Article: Is the Dive Watch Dead?

[Magnus Lundstedt]

In the past year, I replaced the coolant temperature sensor in my Ford and my father needed to replace the oil pressure sensor in his Jeep. Sensors do go bad.

I replaced the outer temperature sensor, but that was lost, gone. without it the car acted as it was -40 degrees, it set the AC in full heating

 

[AfterDark]

What I recommended is to have the sensors on your computer checked periodically. My first recommendation was take it to your friendly neighborhood dive store to be put in a pressure pot. My fall back recommendation is to bring along a depth gauge to double check. If the readings are close no problem, if not then either one or the other is wrong. So you know you need to get it checked. If you feel this is unreasonable then that is your opinion and you are certainly entitled to it.

If you want to blindly trust your life to an electronic device, then be my guest. It is your life to lose. My opinion is that yours is the more reckless advice.

The dickens you say? Advice? I don't recall posting any advice. I recall writing what I would do myself but don't recall giving it as advice. Trust my life to electronic devices!?
I dive with 1 or 2 hose equipped SPGs depending if I'm using 1 or 2 tanks. An analog depth and a dive watch with hour and minute hands with a bezel; also use 1 PDC or 2 sometimes.

You evidently have mistaken me with somebody else.

Oh by the way my post you quoted and replied to was meant to be 100% sarcastic, good natured, humor. I often bring my sense of humor to my posts. Thanks for playing along.

 

[Mark IV]

I'm a big proponent of both redundancy, and analogue technology. Computers are great, no question, they're a huge improvement over dving square profiles and using tables, but in my view, it's naive and irresponsible not to have some redundancy, whether it be another computer, or a watch,SPG, and if not a set of tables, then at least a working knowledge of NDL's. If nothing else, a watch helps you to complete that full 5+ minute safety stop. I've found that sitting at a safety stop always seems like much longer than you've actually been sitting there, and should a computer die on you, being able to consult a backup watch would be a lifesaver.
Given how inexpesnive and unobtrusive they are, there's just no reason for a scuba diver not to have this bit of redundancy.
I've worn a dive watch, pretty much 24/7, for decades, whther I'm actively diving or not ( nothing special, just various Seikos,Citizens,Casios, Wengers). I feel as naked without it, as I do without my wallet, keys, cell phone, sunglasses, and S&W Airweight .38 !!

 

[doctormike]

I'm a big proponent of both redundancy, and analogue technology. Computers are great, no question, they're a huge improvement over dving square profiles and using tables, but in my view, it's naive and irresponsible not to have some redundancy, whether it be another computer, or a watch,SPG, and if not a set of tables, then at least a working knowledge of NDL's. If nothing else, a watch helps you to complete that full 5+ minute safety stop.

I think this was mentioned up thread, but the topic was the dive watch, so SPG redundancy is really another question. But if we are talking about a staged decompression dive, then yeah, redundancy is a bottom timer (or watch and depth gauge) and a slate. If an NDL dive, you don’t need a redundant computer to avoid injury, you need one to keep diving. If your computer dies on an NDL dive, you just end the dive. I guess having a watch would help you time the safety stop, but not naive or irresponsible not to have one, IMHO.

 

[Magnus Lundstedt]

John - I now question how many have knowledge of the DOXA watch or have read any of Cusslers 40 or so dive related books that always feature an Orange faced DOXA worn by Dirk Pitt

SDM

I just started to read "The Medeterraniean caper" after i read your comments about Dirk Pitt. In this one he wears a Omega watch, at least in chapter one ;-)

Thankyou For the reccomendations.

 

[boulderjohn]

I think this was mentioned up thread, but the topic was the dive watch, so SPG redundancy is really another question. But if we are talking about a staged decompression dive, then yeah, redundancy is a bottom timer (or watch and depth gauge) and a slate. If an NDL dive, you don’t need a redundant computer to avoid injury, you need one to keep diving. If your computer dies on an NDL dive, you just end the dive. I guess having a watch would help you time the safety stop, but not naive or irresponsible not to have one, IMHO.

While doing a muck dive in the Philippines at a depth of about 40 feet while using nitrox (included for all dives at the same price--220 minute NDL) in an AL 80, it occured to me that pretty much all my instrumentation was superfluous.

 

[LanceRiley]

high i've just started with redundant equipment. I now use a PDC on my right wrist and a Mechanical Watch on my left.

Just 1 concern... where do you put your depth guage? at present my depth guage is on my dive computer?

 

[AfterDark]

high i've just started with redundant equipment. I now use a PDC on my right wrist and a Mechanical Watch on my left.

Just 1 concern... where do you put your depth guage? at present my depth guage is on my dive computer?

My depth gage is in the top hole of my 3 hole console. The compass and SPG occupy the other holes. One PDC is strapped to my left wrist the second PDC if used is strapped to my SPG hose. This works well for me.

Of course WTF is a 3 hole console you might ask? It's a piece of antique diving equipment.

 

[Efka76]

Dive watch is a very popular category of watches, which will definitely be produced in the future. However, very small number of people use analog dive watches in diving. Some, of watches are super over engineered (e.g. Rolex Deepsea can go up to almost 4 km depth). Also, only a very small fraction of people who have dive watch actually dive.

I think that answer to the question is pretty obvious - diving watches will be produced in the future but only very big enthusiasts will be using them for actual dives (as a back up, of course). For example, I leave my Rolex at home when I go to diving vacations and use cheap Cressi diving computer which is million times better for diving purposes comparing to my expensive Rolex.

 

[LanceRiley]

My depth gage is in the top hole of my 3 hole console. The compass and SPG occupy the other holes. One PDC is strapped to my left wrist the second PDC if used is strapped to my SPG hose. This works well for me.

Of course WTF is a 3 hole console you might ask? It's a piece of antique diving equipment.

hahaha when i started diving it was a 2hole console.. you must have been diving a very long time heheheeh