yes, they are.
here is a pic of what can for all intents and purposes be considered a real dive watch:
It has a functioning bezel, 100m WR and is reliable to boot.
This, is a diver styled watch:
cheap fleebay fodder in the shape of a dive watch. For all I know it might survive a swim, but I wouldn't rely on it.
Not maybe the best examples, but best I can find right now.
It really boils down to 'is it water resistant?' and if yes, 'is the claim reliable?' in the case of most known or boutique brands will be reliable. Very few manufacturers would put WR on the dial if they couldn't take a dip. Why would they, unless its to create problems for themselves everytime someone wore their watches in the rain or while washing the car. I have never had a new watch fail a dive, ranging from $25 cheapo's to $600 boutique brands. Buy the brand I guess, and the appropriate WR (100m is more than enough even for most divers)
This watch can be had for under $50 on evilbay, doesn't even have a specified WR. Yet recently a buddy showed up for a dive without a watch. I keep this rotary in my dive kit to lend out, and on his wrist it dove down to 15m repeatedly and in water hovering above freezing.
not my pic.
This is the most suspect watch I've ever had in the water, and yet it did fine. It wasn't mine, I bought it for a buddy who liked it, I was a little doubtful of the WR claim, as the brand, um, image was obviously made up completely, and it just looked like a cheap fashion watch to me. cost $75. It was WR just fine until the friend smashed it on a concrete floor.
Basically I think the usual 'true dive watch' criteria you see talked about on forums are hype designed to make people think that spending less than 1k will not get you a real diver you can rely on, when the truth is that companies can produce reliably WR watches these days for chump change, the technology is old news, everyone can do it.