Article: Is the Dive Watch Dead?

[John A Lewis]

You can view the page at http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/content/930-dive-watch-dead.html

 

[Akimbo]

I got a Rolex Sea Dweller (with helium relief valve) in 1973 because I was doing a lot of saturation diving. The reality is I never wore it in the water on a working dive in sat or surface supplied. Dive supervisors took care of that. I wore it in the chamber, but a non-waterproof Timex would have done as well. I did use it for a while on Scuba dives but soon replaced it with a cheap waterproof digital with a stop watch function.

The vast majority of recreational divers are fine without a dive watch. Serious decompression dives call for a backup computer but a watch is of little value without the depth gauge and tables to go with it. The fact is a backup computer is no bigger than an analog depth gauge, if you can still find one.

 

[John A Lewis]

I got a Rolex Sea Dweller (with helium relief valve) in 1973 because I was doing a lot of saturation diving. The reality is I never wore it in the water on a working dive in sat or surface supplied. Dive supervisors took care of that. I wore it in the chamber, but a non-waterproof Timex would have done as well. I did use it for a while on Scuba dives but soon replaced it with a cheap waterproof digital with a stop watch function.

The vast majority of recreational divers are fine without a dive watch. Serious decompression dives call for a backup computer but a watch is of little value without the depth gauge and tables to go with it. The fact is a backup computer is no bigger than an analog depth gauge, if you can still find one.

Good point; this is what prompted us to write this to begin with.

Thanks for your input!

 

[cannon fodder]

I wear a dive watch and a dive computer when I am on vacation, mostly on cruise dives. My Oceanic VEO works fine, but keeps terrible time. I don't use the dive watch in the water so much, but out of the water. Before the dive when people ask what time it is so they can set the clocks on their computers. After the dive, when people ask what time it is to see if they can stop into town on the way back to the ship. The one thing that dive watches do well, is tell you what time it is.

 

[oldschoolto]

I use my dive watch on every dive... It's right next to my UWATEC depth/timer on my wrist... NEVER use a computer and don't own one.. I can run tables in my head 90% of the time and have a waterproof card if needed... My wife has one and follows me and not her computer... We just did 30 dives in Bonaire in 11 days and her computer never beeped... And most of those were 90+ foot inside a wreck...

Jim....

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I don't think dive watches are "dead" as far watches go but they probably are for the most part in diving.
I don't think I have ever seen anybody using a Rolex or similar diving, I know I sure haven't. I think you'd either have to have money to burn or be insane to take something that expensive on a recreational dive.
Like Akimbo said, that's just the timing device, you still need two other things - depth gauge and tables of some sort. Computers do a much better job in a single unit.

But big expensive dive watches do look cool and have a 007 style diver mystique for sure.
...And maybe help assert ones financial status?

 

[H2ODoc]

I don't think dive watches are "dead" as far watches go but they probably are for the most part in diving.
I don't think I have ever seen anybody using a Rolex or similar diving, I know I sure haven't. I think you'd either have to have money to burn or be insane to take something that expensive on a recreational dive.
Like Akimbo said, that's just the timing device, you still need two other things - depth gauge and tables of some sort. Computers do a much better job in a single unit.

But big expensive dive watches do look cool and have a 007 style diver mystique for sure.
...And maybe help assert ones financial status?

Rolexes are the real deal, and should be worn diving. I've seen a guy diving with a $10,000 Rolex Daytona, and a few wearing submariners / seadwellers.

I'm convinced there are two type of Rolex (Sub / sea dweller) owners: those that buy it because it's a tough watch with a real diving pedigree, and those that buy it to show off. If I ever buy one, it'll be for the former reasons. And I'll dive with it.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Rolexes are the real deal, and should be worn diving. I've seen a guy diving with a $10,000 Rolex Daytona, and a few wearing submariners / seadwellers.

I'm convinced there are two type of Rolex (Sub / sea dweller) owners: those that buy it because it's a tough watch with a real diving pedigree, and those that buy it to show off. If I ever buy one, it'll be for the former reasons. And I'll dive with it.

Where do you dive that you see this?

 

[H2ODoc]

Cozumel, Bonaire, etc. As a watch guy, you tend to notice that a lot of people own Rolexes. Plumbers, bike mechanics, ex-military, etc.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Cozumel, Bonaire, etc. As a watch guy, you tend to notice that a lot of people own Rolexes. Plumbers, bike mechanics, ex-military, etc.

Wow, I'll have to keep a better eye out. The only Rolex's I've seen worn was by a guy who owns a whole string of body shops and another guy who is a big real estate tycoon in Sacramento and owns a yacht that I happen to work on.
But never on a diver. I found divers to be some of the cheapest SOB's I've ever known.

One question, how do I tell if they're real or not?