When purchasing a designer watch, aesthetics is often at the top of the priority list. While you certainly want to select a timepiece that fits your personal style, you also want to ensure that it matches your lifestyle needs. Watch resistance is an important factor that can help you determine if a particular timepiece is a good fit for you.
What is Watch Resistance?
Watch resistance, or water resistance, may seem straightforward, but in the world of horology, this feature is so important that it has been the focus of federal regulations and international standards. Timepieces are incredibly delicate instruments, and exposure to water can be devastating.
Because of this, watchmakers have prioritized watch resistance among the defining features and functions of a luxury watch. However, some designer watch models, like divers’ watches, prioritize this water resistance to a greater degree than others.
Watch Resistance Ratings
Designer watches may be found with very little or no water resistance or up to expertly designed divers’ watches that can withstand astounding depths. The watchmaking industry describes these various levels of watch resistance in terms of meters and atmospheres (ATM). Ten meters is roughly equivalent to one atmosphere.
Both measurements refer to the amount of pressure a timepiece can withstand without allowing water intrusion. Common watch resistance ratings include:
- 30 meters (3 ATM): Splash resistant
- 50 meters (5 ATM): Rain and brief submersion
- 100 meters and greater (10+ ATM): Suitable for swimming and snorkeling; meets international standards for a diving watch
It is important to note that though these ratings are designated in meters, this does not mean that the watch is guaranteed waterproof at a particular depth. The rating of meters refers to the amount of pressure the watch can withstand, and this pressure is measured in a laboratory setting. Pressure can also be increased with movement and other stressors, not merely depth. Use caution when subjecting your designer watch to water, and do not try to push your timepiece to its watch resistance limits.
What Makes a Watch Water Resistant?
Before understanding how a designer watch can be crafted to resist water, it is helpful to understand the parts of a timepiece. Water may intrude in any number of areas in a watch, especially at the joints, where the crystal, case back, and crown come together, or at the stem.
To guard against water intrusion at such points, water-resistant designer watches are fitted with special rubber gaskets, also called O-rings. These gaskets help create watertight seals to make the watch case impervious to water up to a certain pressure.
Water-resistant watches also feature other special design elements to keep out water. A screw-in crown and case back design fit tightly to the case body to keep out water better than a standard push-in style.
How Is Water Resistance Different than Waterproof?
If you were to look at vintage watch advertisements, you’d notice many designer watch brands touting their timepieces as waterproof. Today, you’ll rarely see the term. In the 1960s, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) disallowed the term “waterproof” as a marketing term to protect consumers from fraudulent claims. Their reasoning was that any watch would eventually leak if subjected to sufficient pressure.
In 1982, the International Standards Organization (ISO) released specific guidelines for the manufacturing of water-resistant and diving watches. In 1999, the FTC rescinded their previous ruling, citing the sufficiency of the ISO’s definitions for water-resistant and diving watches to prevent deceptive marketing. These ISO standards are often noted in designer watch specifications and help the consumer understand the quality of the timepiece they are considering.
ISO 6425 is the international standard that outlines the requirements for a timepiece to be considered a divers’ watch. Among the requirements, a divers’ watch must be water-resistant to a depth of at least 100 meters, as well as include a means for viewing the dive time that is visible in darkness.
How to Maintain Watch Water Resistance
Over time, the rubber gaskets that provide for water resistance in a watch can become dry and brittle, reducing their effectiveness. It is important to regularly service a timepiece to ensure that it retains its water resistance. A trusted jeweler can conduct a pressure test to determine whether the watch is at risk for water intrusion.
We recommend servicing your watch annually to protect the integrity of the delicate mechanism. If you regularly dive or engage in water sports with your divers’ watch, you may benefit from servicing your timepiece more often. Aside from professional servicing, take special care to ensure that the crown of the watch is always closed before exposing it to water.
Can I Shower with My Watch?
While a water-resistant watch rated to 50 meters or more would tolerate the splashes, we advise against wearing your designer watch in the shower. Wearing a watch in the shower is not recommended, as body oils, soaps, and shampoos can be damaging to the timepiece.
Can I Swim with My Water-Resistant Watch?
While diving watches can easily handle recreational swimming, it isn’t wise to shock a timepiece with repeated jumping and splashing. As noted previously, a watch resistance rating refers to pressure, not depth. Jumping or diving into a pool causes abrupt changes in pressure that could stress a watch with a lower watch resistance rating.
Additionally, chlorine and salt water can be harsh on your watch case and straps. If you choose to wear your water-resistant timepiece in the pool or ocean, take care to clean it with a damp cloth afterward.
Our Favorite Water-Resistant Watches
30 meters: For simple protection from a surprise rain shower or handwashing, a rose gold Cartier watch offers stunning looks with peace of mind.
50 meters: For a watch that looks good in the boardroom but can still keep up with your active lifestyle, consider a Hublot Classic Fusion titanium watch.
>100 meters: If you plan to test your watch to the limits and enjoy the full breadth of the sea and surf, you need an OMEGA Seamaster Planet Ocean, rated to an astonishing 600 meters.
As you weigh the features and functions most important to you in your next designer watch, think about what watch resistance meets your lifestyle needs. Taking a few moments to consider this feature can help you more fully enjoy your purchase for years to come.
