cheaper watches?

[Ninshark]

Forgive me for my ignorance, I'm just a beginner. But do dive watches really need to be so expensive? I'm fine with a $6 watch on land, so why can't there be a $15 watch for diving?

anyway, that's not my real concern.

I thought I might be able to find some regular watches on ebay that have some amount of water resistance and survivability at depths.
I mean, if the watch will work at 30 m., then I'm satisfied!

Does anyone here have any experience with these? or would you use them?

Here are some examples:

30M Waterproof Army Mens Lady Digital Analog Date Watch - eBay (item 260726403618 end time Jan-24-11 01:32:16 PST)

Date Alarm T2 time LED 30M WATERPROOF MEN'S SPORT WATCH - eBay (item 260723559148 end time Jan-24-11 02:26:31 PST)

thanks, hope to get some feedback!

 

[DevonDiver]

To be reliable, you need a watch certified for depths of 200m.

I don't know why watch manufacturers/marketers use the 'depth' system as an indication of water-proofing. It is very misleading.

When you read the fine print, you see that watches certified to 10-30m are classed as 'water resistant' and shouldn't be "completely submerged"...with instructions like "can be worn in the shower".

Watches certified to 200m or deeper are classed as 'waterproof'. The fine print shows they are "suitable for swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving" etc. Those watches should be reliable for all recreational diving ranges (but, again, probably not the 200m claimed).

My advice is; if you are looking for a reliable watch for scuba diving, you need to get one that is certified to 200m.

Here are some options:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Timex-Mens-Iron...695738412?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item3f06b92c2c

Possible a good second-hand option?

http://cgi.ebay.com/USED-SEIKO-200M-DIVERS-WATCH-/360337871047?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item53e5cf90c7

I googled the Casio... and there are few reports of divers using this successfully.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Casio-DW290...486896194?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item2c59e75e42

 

[Ninshark]

Hey thanks Devon for the tips. Although, those are all $30, guess I can't really escape that.

and using stuff to capacity is usually a good way to kill it anyway.
(using a 30 m. watch at 20 m. is basically capacity).