Watchlords

Written by WatchTime, September 16, 2016
One leading source offers a definitive answer to the question of what determines whether a timepiece can legitimately called a “dive watch” or “divers’ watch” in this article.

In the watch world, when we ask “What is a … ?”, the search for the answer often begins with one source: Berner’s Illustrated Professional Dictionary of Horology, and that’s where today’s lesson begins. Berner’s defines “diving watch” as a “watch designed to withstand immersion to a depth of at least 100 m and to satisfy requirements specified in ISO standard 6425.” So, there’s your answer. If it is not certified under ISO 6425, it isn’t a dive watch. That was easy. Or maybe not. The problem is that very few so-called dive watches are claimed to satisfy all of the ISO 6425 standards. Where does that leave us? Are there only a handful of real dive watches in the world?

http://www.watchtime.com/featured/dive-watch-defined/

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We will also leave aside watches intended for diving with mixed gas.

There is no such thing.

A bezel must have a scale showing 60 minutes with markings showing every 5 minutes.

This is the most common failure of dive watches. The standard says "If it is a rotating bezel, it shall have a minute scale going up to 60 min. The markings indicating every 5 min shall be clearly indicated."

Literally this requires there is a minute scale on the bezel that also has the 5 minute markers clearly indicated. Only marking the 5 min markers does not meet the standard.

bedlam wrote:

We will also leave aside watches intended for diving with mixed gas.

There is no such thing.

A bezel must have a scale showing 60 minutes with markings showing every 5 minutes.

This is the most common failure of dive watches. The standard says "If it is a rotating bezel, it shall have a minute scale going up to 60 min. The markings indicating every 5 min shall be clearly indicated."
Literally this requires there is a minute scale on the bezel that also has the 5 minute markers clearly indicated. Only marking the 5 min markers does not meet the standard.

Carl, your thoughts about divers with no bezel at all?