Common Watch Function
Waterproof Watch
Waterproof watches have rubber circles at the interface of the crystal and the cover and also a screw-in winding stem to avoid liquid and dust ingresses. The water depth is mostly indicated between the pointer axis and 6 o'clock, e.g. 300m water-resistant is marked as 30ATM, 300m or 300 meters or signs like Water Resistance or Waterproof are indicated on the back cover. A watch shall have a 20m water resistance according to the international standards if the watch is marked with Water Resistance but no specific number is given.
The simplest gauge to distinguish the water resistance of a watch is by its shape: generally, round watches have the best water resistance and oval watches follow while square or irregularly-shaped watches have poor water resistance because a rubber circle is the most closely bounded with a round watch. Secondly, materials also matter here. Copper, aluminium or gold-coated materials will deteriorate over the long term and hence water resistance will be affected. Thirdly, edges of the back cover and the crystal are the most vulnerable to water and therefore the watch design is an absolute determinant of water resistance. For instance, watches with a screw-in crown and back cover, a watch frame and a thick and robust profile normally have sound water resistance; ultrathin watches can't effectively keep off water due to limited spaces inside; the winding stem of multifunctional watches are easily defective in waterproof design.
The simplest gauge to distinguish the water resistance of a watch is by its shape: generally, round watches have the best water resistance and oval watches follow while square or irregularly-shaped watches have poor water resistance because a rubber circle is the most closely bounded with a round watch. Secondly, materials also matter here. Copper, aluminium or gold-coated materials will deteriorate over the long term and hence water resistance will be affected. Thirdly, edges of the back cover and the crystal are the most vulnerable to water and therefore the watch design is an absolute determinant of water resistance. For instance, watches with a screw-in crown and back cover, a watch frame and a thick and robust profile normally have sound water resistance; ultrathin watches can't effectively keep off water due to limited spaces inside; the winding stem of multifunctional watches are easily defective in waterproof design.
