I am not sure that temperature is an issue - the ISO test requires testing at temperatures up to 45 deg. C for condensation and that is a hot bath!
The ISO text can be seen here:
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f135/text- ... 65634.html
Notes:
- It doesn't apply to divers' watches
- it states that any watch bearing the term water-resistant
are intended for ordinary daily use and are resistant to water during exercises such as swimming for a short period.
- it only states that the tests allow you to claim water-resistant and a pressure (optional, but always above 2 bar) if you test to that pressure...
- it doesn't correlate pressure value to activity - other than to state
swimming for a short period and
they are not intended for submarine diving. (there is another ISO code for that).
It is therefore left to the manufacturers to interpret what pressure relates to in terms of activity... this is one of those beautiful vagaries of law therefore...
- the manufacturer can claim 3 bar / 30 ft and say not for use in the bath - despite it being a pretty freaky bath that gets to 3 bar of pressure...
If there was an issue
- how do you prove that you were / were not using a watch at any particular pressure / in any particular activity?
- how does the manufacturer prove that you were / weren't using it in any particular way?
- therefore arguably WR claims are pretty meaningless as you could probably never claim under them...
- or maybe you have to rely on manufacturers with good / common-sense customer service?
If you are serious about water usage, then that probably means getting a dive watch...
It would be interesting to know CWL views...
The C3 listed as a dress watch is listed as 50m water-resistant - what use would CWL be happy to see it put to?
The C11 is listed as 500m and they say:
Most of us will never put the 735 pounds of force per square inch capability of the Makaira to the test - but the fact that it is capable of resisting such pressure should we find ourselves 500 metres below the surface (heaven forbid) provides a certain reassurance if you forget to remove your watch in the shower!
I wonder what they consider acceptable use?
but back to the original chart - I feel it is very restrictive...
Alasdair