Can I Shower With a Water Resistant Watch?
We're diving straight into one of the most common questions we are asked here at Village Watch Center. The answer to the question seems fairly straightforward. After all, if we're talking about the amount of water, a shower is just like rain or a swim, right?
Well therein lies the problem. It's not about the amount of water, per se, but the pressure. Typical household water pressure is between 50 and 80 psi, which is enough to push water into crevices that can damage your watch.
Similarly, while a watch might be water resistant, it's not necessarily resistant to abrasive soaps and shampoos. Soap suds can potentially damage the rubber gaskets that seal the watch, causing increased opportunities for water to seep in.
Watches are some of our most valued possessions, and the fact that they're worn on our wrists already puts them in an unenviable position for damage. There's no need to add excessive water exposure to these natural variables.
Answers To Other Frequently Asked Water Questions
What's the difference between a waterproof and water-resistant watch?
We're focusing on water resistant watches here because the reality is no watch is fully waterproof. Even watches that claim to be fully waterproof have some limit at which water depth and pressure will cause problems. That's not to say that there aren't incredibly impressive watches out there in terms of resisting water at serious depths, but water pressure can have a severe impact on intricate watch components. Be sure to check out your watch's specific attributes and remain at the lower end of what it can take.
Can you shower with a 50m water resistant watch?
It's not advisable. Sure, the increased depth rating theoretically means enhanced protection, but resistance at 50m really only means that it can be submerged in a quiet body of cool water. As even the act of jumping in a pool has the potential to damage a 50m water resistant watch, a shower's pressure and heat are not in your watch's best interests.
Can you swim with a water-resistant watch?
Swimming is also not advisable. Watches that are deemed “water resistant” are just that – resistant. This often means that the watch is capable of withstanding humid conditions or an inadvertent splash, but not necessarily being submerged in a body of water. Even if a watch is resistant at say 50m, it's not recommended to get anywhere near that depth, let alone for the extended period of time that snorkeling or scuba diving might require.
Does the temperature of the water matter for a water-resistant watch?
This is an important factor in recommending that you take off your watch before getting in the shower. Many watch owners don't realize that manufacturers typically test their water-resistant watches in cool water. The average ocean temperature at the surface is 68 degrees while the average household shower in the U.S. is 105 degrees. Heat can already cause a watch's metal case to expand at a faster rate than the glass face, and adding water into the mix only adds to the danger of unwelcome water finding its way in.
Conclusion
To summarize, the question, “Can you shower with a water-resistant watch?” has a bit of a faulty premise. You shouldn't, and there really isn't much of a reason to, anyway. If your watch is in need of a cleaning, skip the shower and stop by Village Watch Center to do the watch repair. We disassemble all parts and thoroughly clean them with a special solution to leave your watch looking like new.
