Q: Can I swim with my watch?

Water is the biggest enemy of a watch and the most common movement damaging culprit.  The outside case may look rugged and big, but the movement is very tiny and very delicate. The only thing that stands between your watch and water is a small gasket, a tiny O-ring that is usually made of rubber or silicon. 

The water-resistance of your watch cannot be guaranteed indefinitely as it is not a permanent condition. The gaskets may age, crowns or pushers may receive knocks and changes in temperature may weaken the water resistance.  

If you go swimming or play sports, you should have your watch checked for an accurate reading of its water resistance levels every year. This is a service we can do on premises. 

Before using your water-resistant watch in water, there are several ways to ensure its protection:

Ensure the crown is fully pushed in (and depending on the model, screwed down) against the case in order to preserve its water-resistance.

Leather straps are not advisable as they can be deformed/discolored by water. For frequent or prolonged use in water, we recommend a metal bracelet or rubber strap.

After exposure to salt water, rinse the watch in fresh water then dry it.

All watches have a certain degree of water resistance, described in meters or in bars (1 bar ~ 10 m ~ approx. 33 ft). This level of water resistance refers to a technical standard, based on the pressure the watch would be exposed to, during a static immersion at a certain depth (for example 50 m / 165 ft). However, the movements of the owner (diving, jumping, swimming...), as well as the force of water in motion (shower jets, river currents, waterfalls...) can considerably increase this pressure.

Therefore a water resistance level of 5 bar (50 m / 165 ft) does not entail that the watch can be worn in motion at this depth; it means the watch is intended for the corresponding activities described in the table below.

These figures are meant as a guide only, and don’t show maximum immersion depths.