Victorinox Dive Master 500 Owner Review : Disconcerting, complex and aggressive

My Dive Master 500 is, as the model name suggests, a 500m diver's watch. With a diameter of 44mm (excluding the crown) and a thickness of 14mm, it's quite a hefty piece. I should add that it's also quite heavy, which is probably its biggest drawback. There, I've said it. Victor Inox is known for its knives, but especially for its factory that manufactures blades and other precision steel components. This is also true for this "Diver" watch, with its striking "black ice" PVD-coated case. My watch is over 15 years old and shows absolutely no signs of wear. It's certainly seen its fair share of rough handling. The ETA 2892 movement lives up to expectations: +/- 20 seconds per day with a 42-hour power reserve, and its 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) provides a smooth, continuous sweep of the seconds hand. As a reminder, this caliber is the basis of the Omega Co-Axial… In practice, it's more like +/- 10 seconds, barely. In short, it's robust. It's worth noting that the lume is of superb quality and lasts a very long time. So, on paper, this watch is remarkable, inexpensive at auction despite offering a sophisticated movement worthy of an Omega, IWC, etc. Does it have any flaws? Yes. For one thing, it's really very heavy and imposing. My wrist is 18.5 cm, and it fits perfectly, but I think a 17 cm wrist is the absolute limit of comfort. Because it has a weight to it, it makes a strong presence on the wrist. It's a watch you wear so that people know it's there to tell you the time at all times. For hiking, diving, without a doubt. For everyday use, that's less certain. Which brings me to the final point about its shortcomings: despite its imposing case, the dial opening is only 34 mm. This wouldn't be a deal-breaker if it weren't for the dial's design, which includes a second subdial with 24-hour numerals that have no place on a diver's watch. In fact, this is perhaps its greatest ambiguity: is it truly a dive watch or a field watch? Some will appreciate this ambiguity, but the more I delve into it, the more I doubt it. And paradoxically, it remains a beautiful piece because Victor Inox's strength is undoubtedly its case manufacturing. In this instance, the "gunmetal" finish on the case is particularly striking.