Choosing a Diving Timepiece

Choosing a Diving Timepiece

You should think about these things before you purchase a new diving watch if you are looking for one.

The ability to withstand submersion in water

All diving watches must be water-resistant since they wouldn't survive a second if they weren't. Is it necessary to have a lot of water resistance? Any sight that reaches or surpasses the 130-foot depth limit for recreational divers should suffice. Surely not! Wrong!

Under regulated settings, a watch's water resistance rating may be determined. During the testing, the water resistance of the watch is not taken into account for any other possible factors. At a certain depth, they tell you the watch's water resistance by assuming the water and the watch are still. Clearly, these test settings don't represent actual diving, when your watch is likely to be regularly startled by the vibrations of the water. The depth rating of your watch may fail if it is struck at the extremes.

As a safety precaution, make sure your diving watch has a depth rating of at least twice as deep as the maximum depth to which you want to dive.

The band of a watch is an excellent example of this

Rubber, titanium, and stainless steel are the three most common band materials to consider when shopping for a diving watch.

Consider the quality of the rubber band you're considering before you buy one. Rubber bands are handy since they may be worn on your wrist or over your wet suit and are readily adjustable. It is possible to cut rubber diving watch bands, so metal bands may be preferable if you do a lot of wreck diving.

In order to get a metal band that is resistant to corrosion and rust, you should always go for titanium or stainless steel. It has been shown through time that stainless steel is a great material for diving watches. Titanium has recently emerged as a viable choice. It is more durable than stainless steel but weighs half as much. Get a wet suit extender so that your watch can be worn over your wet suit, no matter what metal you choose.

What's better: digital or analog?

There are two main types of diving watches: analog and digital (though some blend the two).

Analog watches are dial-based timepieces. If you're contemplating this sort of watch, check to determine whether it has a diving bezel that is unidirectional and has brilliant luminosity, especially on the bezel. Analog watches tend to be more attractive, but they often lack diving-related functions.

Sophisticated functionalities are nearly always included in digital timepieces for divers to keep track of their progress. Features like water temperature, depth measurements, separate gauges for timing the breathing mixture in one's tank, and programmed alarms are all included in the package. It is possible to download your diving data from your digital watch to your computer.

Ease of use as a whole

Look for features that will make it easier to utilize your new diving watch in real-world situations. To ensure that you can really see the time on your watch, you'll want a crystal that isn't scratched, big and easy-to-access buttons, and a sturdy build.

Finally, have a look at the evaluations of the diving watch you're considering purchasing. It's difficult to tell whether a watch is water-resistant just by looking at it in a shop or online. People who have used the watch may give you a better understanding of whether or not it is right for you.