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Mens Diver Watch: The Ins and Outs of Diving Watches


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#1 karnold

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Posted 24 November 2009 - 07:05 PM

Mens Diver Watch: The Ins and Outs of Diving Watches

A diver watch, as the name implies, is designed for underwater diving. In fact, it is built to withstand water pressure of at least 100 meters. The fundamental role of this type of watch is to measure the amount of time spent underwater and guide the diver safely to sea level with the help of decompression tables (if it is an analog watch).

However, it is not just all about the diving; men's diver watches look extraordinary and are often worn as a great fashion accessory.

Read more about diving watches:
    [*:3f7yfsze]Critical features of diving watches
    [*:3f7yfsze]How to use a diving watch
    [*:3f7yfsze]All about purchasing a diving watch


Critical Criteria of a Mens Diver Watch

What’s the difference between your average men's sport watch and your diving watch? A mens diver watch http://www.goarticle...a.cgi?C=1948014 must comply with the ISO standard and therefore have a number of critical criteria that must be met.

Super thick cases are important for dive watches because of the underwater pressure they are subjected to. Because they must resist corrosion and water pressure, watch cases are typically made from very thick and sturdy materials.

Typical materials utilized for these cases include:
    [*:3f7yfsze]Titanium
    [*:3f7yfsze]Ceramics
    [*:3f7yfsze]Stainless steel
    [*:3f7yfsze]Plastics

Similarly, a mens diver watch must tolerate some level of magnetic shock, so smart shock protection is crucial.

Keeping track of the overall diving time is one of the most important functions of a diving watch. A rotating bezel is one way to do this.

The bezel is twisted to align the zero on the bezel with one of the watch's hands, saving the diver the need to remember the initial hand position and to perform the mental arithmetic to deduce the total dive time. This is only necessary with analog watches though, digital diving watches simply show the length of time in numeric format.

Deep below the ocean’s surface, reading conditions are definitely not ideal. Therefore, diving watches must be readable in these conditions.

To assist with this, diving watches have clearly marked:
    [*:3f7yfsze]Numbers
    [*:3f7yfsze]Minute markers
    [*:3f7yfsze]Hands

These are generally laced with a coat of luminous paint.

The How To: Important Steps to Know

The primary function of a mens diver watch http://www.trails.co...iver-watch.html is to serve as a timer. The standard feature that allows this to happen is the watch’s bezel.

The following 5 steps outline how to use a diving watch:
    [*:3f7yfsze]Turn the bezel to begin the dive start time just before you get into the water (lock it into place if possible).
    [*:3f7yfsze]Assess the depth gauge and the watch when you reach the lowest point of your dive. Continue to check the depth and timing reading every time you move to another stage of your dive.
    [*:3f7yfsze]Check the watch every time you look at the gauge to see how much air is remaining in your dive tank (this will give you a good idea of your air consumption over a period of time).
    [*:3f7yfsze]Assess the built-in thermometer. Numerous dive watches have them; if your watch does, check it whenever the water feels colder and find out just how cold it is. This can provide a good warning of increased air consumption if the water is colder than what your wetsuit is rated.
    [*:3f7yfsze]Open the helium release valve on your final ascent to prevent gas expansion in the watch (this is absolutely necessary for dives below 130 feet).

While dive computers have become the key equipment in serious diving, diving watches are still used as useful pieces of diving equipment. Their features can be used independently or in combination with analog regulator gauges http://www.thescubag...om/gear/gauges/.

Buying for Great Looks or Serious Diving?

Diver watches are cool. They display a sense of adventure and risk that makes them stand out from the typical watch. In fact, many consumers purchase a diver watch for its style

However, while everyone wants a great-looking watch, if you plan to do some serious diving, you need to take that into account as well before buying one.

If you are planning to do some serious diving with your watch, the first and foremost feature you need to consider is the level of water resistance. Important factors like the bezel or its readability in darker conditions as well as many other diving functions also need to be examined closely.

Just because you are buying for the actual diving process though does not mean your watch cannot be fashionable. The Orient Diver Automatic http://www.orientalw...ge-diver-watch/ is a great diver watch to check out because it can be used for some serious diving, and it is very fashionable. The orange face of the watch is radiant on land and exceptionally helpful underwater.

Great looks and serious diving qualities should be factored in before purchasing a diving watch.

By Amanda Wilczinski

#2 OldeCrow

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Posted 25 November 2009 - 12:59 AM

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Similarly, a mens diver watch must tolerate some level of magnetic shock, so smart shock protection is crucial.

Magnetic resistance and shock protection are two very different things, Shock protection is to protect against hard impacts not electromagnetic interference.  The Orient 300m is supposed to have improved shock protection to protect it from the abuses of a harsh work environment.

#3 hohoho

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Posted 25 November 2009 - 01:14 AM

karnold said:

A diver watch, as the name implies, is designed for underwater diving. In fact, it is built to withstand water pressure of at least 100 meters. [...]

Open the helium release valve on your final ascent to prevent gas expansion in the watch (this is absolutely necessary for dives below 130 feet).

100m is a lot deeper than 130 feet; ergo, every "diver watch" must have a helium release valve. Unless perhaps it's built to resist water pressure in places where it's anyway not supposed to be taken, but I don't see the sense in that.

Where's the helium release valve in the Orient models?

Having released helium from your watch, how do you pump it up with helium again?

Actually I was under the strong impression that diver watches were primarily for urban use; that they're the wrist equivalent of SUVs.

karnold said:

men's diver watches look extraordinary and are often worn as a great fashion accessory.

Ah, now you're getting to the meat of the matter.

They may look good, they may even look great; but do they really look extraordinary? I mean, there are so many of them around these days.

karnold said:

Keeping track of the overall diving time is one of the most important functions of a diving watch. A rotating bezel is one way to do this. [...]

The primary function of a mens diver watch http://www.trails.co...iver-watch.html is to serve as a timer.

One of the most important functions? The primary function?

Whichever. Terribly important below water, less so above water. But remember -- it can time your pasta!

Incidentally, what do the ladyfolk wear when they're acqualunging down there?

Ugh, all this talk of underwater stuff gives me the shivers, up here in the northern hemisphere in late November.





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