I am very impressed with Invicta style and quality. They offer well-made watches at a very competitive price. I own seven Invicta watches and love each of them. They have the look and feel of a much more expensive watch.
This particular model looks almost identical to a Rolex Submariner. It is an automatic watch (if you don't wear it for around 24 hours or move around enough, the time must be reset) with 21 jewel Japanese movement and has a see through back that lets you view the automatic movement. The watch has a large 43mm face and it has Mercedes style hands and Tritnite luminescence markings with a magnified date marker. It is water resistant to 200 meters (just in case any of you will go down that far).
The one pictured above has an oyster-like bezel (Omega style). The older (Series 1 or S1) model of the 8926 have a coin edge bezel like the Rolex Submariner. The bezel rotates. Invicta makes really attractive bands that have a nice weight. The stainless steel silver band and black face combination is very sharp and will never go out of style. I have an 8.5" wrist and the watch accommodates my wrist with room to spare. They come in the trademark yellow Invicta box with an Invicta pillow.
The 9937 is an upgraded model of this watch that offers 25 jewel Swiss movement instead of the Japanese 21 jewel movement, a sapphire crystal, an improved stainless steel band (even though the one on the 8926 is great), solid end pieces, a better magnifier over the date, a flip lock safety clasp and a large rosewood box instead of the yellow box that comes with this 8926.
Invicta Men's 8926 Pro Diver Collection Automatic WatchInvicta's 8926 is the dive watch that started it all - the watch that kept Invicta from going out of business - like other Swiss watch making firms did as Oriental made quartz watches flooded the shelves of retailers worldwide in the 1980's! For an overall look rivaling the Rolex Submariner at 1/15 the cost, Invicta provides a $100 automatic diver with stainless steel bracelet unrivaled in quality and performance. Let's take a tour of this diving watch and note the value and style of the timepiece:
Movement
The Citizen Miyota 21 jewel movement rivals Swiss automatic movements for a fraction of the price. If it has any weakness - it is in the small power reserve - losing it's mainspring energy with less than one day off the wrist. IF not worn everyday- it should be put on a programmable watch winder or manually wound. The second hand will not "hack" with this movement. A date (complication) window shows at the 3 o'clock position. It must be manually adjusted every February and other 30 day months.
Case
The 43mm (with crown) 316L brushed stainless steel case wears comfortably on the wrist. The case lugs are modestly curved to accomodate wrists of all sizes. The new model (larger screw down crown)l ooks elegent as it gracefully projects from the case with a scuplted crown protector.
The black dive bezel - unidirectional 120 clicks around - is scalloped like the Omega Seamaster and is a departure from older model 8926's which flaunted a Rolex like "coin edge" bezel. Under pressure from Rolex it was changed by Invicta two years ago. The black enamel bezel is very scratch resistant - the numbers clear and bold.
The Mineral Glass crystal is scratch resistant - but not nearly as much as a more desirable sapphire watch face (imprinted only by diamond) which could triple the cost of the watch. Mineral glass is less prone to chipping or shattering than a sapphire crystal. The display watchback is also mineral glass - displaying the undecorated Miyota automatic movement. Mineral glass backs are less likely to cause skin irritation than a stainless steel backed case.
A date magnifier (Cyclops) at the 3 o'clock position carries on the Submariner theme. The watch hands contrast wonderfully with the Invicta black dial. The LUME off the watch hands and number positions is modest - both in brightness and longevity as compared to more expensive dive watches. A "winged" Invicta symbol decorates the counter - balanced side of the second hand. An elegent "INVICTA" product name is embossed on the left side of the case. The watch is rated as a Professional Diver 200M (660 feet) water resistant.
Bracelet
The comfortable stainess steel pinned link bracelet is worth the price of the watch. Solid end links, rounded flexible brushed steel wrist links set off the polished stainless steel center links - all made to look like the Rolex Oyster bracelet. The bracelet's center links are the only part of the watch prone to scratching. The foldover adjustable double safety clasp uses pins as well. There is no wetsuit deployment clasp as found in more expensive watches.
CONCLUSION
Rated 5 Stars because of value and features, the Invicta 89XX series of Professional Dive Watches has kept the company in the forefront of automatic movement watch manufacturers. No one can touch Invicta in the $100 area Pro-diver price range. Fit, finish, design, value and quality cannot be beat. This IS the leader in its class. Those desiring a Swiss made watch with Sapphire crystal and heftier bracelet should first look at the Invicta 9937 for about threetimes the price.
[...]
The Invicta 8926 is typically considered an entry level watch, or a "beater" alternative to other more expensive watches in your collection to be worn for everyday tasks. It typically ranks as one of the best selling watches, and provides a nice foray into automatic watches. [...]
First Impression:
When the box arrived from Amazon, I was pleasantly greeted by Invicta's signature cheese-yellow box. The watch was delicately wrapped, and packed well in the case. Invicta's instruction manual was thorough, and read like it was written by someone that speaks English as a first language. The included warranty card and polishing cloth were also nice touched. I have a small wrist, so when I first put it on, it hung very loose off of my arm. The weight was also unexpected for a watch at this price point. It felt very substantial. After a few minutes, I headed out to the local jeweler to have things sized for daily wear.
Cost:
Typically found below [...] is an excellent value. there are not many other watches that have an automatic movement and look like a watch that costs 10 times as much. Total shipped, sized, and on my wrist was just over $105. That's unreal! At that price point, if it takes a hit while washing the car or doing yard work, I won't shed any tears.
Case:
At 43mm, the 8926 is not a small watch. It's an excellent compromise between a HUGE diver, and a smaller dress quartz. I've worn it to the office, business meetings, and around town, and it's been comfortable in all situations. The size of the face in comparison to the bezel is pleasing, and of a fair proportion. One of my objections to the watch is the large engraved "Invicta" on the left side of the case. I'm proud to wear an Invicta, but the size and placement of the branding is a bit overwhelming, and breaks up the elegance of the case.
Bezel:
The unidirectional rotating bezel was quite a surprise. While not as smooth as the Seiko or other high end watches, for $100 the bezel gets the job done. The black silhouettes the face perfectly, and the white marks are easy to read. It turns well, and locks into every number well, while being aligned perfectly with 12 o'clock. I've found myself using the bezel to time everyday tasks, like waiting for food at a restaurant, and sitting on a conference call. Why not right?
Bracelet:
The standard Invicta bracelet is just amazing on this watch. The weight is so substantial, and it fits extremely well. The diver buckle is fairly easy to operate, though I imagine if you were actually diving with this watch, it may be a bit of a challenge. The inner link on the watch is highly polished, and immediately started to show sign of desk wear. I imagine that over the lifetime of the watch, the links would start to show some serious wear. The watch was also easy to re size. Due to my poor dexterity, I prefer to have a jeweler re size my watches. He had everything completed in less than 2 minutes, and also complimented the watch.
Movement:
Sporting the Miyota 21 jewel automatic workhorse, I've been impressed with the accuracy of the watch. I tested the power reserve at 36 hours, and it was still going strong. In terms of accuracy, it's tough to gage without "hacking" while setting the time. Over the last month, it's ran about a minute fast, which is not surprising given my daily wear, and my impatience in letting the movement settle. Only time will tell (mwahaha) if accuracy is a problem in the long run.
The trinite hands glow fairly well for about 2-3 hours, then become hard to read. I hit the face with my Maglite before going to sleep, and about 7 hours later, the glow was faint but adequately visible to read if necessary. It would most likely pass the theatre test, but it's a far cry from a high end watch. The hands are quite beautiful, and easy to read against the black face. the addition of the Mercedes style hand was also a nice touch. The cyclops is good, but not great, and is certainly not a Rolex. It's adequate to read the date, but nothing that will make people stop and say "WOW". Finally, the mineral crystal is also great for this pricepoint, but only adequate for the look and feel of this watch. Mine has yet to show any scratches, and I've been polishing ti regularly to try and reveal a hidden one. That being said, I plan on wearing this as my "beater" watch, so a scratch is not really a concern. In fact, the last sapphire crystal face I had cracked from a tough hit, so I'd rather have a few small scratches over a broken face.
Conclusion:
I would be shocked to find a better watch for under $100. Say what you will about Invicta, but for the money, the 8926 is one of the best values ever in terms of an automatic watch. I receive daily compliments on this piece, something I cannot say about my higher end pieces. To the untrained eye, most people thing you are wearing a $1,000 + watch. Despite the flaws with the 8926 (which are well documented), I'm still terrifically impressed with this watch. It's a great entry into a "real" automatic watch from a department store quartz, and is a good introduction into the beauty of a living timepiece.'
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