Replica Watch Water Resistance Ratings

[GSAPilot]

Hi guys,

I am looking at the Rolex DeepSea/Sea-Dweller replicas and most are only rated at either 30m or 50m from the factory.

What I fail to understand is why these “high-end” replicas have such poor ratings at their price point, when watch brands like Cronos and others can do a very good homage version of these watches and have a 500m+ rating at around a $250 price point.

I struggle to see the point of a 1000m+ James Cameron replica that I would be scared to wear while our riding my motorcycle, just in case I got caught in a rain shower, never mind trying to just have a quick swim in the pool with it.

Surely the factories can do a better job of this and at least offer up a rep that has a basic 300m rating and that you can comfortably swim with?
Let's face it, none of us, or at the very least most of us are ever going to explore the 1000m rating of any watch, but we do tend to take the occasional dip into the swimming pool, and would like to do so without having to first remove our "1000m" dive watch, just in case it leaks.

Appreciate your thoughts on this.

 

[p0pperini]

I wouldn't trust the waterproof rating on any low price watch; rep, homage or whatever. If I wanted to wear a watch in the water, then I'd get it tested prior to doing so.

And you're probably far more likely to crash on your motorcycle and wreck the rep, than it suffer water ingress due to a rain shower... Motorcycles are dangerous.

 

[MJH89]

For the price that they are knocking the watches out at, they don't have the time or inclination to carry out the testing. I have a few watches which I have gone snorkelling/duck diving with to 8m or so without any trouble. There are watch makers on here who I'm sure would be able to waterproof test the case down to 50m.

Its also a case of having the right gear to test the watch, you would need a more heavy duty water testing chamber to account for testing a watch to 300/500/1000m as opposed to the "off the shelf" waterproof testers which will happily do 50m.

If the design of the watch works, and the gasket and crystal materials are up to the task, there is no reason why a good test to 300m couldn't be achieved on an out the box rep.

 

[GSAPilot]

I wouldn't trust the waterproof rating on any low price watch; rep, homage or whatever. If I wanted to wear a watch in the water, then I'd get it tested prior to doing so.

And you're probably far more likely to crash on your motorcycle and wreck the rep, than it suffer water ingress due to a rain shower... Motorcycles are dangerous.

I found this truly incredible. The watch only stopped working at over 2700m, and started working again once they took it out of the chamber. I would never have imagined that any Chinese watch could withstand this.

and this is a $225 watch

 

[p0pperini]

The watch only stopped working at over 2700m, and started working again once they took it out of the chamber.

My issue with any sort of test on a cheap Chinese watch is the element of pot luck. Sure, the watch tested there was good - but the lack of consistent quality control in the Chinese factories means I wouldn't take a sample of one as a guarantee.

But I know nothing about that brand - and it's quite possible they do guarantee their watches, in which case they'll probably be more diligent.

 

[vonG]

if you want a dive watch, you buy a dive watch.
same for swimming... if you need timekeeping in the pool just get a G-shock Frogman and call it a day

 

[GSAPilot]

My issue with any sort of test on a cheap Chinese watch is the element of pot luck. Sure, the watch tested there was good - but the lack of consistent quality control in the Chinese factories means I wouldn't take a sample of one as a guarantee.

But I know nothing about that brand - and it's quite possible they do guarantee their watches, in which case they'll probably be more diligent.

I agree 100%. My frustration is just as to why they DONT make it at least water resistant enough to swim with. It is not as if they don’t know how to. The Cronos watches seem to have a good reputation for water resistance even at that price point, so why aren’t reps at basically double the price doing anything similar. If they did and If that meant that I would have to pay $30 or $50 extra, it would be worth it IMHO.

 

[derjenigewelcher]

I learned that when you get a rep watch with a skrewed down crown, and you check the backcase if its loose, it will be ok for a swim.

 

[p0pperini]

I learned that when you get a rep watch with a skrewed down crown, and you check the backcase if its loose, it will be ok for a swim.

Sure, it's entirely possible that your watch's rubber seals are greased and seated correctly out of the factory. In which case, like you say, the watch will be fine as long as the caseback is checked. I've received a few reps that had the caseback on finger-tight.

But I'd still be disinclined to swim with a watch that's not been pressure tested. I've seen first hand what happens to a movement that's been moist/wet - unsurprisingly those tiny metal parts turn to rust pretty quickly. So maybe it's just me being paranoid. Fortunately I don't swim, so I'll never have to worry about it!

 

[Hesekiel]

I deleted the link to a watchmaker in Australia, who basically stated that you don't take any watch that is older than a few years out into the water unless it has been confirmed through testing first, and that includes GEN Rolex or other dive watches. Case backs get opened, grease dries out, gaskets deteriorate. If you have a $15K Submariner and take it into the pool, you are always taking a risk of damaging the watch. The same applies to replicas. I wouldn't think of taking even my $1K+ BK Deep Sea into the pool, but if I wanted to do that, I'd invest a $100 bill in having it checked and proofed first.

 

[derjenigewelcher]

You always take risk.
For example when you jump off a cliff in the water, the force/power that works in a wath is different as when just taking a swim.

 

[Slugger]

It’s neither hard, nor costly, to “water proof“* one of the better reps. Just depends on what you want to achieve: ISO 2281, for "water resistant" watches, or ISO 6425, for diver watches?

* "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." – The Federal Trade Commission, 1960.

At the behest of the US FTC, manufacturers have been advertising ”water resistance” since the 1960s.

 

[muiramas]

I agree 100%. My frustration is just as to why they DONT make it at least water resistant enough to swim with. It is not as if they don’t know how to. The Cronos watches seem to have a good reputation for water resistance even at that price point, so why aren’t reps at basically double the price doing anything similar. If they did and If that meant that I would have to pay $30 or $50 extra, it would be worth it IMHO.

They usually are water resistant enough to swim with, but they don’t come with a guarantee because there is no dealer network, or plausible after market solution in the event that it leaks - it’s easier just to not to make any claims about water resistance or bother with it in general.

If an expensive geniune watch leaks, a warranty claim may need to have the backing of a manufacturer recognised WR test within the preceding 12 months anyway.

 

[cyprusdaedalus]

I think the rule of thumb with reps and water resistance is "trust but verify". A typical waterproof test at a watchsmith shouldn't be more than 100 bucks or if you buy and go through a lot of reps you can get a pressure chamber off Aliexpress for about $150.

 

[Rx4Time]

As said above, the safest route is to just pressure test it whether you have a watchsmith do it or buy one and do it yourself. Out of the 50 plus replicas I've owned, I've only had a couple of failures. The most common of these couple was a chronograph pusher leaking.

 

[chentepilot]

You always take risk.
For example when you jump off a cliff in the water, the force/power that works in a wath is different as when just taking a swim.

Done just that on a 15 year old Swatch Irony Chrono

 

[wisedennis]

I deleted the link to a watchmaker in Australia, who basically stated that you don't take any watch that is older than a few years out into the water unless it has been confirmed through testing first, and that includes GEN Rolex or other dive watches. Case backs get opened, grease dries out, gaskets deteriorate. If you have a $15K Submariner and take it into the pool, you are always taking a risk of damaging the watch. The same applies to replicas. I wouldn't think of taking even my $1K+ BK Deep Sea into the pool, but if I wanted to do that, I'd invest a $100 bill in having it checked and proofed first.

The Rolex murder

 

[Patj44]

I wouldn't trust the waterproof rating on any low price watch; rep, homage or whatever. If I wanted to wear a watch in the water, then I'd get it tested prior to doing so.

And you're probably far more likely to crash on your motorcycle and wreck the rep, than it suffer water ingress due to a rain shower... Motorcycles are dangerous.

I have been riding for over 65 years and have had very few accidents. A Rolex replica on a dark street is very dangerous.

 

[Mixoponop]

Hey there! I totally get where you're coming from. I've had a similar thought myself.

 

[Mixoponop]

Hey there! I totally get where you're coming from. I've had a similar thought myself.

And I'd add that, while the extreme depth ratings are impressive, a more practical water resistance rating for daily activities would be nice. It'd make these replicas more versatile and worry-free for everyday wear, like the *************** I hope they do this!