I want a tough watch.

[Spooky]

With lots of lume a water resistance. As this isn't a grail hunt I am sticking to an ~ 1000.00, budget. Enough, I hope, to get a decent automatic. I was formerly looking at a Tissot Seastar. I've owned one, and liked it. It checked all the boxes:
Decent Lume (love the blue lume)
High water resistance, I like 300m plus (just because)
Black face/bezel
And bracelet. I almost never consider anything that doesn't have a bracelet. Not sure how I'd feel about a strap, rubber or otherwise. The Tissot had is now discontinued, and I don't like the new ones. I have gone against habit and started looking at these:

Don't know if I like the idea of leather, but I understand a rubber strap is available. What are your thoughts, and am I missing anything?

[Nokie]

Good choice, but you can also find a few Seikos, and Citizens etc, that meet this criteria.

Also I would look at a Squale 50 ATMOS as well for another suggestion.

[geoffbot]

I owned that watch - it was excellent. Quite big at 44mm but great lume and solid fricker case. Wore it on a NATO mostly.

[geoffbot]

Should probably add pics. Under $1k you'd have to go preowned I think?

Drop of a hat still has one iirc.

[CFR]

Lots of Seikos and Citizen, I'm sure. But there's always the Longines Hydroconquest (the new model with the 2892 mov) and the - less known - Certina DS (Action Diver); a nice watch at a very reasonable price ("only" 200mWR, though)

pic from Certina web (there are blue dial and ti versions)

[Bwana]

Omega SMP quartz would be a great choice(pre-owned)


Dagaz/Fuller Tsunami (pre-owned)

[Spooky]

I owned that watch - it was excellent. Quite big at 44mm but great lume and solid fricker case. Wore it on a NATO mostly.

44mm doesn't scare an 8.5 inch wrist. However, did the titanium case feel cheap to you? Not sure how I feel about titanium, I wonder how it would feel after a tungsten carbide daily wear. Do love all that Lume though. Wow.

[Perseus]

I've had two Dievas Vortex watches and they are awesome. I highly recommend them. I sold the first to buy a Planet Ocean and the second to buy a Speedmaster, but if they made a 42mm version I'd have to buy another one. Like Panerai I think they make great strap watches. I primarily wore mine on Bonetto Cinturini rubber which is cheap and comfortable. If you want it to fit flush to the case I'd go with the Dievas rubber. If you really want a bracelet the Kobold bracelet fits. I had a unique situation and was able to pick one up for a song.



My second Dievas was a Vortex case with a Focal dial

[geoffbot]

44mm doesn't scare an 8.5 inch wrist. However, did the titanium case feel cheap to you? Not sure how I feel about titanium, I wonder how it would feel after a tungsten carbide daily wear. Do love all that Lume though. Wow.

Titanium case had some heft to it - didn't feel light or flimsy. The Germans build em well.

[Dienekes]

$1000 usd you say? I'd go with an Oris Aquis or Seiko MM300