How water-resistant should a watch be?
This states that a watch should have a minimum depth rating of 100 meters, which is ok for snorkeling and swimming, but for serious dives, it is best to have a watch that is water-resistant to at least 200 or 300 meters.
| Rating | Water-Resistant to | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| 3 ATM | 30 meters/100 feet | Everyday use. No swimming. |
| 5 ATM | 50 meters/165 feet | Short periods of swimming. No diving or snorkeling. |
| 10 ATM | 100 meters/330 feet | Swimming and snorkeling. |
| 20 ATM | 200 meters/660 feet | High-impact water sports and some diving. |
100m - Water resistant up to 100 meters means it is possible to swim or snorkel with the watch on, but it is not appropriate for diving. 200m - Water resistant up to 200 meters, usually means you can dive with your watch on.
You can't swim with a 30m water resistance watch. 30m means water activities may only include washing of hands and splashes of rain. Anything beyond that is risking your watch's movement getting in contact with water that may result to condensation and other long-term consequences making your watch unuseable.
You should not take your watch swimming unless it says 10 bar or 100M or more in water resistance. Anything less and basically it can handle humidity, rain, or splashes of water while you're doing the dishes.
A water-resistance level of 30 meters means the watch can withstand splashes of water. A level of 50 meters means that it can be worn for swimming in shallow depths. A level of 100 meters means it can be worn snorkeling and a level of 200 meters or more means it can be worn scuba diving.
More than 30 BAR / 30 ATM / 300m / 990ft:
Suitable for all high-impact water sports, scuba-diving and saturation diving. If you have any questions about the water resistancy feature on the watches, feel free to contact us.
100M Water Resistance: Wearable around sinks, during swimming, poolside diving, snorkeling, but not while jet-skiing or scuba diving. 200M Water Resistance: Wearable around sinks, during swimming, poolside diving, snorkeling, jet skiing, but not while scuba diving.
300 metres (30 bar/30ATM)
A watch that is said to be water resistant up to 300 metres can be worn for all high-impact water sports. It could also be worn for scuba diving and saturation diving.
100 meters/ 328 feet/ 10 bar: are often called divers watches and can be used for snorkeling, swimming, and other water sports, but not high board diving or sub aqua diving.
Is 50m water-resistant OK for surfing?
Watches with any of these markings on them are rated for splashing and getting caught in the rain. 50 meter rated watches are fine for still water swimming such as a pool. 100 meter watches are fine to wear in surf, snorkelling and shallow diving. 200 is fine for recreational diving and active water sports.
Once a watch is rated to 100 meters, most manufacturers say you can wear it skin diving and for water sports like surfing.
| WATER RESISTANCE GUIDE | |
|---|---|
| 30m/99ft - 50m/165ft | Contact with water such as washing hands and rain |
| 50m/165ft - 100m/330ft | Light poolside swimming |
| 100m/330ft - 200m/660ft | Swimming, snorkeling, showering (no hot water) |
| 200m/660ft - 500m/1650ft | Impact water sports such as board diving and scuba diving |
100m (330ft, 10 Bar, 10 ATM)
Fine for swimming and snorkeling, but still not ideal for anything with dynamic pressure changes like high board diving or Scuba.
Watches with a 200M water resistance rating
This capability will withstand scuba diving and is considered good enough to be a proper dive tool. Topside, it is extremely unlikely any 200M watch will let you down in high humidity, heat, cold or during any water borne activity.
All Rolex wristwatches are waterproof to depths of at least 100 metres for Oyster Perpetual models, and 50 metres for the Perpetual 1908 watch.
| Rating | Resistance | Weather |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – 1,500mm | Water resistant / Snowproof | Very light rain |
| 1,500mm – 5,000mm | Waterproof | Light to average rain |
| 5,000mm | Very Waterproof | Moderate to heavy rain |
| 10,000mm – 20,000mm | Highly Waterproof | Heavy rain |
5,000mm or 5 metres (16.4 ft) is how far you could fill the tube before it would start to leak through the fabric. So in theory, you could stand out in the rain until 5,000mm of rain fell before you would start getting wet.
They are not designed to withstand warm water. When your watches cools down after the shower, moist air gets sucked into the case. Doing this repeatedly will deteriorate the movement, even if your watch is water resistant or if it's a dive watch with a depth rating of 100 m or more.
With all factors considered, a 100M rated watch, in mint condition, can safely go to 100M depth without failing (most recreational scuba diving goes to a maximum depth of around 45M). That's the factory standard.
Why are dive watches 200m?
The standards for diving watches are regulated by the ISO 6425 international standard. The watches are tested in static or still water under 125% of the rated (water) pressure, thus a watch with a 200 m rating will be water resistant if it is stationary and under 250 m of static water.
Water-tested to 150 meters (500 feet) - These watches can be worn for general water sports, including snorkeling. The case back designation is Water Resistant 15 BAR. Water tested to 200 meters (660 feet) - These watches can be worn for general water sports, including snorkeling and skin diving (without scuba gear).
- Apple Watch Series 8.
- Garmin Forerunner 945 Smartwatch.
- Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2.
- Fitbit Versa 2 Smartwatch.
- Garmin Swim 2 Watch.
- Timex Ironman Classic Watch.
- ⭐ Waterproof rating.
- ⭐ Tracking.
A watch stamped with "Water Resistant" means that it is humidity-protected. It can endure a bit of water splashes from washing your hands or being caught in the rain. However, water resistance does not mean you should swim or shower with your watch on.
Simply put, a water-resistant luxury watches can withstand contact with for a certain amount of time or under certain conditions, while a “waterproof” watch should, in theory, be impenetrable by water. But the truth is, no watch can guarantee perpetual waterproofness.
Water Resistant 200 Metres / 20 Atmospheres / 20 Bar + 500 Metres / 50 Atmospheres / 50 Bars. As much as we'd want it to be, 200 metres, 20 atmospheres and 20 bars resistance are still not safe for deep-sea diving, but it is safe for standard scuba diving for short periods of time.
1 bar corresponds approximately to the air pressure on the surface of the earth or a water column of 10 meters height. 10 ATM corresponds to about 10 bar, which is approximately the pressure that prevails at a depth of 100 meters.
A 1 ATM rating withstands pressures equivalent to a depth of 10 meters. Suitable for splashes or exposure to rain and snow. A 3 ATM rating withstands pressures equivalent to a depth of 30 meters. Suitable for splashes, rain and snow, showering, or jumping into the water (not diving).
The 5 atm water rating on a wristwatch depicts that the timepiece can withstand water pressure up to a depth of 50 meters before it suffers water damage. The 5 bar/ atm watch can be taken swimming for brief periods of time, worn in the shower or the rain but should never be used for water sports of any kind.
You will be able to swim, but don't go too deep underwater unless you want the watch to crack. Snorkeling and deeper underwater swimming is possible at 10 ATM, but don't go beyond 300 feet. Watches with a resistance of 15 ATM are able to resist deeper snorkeling up to 500 feet.
Can I wear my G-SHOCK in the shower?
All G-SHOCK watches are water resistant up to 200 meters (660 feet), which means they are suitable for swimming, non-professional diving, showering or swimming in the sea and not have to worry at all.
5ATM will withstand pressures equivalent to about 50 meters, or 164 ft under water. It is important to note that this is a measure of pressure NOT depth. 5ATM doesn't mean the watch can be used diving to a depth of 50 meters. Note: The watch can be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean.
Here are a couple of limits we look out for when checking ocean conditions: If the waves are 0-1 feet high (0-0.3 meters), the sea is “doable” and safe for swimming. If the surf height is 2-3 feet (0.8-1 meters), ocean conditions are questionable.
What makes the Apple Watch the most versatile option for surfing is its technological advantage over its competitors. The Apple Watch is so much more than just a surf watch. Normally you would only put on a surf watch before a session, but the Apple Watch is so versatile that it will stay on the wrist all day.
Surfers achieved a significantly higher VO2peak in the swim flume (33.03±6.48 ml/kg/min) with an average maximum speed of 1.4±0.18 m/s, than on the swimbench ergometer (29.86±6.76 ml/kg/min) with an average maximum power output of 72.8±21.4 W, when tested on two separate days.
Yes, you can still surf even when the waves are 1ft but you'll need a surfboard with lots of volume and buoyancy to help you catch tiny waves. Consider taking out a fish, longboard, minimal or large foamie to make the most of small surf.
Ultimately, every timepiece has its limits. That's why today, modern luxury watches aren't described as waterproof, but rather as possessing varying degrees of water resistance. It's a subtle but important difference. Before 1960, waterproof was a far more widely used descriptor than it is today.
The Seiko 5 GMT's water resistance is on par with most watches, at 100m and making it ideal for swimming. While it may be considerably lower than some high-end products in Seiko's catalog, its ability to withstand extreme temperatures sets the 5 GMT's water resistance apart.
All you have to do after diving or a day at the beach is simply to rinse your watch with fresh water to remove any salt and sand deposits: wearing your watch while showering at the end of the day should do the trick. The Oyster case of your Rolex protects it from water and makes it completely dustproof and waterproof.
That being said, it is all right to wear your Rolex into the water with you, weather it's a chlorinated pool, hot tub or salty ocean. Your Swiss masterpiece is built like a tank, and the general rule of thumb is; whatever you can handle your Rolex can handle as well.
What is 2000m waterproof rating?
If a garment is 2,000mm waterproof this means the fabric can withstand 2,000mm of water over a day before water will start to penetrate through. The minimum standard for a jacket to be waterproof is 1,500mm so a jacket with a waterproof rating of 2,000mm would be suitable for moderate rain.
The resistivity of absolute pure water is 18.2 (rounded) MΩ × cm at 25°C or 0.055 micro-siemens/cm.
For Rolex watches that do not have waterproof Oyster cases or screw-down winding crowns, you are going to want to keep them away from water and other cleaning solutions to ensure that your watch does not experience any moisture intrusion.
Most Rolex watches would last a lifetime and can even be passed down generations if they have been cared for properly. A Rolex can function for 15 years or more if they have not been serviced and is in good condition. Rolex recommends ten years between services; however, you could service them every five years.
People also ask: “Can I wear my Rolex while I play golf or tennis?” / “Can I go to the gym with my Rolex?” You can play sports with a Rolex on your wrist as the Rolex Oyster case provides the watch movement with optimal protection against shocks.
200 metres (20 bar/20ATM)
This is considered a rather high water resistance rating for a watch. Timepieces with a water resistance rating of up to 20 bar can be worn for swimming, high-impact waters sports and scuba diving. A watch with this rating would be perfect for avid swimmers and surfers.
Water-tested to 150 meters (500 feet) - These watches can be worn for general water sports, including snorkeling. The case back designation is Water Resistant 15 BAR. Water tested to 200 meters (660 feet) - These watches can be worn for general water sports, including snorkeling and skin diving (without scuba gear).
Watches with a 200M water resistance rating
This capability will withstand scuba diving and is considered good enough to be a proper dive tool. Topside, it is extremely unlikely any 200M watch will let you down in high humidity, heat, cold or during any water borne activity.
Water Resist 20BAR or W.R. 20BAR, dial marked with WR200
This watch is designed to withstand water pressure up to 666 feet (200 meters). This includes all exposure to water up to and including recreational SCUBA diving.
1 bar corresponds approximately to the air pressure on the surface of the earth or a water column of 10 meters height. 10 ATM corresponds to about 10 bar, which is approximately the pressure that prevails at a depth of 100 meters.
How waterproof is a 3 bar watch?
A Water Resistant of 3 bar or ATM / 30m, has a very low resistance, able to withstand rain, sweat and accidental splashes of water when washing hands or face. A 5 bar or ATM / 50m Water Resistant can be subjected to limited water pressure, so you can take a shower or bath and swim.
What Rolex Watches Are Not Waterproof? Only a few exceptionally old or vintage Rolex watches are not waterproof unless the watch case is damaged. There is one exception to this, which is the Rolex Cellini, which will still be waterproof but only to 50 m – not the standard 100 m that all other Oyster cases will provide.
100m water resistant watches are suitable for recreational surfing, snorkelling, sailing and other water sports but not diving.
Description. In the 1970s and 1980s, divers wore dive watches because it was the standard way to track bottom time while scuba diving. Today, with dive computers being the norm, divers wear watches as symbols that identify them as scuba divers.
| WATER RESISTANCE GUIDE | |
|---|---|
| 50m/165ft - 100m/330ft | Light poolside swimming |
| 100m/330ft - 200m/660ft | Swimming, snorkeling, showering (no hot water) |
| 200m/660ft - 500m/1650ft | Impact water sports such as board diving and scuba diving |
| 500m/1650ft+ | Appropriate for serious deep water diving. |
To prove our point, let's take a look at Alexey Molchanov. The Russian diver dove 130 meters with one breath, while wearing a monofin. That's 426 feet, and a world record! This record-breaking dive took him 39 stories underwater, and he had to hold his breath for almost five minutes.
They are not designed to withstand warm water. When your watches cools down after the shower, moist air gets sucked into the case. Doing this repeatedly will deteriorate the movement, even if your watch is water resistant or if it's a dive watch with a depth rating of 100 m or more.
The term "waterproof" implies that a watch can't leak under any circumstance—that no moisture will permeate the case and get into the movement. However, under certain circumstances anything can leak. Therefore, in the watch industry, we refer to a watch's ability to withstand water pressure as water resistance.