Things To Know About Watch Water Resistance Testing

By Patricia Hughes


A water resistant watch does not mean that you can go ahead and dip it in the water any time. There are predetermined levels of water resistance which is usually marked with the depth it was tested during manufacturing. But this does not mean that it can be used under those specified depths because a lot of other factors like pressure and chemical compositions can affect it.

The resistance level changes over time due to regular use as well as other external factors affecting it. You may want to have it tested by the watch water resistance testing Cambridge experts to know if it is resistant still. Here are some basic information from the experts and watchmakers of Cambridge, MA.

There are three main factors that affect the water resistance of watches. One of these is its case back and how it is affixed into it. It can be affixed with these three ways, snap on, screws or with screw in. Snap on has the least level of resistance with a depth of thirty meters while screws provide up to a hundred meters and the screw in gives maximum possible level at a hundred meters or more.

The second one is the crown which is the dial at the case edge of watches used to adjust the time in it. The constant use of it will make the gasket slightly change its shape or the crown is not pushed in properly and may permit liquid substances to penetrate inside through the stem hole of the crown. Screw down crowns are used instead for resistant watches because it has a gasket that seals the hole when tightened.

The last of them is the gasket that is either made out of rubber or out of nylon creating watertight seals with crown and case back along with the case. There are chronograph pushers for chronographs that also have gaskets. The gaskets might need replacement when its deterioration starts after a while.

External factors also affects the ability of watches in resisting liquid substances well. The sudden and rapid change of temperature and pressure is one of this. Another one is when the watch ages and seals like gaskets are starting to deteriorate and will not be able to have the same protection given anymore.

The water resistance can be tested in two ways, either by dry test or wet test. The dry test puts the wristwatch inside a sealed container and the air pressure is increased gradually. It has failed the test if the casing changes slightly.

The other method is wet test where the wristwatch is placed inside a container with half water and air filled in it. The air pressure is raised while the timepiece is out of the liquid then slowly submerges it in. When it is fully submerged then the air pressure is decreased slowly and if bubbles come out of it then it had failed the test.

Make sure you have your watches tested at least once in every year to make sure it can still resist liquid substances. The rating of fifty meters and below usually mean that it can only take splashes and cannot be fully submerged. Ratings of a hundred meters and above means that it is safe to take a shower or go swimming when wearing it. Take note of these things.




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