Water Resistant Watches

Water-Resistant vs. Waterproof: No watch is completely waterproof forever, so the Federal Trade Commission requires watchmakers say water-resistant instead. It’s a good thing, but read the fine print and you’ll see that even splashing around or taking a shower can expose a watch to pressure you’d find standing still at 50 meters down. Not only that, but watch seals made of materials like rubber or Teflon deteriorate over time and are easily corroded by hot water, soap, or the salt in ocean water. If you’re using a watch for timing dives make sure to get something rated to well over 300 meters and have it inspected yearly.

Did You Know? You might be surprised to know how many watches out there are running on the exact same mechanics. Since 1974, the Swiss manufacturer Valjoux has been selling one particularly popular movement known as the Valjoux ETA 7750 to brands like IWC, Breitling, Tag Heuer, Omega, Panerai, Longines, and yes, U-Boat. Incredibly, this mass produced movement stuffs more than 100 individually cast pieces into a disc less than 8mm thick. Check the brilliant links below for more information:

• Photo-essay on the inner workings of the Valjoux ETA 7750 on TimeZone [Timezone]
• Watch this superb video of a Swiss Horologer constructing the Valjoux ETA 7750 movement from start to finish. [Alliance Horlogere]
• View ETA’s official site flash animation on how to disassemble and tune the 7750 Movement. [ETA]