Watches - Waterproof Or Water-Resistant?

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Are Watches Waterproof Or Water-Resistant?

Are watches waterproof or water-resistant? Is there is difference. If there is, is it not much or a big difference? I am sure you have seen electronic items or Aquapac cases used under water. They actually have a grading system of 1 to 8 where 1 means it is not really protected against water and 8 means you can take them under water but to a certain depth and for a certain duration of time. Most other things are at most up to level 6-7 which means if you were to accidentally drop them into water they will survive when retrieved soon after.

When measuring materials that are being used to build tents or clothes, etc. a different standard is used. They use a tube and pour water into it on top of that material and see how water can go into it before the pressure and weight push through the material. A proper water-proofed material is considered to be 1000mm or 25 inches of water and tents usually have more than 2000mm.

Only true and authentic scuba diving watches can be called waterproof and therefore they dare and could advertise as such. All other watches can only be advertised as water-resistant and up to a certain depth. Most of these waterproof watches use a special seal.

I did some research and found that watches that are from 30-50m are not really suitable for diving and swimming. Only watches of water-resistant ratings of 100m or more should be ideally used for swimming, snorkeling or other sea and water sports. For scuba diving only "waterproof" watches would be ideal. That is a true diving watch.

So the question left begging: are watches waterproof or water-resistant? The answer quite simply is most watches are water-resistant up to a declared depth and only true scuba diving watches are waterproof. Yes, there are watches that are waterproof.

What Does Water-Resistant Means?

They use a lab pressure test liken to a swimmer or diver at that pressure level. This usually does not take into account any changes in water pressure, movement, temperature or environment meaning it is to be still when tested. As a watch ages, the seal that prevents water from entering may weaken or fail. One should also take note that it is not good to wear your watch when you shower as besides the higher temperature of hot water, some soaps are more abrasive and they can also get stuck in the joints of straps and become corrosive over time.

Waterproof

To understand the future or even the present we must always learn from history. When someone in the USA buys a toy and gave it to his child and left the plastic bag unattended. When the child is too young he may accidentally put the bag over his head and this may result in accidental injury or death due to suffocation. What happens next is the parent who may be ignorant, did not use his common sense or was even negligent sues the toy seller. They got to court and the parent won. What happens? All toy manufacturers will now put a warning on the plastic bag - "Warning! Keep away from young children", "Please dispose of bag immediately!" or simply "Please do not put bag over your head!" Do not laugh, it can be that stupid.

So what has this got to do with waterproof watches? Plenty. If you were to talk to your parents, uncles or their peers and all people of their generation, watches of his time are claimed to be waterproof or not at all. There was no such term as water-resistant. Those days, there were no standards governing such issues. Products may not have been properly tested and termed as such while others claim theirs were waterproof. There may also have been cases where consumers returned such products or may be even law suits.

In the ate 60s, the term "waterproof" in watches was discontinued. This was because several government organisations including the Federal Trade Commission in the USA investigated accuracy and truthfulness of advertising and labelling. Many products were misrepresented. Even diving watches in those days were not completely waterproofed. It's effectiveness could be lost due to age, exposure to substances like chemical and deterioration anyway.

Now, the new catch word for watches is "water-resistant". There is no technical differences between waterproof and water-resistant watches. The technologies and methods used are all similar. The only difference is what term was considered appropriate at the time it was made.

Conclusion

Therefore, friends, Romans, countrymen plus citizens of the world, lend me your ears. There is no difference between a waterproof watch or water-resistant watch. They are the same thing but the word has changed to reflect the times. Besides, in today's modern world where people sue one another like changing underwear, I suppose as a manufacturer, it makes better sense to declare "water-resistant" because some day some water is going to get in. Now you can't sue for that, I told you it was only "water-resistant" . Older folks will still say "waterproof" because they grew up with that while those who are much younger never knew waterproof even existed. That my friend is like any generation gap issues.

ISO

International Standard Organisation believed and decided that the only way to protect consumers from making a decision to purchase based on misleading labelling was to remove the word waterproof.

Alright, I have settled this issue and now you know. The truth is out there. The X-File on this is closed.