Beware of Casio \"50M\" rating...
John A. Wasser
The Casio watch company uses some fairly deceptive practices
when rating the water resistance of their watches. They chose
to use the designations "50M", "100M" and "200M". On first
guess most people would say "Must be meters of depth...".
This guess is unfotunately incorrect... the leter "M" in the
designation has nothing to do with meters. If you can find
a list of what the designations mean (which I found out from
a catalog one day) you will find the following:
no designation = Can be splashed with water safely.
50M = Can be immersed but not worn while swimming.
100M = Can be worn while swimming but not diving.
200M = Can be worn diving (I think to 150 feet).
These limits will be spelled out in the fine print of the
instruction sheet packaged with the watch. I recommend that
if you a buying a watch for diving that you read the
instruction sheet before buying the watch.... regardless of
the manufacturer (I think Lorus has similar designations).
I bought a Timex Triathlon (about $30) which says "50 METERS"
on the face and says "Guaranteed to 50 meters (150 feet) of depth"
in the instruction sheet. I have used it down to 40 feet
with no problem and I recommend it for anyone who wants a
watch they can use all the time, including while diving.
-John A. Wasser
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Jeffrey Cushner
I have a Casio 100m watch that I have been diving with for 4.5 years now,
and have had no problems. (of course, that has been in my bathtub!)
but seriously folks, I usually dive at an average depth
of 40 ft. and have been to 100ft. about 7 times.
--
==============================================================================
Jeff Cushner @
Citicorp-TTI
Santa Monica CA 90405
(213) 450-9111 x2273
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Phil Pfeiffer
water resist watches. Let me recap:
It *IS* possible to blow the seal on a 50M Casio in less than 50 meters of
water! My wife's watch ruptured in 80' of water at a nearby quarry. Actually,
the watch didn't die a dramatic death: some moisture got inside the casing, and
that was enough to render the timepiece non compos mentis within 24 hours.
Opinion was divided regarding whether it was deceptive to call a waterproof
watch designed for "swimming-only" use a 50M watch. Certainly, my wife and
I were taken in by the name. We didn't bother to read the fine print in the
handbook (which the earlier poster quoted) until after the watch quit working.
I used to dive with a 100M Casio watch. The watch still works fine (static
reset problems excepted), but I now dive with a bottom timer and a 200M Casio
instead.
--
-- Phil Pfeiffer
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(608) 263-7308