The certification standards for dive watches include anti-magnetic properties. Referring to the well-known ISO 6425 diver’s watch standard, there are requirements concerning magnetic resistance.
The reason for including anti-magnetism in dive watches is to help divers dive safely underwater. Divers are exposed to environments where they can be affected by magnets. Many diving equipment items use magnets, and if devices like watches or compasses are affected by magnetic fields, their accuracy can be compromised. Anti-magnetic watches, unaffected by these fields, help divers obtain accurate information.
If a dive watch itself becomes magnetized, it can interfere with essential navigation tools like compasses, making it unsafe for diving. While analog watches are now primarily backup devices due to dive computers, analog compasses remain essential diving tools.
In particular, early dive watches were developed and used for military purposes. One reason for the anti-magnetic requirement was to ensure safety around underwater mines. These mines could be triggered by magnetic fields, so it was crucial that divers wearing dive watches could place or remove the mines without activating them. Anti-magnetic properties were considered critical for divers’ safety and preventing mine malfunctions.
Moreover, anti-magnetic properties contributed to the accuracy and reliability of dive watches. A watch unaffected by magnetism minimized errors caused by external factors, ensuring precise timekeeping. This was not only vital for military operations but also helped regular divers enjoy safe underwater adventures.
These watches were developed to allow divers to work safely underwater without being affected by magnetism. The anti-magnetic requirement has been a significant factor since the early days of dive watches and continues to evolve for the safety and precision of divers.
Recently, an interesting dive watch product was released. It’s marketed as an innovative product, but as a diver, I found its features puzzling. The watch stores kinetic energy in an additional barrel, converts it into electrical energy through a micro-rotor, and can power an LED light for 30 minutes.
The first thought that came to mind was,
“Doesn’t a generator need a magnet? How did they shield it from magnetism?”
The second thought was,
“Why would anyone need 30 minutes of lighting?”
The first thought requires verification, so I’ll leave it as a hypothesis. Regarding the second thought, lume is necessary in dark environments, and a light is essential for night diving. Typically, you finish a dive before the light’s power runs out. As mentioned in my previous post on lume usage, the 30-minute lighting feature raises questions about its necessity.
Is the 30-minute light for when you don’t have a dive light? If there’s no light, diving becomes impossible, so is the glow meant to serve as a substitute? It’s unclear what the purpose is, but in my opinion, tritium might have been a more suitable solution.
Recently, I had the opportunity to confirm my first hypothesis. I attended a product presentation and brought along a compass to satisfy my curiosity.
Technicians from Switzerland were present, and I had the chance to ask some questions before seeing the product.
- I asked, “A magnet must have been used in the generator, so is the magnetic field shielded?”
- The answer was, “No, it’s not.”
- Then I asked, “Wouldn’t that strong magnet affect the watch’s accuracy?”
- The reply was, “There’s no impact.”
When it was my turn to see the product, I asked for permission from the organizers and placed the compass near the watch. As I expected, the needle swung wildly. Even the technician was surprised and recorded the moment on video.
Personally, unless all the parts like the movement or hands were made of titanium, the watch would likely suffer from magnetic interference, potentially causing errors, much like Omega’s titanium movements.
Of course, if they had made it that way, this brand’s pricing would have probably exceeded 300 million KRW. They assured me there was no impact on the watch’s accuracy, and since I didn’t check for time deviations, I’ll leave that for now.
It’s concerning to see a dive watch that should avoid magnetism featuring such a strong magnet. It made me wonder if anyone at the brand truly understands the basics of dive watches.
What kind of dive watch would you choose?
