Invicta Men’s 8926C Pro Diver Collection Coin-Edge Automatic Watch

This the THE watch that put Invicta on the map. Styled after the Rolex Submariner, the 8926 has a very solid feel to it.

Mechanical watches can cost thousands of dollars and need to be serviced every 2-3 years. They have to be either worn daily, stored on a watch winder, or hand-wound lest they stop ticking and have to be re-set. Even with due diligence, premium timepieces have to be manually adjusted every month because they will run a couple of minutes fast or slow. Are you willing to put up with this just to own “a work of art?” That is the big question someone with a casual (or fleeting) interest must ask themselves. But at Invicta’s price point, this is a perfect way to find out.

Ironically, mechanical watches are a joy to wear because of their complications. The back case is covered by a mineral crystal, so you can actually see the inner workings. The second hand sweeps around the dial, which I think is more elegant than a quartz movement. The aesthetic quality is the main selling point. We are really talking about men’s jewelry here folks. With clocks, cell phones, tv and the like, it is not hard to find out the correct time. So to me, a mechanical watch is worth the idiosyncrasies. Buy the Invicta and wear it for a couple of years. This way, when your are ready to drop $2500 on an Omega, $5000 on the Rolex, or $100,000 on a Patek Philippe, at least you will have an idea of what you have gotten yourself into.
Rating: 5 / 5

Why should you buy this watch? Well, you could just like watches, or a diver.

However, you don’t have to be a “pro-diver” to use one of these watches. I’ve worn these types of watches for more than 25 years and have done little more than dive on coral 15-20 feet down. These watches last.

Invicta’s 8926OB (for Original Bezel) is almost a duplicate of a Rolex Sea Master. So much so, Rolex threatened legal action unless parts were changed. The Rolex timepiece will probably last longer, but at $3,000 it should. The Invicta is a working man’s (woman’s) watch. Mine keeps good time and I rarely adjust it. It’s an automatic movement watch — not a quartz watch.

That means it is a self-winding watch. And that’s fine. I doubt anybody reading this needs a hyper-precise watch for everyday life. We all like to think of ourselves as underwater demo team members or 21st Century 007s, but that’s not the case.

Probably one of the benefits of Invicta is its presentation. The watch comes in an attractive case, and it has a polishing cloth. It practically blinds you with its silver bracelet.

There are drawbacks though. Every Invicta watch I’ve got has a delicate crown and stem. The crown also winds the watch, like normal, but when you move it out to the other settings then you REALLY have to be careful opening it. Delicately pop it out to the A or B setting. The first, or A, setting is for changing the date. The second, or B, setting is to move the hands.

The crown screws down and is secure. So, you don’t have to worry about it snagging anything.

Just a note on the Original Bezel versus the newer 8296 scalloped, or Omega type, bezel: It’s sort of a coin edge, and, to me, it is easier to turn. The scalloped type requires too much pressure and over a few weeks of use it starts to feel like it is wearing out.

I use mine to measure elapsed time for exercise and other events. It’s not 100-percent precise like a chronograph, but gives me what I need.

Just to recap, this would make a good, inexpensive, gift that definitely looks like it is more of an investment than it is.

Rating: 5 / 5

I am extremely impressed with the feel, look and general quality of the watch. It contains the Citizen Miyota 21 jewel automatic movement that is a true workhorse for a fraction of the price. The comfortable stainess steel pinned link bracelet is worth the price of the watch. It has rounded flexible brushed steel wrist links The foldover adjustable double safety clasp uses pins as well. Can easily be mistaken for a watch costing much more. The Mineral Glass crystal is scratch resistant – but not as good as a sapphire watch face, but is less prone to chipping or shattering than a sapphire crystal. The display watchback is also mineral glass – displaying the undecorated Miyota automatic movement. It look as stylish and run as well as my other watches, and, I receive as many comments if not more from the Invicta’s. It is a great looking watch! Good value, accurate and stylish if you like the Sub’ look. This is a good day-to-day knock about watch that still looks better than the quartz stuff in the same price band. If it lasts 5 years it’s more than paid for itself. If you would like more information and talk with others about Invicta’s or other watches visit http://www.thewatchcentral.com. All questions and comments will be responded to.
Rating: 5 / 5