Addiesdive AD2505 Review — The Brand’s Budget Formula at Its Absolute Peak

The Addiesdive AD2505 feels like a culmination rather than just another release. Everything this brand has been iterating toward over the last few years—strong specifications, confident styling, and aggressive pricing—comes together here in a way that feels unusually complete. At around $80 before tax, the AD2505 delivers an automatic movement, stainless-steel construction, a ceramic bezel insert, a 120-click unidirectional bezel, and some of the most generous lume application Addiesdive has ever offered.

On the wrist, the watch immediately communicates that it is a diver through and through. It’s substantial, wide-set, and visually grounded, with proportions that emphasize tool-watch intent rather than elegance. The design clearly draws inspiration from the Submariner formula, but it avoids feeling hollow or unfinished. Instead, it feels purposeful—an honest, modern budget diver that knows exactly what it’s trying to be. More importantly, it executes that vision with surprising confidence. For under $100, this is a watch that doesn’t just check boxes; it commits to them fully.

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Design & Case

The AD2505 is not shy about its presence. The measured case comes in at 40.6 mm in diameter, 13.3 mm thick without the cyclops, and 14.5 mm with it, with a substantial 53.1 mm lug-to-lug length caused by protruding male end links. Lug width is 20 mm, tapering to 18 mm at the clasp, and the full bracelet weight is 166 g before sizing on a 6.5-inch wrist. These are unapologetically dive-watch proportions.

The case architecture reinforces that stance. The tall, flat case flanks are fully polished, giving the watch a strong vertical presence. Transitions into the brushed lug hoods are softened by smooth bevels, keeping edges crisp without feeling sharp. The end links share the same brushing as the lugs, creating a seamless visual integration between case and bracelet.

Up top sits a layered bezel assembly. The polished scalloped bezel ring catches light aggressively, while the underside is brushed for contrast. The black ceramic insert features beige-toned numerals and markers filled with lume, immediately tying it into the dial’s warm color palette. Covering the dial is a synthetic sapphire crystal, paired with a sapphire cyclops that rises just over a millimeter above the surface—noticeable, but restrained.

At three o’clock, a 6.9 mm signed screw-down crown, semi-guarded and well proportioned, works in tandem with the screw-down caseback to secure 200 meters of water resistance. Explore other diver watches we reviewed.

Movement & Crown

Inside the AD2505 beats the Miyota 8215 automatic movement, a familiar and dependable workhorse in this price segment. Crown interaction immediately reveals its character. Unscrewing the 6.9 mm crown engages deep, notchy threads that bite quickly and feel secure. The larger crown diameter makes handling easy, even when grip is compromised.

In the first position, manual winding engages the movement. Compared to the smoother feel of an NH35, the Miyota’s winding action is more mechanical and slightly coarse, with granular feedback transmitted through the crown—an unmistakable reminder of its unidirectional winding system. Pulling the crown to the second position allows for quick-set date adjustment, where the detent is firm and clearly defined. There’s no wandering between clicks. Pulling fully outward for time setting reveals precise keyless works: the minute hand tracks exactly where it’s placed, with no drift or backlash.

Once set, pushing the crown back in and re-engaging the threads delivers a solid, tactile closure. The motion is confidence-inspiring and reinforces the watch’s full 200 m water-resistance rating. This is not refined in a luxury sense, but it is honest, secure, and entirely appropriate for a tool diver at this price.

Bezel

The bezel is where the AD2505 genuinely surprises. It features a 120-click unidirectional mechanism, and while Addiesdive bezels have historically leaned toward lighter resistance, this one strikes an excellent balance. Rotation is evenly weighted and controlled—never loose, never free-spinning.

Each detent lands with a crisp, well-defined tactile confirmation. The sound profile is muted rather than sharp, producing a dampened click instead of a loud snap. This comes down to lighter preload on the click spring paired with very clean engagement between the ratchet teeth. There is no back play, which is impressive at this level. There is, however, a very minor forward springiness between clicks—normal behavior caused by spring tension settling as the teeth seat fully. In practice, it actually helps the bezel lock in place securely.

The deeply notched coin edge offers excellent grip, and the slight overhang above the polished case flank makes the bezel easy to manipulate, even with wet hands. Visually and mechanically, it’s one of the better-executed budget dive bezels available.

Bracelet

If there is a weak point on the AD2505, it is the bracelet—consistent with many Addiesdive models. That said, it’s far from unusable. The bracelet integrates cleanly with the case, and despite the extended 53.1 mm lug-to-lug, the shared brushing between lug hoods and end links keeps the transition visually cohesive.

It’s a fully brushed three-link design, which does an effective job of hiding everyday scratches. Stretching the bracelet reveals visible gaps between links, and tolerances are best described as mediocre rather than tight. However, articulation is excellent. The bracelet drapes smoothly across the wrist, avoiding stiffness or binding. Links are secured with push pins, nothing exotic but entirely serviceable.

The bracelet tapers from 20 mm to 18 mm at the clasp. The clasp itself is a double-pusher design, unsigned, and opens to reveal a pressed folding wing. It’s basic, but functional, and includes three micro-adjustment positions to fine-tune fit. Flip the watch over and you’re met with a screw-down caseback, fluted at the edges, with basic specifications engraved around the perimeter and the Addiesdive logo centered.

Crystal & Dial

The dial is the AD2505’s defining feature. Starting with the crystal, it’s a flat slab of synthetic sapphire, neatly beveled where it meets the ceramic bezel insert. Anti-reflective coating is present, revealing flashes of purple and green at sharp angles. Sitting atop it is the sapphire cyclops, protruding slightly but offering roughly 2× magnification. Because the date window is framed, the cyclops feels intentional rather than tacked on.

Beneath the crystal, a brushed inward-sloping rehaut guides the eye toward a beige minute track. The dial itself is a camo green sunburst, throwing dynamic waves of light that keep the surface lively without overwhelming it. Hour markers are applied and mixed in shape: chunky irregular rectangles at 6, 9, and 12, with elongated batons elsewhere, all edged in a bronze-gold tone. At three o’clock sits a framed date window with a beige-yellow surround that ties back into the lume color.

The handset continues the theme with sword-style hour and minute hands, both filled with the same warm, creamy lume. The seconds hand is chrome, terminating in a loomed arrowhead lollipop that remains visible in low light. Printed Arabic numerals at 6, 9, and 12 subtly balance the framed date at three, creating symmetry across the quarters. Despite the mix of applied markers, printed numerals, framed date, and text, the dial feels open and well proportioned—anchored by its cohesive color palette and strong sunburst finish. Lume is abundant, bright, and long-lasting, covering the bezel, indices, hands, and seconds-hand lollipop.

Summary

The Addiesdive AD2505 feels like the brand’s most complete expression to date. For under $100, it delivers virtually everything one could reasonably ask of a modern dive watch: 200 m water resistance, a ceramic bezel with 120 clicks, synthetic sapphire crystal, an automatic movement, and genuinely impressive lume throughout.

Yes, the bracelet is basic, and yes, the Miyota 8215 lacks the refinement of pricier alternatives. But these are compromises that feel deliberate rather than careless. What matters is how solidly everything comes together—and here, Addiesdive gets it right. The AD2505 is not just good for the money; it’s good, full stop. For anyone looking for a no-nonsense budget diver that delivers on both specification and execution, this may well be the ideal Addiesdive. You may want to check out other budget options in the $50 – $200 price range.

Addiesdive AD2505 Specifications

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