea diving.
Even if I won the Euro millions tomorrow I’d steer clear of all the luxury watch nonsense and stick with this.
Best value watch on the market, for all collectors.
I’ve been considering an invicta for a while to see if they are really as good as some people are suggesting or as bad as the high end collectors are suggesting.
Well I can honestly say it’s fantastic, well built, great design, Seiko movement, it’s amazing. It’s as well built as a Seiko 5 that is 4 times the price, it’s a proper divers watch. I put mine on a matching NATO strap for asthetics but the bracelet is pretty good as it is.
High end collectors dislike this because it makes something they thought was unique to them accessable to everyone.
Good quality, value for money.
This was a Prime Day purchase, 42% discount, so excellent value for money. There are many reviews on eBay that praise the Seico NH35A movement that this watch is equipped with and it is as good as they say. Mine came without the yellow branding on the rotor but that’s OK by me.
Overall I am very pleased with the watch but I have two minor criticisms. The bezel was extremely stiff, painful to the fingers to turn it. But after manipulating it for two weeks it’s starting to loosen up a bit. the other is that the box was shrunk rapped and the watch and strap were covered in protective film and there was warranty card….. but no manual. Quality control problems I guess.
It is well made and keeps good time.
I have some very well made watches from different reputable manufacturers, most are battery so I thought I’d go the route of an automatic or solar as I’m fed up with battery power. I bought this 200m rated automatic watch that came up for sale in the amazon day sale at 55 from 139 for my holiday. I’m so glad I did, the bracelet is very comfortable and of good quality the face is a simple yet very handsome design. The rotating bezel is very firm and reassuringly sealed for swimming or diving. I did alot of swimming in some rough sea. No diving though but I know it performs well, it keeps great time, and so far I now wear it everyday and wound it once. Great quality reasonably priced good looking watch.
Very impressed with my Invicta Pro Diver. It only looses 3 secs. in a week. This compared to my Omega Seamaster which looses the best part of 2 mins in a week.
However there’s always some niggle. Firstly, I find the annoying Invicta logo flying around on the end of the second hand most distracting especially when it’s close to the other hands. Secondly, I was disappointed that there wasn’t even a cheap plastic link removing tool included in the box, but, hae hoe, they only cost a couple of quid on Amazon.
While on the subject of removing links, a couple of tips which might be useful to anyone who hasn’t tackled this before. I always find that a couple of wee squirts of WD-40 on both sides of the bracelet, left for half an hour, makes all the difference to link removal. Secondly, remember that if you are removing an odd number of links it is important, by trial and error, to see which end the largest number comes off. This affects how the watch sits on your wrist and how easily it is to read the date.
In summary, I would have awarded the watch four and a half instead of four but I don’t know how to do half a star.
Robin H
Nice watch no battery
Had this since last year 2022 and now it gains 5seconds a day now stared out about 2 seconds a day now after 3days od being set gains 15srconds this seems alot to me from when I bought it still its a nice watch price dropped after I bought it which kinda socks would I buy again not sure maybe would try another brand more accurate even tho seconds shouldn’t matter but maybe I’m ocd but accuracy should be bette
My husband bought the watch. It was superbly packaged in its box with heavy duty film over the whole watch and strap and face . The face film had the word automatic on it to remind you what you have bought .
The heavy duty yellow box is very acceptable and good for the watch price with Invicta logo on it.
The elapsed time bezel rotates smoothly and positively on its 120 click rotation . No slop at all. The date cyclops is perfectly positioned and reads easily . The crown screws down smoothly and pulls out to the various points for hand and date changing with a purposeful click. The hand sweeps round continuously. Setting the time and date are easy and the crown screws down very securely to preserve water resistance.
The weight of the watch is very impressive and gives a real quality feel . The strap is solidly made and the clasp clicks down securely as does the safety clasp giving a feeling of security .
Love the case back viewing panel . Good looking movement with Invicta rota . Nice touch .
Very well impressed with the watch quality . Rotar is quiet and the movement winding wheel gives a reassuring feel when winding the watch for
the first time . Links need to be removed and the screw heads are just smaller than an optician’s screwdriver so will need to get this fitted to my wrist . Time keeping to be tested but with a Seiko movement it should be acceptable .Little bit of glare to the watch face but not a huge issue . Lume was surprisingly good when tested . Would 100% recommend .
I saw the watch on tv when worn by one of the Repair Shop team and was very impressed with how good it looked on his wrist. Very stylish .
I have now had a chance to check the accuracy of the watch, and I have found it keeping comfortably under 10 seconds a day which is very acceptable.
Had the watch for seven months now and absolutely love it. Very reliable, a pleasure to wear, and really does look very classy and is wearing very well indeed. Accuracy is between five and 10 seconds a day which is very good, and everything functioning superbly. Massively impressed and delighted with the purchase.
For just over sixty quid what can you say!
Ok this brand gets a lot of stick because of its mostly horrible looking oversized watches and its homage watches to other brands, I had always been a bit put off by this brand but for sixty quid I thought I would give them a go.
First of all the quality of the watch, I am not much of a bracelet fan and this is not going to win me over. I assume this is gold colour on the two tone bracelet for this price the end links feel thin similar to what you find on a Seiko SKX or an Orient Mako. I took it off and kept it in the box.
The case is pretty well made, no issues with this at all. I like the gold colour on the bezel and crown its why I bought it. The bezel reminds me of a cheap Seiko SKX again, its good enough for the money I know some people think the SKX is some icon of watch making but I have owned 2 and they are average budget watches much the same as this, the SKX is now over 200 this is just over 60.
The dial is nice and clear the lume is on the hands and shows up ok the lume on the dots I could hardly see.
The watch has a budget Seiko movement in it, anyone who knows Seiko movements will know they are robust and last for years. This is a hacking movement (Means it will stop if you pull out the crown) and in my use over the past few days keeps excellent time. This movement is being used in a few micro brands now that are flogging for a few hundred quid. The cyclops on the date is fine and does the job highlighting the date.
The screw down crown I have had no issues with, the movement hand winds as well and I have had this watch wet a few times and found no issues I would take it swimming, for 60 why not?
The box it came in may as well be made of cake sponge, the inner cushion is falling apart already but again, at this price its hardly an issue.
Conclusion, I really like this watch and I would by another one of these at this price. If I want a cheap work watch or a watch I can take on holiday and will happily take a beating no issues that also looks good I would reach for this one.
10 out of five!
Invicta has a reputation and it’s not a good one, but this model is an anomaly.
For the money it is excellent IMO even at the bumped up UK rate, I struck when (as is oft is the case) Amazon did a deal on it so I paid 68 for mine as opposed to the usual 100ish.
Ok I’m a watch enthusiast so I knew about this watch before I went out looking.
As all the YT reviews state it is a R*lex S*bmariner “homaaaage” but b*****ks to all that, it is a 200m water resistant stainless steel diver with a 120 click unidirectional bezel and a hacking/handwinding Seiko NH35A movement and screw down crown for 100 or less!
This is my THIRD Pro Diver, I already have the 9094OB ‘bluey’ and the 8928 scalloped bezel SS and gold bluey, all of them have the same NH35A movement and water resistance rating. The luminescence dots are pretty poor and the lume on the hands is only slightly better, but hey. Ok I’m not a scuba diver so I don’t really know if this really can withstand a 200m plunge but my ones have been submerged in water and I would definitely be happy to go snorkelling with them as I have seen people do this with this watch and it has been fine. Anyway who in everyday life goes down that deep? (oo err!)
They are also great for ‘modding’ and all three of mine have been ‘got at’ by me 🙂
Cons: Lume is weak, the crown can be a bit fiddly to re-seat (essential if you’re going to submerge it) the dial sits a bit deep (thick chapter ring) there is a huge INVICTA logo engraved in one side of the case (subjective) and the original bracelet is a bit of a hair nipper.
Pros: It looks fantastic and is based on a classic and well liked watch that is inaccessible to most, it’s submersible, it has a hacking/hand winding Seiko movement, it is a “workhorse” ie. it’s tough and long lasting, it has a quick date adjust position, even if you don’t use it for dive timing the bezel is great for timing eggs and pizzas!
The watch is surprisingly well made for the price. So many of the Submariner clones …. sorry…. ‘homage watches’ …. are just cheaply made rubbish. This one is solidly built. It’s powered by Seiko’s unbranded SII NH35A movement which is a very reliable mechanism. At 21,600 beats per hour, the seconds hand has more of a sweep to it than a staccato tick. It’s also adjustable if you want to ‘tinker’ with it. If you do, there are plenty of YouTube videos about it showing how to adjust the timing and which smartphone apps to use to check the accuracy. You may want to check to make sure you don’t invalidate your warranty first though.
The unidirectional bezel is 120 clicks rather than the 60 on so many cheaper watches. It doesn’t rattle or wobble either. It feels firm enough that it won’t spin round at the slightest touch but stiff enough to stay in the position you leave it.
The watch is also ‘automatic’, so moving your wrist will wind the watch. I have a couple of other automatic watches and they suffer from two problems. Either the weight used to wind up the retention spring doesn’t move freely… or the watch doesn’t keep accurate time. I’ve bench tested the accuracy of this watch and it is +2 seconds per day. For an automatic mechanical watch in this price range, that’s fantastic.
The bracelet is fairly sturdy with a double locking clasp. The clasp is quite tight to fasten and unfasten, but I guess that’s not a bad thing. It’s possible to remove the pins at home to adjust the size of the bracelet but it’s not easy. The pins which hold the links in place are quite firmly fitted. It took a tack-pin and tack hammer to shift them. So, I know they won’t be falling out in a hurry but it wasn’t easy to get the watch to fit properly. It’s a good job I don’t have to do it again.
The colours are good, but any parts which aren’t silver are painted so will dull with repeated use and scratch easily if you’re not careful. If you look online, you can get replacement top covers for the bezel.
The cap screws down and has three positions depending on how far you pull it out. The first stage let’s you wind the watch manually. The second sets the date and the third let’s you adjust the time.
The watch looks great, seems to be well made and is very accurate. It’s hard to see why anyone would need a more expensive watch. Especially when you consider that you may well be getting the same Seiko mechanism inside. I’ve heard a few people moaning about the Invicta brand name being engraved on the side of the watch. To be honest though, it doesn’t bother me. Most of the time, my shirt or jacket covers it so I never really see it anyway. I’d prefer it if it wasn’t there, but it’s not much of an issue.
The only parts of the watch which could be better are the lume and the date magnifier. The dial does glow in the dark, but it isn’t very bright and the markers could do with being a little bigger. Also, the date magnifier sticks out from the glass. It’s essentially an extra bit stuck onto the glass. Mine was well placed, but I’ve heard of people using nail polish remover to weaken the glue so they can remove it.
Wow, what can I say about this watch? Let’s start with all the positives! I bought this watch during a lightning sale for a price of 64 which is a good bargain compared to the RRP of 92 according to Amazon. I’ve worn this watch daily from time of purchase (July 2018) to present (December 2018) and wanted to give it a bit of time (ha ha!!) before I got around to making a review.
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APPEARANCE & CONSTRUCTION
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I love the colour scheme of this watch, my previous watches are a bit dull in comparison! The strap is polished stainless steel with gold-coloured plated stainless steel centre links. The bezel is also of stainless steel construction which is plated in blue and gold, with a luminous notch at the 12 o’clock position. The watch face is blue plated, with luminous dots for each clock position and surrounded in gold plating. The company logo is embossed under the twelve o’clock position and a 31 day calendar features in the standard 3 o’clock position. The hands are gold-coloured plated stainless steel with luminous strips, except for the second hand which just has a dot at the end with the company logo on the opposite end. The face is of mineral construction and has a small magnifying glass for the date. The colouring really is beautiful and makes the watch look very expensive.
On the side of the watch body is a knurled winder which is gold-coloured stainless steel, and screwed into the body to create a tight seal. This must be done to maintain the 200M water resistance. After unscrewing the winder, it can be turned clockwise to wind up the mechanism, and pulling out one click allows you to set the time and date.
A very minor criticism is on the watch body surface. All surfaces are highly polished except for where the strap is pinned to the body. This is very clear in one of my images. This looks to be a feature of the watch based on the advert pictures, but I feel this stands out a little bit, but this is personal taste.
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MECHANISM
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This watch is an automatic movement which means no batteries! The wind up mechanism can be kept running two ways: the first is via hand movement through everyday usage, and the second way is via the winder as mentioned above. I find that if I’m wearing this watch daily I do not need to wind it, but if I’m not going to wear the watch on a given day, I tend to give it a wind up when taking it off. If I do not do this, then the watch will require winding and resetting after ~24 hours of no use. If you have a watch winder, then no big deal, but I do not.
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WARRANTY
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The watch comes with a 2 year warranty from the manufacturer which can be increased by an additional year once you’ve registered the product after purchase using the supplied paperwork. You will need to supply the serial number which is etched on the underside of the watch body.
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FITTING
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The strip provided was massive for my small wrists! Luckily, I own a tool which can push the pins out and shorten the strap length to my liking. If you don’t own such a tool (they can be found on here for reasonable price) then you can always get any good watch shop to adjust for you for a small fee.
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CONCLUSION
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I bought this watch back in July 2018 and at the time of writing (December 2018) I have had zero issues with this watch. I’ve worn it out in the rain, but never in the shower, and have had no issues with the watch face fogging/misting up when the winder has been screwed into the watch body securely. The surface of the locking mechanism is showing small signs of wear but this is due to where my wrist naturally sits when using a computer etc. and when I put my watch down when I take it off. Other than that, the watch is in excellent condition! I have accidentally knocked the watch face against things and there’s no observable damage. I can highly recommend this affordable watch for daily use!
I have been a fan of Invicta Watches for many years now having purchased their Pro Diver 8926OB (Homage to the Submariner) version some 7 or so years ago from Amazon. In those days the Invicta’s were shipped from the USA which incurred Customs Handling Fees (albeit reimbursed by the seller at that time).
Now Amazon are able to provide Prime Next Day Delivery Service on these watches.
I recently purchased an Invicta Grand Diver 300M watch fitted with the Seiko NH35A (SII) movement (Separate Review). I really liked the look of this movement through the exhibition watch back and its timekeeping was so much better than the Miyota movement fitted in my Pro Diver 8926OB. Due to this I decided to buy another 8926OB with the Seiko movement fitted.
The watch was delivered Next Day and well packaged by Amazon.
I have to say, Invicta have really done a great job to up their game-plan with their latest watch range.
The watch comes in Invicta’s classic yellow textured clam snap case which is blistered packaged for protection-security.
Opening the case reveals a yellow suede effect interior, Membership Card, Warranty Booklet, extended Warranty offer and the Watch itself with the Invicta Swing Tag. The watch is beautifully covered with protective plastic on the bracelet, watch face and the exhibition back. Having removed the protective plastic, I was holding a great looking watch. The case and bracelet are beautifully machined with a combination of polished & satin finishes. The overall build quality of the watch case and bracelet is very high. The watch has an excellent Lumen on all 3 hands, bezel ref Dot and hour markers. The cyclops lens does magnify the date but is still quite small for my eyes. The exhibition back allows you to see the movement. What I really like and the reason I purchased this watch, is that Invicta have moved from the 21 Jewel Miyota movement to the 24 Jewel Seiko NH35A (SII) movement. The NH35A is a much nicer looking movement enhanced by the yellow Self-Winding Rotor on which is written stylised information about the movement. Timekeeping of this watch is impressive and much better than the Miyota movement in my old Pro Diver 8926OB. I like the stylised second hand with the Invicta logo and the applied name and logo on the watch dial. I also like the Coin Edge Bezel and on this size watch, in preference to the Scalloped Edge. Although not everyone’s cup of tea, I do like the Invicta name engraved into the polished case side. If there is one issue I have, it’s the Screw-Down Crown. The thread quality when screwing the Crown back down is rough / not smooth and care must be taken not to cross thread the crown which can cause it to bind. I have tried to address this issue by using a miniscule amount of special clock grease on the thread (mindful of rubber seals). All three of my Invicta watches exhibit the same Screw-Down Crown issues described. The grease has made a slight improvement.
In conclusion, this is a really iconic looking Divers watch, with 200M-660ft Water Resistance, Great Build Quality which keeps excellent time, whilst representing great value for money.
I’ve wanted an Invicta for some time. I don’t know why. Looks to some extent but curiosity, mainly. Could an automatic watch this cheap be any good? From what I’ve read, opinions vary wildy. Some people love them, others hate them. Reason’s for hating them vary, from poor customer service, to poor quality, to not liking them simply because they ape the design of more famous watch brands.
Admittedly, the Invicta does look like a very expensive famous watch brand that shall remain nameless. However, it’s not a copy or a fake because it’s a ‘homage’, which sounds more acceptable. Those ‘in the know’ will write you off as a cheapskate or a wannabe and real [famous watch brand] owners may point and laugh. However, less fanatical watch lovers will admire your Invicta and may even comment favourably. More importantly, you too will admire your Invicta and marvel at how such a lovely looking watch can be bought for significantly less than the average weekly shopping bill. In short, accept that you’re buying this watch as a fashion statement. I’m not saying that it isn’t a practical timepiece, just that if you want a reliable, accurate, waterproof watch, buy a Casio.
Mechanically, the Invicta should be reliable because it’s powered by a Seiko NH35A automatic movement. It’s a hacking movement (the second hand stops when the time is adjusted) that can also be hand wound. I believe Seiko claim an accuracy to within +-25 seconds a day, but that’s worst case. That’s nowhere near as accurate as even the cheapest quartz watch, but it’s all part of the charm of owning an automatic. If accuracy is important, there’s an almost identical quartz version minus the screw-down crown and the glass movement window on the back. I bought the automatic because I like mechanical watches and the difference in price was a paltry ten quid. The most important point: thoroughly test the watch as soon as you get it and send it back if there’s anything you’re not happy with.
The fit and finish of the Invicta is okay but not as good as my Seiko diver. Mostly, it’s subjective, but the bezel is one area where the difference is obvious. The Seiko bezel rotates smoothly with precise clicks, whereas the Invicta bezel feels and sounds more like a pepper grinder. I’m not keen on the Invicta’s bracelet, either. It’s okay but it’s obvious that there’s been some penny-pinching. Luckily, I don’t like bracelets so I’ve replaced mine with a black Nato strap, and the watch looks and feels better for it. Replacing the bracelet is relatively easy, as long as you use a proper spring-bar remover ]. Another thing, the watch claims to be water resistant to 200m. Maybe it is but I haven’t tested it and I don’t intend to. The only water my watch will see is an occasional splash of rain.
There are bigger watches in the Invicta range but the 40mm diameter of the 8927OB is perfect for me, it isn’t too heavy and (with the Nato strap fitted) is very comfortable to wear. At 14mm deep it sits a little high on the wrist for my liking, but it’s no worse than many other watches, and I’m getting used to it. Some may find the ‘gold’ detailing a little garish but it makes me smile and it’s dissimilar to the product photos. I don’t often go for ‘bling’ but in this case I’ll make an exception. The watch isn’t ashamed of its heritage with a winged Invicta logo on the face and a smaller version on the seconds hand, which is a nice touch. The large engraved Invicta logo on the side of the case is less successful, but at least it leaves you in no doubt of what you’re wearing.
Niggles apart, I love this cheeky little watch. True, it is pretending to be something it isn’t, but accept it for what it is and you’ll be fine. The quality may be nowhere near as good as the ‘real thing’ but it has the same features and it should last a good few years – if you’re lucky. Judged against other watches at a similar price, the Invicta is a bargain – just make sure you get a good one and be prepared to ditch the bracelet for something better.
In summary, for cheekiness and value for money, it gets five stars.
Let’s get this out of the way, while I am aware this is a blatant homage to the Rolex Submariner this was not what attracted me to the watch. It’s almost impossible for a steel diver’s watch to not be compared with the more prestige models.
What attracted me was that here was an automatic movement 200m diver for under 70. Now I just needed to know if it was any good. Apart from the fact I know full well that mineral glass is not sapphire glass from past scratchy experience I thought it was worth a gamble, following some research.
So, what turned up? A yellow box that’s OK, if quirky. The watch itself looks massively expensive. At a glance it is indistinguishable from the Rolex it apes. So is it just a cheap knock off or an actual watch that’s OK in its own right?
I had to adjust the bracelet by removing 2 links. This is unusual as I have large wrists so it’s unlikely you will need to return it for being too short. Many people have criticised the bracelet. I’m not sure if this has recently been upgraded but the links are solid and robust. The clasp isn’t up to the standard of some other watches I have had, but they cost over 300. It’s functional, shuts strongly and has a safety lock over double clasp. It’s not going to fall off. On the wrist this is very comfortable. It’s as heavy as you would expect.
The case is well made and I don’t mind the confident engraving of the Invicta name on the non-crown side of the case because I don’t want people to think it’s a Rolex. It’s a satisfying single machined piece of stainless steel. The bezel turns easily with a satisfying 120 clicks. The crown is easy to unscrew and is a winder so you can load the spring if you haven’t worn it in a while. Some older reviews bemoan a lack of ability set the date without winding through via the time setting but this is out of date. Partial pulling out of the crown accesses the date setting. Pull the crown out all the way and the hacking movement stops the second hand, allowing you to synchronise with an atomic controlled timepiece. The back has a glass panel so you can see a nicely engraved winding weight and the escapement ticking away.
The dial is so very very legible. I love the way automatic movements sweep the second hand instead of doing that second by second quartz tick. Some reviews have criticised a misaligned magnifier for the date but mine is spot on. The luminous highlights aren’t the brightest, alas. But every time I have checked the time this watch makes me smile. It’s just so useful but uncluttered. It’s not pretending that you fly a plane, it just tells the time.
So… accuracy. It’s surprisingly accurate. I’ve synchronised it with my G Shock which is tied to the Greenwich Observatory via radio and it has stayed reliably within 2 seconds per 24 hours provided I am wearing it. Considering that some quartz watches can be more inaccurate this is amazing for a stock mass produced watch. Some people seem to have been more unlucky, but I can’t really complain at this.
The bottom line then is that this is a he’ll of a lot of watch for your money. I can’t speak for people who have had bad experiences with duff watches turning up but I can see why this watch has fans. It’s never going to be a surprise future antique, but it’s an incredibly good looking and functional timepiece that won’t make you cry if you ever lose it. I have a feeling this will be my everyday watch and make my wife despair at me for needing to have other watches I hardly wear.
This is my second Invicta Pro Diver. My other is a 8928C in steel gold and blue. I was worried about marking the finish on that watch as I love it so much, and considered just buying another as the price is so reasonable, but decided instead to go for a classic black and steel finish with this 8926OB. My intention is to use this as more of an everyday watch.
The OB designation means “Original Bezel” which has a milled or coin edge to the bezel. It does give the watch more of a classic “Submariner” homage look, but on the whole I think I prefer a scalloped bezel like on my 8928C. It seems that both bezels are options on the various colour combos of the Pro Diver range.
There are very slight quality differences between my two Pro Divers. The magnifying window of this watch is set the tiniest amount too high… It is barely noticeable and in fact I only spotted it when the watch was on a flat surface next to my other Pro Diver. It is not enough to worry me much…in fact when you turn your wrist you tend to look down at the date so it aligns perfectly well, but the setting was spot on with the 8928C. The only other thing I noticed was a slightly sharp edge on the clasp of this watch, which I cured with a little emery cloth and polish which can be easily done due to the brushed steel finish of the clasp. They are small points but certainly you should not have to smooth off sharp metal edges. The high quality of the rest of this watch and the extremely low price make me quite forgiving of these small faults. My previous model was absolutely faultless so quality control is obviously a bit of an issue, but if you get a good one then it does offer tremendous value for money, and if not, Amazon’s returns policy is excellent.
I had to remove 3 links from the bracelet. A jeweller did this on my 8928C, but I Googled a Youtube video showing how to do it and it was fairly easy if you are confident and careful, so that saved 7! The strap is really very good with solid stainless steel links that have polished inner links (outer face only) and brushed outer ones. I believe early models may have used a folded or hollow link, and so suffered from a rattling strap, but I checked the standard strap against a quality German aftermarket strap by Herzog in our local jewellers and found it compared well enough not to think it needed upgrading. That said I did buy a 20mm rubber divers strap to put on it for a sailing holiday later in the year, and am taken with the idea of a canvas NATO strap as a few other reviewers have mentioned.
Everything else is as per my review of the 8928C as the Seiko made NH35A movement is exactly the same and apart from the two points I have made about the finish, everything else is made and constructed to a far higher standard than you have a right to expect for this price. These really are tough well made reliable watches that are very watertight (Just remember to screw the crown down tightly). I dropped to a four star review for this watch due to the two quality issues noted that were not present on my 8928C, but it is difficult to do anything other than highly recommend this 8926OB for the price.
People who have researched into this brand are wise to have some trepidation before purchasing a watch from them; so many are pumped out of their factories, and with apparently little to no quality assurance whatsoever. Consequently, many people have had bad experiences; buying watches whose hands have fallen off inside the case before even being worn for the first time; crowns coming away from the stem; crystals fogging up easily, etc. However, despite the gamble you make upon buying an Invicta, when you DO get a properly functioning one (and let’s face it, you still have a good chance of doing so (a small percentage of unlucky buyers can seem stretched out of proportion when SO MANY people buy the same product – especially in the USA in this case)), it’s hard to fault Invicta for managing to make such feature-packed, well-designed watches for such good prices.
Obviously the company cuts corners, be it in country of manufacture, quality assurance, customer service (another infamous no-no to avoid… take your watch to a local watchmaker if it means anything to you; it could be cheaper, and you’ll certainly have your watch back with you in less than a century) but it doesn’t matter when you end up with a Rolex Submariner look-alike, without any actual fakery, currently featuring the Seiko-designed and built NH35A movement, for 70-100. This movement is nicely-decorated for an inexpensive one, is reliable, accurate enough for the price point, and hacks and hand-winds; two features that you REALLY don’t expect from an automatic watch costing this little. I mean really, 68 I paid for this. IF the watch holds up over time, that is just one incredible deal. The watch looks beautiful, and the movement really is a bonus, and a sure step up from the non-hacking, non hand-winding NH25A and plain-looking (but reliable nonetheless) Miyota 8215 before it. I’ll bolster my argument by indicating that the famous Seiko Monster uses the same movement that the NH25A is cloned from (under Seiko Industries Incorporated, mind, so don’t worry about getting a ‘cheap chinese clone’; that’s not the case at all) and yet the monster usually costs around 50 more than the 8926.
There’s little else I can think of that hasn’t been said before about this watch; if you’re looking to buy it, you’ve probably already watched the youtube videos raving about it, and how good value it is (even with the PAST movements; not to mention the new one), and all I can do is corroborate with their opinions that the Invicta 8926 represents incredible value-for-money (assuming yours works fine (and it SHOULD, in terms of percentage chance!)) and unless you want even LESS chance of having to return and refund a faulty watch, I urge you to go for it! Good neutral size, great new movement, classic design, fantastic price; what more could you want? (apart from a less dubious brand, which, for this money, you won’t find!)