Watches are beautiful things. Even modern digital watches are impressive feats of engineering. This means everyone wants to look after their while using it to its full potential. This leads many watch owners to wonder about their watch’s waterproof capabilities and how long the device can remain underwater.
A watch can only stay underwater for as long as it is rated for. If a watch is rated for high pressure and high water resistance, it can remain underwater for a long time. A watch without this high level of resistance can only be underwater for a short time, depending on the rating.
There are many different types and kinds of watches, and they are all made differently. This means that some watches are more water resistant than others and can withstand being submerged for longer periods. Let’s explore how long watches can last underwater and how to determine the water resistance of your watch.
How Long Can Watches Stay Underwater?
A watch’s ability to remain submerged underwater without sustaining damage directly results from how the watch is designed and manufactured. A watch must be constructed and designed with this feature in mind for it to be water resistant on any level.
If a watch is not made with any form of seal, it is not considered water resistant at all and should never be submerged or come into contact with any water.
With this in mind, many people wonder how water resistant their watch is and how long their watch can be submerged underwater.
The truth here is that every watch is different.t no watch is entirely waterproof, as this is impossible, but different watches possess different levels of water resistance. Watches that are especially water resistant can be fully submerged underwater for long periods of time without sustaining damage.
Watches that are not very resistant to water cannot be submerged at all, and those that are somewhat water resistant can withstand being under shallow water for short periods of time.
The only way to determine how long a watch can remain underwater is to look for its ATM rating. The ATM rating of a watch denotes the amount of pressure that the watch can withstand. ATM stands for atmospheric. The higher the ATM rating of a watch, the more atmospheric pressures it can withstand, and the longer it can remain underwater without harm.
Watches with a low ATM rating, such as ATM 3, cannot be submerged under water at all and can only withstand light splashes of water. Watches with a high ATM rating, such as ATM 20, can be taken deep underwater for extended periods of time.
Are All Watches Water Resistant?
Watches are all made differently. Some watches are made with specialized features, such as dive watches that are made to withstand immense underwater pressures, and others are made to only be able to withstand a few splashes of water but are all watches water resistant?
The truth is that not all watches are water resistant. Watches are mechanical devices that are very finely tuned and calibrated. If a watch is made with water-resistant seals to protect the internal workings of the device from water, it can be made to be water resistant, and if it is made with shock-resistant materials and seals, it can be taken to deep depth, but if a watch is not equipped with these features, it is not resistant to water at all.
If your watch does not have any markings that indicate how water resistant it is, likely, the watch is not water resistant at all. In this case, the watch should not be exposed to any amount of water and should not even be taken to an area with high air humidity.
Most modern watches are made with some level of water resistance, but most of them are only very slightly water resistant and can only withstand a few splashes of water.
If your watch has an ATM rating on the back casing or displayed on the watch’s face, the watch is as water resistant as the rating describes. It is important to understand the ATM rating for your watch to determine how much water the device can be exposed to and how long it can be submerged underwater.
If the watch has no such rating, be very careful with it, and do not expose it to any water, rain, sweat, or high humidity at all.
How To Determine How Water Resistant A Watch Is
Determining how water resistant any watch is very important, and the only way to do so reliably is to consider the ATM rating of the device. If the watch has a high ATM rating, it is highly water resistant and can be submerged easily for long periods without being damaged at all.
To determine how water resistant a watch is, locate the AATM rating of the watch and apply it to how you use the device.
Here is a breakdown of watch ATM ratings to help you better understand the water resistance of your device:
- 3 ATM – the watch is resistant to light accidental water splashes or light rain and may withstand accidental submersion once.
- 5 ATM – the watch is resistant to splashes and gentle submersion. Suitable for very light swimming, but not for water sports or deep water.
- 10 ATM – the watch has good water resistance, and it is suitable for swimming and snorkeling but not suitable for high shocks such as high-diving or high pressures such as scuba diving.
- 20 ATM – the watch is highly water resistant and is suitable for scuba diving and high-impact water sports.
- 30 ATM+ – the watch is extremely water resistant and is well suited for deep diving, high-impact water sports, high pressures, and shock resistance.
These ATM ratings are the only way to be sure about how water resistant your watch is, so it is important to pay close attention to these markings before letting the watch get wet at all.
Conclusion
In the end of it, the amount of time that a watch can remain submerged underwater depends on how much pressure the device can withstand and how water resistant it is. If a watch is highly water resistant and highly water resistant, it can withstand several hours underwater without damage, but a watch with a low ATM rating cannot be submerged at all.
If you want to know long your watch can be underwater, simply look for its ATM rating. This rating is typically found on the back of the watch casing, or it can be found online if you know the watch model and brand.
