Certified Dive Watches: What It Means
Seiko SKX007, a certified dive watch
What makes a real dive watch? Well, at first you might consider the obvious: water resistance, rotating bezel, visibility underwater, but what about certification? Ever notice “Diver’s 200m” written on the dial of your watch? That 'Diver’s' is the indication of being an ISO 6425 certified dive watch, which means it is an ‘official’ dive watch, usable by professional divers.
As dive watches became popular in the late-20th century, many brands sought to make theirs more appealing by designating them as “Diver’s” watches. This was all good and fine until people started to notice the different in quality of different dive watches. Some brands made high quality tool watches, but many produced watches that were subpar and not useful for actual diving. Real dive watches had to be able to adjust rapidly to changing water temperature and pressure, remain reliable in different light conditions, and continue to function at a high level throughout their lives, but many so-called dive watches did not exhibit these qualities. This faulty marketing was eventually stamped out of the industry by way of certification; the ISO (International Organization for Standards) created the ISO 2281 standard for dive watches in 1990, which was updated in 1996 by the ISO 6425. The ISO 6425 tests not only for water resistance (minimum 100 m), but also: shock resistance, magnetic resistance, chemical resistance, readability, condensation, overpressure, and thermal shock, amongst others.
Since its introduction, dive watch certification has become a staple for many watch brands. Nonetheless, it can at times be controversial, the rigorousness of ISO testing leaves many brands without the capacity to certify their watches. Although some brands, like Rolex, rely on in-house testing that is perceived to be above average. In any event, the robust nature of dive watches makes them incredibly versatile timepieces and the perfect beater watches.