Water Proof V Water Resistant

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joerattz
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Re: Water Proof V Water Resistant

Post by joerattz »

It has always been my impression based on reading that this is really a legal matter. No watch is really water proof. At enough pressure, any watch will leak. But, years ago, before lawyers took over the species, some watches were marked as water proof because they were water resistant. I doubt you will find a currently made reputable watch marked water proof.

For example, I can remember in the '70s lusting after some cheap diving watch that K-Mart sold. They always had them in a fish tank. I can remember looking at them and thinking they were so cool. I would bet these watches were sold as "water proof".
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Russ-Shettle
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Re: Water Proof V Water Resistant

Post by Russ-Shettle »

I've had my fill of K-Mart watches. No more! I'll say this: I got a C5 and I have no doubt that if I were pushed in a pool while wearing my watch I would have absolutely nothing to worry about. However, I have no intention on ever going swimming while wearing my C5 nor will I ever take a shower with it on. I didn't buy this watch for that purpose. If were a professional diver or even a serious amateur, I would need a watch to measure time because my life would depend on it, then yes, I would buy one of the best professional divers watches available. And, as such, it would come with Tritium illuminated hands, not superlumenova. You either have a need to dunk it or you don't!

If you want to go swimming with a watch on to impress your friends, do it with a K-Mart, "looks like the real thing" El-Cheap-O! Don't do it with a CW, just to see if the rating is true.

Advertising, which includes labeling, has but one purpose: To lie and deceive you and to get you to buy! Why? To make money, of course! Duh!
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Re: Water Proof V Water Resistant

Post by EcosseOz »

I'll add my two bobs worth to the debate. Watches are water resistant, not waterproof, at depth because of atmospheric pressure (and exposure to conditions like heat, cold, dust etc on land) any watch will eventually leak water. My opinions are based solely on experience.

I have owned (and currently own) quite a number of watches both upmarket and average brands, but never cheap ones and all have been at least 5atm WR. All have been immersed in water, either swimming intentionally or unintentionally, in the shower, washing up, car washing (I rarely if ever take a watch off my wrist) and I have never had a problem. This includes my solid gold omega, which despite turning 21 last month still looks in pretty good shape. Of course, if exposed to detergents, chlorine, salt, soaps etc the watch on my wrist will get a good wash in clean water afterwards.

I have also dived for well over twenty years and up till now I have only ever used 2 Seiko Divers (20atm WR) both of which have been down to over 70m depths and both lasted over 10yrs. My new CW KF Diver will go down to 40-50m fairly regularly in the next 6 months, so I hope its up to the job.

My new C4, when on my wrist, will not get any special treatment and will get plenty of exposure to water as well. I think a lot of people are scared to get their watches wet when there is no real reason to be worried.

Just my opinion and I'm sure plenty will disagree, but its also works for my Dad who swims most days with his Omega Constellation on which is about 10yrs old.
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Re: Water Proof V Water Resistant

Post by Russ-Shettle »

Ok EcosseOz

I'm not about to argue with experience. My only true divers watch was a Zodiac Sea Wolf of the late 60's and it was rated for 20 atmospheres. I swam with it on many time with no problems noted. I have had watches that formed tiny water droplets on the inside of the crystal without any apparent reason. Without further markings, these were watches rated as only water resistant. It may have occurred due to heat from the Sun and I have read that you shouldn't take a shower with your watch because the heat from the shower may cause water to condense out of the air inside once the watch cools internally. How this happens, I can only imagine. Perhaps, the excessive heat would create an internal pressure allowing for some air to escape past the seals, seals designed to hold back pressure in one direction, inward. With less air in the body while hot, it will become a vacuum when cooled. The end result becomes water vapour formation internally. This probably happens only in extreme conditions, i.e., leaving you watch to bake in the Sun or subjecting it to extreme cold. Sounds far fetched but whatever the cause, I've seen it happen. Likewise, after a while the tiny water droplets magically seem to disappear as well. I would think that during the manufacturing process and whenever you have one serviced, dry nitrogen would be introduced during the time the case was finally assembled. Have you ever seen this phenomenon?
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Re: Water Proof V Water Resistant

Post by EcosseOz »

RSHETTLE wrote:Ok EcosseOz

I'm not about to argue with experience. My only true divers watch was a Zodiac Sea Wolf of the late 60's and it was rated for 20 atmospheres. I swam with it on many time with no problems noted. I have had watches that formed tiny water droplets on the inside of the crystal without any apparent reason. Without further markings, these were watches rated as only water resistant. It may have occurred due to heat from the Sun and I have read that you shouldn't take a shower with your watch because the heat from the shower may cause water to condense out of the air inside once the watch cools internally. How this happens, I can only imagine. Perhaps, the excessive heat would create an internal pressure allowing for some air to escape past the seals, seals designed to hold back pressure in one direction, inward. With less air in the body while hot, it will become a vacuum when cooled. The end result becomes water vapour formation internally. This probably happens only in extreme conditions, i.e., leaving you watch to bake in the Sun or subjecting it to extreme cold. Sounds far fetched but whatever the cause, I've seen it happen. Likewise, after a while the tiny water droplets magically seem to disappear as well. I would think that during the manufacturing process and whenever you have one serviced, dry nitrogen would be introduced during the time the case was finally assembled. Have you ever seen this phenomenon?
The only watches I have seen mist up inside have been cheap ones and the occasional quartz that has not been pressure tested correctly when the battery has been replaced. I have never seen it happen to a mechanical watch. BTW, my CW KF Divers will be the first time I have used a quartz divers watch to dive with.
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Re: Water Proof V Water Resistant

Post by Uncle Bill »

Russ, I have read recently that watches rated at 3atm only should not be worn in a shower as the actual pressure on your watch seals from a shower head at full rattle is in excess of three atmospheres. As is swishing your hands around on the surface of a pool; during the 'swish' you exceed the pressure. Moisture in a watch is water that got in from the outside... UB
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Re: Water Proof V Water Resistant

Post by Russ-Shettle »

Bill,

I can certainly believe that and it makes sense too. I've also read an article that stated any watch rated with less than 20 atmospheres is not considered suitable for diving and anything less than 10 should never see water. Of course, there are mixed opinions about that. You do enough reading on the web and you'll find many recommendations and warnings based on someone's experience. My C5 is rated for 5ATM! I should be able to go about 15 feet or so maybe? Why would I even want to take it in the water? Makes no sense. I love this watch too much to take a chance like that and it doesn't matter anyway.
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Re: Water Proof V Water Resistant

Post by EcosseOz »

I am going to stand corrected here on an earlier post I made in this thread, I clicked on a link on this site and discovered what is claimed to be the worlds's first 'waterproof' watch. See here:

http://www.specialopswatches.co.uk/p/58 ... r-Seal.htm

I am truly amazed at the depths and claims made about this watch.
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Re: Water Proof V Water Resistant

Post by Russ-Shettle »

Not sure about that! I thought there was not such think as waterproof, it being a miss-used term.
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Re: Water Proof V Water Resistant

Post by EcosseOz »

RSHETTLE wrote:Not sure about that! I thought there was not such think as waterproof, it being a miss-used term.
Despite reading the article, I still tend to believe that a true 'waterproof' watch is a fallacy, however, they have made a bold claim (tested under lab conditions only) and lets face its never going to be tested under real conditions so guess we will never know.
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Re: Water Proof V Water Resistant

Post by Russ-Shettle »

I can’t say that it is nor can I say that it isn’t but you know how deceptive advertising can be. From being stung too often, I’ve become a total skeptic! You know the old saying: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t true.

Russ