One leading source offers a definitive answer to the question of what determines whether a timepiece can legitimately called a “dive watch” or “divers’ watch” in this article.
In the watch world, when we ask ?What is a ? "?, the search for the answer often begins with one source: Berner?s Illustrated Professional Dictionary of Horology, and that?s where today?s lesson begins. Berner?s defines ?diving watch? as a ?watch designed to withstand immersion to a depth of at least 100 m and to satisfy requirements specified in ISO standard 6425.? So, there?s your answer. If it is not certified under ISO 6425, it isn?t a dive watch. That was easy. Or maybe not. The problem is that very few so-called dive watches are claimed to satisfy all of the ISO 6425 standards. Where does that leave us" Are there only a handful of real dive watches in the world"
Without doubt, the waters surrounding the question of what it takes to make a ?true dive watch? are deep and murky. Our goal today is not to settle that debate (as if we could). For this exercise, we will also ignore dive computers, the acknowledgement of which would end this article right about here. We will also leave aside watches intended for diving with mixed gas. Rather, we?ll take a look at what the ISO thinks it takes to make a dive watch. The standards may raise some issues you have not previously considered. Once you know what?s what, you can decide for yourself what it takes to ma...