Invicta Pro Diver 8929OB Men's Automatic Watch – 40 mm
Invicta Pro Diver 8929OB Men's Automatic Watch – 40 mm
| Dimensions: | 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 cm; 315 Grams |
| Model: | 8929OB |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Metal batteries required. |
| Manufacture: | Invicta |
| Department: | Mens |
| Dimensions: | 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 cm; 315 Grams |
| Origin: | Malaysia |
Great value for such a cheap price, looks fairly decent but can’t really argue only paying 63 on black Friday sale, bought to use at work and for a daily, just see how long it lasts but even if it last a year or 2 still decent value
For less than 70 it is quite okay. The only thing that I hope is that the watch will last. The build quality is satisfactory for its price and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for a cheap divers watch
First of all, the watch is fantastic! Only had it a week and had 4 compliments already! The watch keeps great time, looks and feels way more premium than it is… The current prime deal is a steal, but this is where my only gripe sits (besides the first watch received being damaged and req’d to return it!)… I paid 108 a week ago and now it’s 75 on prime deals… So if you want a premium bargain watch, wait for BF or promotions as I am a fair bit out of pocket now due to Amazons pricing!
I’m happy for the fact that it is a very well made watch case and bracelet and It’s automatic movement also allows hand wind up. All at a very affordable price.
The bracelet feels quite cheap compared with the black dial version that I already own. Mustn’t grumble though as I only paid just over 50 for it which in itself amazing value for an automatic time piece.
Had a casio dive watch for years, but seeing this for a similar price (on prime day deal) is a bit of a no brainer for an automatic watch based of the seiko mechanism.
The watch is very well made and will last forever it is great quality for the price. The only thing I would say is you have to wear it ever day otherwise it stops
Having recently made my first Invicta purchase, am quite impressed with it, for the price paid you cannot get any better, well made, sturdy strong clasp unlike others that open too easily, especially when doing your day to day tasks. I find winding every day is not that big a deal, sit there in the mornings for a couple of minutes. Looks a bit flash, but others like it and said they would have one any day for this price. If your looking to purchase such a watch then I would say go for it.
Good watch wind it set the date set the time and just wear it don’t be tempted to keep winding I don’t and its keep very good time when left alone also don’t wind hand backwards as this can make it run faste
Comfortable to wear, looks good, and keeps great time, great for everyday use and a lovely change from a smart watch.
Very very pleased with this watch , everyone mistakes it for a Rolex sturdy well built and great value for the cost , I should have bought one a long time ago .
This is my second Invicta. The first one lasted 3 years then started losing time. At around 100, thats OK. I work outdoors in all weathers. The watch is waterproof and sturdy with a solid strap. If I am going out of an evening and forget to change it for a posh watch, it does not look out of place.
Absolutely love the Watch, been looking for an automatic Watch not too expensive and this Invicta fit the budget and my budget was higher than the price of this Watch, amazing design and perfect weight, a lot of people have come to me and asked whether I’m wearing a Rolex Submariner on my wrist or a Rolex Sea Dweller. Anyone who is in the market for a budget Automatic Watch, The Invicta Pro Diver is the best option by far in my opinio
First impressions well please, only had it just over eight hours I like it a lot.
Overall I really like the Pro Diver. The only problem I had was I couldn’t undo the clasp with my fingers once it was on my wrist, I had to use a knife that could fit in the small gap under the clip (I’m not sure if it was just my watch that was defective or whether its just the design). I have since bought a blue leather strap and I much prefer the look and functionality of it. It’s a shame about the clasp, the rest of the strap was good but I probably won’t use it as I can’t get it off my wrist without a tool. This is my first automatic watch and I’m really happy with it, it looks amazing and functions perfectly well.
Very happy with this watch,looks great,many comments about it!runs very well,feels good on the wrist and build quality is also relatively good considering it’s cost!!would recommend.
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.
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.
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!
This is a great looking watch and fantastic value for an automatic timepiece. I collect and own several high end watches, but this one really has raised the question of whether it’s necessary to spend up to 100 times more on the big names. Yes, it’s based on a well known model but it does that very well under its own brand and doesn’t try to hide that. The watch has a well made feel to it and looks very nice indeed. It’s presented in a good quality case and is well protected with cellophane covering over the bracelet, crystal and caseback. My particular watch was running just a bit slow out of the box which is more annoying than running fast, but it’s fairly easy to regulate by removing the caseback and making very small adustment to the balance wheel, and when I say small adjustment that’s exactly what it needs. After trial and error I’ve managed to get the watch running within 3 seconds per day which is within COSC standards of luxury watches. The bracelet has heavy solid links other than the two lug links and does the job well, although the clasp isn’t quite as good as it could be in refinement. But it’s perfectly acceptable at this price and unlikely to come undone. The lume is ok, but won’t last a whole night in my experience which is a bit annoying and without a lot of hassle there’s no way of improving this. That aside this is a sub 100 watch and at the price point I love it !
I’d also add there’s far more pleasure to be derived from looking at a well made bargain price attractive and reliable automatic watch on your wrist than fretting about having spent thousands of pounds spent on a certain brand. Yes the high end watches might gain in value but if you factor in regular servicing at around 700.00 a shot things aren’t quite as good as they seem, let alone costs on any major issues. If this watch starts playing up you’ve still saved enough money to buy around 100 replacements !! One thing I would say is put it on a black and grey nato strap…..looks even better and gives you the choice to swap out between formal and informal look
was advice from a watchmaker, it was noticed that when you unscrew the crown, the screw itself feels a bit rough and scrapes, the reviewer recommends that you lubricate the screw with a drop of lubricant, which I just have with the help of a cocktail stick, and its cured it straightaway, the difference is noticeable and apparently it helps with the waterproofing. I did actually almost order the same model but with the ‘champagne’ face, but was worried it looked a bit ‘Del Boy’ Glad I didn’t. The black dial gives the watch a more conservative look. And the bracelet is a mixture of gold and brushed gold which really does work well. Also, for me the 40mm dial is just right and definitely not to large. So we’ll see how it runs, but its a Seiko Automatic movement which is tried and tested and is apparently bomb proof…so that’s good. Incidentally, and we know its based on the Rolex Submariner, and I’ve just priced the almost identical Rolex, same colour…28,000. ..!!..Its a watch for gods sake… Really impressed, if not I will update, but first impressions…..brilliant.
Addition to post…this watch is amazingly good. Took it off last night and 18 hours later its still ticking away. This Seiko movement is has been said…bulletproof…a beautiful watch and the timekeeping is absolutely excellent.
Update….had the watch 6 months now, never missed a beat…absolutely excellent…I have several good watches, including an expensive TAG bi-coloured……However, this is the watch that gets the compliments.
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.
I really like this watch. Yes there’s a few design flaws but it’s under 70 and the Seiko movement is a tried and tested reliable automatic.
Obviously the overall design has the look it was going for. I don’t particularly like the huge Invicta stamped on the side but truthfully once on it’s difficult to know its there because of the polished finish. The bezel rotates anti clockwise 120 clicks. It’s quite stiff but with no play at all. The hands are easy to see and the second hand has a nice sweeping motion at 6 ticks per second (21,600 an hour).
The crown is screwed down to help with water resistance and once undone can be hand wound and then the time adjusted as normal. After i wound it for the first time and removing at night it hasn’t stopped. Tolerance is huge at something like +- 40 seconds but after a week its still dead on.
The lume is pretty awful and if you really stare at the cyclops over the date you can tell it’s a little wonky. I removed the bracelet straight away but it didn’t feel quality like the rest of the watch. Even though the case measures 40mm the actual face only measures 28mm. For those (like me) who like the fashion of oversized watches this can feel a little small at first at a traditional size. However, it became less noticeable after a short while.
Weighs 154g with the bracelet and 90g with the NATO.
So,
Great design.
Comfortable.
Dependable Seiko automatic movement.
Affordable.
Terrible lume.
Dodgy cyclops.
Can look a little small.
Less than cheap feel to the bracelet.
Recommended.
(Pictured for comparison TW Steel 50mm case 37mm face. Accurist 43mm case 37mm face.)
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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!
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.
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.
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.
It is a nice watch, looks good and stylish, and keeps time pretty well (mine has a tendency to be two-three minutes fast in about two weeks, but that is fine with me, and this would vary with the user, I guess). I consider it a good value for the price. The luminous hands/dial is quite bright and can be read easily.
It is a heavy watch (about 200 g – NOT 455 g, as it is stated in the product overview), but it is comfortable for wearing around the clock (I had in on for two weeks straight when we went camping).
It is shock resistant enough for my taste: I dropped it a couple of times so far on hardwood floor from about a meter height, and it is working fine.
I did not realise that it had a little magnifying lens above the date display when I ordered it (although now I can see it on the pictures). This lens does not look very appealing to me, I do not find it very useful, either, but I have gotten used to it.
I had resized watch bands before, so I wanted to take a link out of the wristband when the watch arrived, but I could not remove the pin holding the link. I was afraid of damaging the wristband, so I ended up paying a few Euros for the resizing.
Invicta includes a little instruction book with the watch, but you have to know the features of the watch to be able to pick the relevant section – on the other hand, if you know the features, you hardly need the instructions! I thought it was quite cheap of them to print just one booklet for all their watches.
The important thing to know about this model that is has a screw-down crown. It is not mentioned in the description, and since I had never had a watch with this feature before, I had a little difficulty with it first. As I mentioned before, the instruction booklet that comes with the watch is useless, you have to know that the watch has a screw-down crown to look up how to use it.
Another important thing is that they guarantee the water resistance ONLY if the crown is screwed in the watch body (this is in the instruction booklet). The crown of mine got loose somehow without me noticing it, and some water actually got into the watch when I was taking a bath – I was quite upset about it. I am still in the process of trying to dry it out.
The pin of the fold over clasp came apart one day when I was taking the watch off. I do not remember any rough usage that would explain it. Apparently it is not of a common size, because the watchmaker did not have it on hand, so it took a couple of days to have the wristband repaired.
All in all, it is a nice watch for everyday use, but I wonder how long it will last.
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!)