Rolex Submariner

[greeniguana]

My Casio Rangeman sets itself daily from the WWV atomic clock radio signal in Boulder CO.

I occasionally check it against the official NIST web page clock, always exactly synced.....

 

[Ojai Diver]

I think that you may be thinking of regulators. A $12,000 watch is not "dive equipment". If you are lucky enough to be able to afford something like that, why would you take it diving at all, especially if that means that it requires annual service? I mean, I have a Thomas Hart Benton oil, that I love, but I don't laminate it and take it with me underwater.

[/QUOTE]

You attributed somebody else's quote regarding "spending a few hundred annually on a service etc. is cheap insurance." I never said this. Somebody else did. On the contrary, I disagree on the need the for an annual service for a dive watch. It is ridiculous, expensive and unnecessary.

 

[doctormike]

You attributed somebody else's quote regarding "spending a few hundred annually on a service etc. is cheap insurance." I never said this. Somebody else did. On the contrary, I disagree on the need the for an annual service for a dive watch. It is ridiculous, expensive and unnecessary.

Huh, that's weird! Must be something with the reply editor. Sorry, will fix it!

 

[Ojai Diver]

A lot of mechanical watches can be very accurate and if you're into watches (people who buy mechanical watches usually are) you know what to do to get it to be. Some watches, even chronometer certified still either loose a little or gain a little while being worn, but you can regulate buy figuring out what position to leave it in when not being worn like over night. Depending on movement some position will result if a little speeding up or slowing down. A form of regulation.

Mechanical watches are fascinating engineering wonders that can be so complex it boggles the mind, especially those complex complications that were calculated and designed without the aid of computers. Love them and the history.
I have one quartz watch, but will never buy another. I plan on treating myself to a nice dive watch one day and it will be my little pal on dives with me.

True enough. People assume that quartz watches are the be all end all of accuracy, but good mechanical watches can be regulated to exceed that of typical quartz watches. Also, manufacturers of higher end watches (Omega, Rolex) tend to stand by their products over the long term. Not so with cheaper watches. My dad had a decent 20 year old Citizen watch, probably cost him $100-$200, I sent it to Citizen for service, and they more or less orphaned the watch, said they didn't know what it was, had no parts for it, and encouraged me to go out and buy a new Citizen watch--not exactly the response you want from a watch manufacturer.

 

[Ojai Diver]

It's surprising to hear all the criticism of absolutely beautifully engineered and constructed machines like Rolex watches and of folks who choose to dive with them. I've got a couple including an explorer 2, which I wore to Mongolia this past summer, and a modern ceramic no date submariner. They are wonderful devices, comfortable to wear, rugged and beautiful. They both keep time to better than 1/2 second per day. I may take my sub on my next dive trip, I'll have to wait and see how I feel. Of course a rolex submariner is not an essential piece of dive equipment but I have no criticism of folks who choose to dive with them.

If you aren't into fine watches, that's ok. But, you shouldn't hate on those that are. A fine watch is a pleasure to wear and use, kind of like a really good audio system.

Very true. Today's Rolex's, Omega's and their ilk are tougher and better than ever, but are typically owned and used by those whose chief interest is status or collector value. The kind of people who own a sports car that never leaves the garage for fear of a scratch. This is too bad, because these watches really are great for daily use, including for diving (with insurance) and other outdoor activites. They are truly made for it.

So the watches haven't changed (except to improve), but the kinds of people who typically own them has.

 

[Snoweman]

So the watches haven't changed (except to improve), but the kinds of people who typically own them has.

How so?

 

[Ojai Diver]

How so?

Typical owners were frequently divers who dove with their watches, back in the hallowed days of diving. With no computers, there was no real choice but to do so.

This is no longer the case.

 

[Snoweman]

Typical owners were frequently divers who dove with their watches, back in the hallowed days of diving. With no computers, there was no real choice but to do so.

This is no longer the case.

OK. I thought you were talking mid-level watches in general.

 

[Fastmarc]

Rolex won the race to the depths (Omega to the moon) and were worn by professionals who used them doing their work. That was initially their target market. Now, dive watches represent probably the largest segment for luxury watches and most who wear them do not test the standard to which they are built, but make no mistake they are better than the earlier models which dealt with some serious work.

 

[twowheels]

What do sat divers wear for watches?