Invicta VINTAGE Pro Diver 31290 Men's Automatic Watch - 40 mm

Product Information

I personally like the look of a coyote brown NATO, as the color is spot on with the gilt accents. Lume Regardless of what model you get, Invicta gives you one hell of a box; for better or worse the watchmaker knows how to treat their customers like royalty. Mine came in a pretty sizeable yellow one, reminiscent of what you get with a Rolex, albeit with swapped colors. While Stuhrling had a similarly extravagant box for its low MSRP, Invicta impressively pulls its weight with the watch’s quality, as you’ll read below. The solid links of the bracelet are vertically brushed with polished sides. The finish of the bracelet is actually a little nicer than the brushing on the case, with a finer grain. This one employs a pin and collar adjustment system. Movement It received a strong positive reception from various outlets; many hyping it up as one of the most attractive affordable dive watches on the market. The videos and product shots appeared to support these claims, with a restrained and refined gilt dial that does look straight out of the 1950s.

Invicta Watch VINTAGE Pro Diver 31290 - Official Invicta Invicta Watch VINTAGE Pro Diver 31290 - Official Invicta

The spacing of the markers is off, meaning that while the 0 position is properly aligned, some of the other markers are off. This is most apparent when looking at the 15 and 45 minute markers. With the bezel in its default position, they’re a little off kilter. DialThere’s no getting around it, Invicta gets a lot of flak on the internet. It’s the one brand everyone loves to hate. While there are several reasons behind this, most of them are subjective and strongly opinionated (I’ll spare you a lengthy discussion of aesthetics). In traditional Submariner fashion, the stainless steel case takes on an exclusively brushed finish, except for the polished chamfered edges running the length of the lugs. As you can imagine, this design pairs well with many straps in various materials and colors. Anything from a rubber tropic strap to the original Sean Connery 007 strap look right at home on this watch.

Invicta 1953 Pro Diver Review: A Diamond in the Rough? Invicta 1953 Pro Diver Review: A Diamond in the Rough?

I would like to call attention to the brand’s marketing strategy, wherein the MSRP of their watches is highly inflated and instantly slashed to give the impression of value and savings. Though, this is a concern specifically if you wear the watch on the bracelet. If you decide to swap it out for a NATO or other type of strap there’s ample space between the lugs for your fingers to grip. This is also a great choice if you’re just getting into watches. Borrowing its aesthetics from one of the most iconic and timeless designs in watch history, it’s a capable 200m diver. Some folks out there couldn’t care less about the brand reputation of their watch, but I believe it’s worth learning about. In the world of watches, you’re buying the brand just as much as you’re buying the product itself.The lugs are brushed diagonally, while the sides of the case are brushed horizontally across. Like many others, I was relieved to see no “INVICTA” script engraved into the side of the case, which was the most common grievance with previous Pro Diver references. Not only did the looks excite me but the omission of the engraving down the side, which brought down the previous Pro Divers in my books.

Invicta on Chrono24 Invicta on Chrono24

I’m honestly a little puzzled about the intended target audience of this watch. The 1953 Submariner is a peculiar choice for an affordable homage watch at this price point. In the hands, it feels decent for the money, which puts me in a rather strange predicament. This 1953 is a good quality watch that’s also well-priced when available at retail cost. The few watches that get a sliver of a fair chance among enthusiasts are among the Pro Diver line, many of which are homages to the Rolex Submariner.Corners must be cut at this price point, but it’s no stretch to presume folks would pay a little more for upgraded specs. At the very least, a sapphire crystal upgrade would have been nice. Lume has been applied to the indices, bezel pip, and hour and minute hands. Alas, there’s none on the second hand lollipop. The application is even, though it’s not particularly bright or long lasting. Unfortunately, the finishing of the case leaves something to be desired. While the chamfered edges are a nice touch, the brushed grain is quite large and looks unrefined. This is accentuated in photos, but it’s definitely noticeable with the naked eye.

Invicta 1953 - Christopher Ward Forum Invicta 1953 - Christopher Ward Forum

Position 2 is referred to as a “ghost date” position and serves no purpose. Usually a cost-cutting measure, it is the result of using a date complication movement on a watch with no date window. It’s a watch that shows Invicta is capable of pulling off restrained designs, and I hope to see more like it in the future. I have a habit of every spring buying a beater diver to use for six months as we tend to do a lot of outdoor activity, travelling & adventuring with the kids, sports, water activity and so on, and then often flipping it when summer is over. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite so impressed by the watch itself. In fact, I think it’s a bit overhyped. Here’s why.While the watch maintains a vintage aesthetic, it wears very much like a modern diver. On the wrist, it feels larger than its 40mm size would suggest.