To be fair, you picked the least attractive version in two tone gold and steel.
Yes, you can pick up a better spec watch than the HC for less money, but (as with all Swiss 'heritage' brands) you're paying for the name as much as the spec.
Yours didn't venture very far, but my all steel one has been down to 30M in Mauritius and 35M in Guernsey and it's a very legible watch at those depths.
I also found the wetsuit extension perfect for the wetsuit I wore in Mauritius, so I guess it's the luck of the draw, whether it'll work for you or not.
Photo is from a snorkelling trip
That said, everyone likes something different - I don't like two-tone Subs!
M