Nowadays, most watches are water resistant. But did you know that this doesn’t always mean that they are waterproof or even “watersealed’? We understand that all these terms can be quite confusing. At the end of the day you just want to know if you can wear your watch underwater or not, don’t you? That’s why we like you to explain the difference… in this blog!
Water resistant watches
A watch is considered to be water resistant may come in contact with water to a certain extent. For example, if your watch has a water resistance rating engraved on the back that says it’s water resistant until 30 meters, it doesn’t mean you can dive 30 meters deep with it.
The water resistance rating is given by the manufacturer and is based upon 3 factors: the crown, the case back and the gaskets. Yet every day conditions (like changing the battery from time to time) and the aging of the gaskets might decrease the watch’s resistance to water over time. That’s why we recommend to test your watch to ensure yourself that water will not enter the watch case.
There are different ways to express the waterproofness of a waterproof watch: BAR, ATM and meter are used for this. But what do they mean?
- 3 ATM/bar/30m: This watch are resistant against rain and splashes.
- 5 ATM/bar/50m: This watch is waterproof and can be worn during swimming without jumping from a diving board. They are not qualitfied to snorkle or dive.
- 10 ATM/bar/100m: This watch is waterproof and good for most watersports like swimming, sailing and snorkeling in shallow water. If you plan on jumping off cliffs and diving, don’t wear this watch.
- 20 ATM/bar/200m: This watch is waterproof or divingproof and qualified for all kind of watersports and diving.
It’s also good to know that if your watch doesn’t have any text or symbols concerning waterproofness, then it’s probably not even protected against splashes or transpiration.
What about moisture inside the glass?
This doesn’t necessarily mean your watch is leaking. Moisture can appear if a watch suddenly cools down. The liquid that is inside the watch, becomes a light fog on the inner side of the glass. After a while this moisture will disappear again. If the drops are bigger, there’s a chance your watch isn’t waterproof and needs to be repaired. If that’s the case, repair it immediately to avoid further damage.
How often do you need to test the waterproofness of your watch?
Just straight out: every year. Try to make a habit of it. Every time you open the case of your watch, if you’re repairing it or changing the batteries… Our specialists at MISTER MINIT perform waterproof tests every day anyway.
