How waterproof is a dive watch?

We are now in the middle of summer and, with the beach holidays ever more imminent, we also need to prepare the right accessories to take to the beach. One of these is undoubtedly the diving watch, waterproof to the right point, to always keep an eye on the time, even while we are swimming. But have you ever wondered how waterproof a diving watch is? How deep can we go, knowing that it will continue to work? Can we wash and swim with peace of mind, with the watch we have on our wrist?

Today I'm here to reveal the secret and let you discover how waterproof a diving watch is!

The first diving watch

A brief history: the first diving watch was born in 1927, made by Rolex and bearing the high-sounding name Oyster Deep Sea Special . It was worn by the British swimmer Mercedes Glitze, who swam across the English Channel. Today all the best watch brands in the world can boast efficient and technologically advanced diving models thanks to Rolex's experiment.

How underwater? The 4 degrees of waterproofness

It is good to know that a diving watch is not just a simple waterproof device: it was created to face abysmal depths, as a safety device for divers, who must be able to calculate the immersion time exactly. In short, the diving watch must guarantee its effectiveness even at depth. But how deep?
This is where the Swiss watchmaking industry comes in, establishing in the Norme de l'Industrie Horlogerie Suisse four different degrees of waterproofness in the mechanisms of a diving and water resistant watch.

• Water resistant 3atm: these are watches that can withstand a depth of 3 atmospheres or 30 meters. In practice, they are watches that are resistant to water, but only to occasional splashes. They are therefore not suitable for real diving.
• Water resistant 5atm: in this case, the watches would withstand a depth of 50 meters. They are therefore suitable for washing hands, sweating, showers and... some baths in the sea that do not involve diving!
• Diver: this type of watch, on the other hand, allows diving up to 100 m. Not abyssal, therefore, but suitable for resistance in apnea, at least up to 5-7 meters.
• Professional: the real diving watches, suitable for diving in the depths of the abyss beyond 100 m. They resist up to 1000, 2000 and even 3000 meters, guaranteeing efficiency and precision.

TAG Hours Aquaracer

After having seen in concrete terms what it really means to be a diver, it is time to present to you one of those that, currently, is among the most appreciated and beautiful models in the watchmaking industry. This is the little jewel of TAG Heuer, from the waterproof Acquaracer collection. Titanium case, rotating ceramic bezel, anthracite dial: TAG Heuer Acquaracer Calibre 16 "Black Phantom". Beautiful, sporty, elegant. Not to be missed!

In short: one of the must-haves of the summer (and not only!) is a watch that allows us to fully enjoy the holidays without worrying too much. And you, have you already purchased one of the underwater models? Find all the best ones in the online shop or at the physical store of Ferro Gioielli!