As a brand that primarily creates timepieces for law enforcement, first responders, and military personnel, ProTek approaches watchmaking from a function-forward mentality. Back when the company first started, its sole focus was on ultra-rugged quartz watches with tritium-tube luminous displays. However, for its most recent release of 2024, ProTek introduced an automatic version of its official United States Marine Corps (USMC) timepiece, and the ProTek USMC Series 1210 Automatic Carbon Dive watches expand upon the blueprint of the original quartz models with textured dials and self-winding Seiko movements.

Quartz and automatic movements each have their respective lists of pros and cons, and neither is categorically better than the other for every single application. It’s a known fact that quartz movements are inherently more accurate and durable than their mechanical counterparts, although their need for routine battery replacements can often be a turn-off for those who value long-term autonomy. Consequently, countless individuals will gladly accept the shortcomings of a mechanical movement in exchange for the peace of mind that comes from never needing to worry about a dead battery, and this is precisely why ProTek has created an automatic version of its carbon composite USMC dive watch.

The ProTek USMC Series 1210 Automatic Carbon Dive watches are essentially the self-winding mechanical versions of the quartz Series 1010 USMC models that debuted last year, although their proportions have been slightly updated to house their larger self-winding movements. Similar to the original quartz ProTek USMC watches, the new automatic Series 1210 models appear in the official Pantone colors of the United States Marine Corps. However, a blue version isn’t offered within the mechanical lineup. The Series 1210 Automatic Carbon Dive collection consists of four colorways, which include black (ref. PT1211), red (ref. PT1212), green (ref. PT1215), and khaki (ref. PT1216). Additionally, while the quartz USMC watches only feature their respective colors on their chapter rings, crowns, and straps, the new automatic models are all fitted with dials that fully embrace their USMC colors, and this creates a greater visual difference between each of the four colorways.

Although a 42mm case diameter is shared across the entire ProTek USMC collection (a measurement that does not include the crown guards or the angular protrusion on the 9 o’clock side of the case), the new automatic models are slightly taller than their quartz counterparts at 16.35mm thick. While both USMC models have lugs that are set 22mm apart, the lug-to-lug measurement of the new automatic versions is about a millimeter larger at 50.5mm. Additionally, due to their mechanical movements, the automatic Series 1210 watches are a bit heavier than their quartz siblings with a total weight of 84.65 grams (strap included). However, the carbon composite material used for the majority of their case components makes them significantly lighter than a traditional stainless steel watch with similar on-paper dimensions.

Despite being 2.4mm thicker than the original quartz USMC models, the automatic ProTek USMC Series 1210 watches don’t actually feel all that much larger once you strap them down to your wrist. My wrists measure about 6.5 to 6.75 inches in circumference with a profile that is more flat than round, and while the automatic ProTek USMC Series 1210 watches are objectively rugged and chunky timepieces, they also do an admirable job of integrating the additional height of their cases. While anything with a 16.35mm-thick case will hardly be a shrinking violet, the automatic USMC Series 1210 watches wear their sizable height quite well. In fact, I was surprised to learn that they were actually this much thicker than their quartz siblings from the USMC collection.

Just like the quartz USMC models, the cases of the automatic ProTek USMC Series 1210 watches are crafted from a carbon composite material characterized by a textured dark charcoal color with a non-reflective matte finish. Similarly, the automatic Series 1210 models feature flat anti-reflective sapphire crystals surrounded by 60-click unidirectional rotating timing bezels, and the bezels are crafted from the same carbon composite material used for the middle case. To help ensure the ample 300 meters of water resistance that is offered by ProTek’s USMC collection, the automatic Series 1210 watches feature screw-down stainless steel casebacks adorned with the United States Marine Corps emblem, and the watches are also fitted with stainless steel screw-down crowns that have been given a non-reflective black finish. Additionally, the crowns feature a multi-gasket system to prevent water ingress, and they are fitted with rubberized rings in their respective colorways to help provide grip during operation.

The bezel action on the ProTek USMC Series 1210 Automatic Carbon Dive watches is surprisingly good, especially at this rather accessible price point. Just like the quartz ProTek USMC models, the bezels fitted to the automatic USMC Series 1210 watches feature a white 60-minute scale with a tritium tube embedded in a capsule at the zero marker, and the bezels feature six raised tabs between their ten-minute markings to provide additional protection for the crystal. Since the fundamental case architecture is largely the same on the automatic ProTek USMC watches, their bezels rotate with the same snappy and precise 60-click ratcheting motion that characterized the original quartz models. I personally feel that the tactile feedback from ProTek’s Carbon Dive bezels rivals what can be found among many high-end watches that cost several thousand dollars.

The dials and hands featured on the ProTek USMC Series 1210 Automatic Carbon Dive watches follow the same core design and layout as what can be found among their quartz siblings, although they include two key differences that visually separate them from the rest of the collection. In addition to being fully finished in their respective USMC Pantone colors, the dials fitted to the Series 1210 automatic models also feature a diamond texture embossed across their surfaces which is reminiscent of the pattern found on industrial plates of steel. Aside from these aesthetic updates, the rest of the dial layout remains the same, with printed Arabic numerals, a date window at 3 o’clock, and an angled chapter ring surrounding the periphery of the display, which contains the minute track and 12 horizontally mounted tritium tubes that serve as a secondary set of luminous indices.

The hands fitted to the ProTek USMC Series 1210 Automatic Carbon Dive watches are visually identical to the handset used for the quartz models from the collection. These offer a partially skeletonized rendition of what could best be described as a mix of dauphine and syringe shapes. Just like the quartz USMC watches, the hands on the automatic models are given a matte finish to eliminate reflections, and all three of the hands are set with glowing tritium tubes, with the tip of the minute hand extending all the way to meet the corresponding markers of the minute track. Just like other ProTek models that feature the brand’s ProGlo luminous display, the radioactive gas-filled tubes will emit a constant glow for up to 25 years, regardless of whether or not the watch receives any light exposure, and two different colors of tritium tubes are used on the automatic USMC Series 1210 watches. The tube embedded at the 12 o’clock marker emits an orange-colored glow, while the rest of the tubes glow green to create a clear orientation of the time in dark environments.

Unlike the quartz USMC Series 1010 watches that were available with the option of either a dark gray rubber strap or one in their respective colorway, all of the automatic ProTek USMC Series 1210 models are exclusively fitted with dark gray rubber straps to match the carbon composite material of their cases, and they are completed by chunky tang-style buckles made from black-finished stainless steel. Additionally, those who want their straps to match their dials can purchase any of the various USMC colored straps separately from the brand’s website. Tapering from 22mm at the case down to 20mm on the bottom of the wrist, the straps fitted to the automatic USMC watches are identical to the rubber straps that can be found elsewhere within ProTek’s catalog, and I personally find that they strike a nice balance of feeling incredibly substantial while also remaining flexible and comfortable on the wrist. In addition to being crafted from genuine rubber, ProTek’s straps also include metal sleeves embedded within the ends for the springbars to ensure that the strap will not tear use at this often vulnerable connection point after long-term wear and strenuous use.

Inside ProTek’s USMC Series 1210 watches resides the familiar 24-jewel Seiko NH35 automatic movement, which easily ranks among the most commonly used self-winding calibers in the entire watch industry. Running at a frequency of 21,600vph (3 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 41 hours, the Seiko NH35 is hardly going to win you bragging rights among collectors, although it is widely considered to be incredibly reliable, and its constant presence throughout the industry is a testament to its proven design. While the Seiko NH35 may offer lesser on-paper specs compared to entry-level Swiss calibers like the Sellita SW200, the difference in real-world performance will be negligible, and opting for a reliable Japanese movement allows ProTek to offer its automatic USMC Series 1210 models at a price point that is significantly below similar tritium-tube watches that are powered by Swiss calibers.

One of the things I admire about ProTek is that the brand aims to create no-compromises tool watches while maintaining an accessible price for its customers. Due to their automatic movements, the ProTek USMC Series 1210 Automatic Carbon Dive watches are more expensive than their quartz siblings with an official retail price of $695 USD; however, a comparable watch from any of ProTek’s Swiss competitors would likely cost over a thousand dollars. From an aesthetic perspective, I prefer the dials fitted to the quartz USMC models over the textured dials featured on the automatic versions, and I also wish that ProTek had introduced these mechanical models outside of its USMC collection, as the co-branding might not resonate with individuals who don’t have a personal connection to the United States Marine Corps. Even still, the ProTek USMC Series 1210 watches represent a well-executed overall package, and they combine everything that people enjoy about the brand’s carbon composite divers with the added autonomy of an automatic movement. For more information on the ProTek USMC Series 1210 Automatic Carbon Dive watches, please visit the brand’s website.