The criteria for a great diver's wrist-watches are incredibly specific. Those trying to purchase a diver's watch should understand these requirements. Watches that are not defined as diver's watches don't have to meet this criteria and as a result are probably not suitable for those looking for a watch to dive with. By purchasing a diver's watch, you can understand that the watch is appropriate for use underwater. Whether choosing a diver's wrist watch for functionality or just for design, these criteria make it clear that diver's watches are built to last.
The Criteria for Diver's Wristwatches
The ISO set criteria for diver's wrist-watches to facilitate trade across national borders. These criteria help people understand that the diver's wrist watch is really designed to be worn while scuba diving. Many watches are made to look like ISO approved diver's watches, however only the ISO diver's watch marking can show that the watch can resist the diving experience. These criteria are known worldwide as ISO 6425.
Basic Standards for All Diver's Watches
The ISO demands all manufacturers to ensure their watches match these criteria before marking any kind of watch for a diver's watch.
Depth
Diver's watches must manage to function at depths of at least 100 meters.
Underwater Dependability
The watch should manage to work after being submerged in up to a foot of water for 50 hours at around room temperature.
Condensation Test
This evaluation contains then setting a drop of water on it and heating the watch to about 40 degrees Celsius. After about up to a minute, the water is wiped away. If condensation remains, the watch fails this test and can't be marked as a diver's watch.
Pressure Test
Diver's watches are exposed to 125 percent of the overpressure that the watch is promoted to resist in water. Watches may also be subjected to 5 N of force perpendicular to the watch's buttons and crown.
Water Tightness
The watch is subjected to high overpressure for two hours. The pressure is then paid down for an hour, and the watch is subsequently dried. The watch must show no indication of condensation, and water should never have leaked into the watch.
Thermal Shock Resistance
Diver's watches are immersed in water many times at radically different temperatures. Watches must have the capacity to withstand water and condensation intrusion.
Specific Standards for Digital and Quartz Watches
These criteria are not replacements for the basic criteria for all diver's watches. Instead, these are additional standards that diver's watches must satisfy if they're mechanical watches, whether digital or quartz.
Safety in Time-keeping
Diver's watches need to have a specific marking for each five minute increment. Alternately, a digital watch just needs a display that is certainly visible all the time.
Perceptibility
At a distance of 25 centimeters, an individual has to manage to view certain things. First, the time has to be observable. The hour and minute hands have to be distinct and recognizable. Second, an individual has to manage to see signs that the watch is working right. This is normally achieved by including a second hand that glows. Third, the watch must warn the consumer once the battery is low.
Observability in the Dark
Even in the dark, users must manage to guarantee that their watch works. Again, this is normally achieved using a glowing second hand.
Magnetic Resistance
The watch is subjected to a magnetic field three times. The watch must remain precise using a maximum variability of 30 seconds per day.
Shock Resistance
A diver's watch is hit using a hammer in two places: the number nine and the crystal, perpendicular for the watch's face. The watch will have to be accurate using a maximum variability of 60 seconds per day, to pass this requirement.
Salt-water
Diver's watches must function correctly after being kept in brine for twenty four hours. The amount of salt can be compared to that found in normal seawater.
Strap or Group
After utilizing 200 N of force for the purpose of attachment involving the band and the watch, the watch and band must remain solid. When running this evaluation the bracelet has to be closed.
Accurate Marking
Finally, the watch has to be marked as having met the criteria. To ensure that a wristwatch is actually ISO approved, search for the precise format of the mark: Diver's Watch L M or Diver's L M.
