Which water resistance rating applies?
We recommend paying particular attention to water resistance before buying a
wristwatch. To find out the water resistance rating of your wristwatch, look for a bar or ATM rating.
3-bar: This means the corresponding wristwatch can withstand splashes of water without damage, so you can safely wear your wristwatch while washing your hands.
5-bar: The watch can withstand rain and snow as well as a short shower.
10-bar: If you need a waterproof wristwatch for skiing or swimming, you can, according to the manufacturer, easily choose a 10 bar model for this purpose.
20-bar: Since you may be exposed to unexpectedly strong water pressure while swimming, we recommend, just to be safe, a waterproof wristwatch with 20 bar for swimming. At 20 bar, watches are considered diver's watches and can be used for diving.
100-bar: According to the required criteria, a diver's watch must be equipped with at least 20 bar, according to the manufacturer. If you want to be on the safe side for especially deep dives, you can also choose a waterproof wristwatch with up to 100 bar.
Diver's watches and contact with water
- Do not operate the pushers on chronographs under water to prevent water from entering the movement.
- After contact with salt water, fresh water, or chlorinated water, rinse your wristwatch as quickly as possible with clean water, because salt, for example, can dry out seals and even damage stainless steel over time. The chlorine in pool water can also damage the surface of your wristwatch.
- Please do not replace the watch battery yourself, as water resistance can no longer be guaranteed.
4. A waterproof watch should be tested regularly using special equipment. It is also advisable to replace the gasket ring once a year.
5. Many people are also familiar with the phenomenon of condensation forming inside the watch. This happens after extreme temperature differences, such as when you jump straight into cool water after sunbathing, and should be removed as quickly as possible.
Either a special bezel...
In addition, high-quality
diver's watches should be equipped with a bezel that can only be turned to the left. Just before you start diving, you can turn this bezel to the left to the minute hand, and then during the dive you can quickly read the time span between the 0 mark on the bezel and the minute hand moving to the right. This is especially important when diving, as you usually only have a limited amount of time for it.
or a timer can warn the diver!
To measure time while diving, some dive watches have a timer. However, this timer only counts as a substitute for the left-turning bezel if the measured time can be read clearly. In addition, according to the required DIN 8306 standard, a diver's watch must allow both the time and the measured time span to be clearly read from 25cm away, by day and by night.
Tip: If comfort is very important to you when swimming or skiing, we recommend waterproof wristwatches with a rubber strap, such as those from the brand
Citizen or Chris Benz. Fabric straps can soak up water quite quickly and feel uncomfortable to wear. Stainless steel straps are suitable for water activities, but you should note that due to the friction between wet skin and stainless steel, they may not feel exactly great after being worn for a long time.
