Watchdives WD5513 Review – The Vintage Diver Watch Everyone Is Talking About
The Watchdives WD5513 is a retro-styled diver that borrows its cues from mid-century tool watches — warm tones, compact proportions, and simple brushed geometry. Positioned around $190, it brings the familiar NH35 automatic movement, sapphire crystal, and 200 m water resistance, features that have become staples in this brand’s lineup.
While Watchdives is generally known for its quartz-based offerings, this mechanical model aims to provide a more substantial, enthusiast-oriented option without departing from the brand’s accessible aesthetic. Lume on Watchdives pieces is known to be as good as on San Martin watches.
Design & Case
The 38 mm case diameter, 13.2 mm thickness, and 47.2 mm lug-to-lug dimensions put the WD5513 firmly in the wearable, vintage-inspired bracket. The proportions feel deliberate — compact, yet thick enough to maintain presence. The 20 mm lug width supports easy strap changes, fitting the watch’s tool-watch versatility.
The stainless-steel case follows a simple structure: flat midcase with horizontal brushing, a narrow polished chamfer running along the upper edge, and drilled lugs for quick strap swaps. These details add a modest sense of refinement without trying to disguise its functional origins.
Downturned lugs improve wrist comfort, and the bezel slightly overhangs the midcase, providing a solid grip. The 6.8 mm screw-down crown with modest guards fits the case well — easy to operate, without breaking the case symmetry.
Finishing quality is competent, if not remarkable. The brushing is clean and directional, though transitions could be sharper in places. Tolerances are consistent, but not at the high-precision level found in higher-priced microbrands.
Bezel
The 120-click unidirectional bezel features deep scalloped cutouts for grip. Both brushed and polished surfaces are present — brushed on the outer faces, polished within the recesses — giving the bezel some light play under rotation.
The action is firm and mechanical, with evenly spaced clicks. There’s minor movement within each detent, but no serious back-play between them. The tactile feedback is sharp, if a little metallic. Functionally, it’s adequate; in hand, it feels reliable, though the acoustic profile is louder and higher-pitched than on more refined bezels.
Its chocolate-brown insert complements the dial color but may not appeal to everyone — it leans heavily into a vintage color palette that can feel niche depending on personal taste.
Crystal & Dial
The box-profile sapphire crystal sits just above the bezel line, maintaining the old-school diver silhouette. It includes anti-reflective coating, which adds a faint blue tint under light and helps offset glare.
Below it, the sunburst caramel-brown dial serves as the focal point of the design. It’s warm, saturated, and visibly textured — an intentional callback to the tropical-fade aesthetic. The inward-sloping rehaut frames the printed minute track neatly, leading into lume plots that mark each hour: circular indices, baton markers at six and nine, and a triangle at twelve.
A date window at 3 o’clock uses a white-on-black display. It’s cleanly beveled, aligning with the dial’s printed white logo and depth rating text for visual consistency. The printed markers and hands are filled with green-glowing lume that performs well for the segment — bright, even, and reasonably long-lasting.
The color scheme — caramel, cream, and chocolate — clearly aims to evoke mid-century warmth. Whether it achieves timelessness or feels overly stylized will depend on one’s personal threshold for vintage theming.
Movement & Crown
The Seiko NH35 inside is a familiar inclusion in this price range — a 24-jewel automatic running at 21,600 bph with hacking, hand-winding, and a 42-hour power reserve. It’s proven, affordable, and widely serviceable.
The crown action is straightforward. Threading is smooth, with minimal slack or drift. Winding feels firm and controlled, and hand-setting shows no noticeable backlash. Overall, the operation is solidly executed, though not mechanically refined beyond what’s typical for NH35-based watches.
Bracelet & Clasp
The bracelet follows a three-link layout, brushed on the top surfaces and polished along the edges. It measures 20 mm at the lugs, tapering to 16 mm at the clasp, balancing weight and comfort.
Construction uses screw pins — a welcome inclusion at this price — though minor daylight between links hints at average, not premium, tolerances. Articulation is smooth and flexible, allowing the bracelet to drape naturally without stiffness.
The clasp is a signed, milled, double-pusher folding clasp with five micro-adjustments. It’s functional and dependable, though the finishing on the clasp shell shows faint brushing inconsistency compared to the bracelet itself. The small polished chamfer across the top plate adds a bit of visual refinement without being flashy.
Lume & Legibility
Lume application is consistent and bright. The green C3-type compound performs as expected — initially strong, tapering gradually over a few hours. All key markers, hands, and the bezel pip are coated evenly, maintaining legibility in low light.
Daytime visibility is excellent, aided by the color contrast between dial and markers, though the caramel tones can slightly obscure the minute track in low-light reflections.
Caseback & Water Resistance
The screw-down caseback is sterile — unbranded, brushed steel — and supports a 200 m water-resistance rating. Combined with the screw-down crown, it’s functionally capable as a recreational diver. There’s no exhibition window, which fits the watch’s utilitarian theme.
Summary
The Watchdives WD5513 offers a well-executed mix of modern materials and vintage cues. Its sapphire crystal, NH35 movement, and 200 m sealing make it competitive at around $190, while its warm brown palette and compact dimensions give it distinct character.
However, it doesn’t transcend expectations. The case finishing, bracelet tolerances, and bezel refinement remain average for the price, and the aesthetic leans heavily into stylized retro territory.
For those drawn to compact, nostalgic divers with functional specs, the WD5513 is a competent, well-priced option — neither exceptional nor disappointing, but comfortably in the middle of Watchdives’ mechanical lineup.
Specifications Table
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Model | Watchdives WD5513 |
| Case Diameter | 38 mm |
| Case Thickness | 13.2 mm |
| Lug-to-Lug | 47.2 mm |
| Lug Width | 20 mm |
| Case Material | Stainless steel, brushed with polished bevels |
| Crown | Screw-down, signed, 6.8 mm |
| Crystal | Box-profile sapphire with anti-reflective coating |
| Bezel | 120-click unidirectional, chocolate-brown insert, scalloped edges |
| Movement | Seiko NH35 automatic, 24 jewels, 21,600 bph, 42-hour reserve |
| Dial | Caramel sunburst, printed indices with date at 3 o’clock |
| Lume | Green C3-type, hands, indices, bezel pip |
| Bracelet | Stainless steel, brushed top, polished sides, screw pins |
| Clasp | Signed milled clasp, double-pusher, five micro-adjustments |
| Caseback | Screw-down, sterile |
| Water Resistance | 200 m |
| Approx. Price | ≈ $190 (ex. tax) |
