Buying the right dive watch can be a tricky affair if you don’t know what to look for in a product, an if you consider how many products are available on the market today, the task can be even more daunting. But there is some truth to the fact that people who dive risk their skins on the equipment they go with, so make sure that what you know about your dive watch is what you need to keep you safe. Not all are created equal. Knowing what to look for in a dive watch is a good start.

The first and most important thing about dive watches that anyone needs to know is what depth rating the watch is held to. For most people, a diving watch rated down to 300 meters is way more than sufficient. This is not because you will ever dive to 300 meters. In fact it is unlikely that any sport diver will go deeper than 40 meters. But by convention watch makers have typically classified a watch that is water resistant to 100 meters as good for swimming and the like whereas one rated to 300 meters will be good for diving. That said I know of friends who have frequently and successfully dived wearing nothing fancier than a Swatch, which really is only good for swimming with, but they haven’t had any problems.

One of the other things you will need to consider in what to look for in a dive watch is the grade of quality you will need. Seems obvious, but you will want to find a balance between a product which won’t let you down and a product that may get damaged, stolen, or lost. The dive watch must neither so expensive it cannot be replaced if need be, nor so cheap that it leaves you hanging on the bottom of the ocean. If you must choose between cheap and nice, go nice, but you will never regret the better deal you can find by shopping around and making sure that you are getting the best watch for the least amount of money that you can spend. Online is a great way to do this, but buyer beware the second hand dive watch. Goodness only knows if the thing will actually be in decent shape or not, which is my problem with dive equipment on EBay.

The final factor you will have to consider in what to look for in a dive watch is what brand you prefer. Many people do extremely well with the better known brands on the market like Timex and Swiss Army, but there are those equally happy with some of the more obscure brands out there also. The problem with the more obscure brands available is that you will likely not be able to find the right watch for a good price, meaning that it will be harder to get a good deal on a comparable watch. Overstock websites and what have you are unlikely to carry any but the most common of brands, and if you don’t have boat loads of money to spend on such products, go with the sure thing and not the less known product. Features, bells, and whistles aside, the different stuff is going to be a matter of preference to each individual purchasing the watch. Shop around and see which one presents the best deal.

Dive equipment in general, not just the watches, must be highly reliable each and every time you take a trip into the water. Diving can be a dangerous sport, and there is a balance between cost and quality that must be met in a dive watch. Do the right thing and find out what to look for in a dive watch in the first place, so you are buying the right product for what you need and not anything that may not work for your needs. Getting it right the first time is always going to save you a bunch of money in the long haul.