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If you are considering the purchase of a new diving watch, here are some points you should take into account before you spend a lot of money on a new diving watch. 1. Water resistance. Clearly, all diving watches are going to be water proof; they would not last for a minute otherwise. But how much water resistance in really required? After all safety limits recreational divers to a maximum depth of 130 feet, so any diving watch that meets or exceeds that depth should be sufficient, right? Wrong! When manufacturers test the water resistance rating of a diving watch, the test is completed in controlled conditions. The tests do not take into account any other possible events that could alter the water resistance of the watch. Basically, they tell the resistance to water incursion under the assumption that there is no disturbance of the watch or the water, at a particular depth. Clearly, these test settings do not simulate real diving conditions where your watch is likely to be knocked around. If your watch is hit when it is near the extremes of its depth, it may fail. To guarantee that your diving watch does not give out at depth, be certain to purchase a watch with a water resistance rating of at least twice the maximum depth you intend to be diving at. 2. The watch band. For a diving watch there are three types of bands you should consider: rubber, stainless steel, and titanium. If you are thinking about a rubber band, be sure it's really rubber and not some cheap imitation. Rubber bands are handy because they are easy to adjust so they can easily be worn directly on your wrist or over your wet suit. One negative with rubber diving watch bands is that they can be sliced; if you take part in a lot of wreck diving, you may want to think about a metal band. If you want metal band, it should always be titanium or stainless steel since these metals are resistant by corrosion and rust. Stainless steel is an old favorite and it is still an excellent alternative for diving watches. Newer to the field, titanium has become an option. It is more secure than stainless steel and one half the weight. Regardless of the metal selected, make sure to get a wet suit extension so that watch can be worn on top of your wet suit if you are wearing one. 3. Analog or digital Most dive watches fall into one of two categories (although some combine both): analog or digital. The analog watches are the traditional dial-faced watch. If you are thinking about this type of watch, make sure it has a unidirectional bezel (to time your dive) and bright luminescence (to make it readable in the dark) including on the bezel. Analog watches tend to , but they usually have fewer diving-related features compared to the digital diving watches. Digital watches typically offer a world of useful functions that can help divers keep track their dive status. Features such as programmable alarms, water temperature readings, depth readings, and gauges for timing the breathing mixture in one's tank. Many digital watches have a feature which allows you to record the data from your dive which can then be downloaded from the watch to a computer. 4. General Ease of Use Look for attributes that will help make your new dive watch easy to use in actual dive conditions. Things such as a non-scratch crystal (so that you can actually read your watch), large and easy-to-use buttons for use with gloved hands, and hardy construction so that your watch will give you years of use. In conclusion, look at the reviews for the diving watch you are considering. Researching a watch in the store or on line, it is hard to be sure how well it will work for you on a dive. By looking at the reviews of people that have used the watch, you'll get a better feel for how this diving watch will work for you.
Article Source: http://www.globetrekkerarticles.com
William is an avid diver and a life-long collector of watches. You can read his diving watch reviews at watch-reviews.com.
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