What to Look For When Purchasing a Quality, Reliable Dive Watch

Dive watches have been around for decades as a tool to assist scuba divers in staying safe and executing proper assent times when decompressing. They are no longer limited to professional divers and have evolved to the status of a piece of handsome jewelry worn by many that will never set foot in the ocean. If you are looking for an attractive and quality timepiece, a dive watch can be a good selection. For those who are needing a reliable watch for scuba diving, there are a few things to watch for prior to making a purchase. Whether you are an avid scuba diver that routinely explores the wonders of our oceans and seas around the world or simply like to snorkel in shallow waters for a few hours while on vacation, it is important to understand what the phrases "water resistant" and "diver's" watch really mean. You might be surprised by what you learn.

There are literally hundreds of watches on the market to choose from that claim to be water resistant. While many of them can satisfy the needs of the occasional vacationer that plan to swim in shallow water for a short time, most will not meet the needs of a scuba diver. A reliable watch that meets the rigors of long-term exposure to water (including a salt-water environment), pressures associated with deep water, and cold temperatures must have features capable of meeting international standard ISO 6425 – Diver's Watches in order to be considered a "diver's" watch. Before shopping for a dive watch, it is important to understand the meaning of a few terms. For instance, what is "ISO 6425"?

ISO 6425 is a set of tests established by the International Organization for Standardization for the purpose of testing watches that are to be sold as a "diver's" watch. The tests include subjecting a watch to high pressures, drastic and sudden temperature changes, tests to evaluate the buildup of condensation within the watches' interior, resistance to rust, resistance to affects of magnetic fields, and the expected battery life. Once a watch has passed the rigors of testing under ISO 6425, it can be sold with confidence as a true "diver's" watch. In order to carry the certification of ISO 6425, each individual watch must be tested as opposed to random samples of a type of watch. Most manufacturers will stencil the word "Diver" on each watch that passes the ISO 6425 tests.

Other terms to understand prior to purchasing a dive watch include; Atmosphere – a measure of pressure based upon the air pressure at sea level. One atmosphere of pressure is approximately 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi); and Bar - a measure of pressure based upon the water pressure experienced at a depth of 10 meters. One bar is approximately 14.5 psi. Twenty bars is equivalent to the pressure experienced at a depth of 200 meters of water, which is the minimum pressure a watch intended for scuba diving should be able to withstand.

For those that are not in the market for a certified watch that has been subjected to the testing of ISO, there are reliable and quality watches that can be used for scuba diving with confidence. When shopping for a reliable dive watch, there are important aspects to look for including:

1. A depth rating of at least 20 atmospheres or 200 meters (660 feet) is required for the watch to be expected to operate as a reliable dive watch.

2. A rotating bezel on an analog watch that is limited to rotation in the counter-clockwise direction. The bezel is used to set the time when a diver first enters the water and to allow a diver, with a glance, to learn how long they have been submerged. The purpose of limiting the rotation to the counter-clockwise direction is to avoid accidentally misaligning the bezel with the start time should the bezel get bumped during the dive. If the bezel can rotate in a clockwise direction, the time of submergence could be inadvertently lengthened thereby risking the diver's life and health. By limiting any accidental rotation to the counter-clockwise direction, the dive would be shortened if the bezel were rotated during the dive.

3. Luminescent hands or digital displays that are visible from ten inches in the dark. Some dive watch manufacturers use tritium, a hydrogen isotope, on the hands and face of the timepiece, which provides for luminescence that can be observed in complete darkness. In other words, the hands and numbers on the face naturally glow. Other watches use luminescent paint on the hands and face. The paints need to be "charged" by first being exposed to a light source prior to submergence, whereas, tritium glows all the time. Tritium, however, contains a half-life and will fade over time requiring the watch to be replaced in a few years.

3. A screw down crown on an analog watch is essential to protect the watch from water intrusion during submergence. The crown necessarily penetrates the side of the watch case in order to allow the time to be set. The opening in the case where the stem extends into the watch is sealed by the use of a gasket. This gasket experience stress each time the crown stem turns or pushes on the seal. A screw down crown is threaded onto the case and provides added protection from another gasket that is compressed when the crown is screwed down into place. Unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer, the crown should never be unscrewed or used to adjust the hands during a dive.

4. The strap should be extendable to fit on ones wrist when out of the water and over a wetsuit during a dive. It should also fit securely to the watch case to avoid losing the watch during a dive.

5. Other features that you will want in a dive watch include anti-corrosive materials for the construction of the watch, non-scratch crystals, and oversized buttons (on a digital watch) that can be operated with gloved hands.

I certainly hope that after reading this article you are a little more informed with respect to dive watches and what should be looked for if you are considering purchasing a quality watch. A dive watch can make for a handsome timepiece for most occasions that is reliable and built with quality in mind. For those that want to have the option of wearing the watch in the water, looking for the features discussed above can give you the confidence you need to know your watch will perform as expected.