I always had a sneaking suspicion that I was doing something horrible to my watches by wearing them in water and now I know: almost nothing under the sun is truly waterproof. This older post by a watchmaker spells it out in plain English: most waterproof watches are, at best, not waterproof at all. Also, don’t wear your watches in the shower, for Wango Tango’s sake!
Finally – do not wear your watch in the shower. Watches are designed for cold water only. After swimming, rinse your divers watch under tap. Have the case and bracelet cleaned every 12 months. Do not expose to direct sunlight or heat. Use common sense and submerge only if you really have to. Do not be fooled by brand / model names like “promaster, diver, seamaster, shower-proof” – very often this is just another advertising gimmick.
Here is his list of absolute no-nos but read the piece for more detail:
* gold or two-tone watches
* chronograph and other complicated watches
* multi-pusher digital watches
* any vintage watches or watches over 15-20 years old
* any timepiece attached to a leather strap
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Oh for F’s sake. I’m so sick of these sorts of comments from watchmakers. I totally understand their concern in telling a consumer who probably isn’t going to have their seals checked often this sort of thing… but I’ve been wearing a Speedmaster Pro in the shower for YEARS (and having it tested yearly) with no ill effect.
Shower is not that big a deal, but unless you’re at the pool, why?
Ocean water is not good.
I used to swim in the pool with my Swiss Army Officer’s (quartz) all the time. Scratched it up real bad, but the water never hurt it. No screw-down crown or anything. But if one of your seals should be leaky…
My wife destroyed a TAG Heuer by getting it wet without screwing the crown down. I generally won’t go into the water with anything I care about.
Rubbish! I have 3 Avia’s and two Rotary watches and all of them are in and out the sea and the lagoons were I live (South of France) for hours on end get sprayed with cillit bang and rinsed under the tap to clean them up regularly and the Avia’s are over 5 years old and one of the Rotary’s is 2 years old with none of them showing any sign of ‘leaking, misting up’ or suffering any ill effects. Considering the ‘sand everywhere’ atmosphere and temps that can hit 40′c in the summer (thermal shock of entering cooler water) I reckon you just need to choose your brands with care. By the way I also deal in watches so this is not a completely uniformed comment.
If your watch craps out in the shower buy something other then dollar general watches. The ocean water environment is the issue. The elements of sea water are vicious on a watch. And checking seals every year, that is not part of the real world living.
“almost nothing under the sun is truly waterproof”
How do you come out with this? I don’t think this is true and you can wear it with no worries in the shower.