The Most Underrated Watch I’ve Owned
Let’s talk about the most underrated watch I’ve come across so far—the Vanitas from Arena Timepieces, limited to only 300 pieces. It has a timeless diver design that can easily be dressed up and worn with a suit, yet it’s durable enough to be worn in the field or through a deployment. What really makes this watch stand out is the balance between price, build quality, design, and presentation. This feels like a watch made for someone who spends a lot of time outdoors or in less than ideal environments, but still finds themselves wearing a suit from time to time—often more than they’d like.
On paper, the Vanitas is a dive watch. In real life, it doesn’t stay within the constraints of such a label. I’ve worn it with a uniform, I’ve worn it with a suit, and I’ve worn it doing nothing particularly special or cool at all, which is most of the time. Yet it never feels out of place, and that’s something a lot of watches try to do but don’t quite pull off.
I picked up my Vanitas on August 21, 2025, and since then it has seen more wrist time than any other watch I own, including my Pelagos 39. That wasn’t intentional—it just sort of happened. After a while, I realized I wasn’t rotating watches anymore. I was just always wearing this one, it was unintentional for the most part, but I did find myself wishing I was wearing the Vanitas if I did decide to wear something else.
Powering the Vanitas is the Sellita SW300-1A automatic movement. At $1,250, it’s a solid choice and not something you see all the time at this price. For some perspective, the Sinn U50 uses the same movement and comes in at roughly twice the cost, around $2,500. The SW300-1A offers a 56-hour power reserve and is rated for accuracy between -4 and +6 seconds per day. Mine has been steady and predictable, which is exactly what I want from a watch I wear this often.
Size-wise, the Vanitas really hits a sweet spot for me. The case measures 39mm and comes in at 11.6mm thick. The lug-to-lug is 47mm, and on my 6.5-inch wrist it fits just right. It doesn’t feel bulky, and it doesn’t feel small—it just works. The 20mm lug width is also a plus since it works with most straps you might likely already own. On the wrist, the watch feels balanced and comfortable, and it fits under a sleeve without any effort.
The bezel is a 120-click DLC-coated steel bezel with C3 lume, lumed up to the 30-minute marker. The action feels solid and deliberate, with no noticeable play. Under that is a 2mm domed sapphire crystal. It’s subtle, but it adds a bit of character without hurting legibility. You don’t really notice it until you do—and then it makes sense.
The dial keeps things simple, which I appreciate more the longer I own watches. Matte black, off-white applied hour markers, and good contrast all around. The chapter ring is lumed, which helps in low light, and the date window at 3 o’clock replaces the lumed marker without throwing off the balance of the dial. The lume on the hands and the dial lasts all night, in no light conditions. I often find myself waking up around 2 or 3 AM and being able to still read the time easily. Nothing about this watch feels unnecessary.
Being a dive watch, it has a screw-down crown with a crown guard and a 200-meter water-resistance rating. The caseback is solid steel and features an engraved hourglass surrounded by the brand and model name, “ARENA VANITAS.” as well as the serial number “# / 300”.The watch weighs 68 grams alone and about 138 grams on the bracelet, depending on how many links you have on, I took five off. Even on the bracelet, it never feels too heavy or uncomfortable.
Presentation is another area where Arena did an amazing job. The Vanitas comes in a Pelican 1150 case and includes both the beads-of-rice bracelet and a rubber strap. I almost always wear it on the bracelet—it’s comfortable, it moves well, and it just fits the watch in both function and aesthetic. I’ve also worn it on a Sangin Instruments Expedition strap with brushed hardware. It looks good, but I keep switching back. Admittedly, I am a bracelet guy, to no fault of my own, I just can’t help it.
After months of wear, the Vanitas has proven to be one of the easiest watches I own to live with. It works with a uniform, it works with a suit, and it doesn’t get in the way during day-to-day life. Even though I own watches that cost more, this one keeps getting picked because it doesn’t demand attention. It just does what it’s supposed to do and it does it extremely well and with an unmatched style. I’ve been told many times that looking cool is 90% of the job. But the Vanitas goes much further than just looking cool.
Final thoughts:
The Arena Vanitas isn’t chasing hype, and it doesn’t try to be something it’s not. It feels honest and well thought out. And it feels like a watch that was designed to be worn, not babied. As a matter of fact, that is one of their big advertising points. If you’re looking for a single watch that can move between environments without feeling out of place, this one is worth a serious look.
You can buy your own here.
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Don’t forget to follow them on Instagram: @arena_timepieces
