How Wet Can You Get?

General watch information including stories of movement and brand development, service information and watch/movement evolution.
User avatar
Uncle Bill
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 1601
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:33 pm
CW-watches: 12
LE-two: yes
Location: Mid-Sussex, just North of South Downs National Park

How Wet Can You Get?

Post by Uncle Bill »

Here is an Oris depth chart - 1 bar equals 10 metres depth - will help you realise that the depth markings on watches relate to pressure on the seals, not just depth i.e. if you sweep your arm under water or dive in, the local pressure is momentarily very high and you sink your watch...UB

Image
Let us hope all politicians are masochists, that they may truly enjoy our fondest wishes...
DannyO
Senior Expert
Senior Expert
Posts: 270
Joined: Mon Jun 08, 2009 11:48 am

Re: How Wet Can You Get?

Post by DannyO »

So I can't wear my C4s, C7 or C5, in the shower?

Not that I do, but I'd better be well careful now!!
C3SWT, C4CF18, C40IPK, C5AKS, C7STS, C8IPK
User avatar
Hans
Administrator Emeritus - Founder
Posts: 2266
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 11:24 am
CW-watches: 7
LE-one: yes
LE-two: yes
Location: The Netherlands

Re: How Wet Can You Get?

Post by Hans »

Very useful chart, made it sticky...
User avatar
Uncle Bill
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 1601
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:33 pm
CW-watches: 12
LE-two: yes
Location: Mid-Sussex, just North of South Downs National Park

Re: How Wet Can You Get?

Post by Uncle Bill »

The chart is a jpg. so you can copy it easily if you wish...The trouble with the shower pressures is that some are more powerful than others; an electric power shower is the one that is most powerful, but play safe with showers (and pressure washers)...UB
Let us hope all politicians are masochists, that they may truly enjoy our fondest wishes...
User avatar
village
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 5554
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:10 pm
CW-watches: 4
Location: any further South and my feet would be wet...

Re: How Wet Can You Get?

Post by village »

Hans wrote:Very useful chart, made it sticky...

eeeeuuuuugggghhhhh...... :lol:
If you can read this you are too close to your computer screen....
User avatar
Hans
Administrator Emeritus - Founder
Posts: 2266
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 11:24 am
CW-watches: 7
LE-one: yes
LE-two: yes
Location: The Netherlands

Re: How Wet Can You Get?

Post by Hans »

](*,)

:)
User avatar
Russ-Shettle
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 2080
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:15 pm
CW-watches: 1
Location: Brandywine Maryland, USA

Re: How Wet Can You Get?

Post by Russ-Shettle »

DannyO wrote:So I can't wear my C4s, C7 or C5, in the shower?

Not that I do, but I'd better be well careful now!!
Don't worry should you catch yourself wearing you watch in the shower by mistake or accidentally diving in a pool with it on. I'm sure it will be OK. I wouldn't intentionally do this, just to show off its capabilities or because you have some need to impress yourself and/or others. That's when it may actually fail.

Russ
User avatar
Lamps
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 2341
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:04 pm
CW-watches: 2
LE-two: yes
Location: Bolton

Re: How Wet Can You Get?

Post by Lamps »

I like the chart but I view it in the same light as i do with 'sell by date's' on food. They are there to to stop you belly aching to the manufacturer when something goes wrongs.

My C7 got water in it the first time I took a bath wearing it, C3 and C4 both fine. I removed the case back on the C7 to help dry it out, and there was a slight kink in the seal. I recon you can double the depth of your watch a then check it on the chart and it will be fine. This is not a guarantee

Most people who buy a watch (your average Joe Egg) will read the back and think 30ATM or 3M means 3 metres, take it on holiday, swim in the Med, dive in the pool and have no problems with their Argos watch. I've done it in the past, and I drink milk 6 days out of date by smelling it.

Remember

If it looks likes it works, and it feels like it works, then it works!
User avatar
Uncle Bill
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 1601
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:33 pm
CW-watches: 12
LE-two: yes
Location: Mid-Sussex, just North of South Downs National Park

Re: How Wet Can You Get?

Post by Uncle Bill »

lamppo - don't understand the '30 ATM or 3M means 3 metres metres' bit..do you mean the guy can't make out the difference? Anyway, 30Atm is 300 metres or getting on for a thousand feet...UB
Let us hope all politicians are masochists, that they may truly enjoy our fondest wishes...
User avatar
village
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 5554
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:10 pm
CW-watches: 4
Location: any further South and my feet would be wet...

Re: How Wet Can You Get?

Post by village »

Do you mean you choose which watch to wear in the bath? :lol:

Have you been sniffing too much of that gas? :D
If you can read this you are too close to your computer screen....
User avatar
Lamps
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 2341
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:04 pm
CW-watches: 2
LE-two: yes
Location: Bolton

Re: How Wet Can You Get?

Post by Lamps »

Uncle Bill wrote:lamppo - don't understand the '30 ATM or 3M means 3 metres metres' bit..do you mean the guy can't make out the difference? Anyway, 30Atm is 300 metres or getting on for a thousand feet...UB
Sorry, I just meant 3ATM or 30 metre's, I was well on the through a bottle of wine last night when I posted that.
User avatar
Matt
Senior
Senior
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2011 9:57 pm
CW-watches: 18

Re: How Wet Can You Get?

Post by Matt »

so where does 50ATM come in then on the graph
All the best,

Matt Hough
Eddie
Senior
Senior
Posts: 112
Joined: Sat Dec 08, 2012 11:57 pm
CW-watches: 1
Location: Liverpool

Re: How Wet Can You Get?

Post by Eddie »

What part of the watch governs the water resistance?

I'm looking for a watch and want one that if I forget to take it off before going to a pool etc I won't have to leave it in the locker.

I find it somewhat annoying that most of the dress watches are rated to be not much use even in the shower.
User avatar
akirk
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 3422
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 9:59 pm
CW-watches: 0

Re: How Wet Can You Get?

Post by akirk »

If a watch manufacturer sells a watch as water resistant to 30m then they are going to have a hard time refusing to mend any damage if you swim with it ina pool at less than 30m (whatever the pressure... :)) mind you if it is a dress watch the leather strap might not survive...

I would say it is a bit dodgy to claim that you need a watch to be water resistant to 100m to have it on in the bath - or 50m to wear it in the shower - how would it cope in rain?

On their logic a watch could cope immersed to wash your hands but not take a shower / heavy rainstorm (and I have been in rainstorms heavier than some showers manage...)

the reality should be that anything which is 30m+ water resistant should cope up to swimming pool use...

Alasdair
Tracking Christopher Ward watch prices on ebay globally at Watchroll
Tracking Bremont watch prices on ebay globally at Watchtrace
Eddie
Senior
Senior
Posts: 112
Joined: Sat Dec 08, 2012 11:57 pm
CW-watches: 1
Location: Liverpool

Re: How Wet Can You Get?

Post by Eddie »

Do they get round it by saying that its x bar not x meters?

On another note, how well do leather straps cope with water?