Do you wear a dive watch?

[Ojai Diver]

I wear an Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean. Contrary to what some posters have stated, most modern dive watches are better than the old ones: more accurate, water resistant to deeper depths, and with the ceramic and titanium technology, more scratch resistant. It is not the watches, but the users who have grown effete.

You can't pass a computer on to your son (well not really) but I hope to pass this watch on to mine, with the knowledge that it accompanied Dad into the deep Pacific.

 

[Freewillow]

I don't own a dive watch and will likely never buy one. I do wear a watch when diving, though (Timex).

same

 

[Centrals]

Why not? Hot water softens o rings, hot water soap can remove the silicone grease on the drown and the case back. A directed jet of water can penetrate, ratings on watches are for static pressure.
Check out wome of the watch forums, there are plenty of examples of water ingress in to dive watched when they have been habitually worn in showers or baths.

There is NO way that hot water can remove silicone grease. You need really really nasty chemical to do that. Hot water and soap, NO way.

 

[Pamela Williams]

I have Apeks Chronograph Watch. The good thing about this watch is luminous face and large uni-directional bezel.

Not much pricey but it can work under 100M.

 

[Captain Swoop]

Apeks are decent watches, they use Seiko movements.

 

[CT Sean]

Based on the Apeks' appearance, I'd wager the watches are made by Seiko and just branded Apeks

 

[Diver0001]

Over on several watch forums, there have been comments that while dive watches are stylish, usually have impressive tech, and are nice timepieces, but that "few divers actually wear dive watches, and use computers instead".

So, do you wear a dive watch?

On all dives?
Most dives?
Only on the surface?
Don't own a dive watch?

I have one and I need it for teaching. Obviously time management in the pool is important and some skills are timed, so for an instructor it isn't really optional. I have two watches I use for that. One is a citizen dive watch that will also show depth in dive mode and the other is just a cheap g-shock that works perfectly for what I need in the pool.

I use a watch rarely for diving in OW these days because I normally use a computer. Last year I used it a couple of times but that was when I was teaching and had given a student my computer to dive with. Normally the shop provides computers for students in training but every now and then a student arrives without one (forgot to put it in their bag). On rare occasions when it's *really* busy there can be days when there aren't enough computers to go around so I don't get difficult about it. I have 2 computers and I'll give those to students when they need one.

The last time I used a watch on an OW dive outside of teaching was a couple of years ago. I was diving in Italy with my daughter and the shop we went to didn't have computers for hire. I gave my computer to my daughter and dove on tables using my watch. That was before she had her own computer. A year before that I did the same in Croatia at a shop that didn't have computers for hire, which I hadn't planned on happening. In that case I was alone, not with my daughter.

So out of the ... say 400-500 dives I've made in the last 5 years I've used my watch on 2 of those dives outside of teaching.

R..

 

[offfi]

I got my Citizen Aqualand about 10 years ago and used it as a backup computer for a while. (records 4 dives, max/avg depth, temps, times). Certainly not particularly expensive at about $200 when I bought it, but I see the prices have gone nuts since then. It's my day to day watch now and came in handy when I loaned out my backup computer on a trip. Used as a depth gauge more than anything though the other info is good to have..

This could be me.
Until two years ago, I did not even own a real DC, just my Citizen Promaster New Aqualand.
I love that watch! I was really surprised last year, when I wanted to buy one for my wife. They cost more than twice as much now! Even the used ones cost more than what I payed for mine around 7 years ago.
I do only dive with it occasionally.

I do own a second dive watch (Edox Delfin, Swiss), but I only took it down to 30m once, so I can say I used it for diving. I love it too much to scratch it. ;-)

I did not vote however, because there is no option between "most dives" and "never".

 

[Chavodel8en]

I bring a cheap watch down with me (attached to my console - but I voted as wearing it on every dive) as a backup to my wrist computer.

I had a cheap Timex Ironman (50m I think) watch for years. Manual said "not to be used for diving" but I did for ~100 dives over several years with no issues. When the battery died recently I replaced with a cheap 100m watch (forget the name - $30 on Amazon, good reviews). Manual also says "not to be used for diving" even though it has a rotating bezel to mark the time. So far so good.

I agree that its best to have a backup for your DC, and I am comfortable with a cheap watch as that backup. If there is an "economical" way of diving, I generally utilize it.

 

[stuartv]

I agree that its best to have a backup for your DC, and I am comfortable with a cheap watch as that backup. If there is an "economical" way of diving, I generally utilize it.

Do you have a backup depth gauge, too?