Blacks of Blackheath Jewellers 9 Tranquil Vale Blackheath London SE3 Tel/ Fax: 020 8852 0181

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A Guide To Watch Terminology

Water Resistancy Water resistancy in watches has long been a contraversial issue. Most watch company's use either a water depth rating or atmospheric pressure rating.

Water depth: This does not in fact represent how far underwater you can swim before the seal gives way. The water resistance represent a static dpeth test. This mean that the watch has been tested under the same pressure as depth of (for example) thirty metres. However, when swimming; a higher level of pressure is generally produced by the actual movement of swimming.

Therefore we would recommend the following: 30M: Washing up, showering, bathing. 50M: Swimming, shallow snorkling. 100M: Any swimming/ snorkling. 200M: Diving (always confirm with the retailer that the watch is suitable for diving).

Atmospheric Pressure: Essentially the same test as water depth but with a labelling difference.                                            3ATM         = 30M                      5ATM         = 50M                      10ATM        = 100M

Watch Types:

Manual wind:        This type of watch is powered by a wound spring and requires regular winding by twisting the crown of the watch.

Automatic:            This type of watch is also powered by a wound spring, however a balanced weight inside the watch shifts with      
                             body movement to rewind the spring and only requires occasional manual winding.

Quartz:                  This type of watch is powered by a battery and requires no winding.

Kinetic:                  This watch type is a hybrid of quartz and automatic. The weight charges the battery.