Basic Features A Diver’s Watch Should Have

Discover the characteristics that a Diving Watch must have and you will be able to make your purchase in a totally safe way.

The first step is to consider that aesthetics is not the only important thing when buying a high-end watch, you really need to be very aware of: What is its purpose?

It is not the same to buy a luxury watch to wear on special occasions than to buy a watch that will accompany you to explore underwater spaces.

For this reason, from Adeler Joyeros we invite you to discover the most important details that this type of watches should have.

What is a Dive Watch like?

Diving watches can be mechanical, quartz or digital and must meet a series of particular standards and characteristics established by the International Organization for Standardization in the ISO 6425 standard.

They must have different functionalities aimed at carrying out this specific activity, among which the following are useful:

• Calendar.
• Stopwatch: measures the time elapsed since the start of the dive, also for on/off switching
• Water sensor, to activate the diving functions when the watch comes into contact with water.
• Watch charge indicator, to alert when the watch is running out of battery)
• Alarm to indicate dive time.
• Depth gauge, i.e. the depth indicator in Bar or Atm.
• Dive time meter, generally with alarm function

Parameters that a diving watch must meet.

Diving watches or divers watches as they are also known must have the following features:

Water resistant and watertight.

Obviously it is the first basic feature that a diving watch must have “its water resistance”.

It must be able to withstand depths of at least 100 meters or the equivalent of 10 atmospheres or 10 BAR.

According to ISO(International Organization for Standardization) establishes the following standard for diving watches:

• 100 meters – snorkel diving
• 150 meters – scuba diving
• 200 meters – professional level
• 1000 meters – higher immersion requirements

Have Timer:

For scuba diving it is essential that the watch allows you to keep track of how long you have been in the water and how much time is left to return to the surface before the oxygen in the tank is depleted.

For this reason it must have a dive time indicator and it is here where the unidirectional rotating bezel (with safety system) becomes important.

This graduation allows to read the dive and decompression time, according to the diver’s needs.

A fundamental detail to bear in mind is that the bezel must be unidirectional (rotating in one direction only) and must rotate counterclockwise.

This will prevent accidental movement of the bezel, which could lead the diver to become confused with the times and put his life at risk.

The Diver’s Watch Must Be Legible.

Indices, hands and numerals must be clearly distinguishable on the face of the watch, it is established that diving watches must comply with adequate visibility at 25 cm in total darkness.

Watches with luminescence systems that allow for better visibility are very helpful in this regard.

Adequate Magnetism:

They are expected to have at least 4,800 A/m resistance and to maintain under these conditions an accuracy of +30 seconds of daily deviation despite the magnetic field.

Shock Resistant.

In the practice of diving you are subject to various situations in which the watch can be hit, so it must be sufficiently resistant to avoid damage.

The very hustle and bustle at sea indicates that the part must be strong and have adequate protection devices.

The basic requirement is to withstand a force of 3 kg at a speed of 4.4 meters per second.

Chemical resistance.

Seawater can deteriorate metals and other components of watches and therefore a diver’s watch must withstand testing in a 30 g/l NaCl solution for 24 hours to attest to its resistance to oxidation.

Correa Segura.

The strap of diving watches must be totally secure because otherwise it can fall or come off the wrist and it will be unlikely to get it in the sea.

The strap or bracelet must withstand a force application of 200 N in opposite directions.

Materials used to make a Diver’s Watch.

Diving watches are usually heavier than a standard watch, which is to be expected because the exterior and bezel must be made of materials resistant to high pressure and seawater that is salty and corrosive.

The most commonly used materials are stainless steel and titanium, although there are also dive watches made of synthetic materials.

The watch band is usually made of rubber, polyurethane or stainless steel and must fit snugly to fit over the wetsuit.

As for the protective screen or glass it should be acrylic, mineral glass or sapphire crystal.

Details that Make a Difference.

Another particularity that stands out in classic diving watches is that they generally have a screw-down crown that allows them (out of water) to set the time and date by “screwing the crown down from the top”.

This screw-down crown is a key component for water resistance and allows the watch to operate at depths.

Diving watches usually do not have exhibition bottoms, because their design more than aesthetics seeks to achieve is performance and efficiency.

Another typical element is the helium release valve normally present in the “divers”, it is a simple device composed of a spring, a plug and a rubber gasket.

This system prevents crystals from exploding due to pressure build-up by assisting gas release.

How Does a Dive Watch Obtain ISO Certification?

They must pass some tests in which they are immersed in a sodium chloride solution for 24 hours and then their operability is verified.

Since 1996, ISO 6425 has been introduced to regulate the standards and characteristics for diving watches.

Based on it, diving watches must be designed to withstand water depths of at least 100 m, and it is vital that they have a system for monitoring the time.

The standard specifies that diving watches are tested in static or still water below 125% of the rated (water) pressure, meaning that a watch with a rating of 200 m is actually static water resistant to 250 m.

Buy a Dive Watch Spain.

Want to buy a high-end dive watch? Contact us and we will help you find the right one for you.

This article may also interest you The Interesting Evolution of Diving Watches.