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Watches and water resistance
This is an area of many misconceptions and leads to much frustration.
All watches are now listed as water-resistant (Water-proof is not permitted as it is conditional on depth and is not absolute as the term Water-proof implies).
All water resistant watches now carry the static pressure to which it is tested. For example
Watches with the lowest level of water resistance are labeled simply "water-resistant."
They can withstand splashes of water but should not be submerged.
Above that (or below it, literally speaking), the most common designations are:
- 50 meters (1 meter is about 3.3 feet), which means the watch is suitable for swimming;
- 100 meters; indicating it can be worn snorkeling;
- 200 meters, suitable for recreational scuba diving and, believe it or not,
- 1,000 meters (roughly three-fifths of a mile).
Watches in this last category can endure deep-sea diving. Their gaskets are made of materials that can
withstand the helium used in decompression chambers. Some have valves that let the wearer release the helium
that has seeped into the watch so the case won't explode as the watch and diver adjust to normal atmospheric conditions.
Keep in mind that the depth specified on the watch dial represents the results of tests done in the lab, not in the ocean.
I've seen the abbreviation ATM used in labelling degrees of water resistance. What is it?
It stands for "atmosphere" and it's equal to 10 meters of water pressure. Another word for "atmosphere" is "bar,"
which is often used in Europe.
Is water resistance permanent?
No. Water resistance depends on several factors some of which can be affected by wear or simply by time. Gaskets can become corroded or misshapen, cases dented or crystals loose or broken. That's why your watch, like your car and your teeth, needs preventive maintenance.