HELP! Nice waterproof watch required, max £3000

[SVS]

RobCh said:

I suggest you take a look at Damasko http://www.pageandcooper.com/watches-3/damasko-wat...

Extremely tough, good-looking, highly respected watches, and starting at around 1/3rd of your budget..

+1 for Damasko

Much tougher than a Pelagos, exclusivity through rarity, flawless build quality and beautifully engineered.

Tribal Chestnut said:

I've had a look at the Damasko range & quite like the DC56 & DC56Si, not sure how waterproof compliance with DIN8310 means they actually are though.

Most (all?) Damasko watches are certified to 100m. I'd trust them to be good enough for diving, because Damsko over-engineer everything. The bezels are two-way, however, so you'd want to rely on a dive computer to time your dives.

Edited by SVS on Tuesday 30th September 17:30

[Tribal Chestnut]

Some other good ideas and info, thanks chaps.

I'll probably buy a Damasko in a few months and maybe look at the others.

I feel like i belong on the watch equivalent of 'non-petrolheads who own a GTI/CTR/etc' thread.

[AlexC1981]

Have a read of this article/thread:

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f74/real-dive-watch-d...

It basically comes down to:

said:

For ISO 2281 watches there is a gigantic range of underwater performance. The ISO 2281 certification does not indicate that a manufacturer must test a watch to failing point and rate it below its failing point, however it must be rated to the maximum pressure test it passed. Its totally up to the manufacturer to descide for each individual watch model exactly what level they want to test it at. So this means that a specific rating is merely a market descision and a way for manufacturers to rate watches differently plainly to justify different price points in their line up of watches. The International Standard Organisation (ISO) have however created a recommendation table that is often found in watch manuals and brochures:

Water resistance rating Suitability:

Water Resistant 30 m or 50 m Suitable for water related work and fishing.NOT suitable for swimming or diving.

Water Resistant 100 m Suitable for recreational surfing, swimming, snorkeling, sailing and water sports. NOT suitable for diving.

Water Resistant 200 m Suitable for professional marine activity and serious surface water sports. NOT suitable for diving.

Diver's 100 m Minimum ISO standard (ISO 6425) for scuba diving at depths NOT requiring helium gas. Diver's 100 m and 150 m watches are generally old(er) watches.

Diver's 200 m or 300 m Suitable for scuba diving at depths NOT requiring helium gas. Typical ratings for contemporary diver's watches.

Diver's 300+ m helium safe Suitable for saturation diving (helium enriched environment). Watches designed for helium mixed-gas diving will have additional markings to point this out.

[SVS]

I'd expect anything with a 200m water resistance would be fine for recreational SCUBA.

Even when I did trimix diving, I was happy to wear a 200m watch (used as my third backup timing device). I don't remember any of my technical diving buddies ever wearing a watch rated to more than 200m, even when we used helium as part of the gas mix.

Unless you're a professional saturation diver, I can't imagine you'd need anything more than a 200m rated watch.

Edited by SVS on Wednesday 1st October 16:57

[Mattt]

Tribal Chestnut said:

Paul Drawmer said:

How wet do you want to get it? The Offshore is 10ATM rated.

Possible occasional scuba diving use, so 18m/19ATM or so short term, to max of probably 40m in future. The watch might never go to 40m, but it will be nice to have the option.

I hope you're planning to do a refresher course before you dive...

[Tribal Chestnut]

Mattt said:

Tribal Chestnut said:

Paul Drawmer said:

How wet do you want to get it? The Offshore is 10ATM rated.

Possible occasional scuba diving use, so 18m/19ATM or so short term, to max of probably 40m in future. The watch might never go to 40m, but it will be nice to have the option.

I hope you're planning to do a refresher course before you dive...

Nope, haven't started yet.

Edit: just re-read my post quoted above, I'll reach that depth one day.

Edited by Tribal Chestnut on Thursday 2nd October 18:02

[Graemsay]

A lot of the divers watches on the market aren't ISO 6425 certified. I know that Cartier's new one is, and I think that the Jaeger LeCoultre Deep Sea Chronograph also has the rating, as do a couple of IWCs.

But I don't dive (asthmatic, unfortunately), so it's not something that I'm up on.

If you're willing to go secondhand, then how about something like a Breitling Avenger Seawolf? It's water resistant to a frankly ridiculous depth, is made out of a big lump of titanium so it's pretty much indestructible and not too heavy, and have a unidirectional bezel. The movement is an ETA calibre, which isn't good if you're a watch snob or nerd, but does mean that spare parts won't be a problem, and that they're relatively easy to service.

The downside is that it's a big watch at 44mm.

Prices are around £2,000 for one in good condition with box and papers, and servicing costs are £290 for a full overhaul, which takes six to eight weeks.

[SickFish]

Tribal Chestnut said:

Paul Drawmer said:

How wet do you want to get it? The Offshore is 10ATM rated.

Possible occasional scuba diving use, so 18m/19ATM or so short term, to max of probably 40m in future. The watch might never go to 40m, but it will be nice to have the option.

I may be a little controversial here....

As a Tech Diver who regularly descends to (and past) your given 40m.... I have never worn a traditional watch on a dive.... (Except when I was training and needed to time the dive to prove my use of dive tables).

You will come to learn that a dive computer is far superior to any 'dive watch' with regards to diving.

Fair enough, if you like the divers style (which I do).... but just pointing out that once you qualify as a diver you will not be wearing your watch regularly to dive with All they are useful for is as a bling bottom timer.

Just my 2p.... if it were my money I'd be seriously considering the Pelagos or speaking to Lorne

[themanwithnoname]

As the other divers have said, a 200m quartz is ample and will barely be used in the water . Use a computer for the rest.

In fact, how about one of these (I have one as a daily wear, and was a freebie on a magazine years back! Still completely unmarked after 5 years of abuse) http://www.divelife.co.uk/scuba-manufacturers/Apek... or another £19 for a 1000m rated item. I've used it as my 'if everything else fails' strapped to my wing timer.

Plus a very good computer, even a Suunto D9Tx if you plan to go tech at any point? http://www.divelife.co.uk/scuba-manufacturers/Suun... and still have >£2k change.

Though for half the price a Vyper Air will take you through to Tech55 for half the money, and with much more usable buttons in thick gloves http://www.divelife.co.uk/scuba-manufacturers/Suun... there are a lot of computers available, also look at Liquivision, Hollis, Heinrich Weikamp (or the correct spelling) Shearwater, Uwatech if you must, X-Deep are new but review well, etc etc.


With that change, if you want a nice watch that can go in the water, I'd be all over a lightly used Seamaster or stretch slightly to a Planet Ocean...

http://www.watchfinder.co.uk/Omega/Seamaster%20300...

http://www.watchfinder.co.uk/Omega/Planet%20Ocean/...

In fact if I had 3k about the place, I would be mulling over the new Suunto Eon that is due out, to measure up against a Hollis DG05 and a used Planet Ocean for looking good in the pub for post dive deco/safety beers.

[alfaman]

SickFish said:

I may be a little controversial here....

As a Tech Diver who regularly descends to (and past) your given 40m.... I have never worn a traditional watch on a dive.... (Except when I was training and needed to time the dive to prove my use of dive tables).

You will come to learn that a dive computer is far superior to any 'dive watch' with regards to diving.

Fair enough, if you like the divers style (which I do).... but just pointing out that once you qualify as a diver you will not be wearing your watch regularly to dive with All they are useful for is as a bling bottom timer.

Just my 2p.... if it were my money I'd be seriously considering the Pelagos or speaking to Lorne

^^^^ this

I'm in a BSAC dive club out here in Singapore - most of us have anything from 100 to 3000+ dives .

To dive these days you*have* to use a dive computer. I use a suunto D4 which is fine for air and nitrox diving.

.. And you can get a decent dive computer from around £200 - a nicer to wear wrist watch sized one from around 250-300.

And for a back up you'd want something with a decompression algorithm - not just a watch. Quite a few of our divers wear 2 computers if they are on a multiple day trip - in case the batteries fail in one mid trip - you can carry on diving.

You could wear a conventional dive watch while divng but it will only time your dive not calculate your remaining non deco time ( which is the critical measurement). If I just want a back up timing device I'll wear my G shock - perfectly good for that and I won't start sobbing if I damage or drop it ( which I would with a high end 'dive' watch.

I'm not in any way criticising the idea of buying a high end dive watch - just giving a divers perspective.

( and you could buy a really good complete set of dive gear with dive computer for £3000)

... And if I wanted a decent basic conventional bezel dive watch that is good quality, functional and good to wear day to day - I'd look at the tudor Pelagos or maybe an omega seamaster 300m or even something like a quartz precista PRS18 or a PRS82 ( which I have ).

Enjoy choosing your watch

[alfaman]

SickFish said:

I may be a little controversial here....

As a Tech Diver who regularly descends to (and past) your given 40m.... I have never worn a traditional watch on a dive.... (Except when I was training and needed to time the dive to prove my use of dive tables).

You will come to learn that a dive computer is far superior to any 'dive watch' with regards to diving.

Fair enough, if you like the divers style (which I do).... but just pointing out that once you qualify as a diver you will not be wearing your watch regularly to dive with All they are useful for is as a bling bottom timer.

Just my 2p.... if it were my money I'd be seriously considering the Pelagos or speaking to Lorne

^^^^ this

I'm in a BSAC dive club out here in Singapore - most of us have anything from 100 to 3000+ dives .

To dive these days you*have* to use a dive computer. I use a suunto D4 which is fine for air and nitrox diving.

.. And you can get a decent dive computer from around £200 - a nicer to wear wrist watch sized one from around 250-300.

And for a back up you'd want something with a decompression algorithm - not just a watch. Quite a few of our divers wear 2 computers if they are on a multiple day trip - in case the batteries fail in one mid trip - you can carry on diving.

You could wear a conventional dive watch while divng but it will only time your dive not calculate your remaining non deco time ( which is the critical measurement). If I just want a back up timing device I'll wear my G shock - perfectly good for that and I won't start sobbing if I damage or drop it ( which I would with a high end 'dive' watch.

I'm not in any way criticising the idea of buying a high end dive watch - just giving a divers perspective.

( and you could buy a really good complete set of dive gear with dive computer for £3000)

... And if I wanted a decent basic conventional bezel dive watch that is good quality, functional and good to wear day to day - I'd look at the tudor Pelagos or maybe an omega seamaster 300m or even something like a quartz precista PRS18 or a PRS82 ( which I have ).

Enjoy choosing your watch

[Helicopter123]

A mint non date Rolex Sub would be a decent bet.