[kinetic]

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Hello all,

Just got my recent crop of mags including the latest "episode" of Diver.

Last article seemed a bit odd...concerning watches for diving. It struck me as really quite odd, if not stupid what the bloke was advocating.

The upshot was that buying a crap watch which may well fail during a dive and that's fine because it only cost 13 quid and you can buy a new one afterwards....to fail at a later date.

Well of course, that means your computer won't fail and you won't need to rely on your dive tables...or it means you already have 2 computers and you can then only afford a crap watch.

I appreciate the point that some dive watches are pricey but the article in question was idiotic.

Opinions welcome..

Graham

 

[ANDY 64]

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<font color='#0000FF'>Graham mate , i think it was a pi$$ take or somethink just to fill the last page......

Having said that, my watch i used below and above water cost me £ 7.99 from argos 5 years ago, FIRST watch i have never lost or misplaced. has 30 mts on the case , but has been to 57 and worked well.

Andy

 

[Mr T.]

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At the risk of being apposite......

"Buy cheap -- buy twice!" (that's assuming you get a second bite at the cherry! Your life: it depends on how valuable you hold it - you pay for decent dry-suit, regs, wing/BCD, computer etc...... why not a watch?)

This is gonna sound a bit gash, but: buy a watch which is up to the the job. Personally, I have everthing from a Rolex Submariner to an SBS 'CWC' class, to a Japanese Citizen, to a Taser 'mega-visible' SEALs watch. They have all served me well and are all deeply visible (as far as the vis allows - perhaps not the important bit: do they work at depth and in the UK conditions in which I dive......ALL yes)

If you're gonna be diving and need a trusty watch to go with you, then spend wisely: as you won't get the opportunity if it all goes wrong on the dive where it all goes wrong.

Good luck and dive safe, always.

 

[Paul Oliver]

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Hi all

Not read the article but i've never paid more than £70 for a watch. All worked well for diving.

I was looking at an Aqualand but the one i wanted i could have got a bottom timer and a back up computer, so i will not be buying an Aqualand, and will buy a second computer (my old back up 'puter died a few months ago RIP Phoenix Orca) or a bottom timer.

The watches that Diver offer free for a 2 year sub are fine, i used one for 14 years. Even used to change the battery myself and re-seal with a bit of silicon grease.

Dive Safe

Paul

 

[Simon TW]

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<font color='#000080'>Yeah read that, in the same mag it also has an article on the posh and most exclusive diving in the world.

You'd be a bit pissed off if you had to abort an expensive dive cos you bought a shit watch. But then if you had bought a shit watch then you wouldn't be likely to fork out several £K on a exclusive diving holiday.

My opinion, for what its worth, allways buy the best that you can afford.

 

[Spike Jackson]

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I got the Citizen Pormaster with the digital depth guage and timer that starts automatically - loads of divers have them.

One of the main reasons was that I never remember to set the bezel on a normal dive watch!

 

[kinetic]

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Andie..if it was a piss take I'm not happy....

I'm not happy anyway...think the article was stupid and you're probably right in suggesting that it was a space filler.

I only posted to find out watches everyone has..

Mine's a nice little ankle number and was free from an Esso garage back in 86.

My other one is an Omega Seamaster which I bought before Brosnan got paid stacks to wear it...by the way.

It looks chunky and pulls the birds...well it did upto meeting the wife.

Upshot...I'd echo the sentiment of buying the best you can afford (within reason of course).

I never set my bezzle either as I forget too...only because I'm too busy writing the entry time on my slate.

Cheers all for now.

G

 

[GUV..]

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I have always enjoyed diver magazine but that particular article was true crap.
He professes to buying a few cheap watches then spends £40 on obtaining some regulation info and with that amount of money could have bought an uwatec underwater timer and shut up complaining.But the most scary for me was his account of his aborted dive after his "cheap watch " failed , he describes himself as having problems maintaining buoyancy at the safety stop as he is slightly buoyant.What would it been like had he carried on with his "planned "dive.He should stop worrying about watches and spend some money on proper training and he also mentioned that when the watch failed it came up with some Japanese writing which if roughly translated would have had I'm sure the words "congratulations" and "Darwin" in it.

OK rant over ,deep breathes and relax.

Regards,

MAL..

 

[kinetic]

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Thanking you...you I'm thanking...

The barman at my old local in Lincolshire used to say that every time you bought a beer...

I think your comments said it all..

Piss take or not...irresponsible journalism in my mind.

G

 

[Helen F H]

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i got given my watch (a casio white face job) cos i whined about not being able to afford a new watch and a nice bloke in our club gave it to me to shut me up.  hehe.  I was very very broke at the time(just outta uni)  - like on about £5-£10 a week.  Gods i used to get more pocket money than that.

 

[Pierre Farrugia]

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<font color='#0000FF'>Hello,

For me a watch is something important, I like nice watches and if you are a diver you should have a Divers watch  

 for the pub and other occasions  

I have a Promaster hyper aqualand and found it brilliant, it can be used for everything from simple dives to deep trimix dives. Also have a log book of 18 dives and download option. Also I took opportunity to NEED one while on honey moon in Florida, so apart from being useful, nice, it's also my wedding present  

If you don't want to spend too much cash, I used to have a Casio G shoch which was very good, great value for money but many, many, many times I forgot to switch on it's stop watch.

Regards

Pierre

 

[Simon TW]

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<font color='#000080'>I've now got the other half interested in diving so I gave her my old mask and snorkel, bought her some volo fins and gave her my suunto viper. That left me with no pooter so I HAD to buy a suunto stinger which is a decent dive watch and does some other stuff in addition to time keeping.

No doubt I'll read the book one day and find out how to use the other bits.

 

[Paul Oliver]

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Simon

What kind of a BLOKE are you, your actually going to read an instruction manual FFS

Dive Safe

Paul

 

[BJ]

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I think you all missed the point of the article (not written by me, I hasten to add). It was about ISO2281 and the ridiculous way in which watches are allowed to be depth-rated. EG. if it says good for 30m it is only good for keeping the water out when watering your garden...and so on. As I say to most people who jump to criticise what I write, “Go back and read it, make sure you understand it, and then we can discuss it.”

 

[Jay]

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Quote[/b] (JJJJBBBBB @ Nov. 09 2003,14:57)]I think you all missed the point of the article (not written by me, I hasten to add). It was about ISO2281 and the ridiculous way in which watches are allowed to be depth-rated. EG. if it says good for 30m it is only good for keeping the water out when watering your garden...and so on. As I say to most people who jump to criticise what I write, “Go back and read it, make sure you understand it, and then we can discuss it.”

I agree entirely - thats what I read the article to mean. A watch is either rated to 30m or it is not, end of story. I once got told that a certain (cheap) watch was rated to 50m in a pressure chamber but was not suitable for diving because (get this!!) - water pressure differs from the same pressure in a chamber. What a load of old hairy bollocks! This was told to me by the jeweller! If a watch is only guaranteed to be splash proof then the depth rating is shite and should be ignored but don't let someone who has absolutely zero knowledge and understanding of physics try and talk their way out of it.

Actually, scratch that - lets try and get as many explanations from knowledgeless jewellers to see who gets the funniest!

 

[ianbaker]

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I like the casio G shock 200m range as they are bloody tough, have never failed and the way i treat my kit it has to be tough, having something expensive always frightens me about using it, my first dive computer was nearly encased totally as i was scared of losing it, my mate lost his in eccleston Delph in 4 metres (it went under one the cars) not bad for fourth dive.
Expensive doesn't always mean best look at designer labels they're for posers.
generally though dive kit doesnt suffer the same does it? Replies on s.a.e to dive mag.
Ps my last casio G shock is under my front drive i think, as i lost it whilst laying block paving either that or on stag night in York!.

 

[daz]

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Quote[/b] (Heads Up @ Nov. 09 2003,15:58)]

Quote[/b] (JJJJBBBBB @ Nov. 09 2003,14:57)]I think you all missed the point of the article (not written by me, I hasten to add). It was about ISO2281 and the ridiculous way in which watches are allowed to be depth-rated. EG. if it says good for 30m it is only good for keeping the water out when watering your garden...and so on. As I say to most people who jump to criticise what I write, “Go back and read it, make sure you understand it, and then we can discuss it.”

I agree entirely - thats what I read the article to mean. A watch is either rated to 30m or it is not, end of story. I once got told that a certain (cheap) watch was rated to 50m in a pressure chamber but was not suitable for diving because (get this!!) - water pressure differs from the same pressure in a chamber. What a load of old hairy bollocks! This was told to me by the jeweller! If a watch is only guaranteed to be splash proof then the depth rating is shite and should be ignored but don't let someone who has absolutely zero knowledge and understanding of physics try and talk their way out of it.

Actually, scratch that - lets try and get as many explanations from knowledgeless jewellers to see who gets the funniest!

Well rightly or wrongly I was informed (misinformed??) that watches are rated using static pressure (ie.  just left in place while they put them under pressure.  Where as a watch on your wrist will be subject to additional pressure (over and above the water pressure) due to the action of you moving your arm in the water.  

Daz

 

[Dave Crampton]

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Daz,

I kind of came to that conclusion myself when reading my dive puter manual. It said that the rated depth was for guidence only as if one were to dive that deep and move around, i.e. swim etc, the dynamic preasure would be greater that the static preasure. But then reading the post with the bit about watering the garden, I wondered what height you have to lift the watering can to, to get 4 bar presure water? Then I thought Dhoop!!! Hose pipes with jet thingy attachments. In short I agree with you. Just like the sound of my keyboard tapping

Dave C

 

[daz]

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Well I always had my doubts about how much additional pressure would be put on a watch by moving the arm through water.  

But having seen some students in Stoney the other weekend I came to the conclusion that it could be quite a bit.  Arms flailing wildly

 

[Finless]

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My "cheap" watch came free with a 2 year subscription to diver (to use as backup with tables I copy to a slate before every deco dive).

Has worked fine for me ALL summer.

Only down side with the watch as backup is remembering to set the dial to zero at the start of every dive, oh yeah, and the fact that I need a seperate depth guage.

My advice - get a bottom timer or second pooter.