


If your dive watch is particularly fancy, you may also have a built-in depth sensor. This builds up as divers go deeper underwater. Another useful thing to have is a helium escape valve, which allows for the safe release of potentially damaging helium in the watch. What’s more, the watch should be finished with luminous hands and indices in order to make them both readable at depth. Your dive watch will most likely also feature a long rubber strap, making it both suitable for underwater use and for wear over a wetsuit. Firstly, most dive watches will feature a rotating bezel, which allows the diver to easily measure elapsed time. There are many characteristics that define a true dive watch. Which characteristics define a dive watch? Those at the shallower end of the dive spectrum should be used for more recreational scuba diving, snorkelling and swimming, while technical divers will require something with greater resistance. Where most dive-ready timepieces these days will be able to reach minimum depths of 200-300 metres, some can go as deep as 20,000 feet below the surface of the sea – the CX Swiss Military Watch being a case in point. Technically speaking, a dive watch is a timepiece that can withstand a minimum water-resistance of 10 atm (the equivalent of around 100 metres). Though the vast majority of dive watches have now been superseded in functionality by dive computers, dive watches were originally used by divers to calculate the amount of time spent underwater – important when you’re dealing with oxygen tanks with limited supply. Here, to help you investigate, whatever your reason for opting into the dive watch trend, is our ultimate guide to what you need to look for, what you should (and shouldn’t) be buying, and any other deep, pressing questions you might be fathoming – like what characteristics define a dive watch.
