RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

I wouldn't trust a 50m waterproof rating when diving: you want 200m. At 30m if you move your arm too quickly the 50m watches tend to implode. Avoid the 300m ones as most battery change places won't do them as they can't do the test.

Hi Rob, My now dead Seiko was mechanical not Battery and of course I could get it repaired but I would never trust a watch that had failed once to not fail again when I needed it most and as to it failing me at 50 Metres it never showed the slightest sign of water ingress,
I should add I have only once dived in non tropical waters so the watch was not subject to extremes of temperature,
The replacement watch is not battery powered and is rated to 200 metres,
But I am grateful for your helpful advise

I've had two fairly expensive Seiko 'Kinetic' watches- one was an award for Local Government long service. I still have that one, but the movement can't be restarted. Kinetic watches, had no batteries, unlike quartz watches, and instead relied on the owner's movements to recharge a capacitor in the watch, which in turn would drive the movement. As the watch aged, one almost needed an extremities tic, or Parkinson's, in order to keep the charge topped up. before the age-related Gherkin fingers condition set in, I'd actually managed to replace the capacitor in my First Seiko. Believe me, that was no mean feat, considering the microscopic sizes of the screws, and removable parts.
These days, I like Tissot watches.
Up to the middle of the Victorian age. the finest watches and clocks in the world were made in England. The Swiss hadn't a clue, by comparison. Indeed, Rolex was actually founded in London, Not Switzerland, by Alfred David and his brother-in-law Hans Winsdorf. (Firm was 'Winsdorf and Davis', originally)
The most famous Rolex movement was an English design, not Swiss, as was Breguet's, and even since then George Daniels (1926-2011) was regarded as the best Horologist in the World.
https://wristreview.com/10-great-british-horologists/
Lastly, I always wondered why the depth rating of a watch could be a selling point. I laughed at the thought of plunging into the depths in a car, boat, or ship somewhere, but noting with satisfaction, that while I'm drowning (though I can swim...) my watch, with an illuminated dial, is still functioning- as my lungs are crushed to the size of a tennis ball. going past 200m.
I'm pretty sure most folk buying watches don't go scuba diving, but yet are happy to boast about the depths at which their watch will continue to work
The Bell and Ross watch is a real cracker, by the way!

You're welcome. I squashed a camera at about 38m in the Maldives, rating was 45m hence the concern. It didn't leak but did go back under warranty. Not dived in a few years but used a computer for most of the time I was, much easier than tables and if it went wrong you just spent 20-30 bar at 6m to be on the safe side. It also took water temperature (6C) into account for diving off Scotland.

I'm in a similar boat Jarndice: Going back to my RAF days I've got a propensity to trash what I call 'work' watches, so I bought a Timex 'reef gear Indiglo' from argos for around £20 iirc. 200m reputedly, it's well over 15yrs old(if not nearer 20) and not missed a beat. It's had a hammering at work(fire service) and play, regularly gets very wet(I'm water rescue & powerboat handler through work)

Well it arrived today which is not a good omen as it is 24 hours early ,
Thank you Alwyn for the initial heads up,
I shall report back in 55 years time with an update on its reliability.

jarndice wrote:

Son of a gun-ner wrote:

ronnie42 wrote:Just wait until it needs a battery if you go quartz , the 50m waterproof seal will cost you dearly.

I can confirm
I used to have a jeweller friend, but as I don't take my watches swimming like Shaun probably does, I make do with a moisture/dust seal

Swimming
Well yes I do swim while wearing my wristwatch but we go Scuba Diving (Nearly) every year around Mauritius or the Maldives and anyone who dives will know how important a reliable watch with the ability to function at depth is,
Sucking in nothing through your demand valve is not the best way of Finding out at depth that the bottles empty and your watch has stopped,
It is not the best guarantee of long life.

honestly if thats the case get a decent OLED dive computer like a shearwater. and a cheap watch for on the surface.