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What is the appeal of high depth ratings?

  1. ConElPueblo May 25, 2020

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    I like vintage watches with high depth rate for the same reasons that early chronometers and 50s and 60s antimagnetic watches. They are all to some degree participants in the horological arms races of their time, where manufacturers struggled to overcome engineering problems that today are long overcome and
     
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  2. Professor May 25, 2020

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    Anyone have images of diving watches that have failed in use, not in testing?
    A postmortem would be instructive.
    I suspect that failure of a crystal due to damage from being knocked around could be a problem, but old defective seals are probably more common.
     
  3. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. May 25, 2020

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    seals are what tends to fail.
     
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  4. STANDY schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collector May 26, 2020

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    Apparently you shouldn’t turn the Bezel underwater


    IMPORTANT TIPS FOR PROTECTING YOUR TIMEPIECE NEAR WATER
    Never turn the bezel, adjust the crown, or push the pushers while underwater as this will break the seal of the gasket, leaving the watch open for water to enter.


    Or

    Let sunlight on your leather strap


    LEATHER STRAPS
    Leather straps should never get wet. Exposure to moisture, high humidity, direct intense light, and cosmetic or oil products will cause the leather to deteriorate prematurely as well as stain or discolor the strap. If your leather strap accidentally comes in contact with any of these elements, dry the strap immediately with a soft absorbent cloth to help reduce any further damage.

    https://diamonddesign.com/watch-water-resistance/
     
  5. SpeedyPhill Founder Of Aussie Cricket Blog Mark Waugh Universe May 26, 2020

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    Take a look at the Rolex Deepsea Sea-Dweller Deepblue diving toolwatch, its dial reminds me of the Stratosphere bit-by-bit turning into black space but here's the same color change but upside down...
    The oversized Rolex Deepsea Challenge concept diving toolwatch is an amzing looking instrument... those few are now museum exhibits.
     
  6. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker May 26, 2020

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    The vast majority of watches that leak water, don't do so because of excess pressure from going to deep, or from "dynamic" pressure increases, etc. They leak because the seals go bad, which is essentially lack of maintenance - neglect.

    Most watches that I get in that are flooded are long overdue for servicing, the seals are bad, and they weren't on some deep dive off the coast of some exotic place, or doing some highly technical underwater engineering activity.. They get filled with water from people washing their hands mostly...I know it's not as exciting and dramatic as comparing watches to underwater equipment used in extreme conditions, but it's the reality.

    Last one I had was this Panerai, rated for the magical 300m that someone said was the minimum they would recommend - well that wasn't enough for washing hands apparently...

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I have plenty of pictures of watches that are wet inside...

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    None of these involved extreme situations, just normal everyday activities...
     
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  7. wagudc May 26, 2020

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    Thanks again Archer sharing your real, practical experience.

    Is the oft stated service interval of 3-5 years sufficient to maintain seals? Are more regular pressure tests reccomended for watches used for diving?
     
  8. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker May 26, 2020

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    Yes, but things happen - the Panerai shown above had been serviced by the brand less than 4 years prior to the leaking...

    Omega recommends getting your watches pressure tested yearly.
     
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  9. TJH May 26, 2020

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    I have a old Rolex Submariner and a colleague from the office recently bought a Sea-Dweller Deep-Sea

    I was chatting to him about it and asked why he'd gone for this particular reference over the Submariner and his response was, 'becasue it is better'; naturally he doesn't dive other than into swimming pools on holiday...
     
  10. ClaudeR May 26, 2020

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    Omega has since taken the record: https://newatlas.com/omega-ultra-deep-watch-record/60261/
     
  11. Tophership May 26, 2020

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    I cringed seeing that Speedmaster submerged but logically understand it's probably fine.
     
  12. ExpiredWatchdog May 26, 2020

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    This works:
    SMPO at Palau at depth.jpeg

    But so does this:
    WAN2110 Night Dive.jpg

    As for backup, both my wife and I carry an Oceanic BUD computer in our pockets. We also have full consoles but wouldn't use them unless a Shearwater (wireless integrated air pressure) had a problem, which they never have. The watch is just for show; I never set the bezel.

    We also carry two lights, two PSDs (one on a reel). Oh, and a Spare Air each (3 cu.ft.). So we're pretty well backed up.
     
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  13. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. May 26, 2020

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    You run wireless with a hose mounted console with air pressure?

    man your more paranoid then me. I just run a wireless console on a retractor mounted to my chest.
     
  14. ExpiredWatchdog May 26, 2020

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    The wireless is a transmitter mounted on the reg (Oceanic, or so I'm told; it came with the Shearwater). The receiver is in the Shearwater. Yes, the console is hose mounted and hangs on a retractor at the bottom left side of the BC.

    We once had a need for the console when I left the Shearwaters on the nightstand in the hotel a half hour away. It was either make the other divers wait an hour or improvise. We pulled our BUDs out of the pockets and used them and the consoles for the two tank morning. Doing so makes you realize how spoiled you are with a wireless transmitter.

    We did take the slight risk that the Shearwaters wouldn't know of the day's nitrogen loading, but they were shallow dives on Nitrox and the following day was similar. Good times.
     
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  15. KeithS May 28, 2020

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    It sounds like it's sort of a binary proposition then: either the seals are intact and the advertised water resistance is present, or the seals are bad and there is no water resistance. Does its stand to reason, then, that if my Planet Ocean passes a dry test to 3 bars, it's good to go down 600m? I only ask because I just dropped mine off at a local watchmaker to have the seals tested and this is what I got back:

    IMG_5786.jpg
     
  16. STANDY schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collector May 28, 2020

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    They might have a tester that only does 3 ATM.
    Not all watchmakers have the ones for 600m tests ?
     
  17. MTROIS May 29, 2020

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    This will certainly suffice for my "desk diving duties".... :D

    A9060C9E-AA9D-4B3A-96CF-4C7BB19E979F.jpeg
     
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  18. killer67 May 29, 2020

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    The dive GOAT - goes 1/3 the distance to the bottom of the pacific ocean :eek:
     
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  19. SpeedyPhill Founder Of Aussie Cricket Blog Mark Waugh Universe Jun 18, 2020

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  20. MTROIS Jun 18, 2020

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    Two amazing tools and stories!!