[rjones35]

I've been looking at getting a mechanical field watch and the Hamilton keeps coming up. Lots of reviews, and it seems fine, but only 50m water resistance? Should I be concerned about that? I don't plan on swimming with it, but I do want something I can just put on and leave on, in the shower, washing the car, or dog, etc..... pretty much leave on and not worry about. Any thoughts?

 

[CometHunter]

50 meters (5 atmospheres) should be ok for minor water activities, but many people feel showers are a different story altogether. You have water coming out of the shower head under moderate force, hot water instead of water at body-temperature...and now you're asking for trouble. You're gonna accidentally do something stupid like climb into the shower with the watch's crown in the OUT position and next thing you know....your shower is allowing the watch's movement to take a leisurely soak. Not good at all!

You could do what men in the 20th century did and just take your watch off before you get near water, or, do a brand new search of field watches THAT HAVE SCREW-DOWN CROWNS. These usually will have a higher water resistance rating. Another choice is to look for Diver's watches that look less like dive watches and more like field watches.

In other words do a reverse look-up: make water resistance of at LEAST 10-20 atm (100-200 feet) your search priority. And from those candidates,then look to see which one(s) appeal to you.
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FYI
I just looked at Hamilton's website, and they currently offer the Khaki Navy Scuba Auto. Water resistant to 100M (330 FEET), screw-down crown, ETA automatic movement.

 

[rjones35]

50 meters (5 atmospheres) should be ok for minor water activities, but many people feel showers are a different story altogether. You have water coming out of the shower head under moderate force, hot water instead of water at body-temperature...and now you're asking for trouble. You're gonna accidentally do something stupid like climb into the shower with the watch's crown in the OUT position and next thing you know....your shower is allowing the watch's movement to take a leisurely soak. Not good at all!

You could do what men in the 20th century did and just take your watch off before you get near water, or, do a brand new search of field watches THAT HAVE SCREW-DOWN CROWNS. These usually will have a higher water resistance rating. Another choice is to look for Diver's watches that look less like dive watches and more like field watches.

In other words do a reverse look-up: make water resistance of at LEAST 10-20 atm (100-200 feet) your search priority. And from those candidates,then look to see which one(s) appeal to you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FYI
I just looked at Hamilton's website, and they currently offer the Khaki Navy Scuba Auto. Water resistant to 100M (330 FEET), screw-down crown, ETA automatic movement.

Thank you sir. It would make sense to just take it off BEFORE it gets wet, but unfortunately I don't trust myself to do that. I had looked at the "navy" model also, and I may go that way, but I was really hoping to find a hand wind, which I know, the screw down crown would be a pain, and maybe a dumb idea on my part. Something about having to wind it appeals to me, but water resistance is more important I think.

 

[rjones35]

Slow day at work so I was perusing the internet and found this one -H69519133 - on sale at Ashford. Right size, no screw down crown, but it is 100m, AND hand wind. I know it's an older model, but at the price, I ordered one! They had it listed on clearance sale for 348 plus a 20% extra discount, so 279. Now I can stop looking for a while, it was wearing me out.

 

[rjones35]

It came today! I dig it.

 

[Spaceview M2]

Very Sharp Hamilton rjones35. Nice dial layout!!!:thumbup1:

 

[rjones35]

Very Sharp Hamilton rjones35. Nice dial layout!!!

Thanks! I've worn it every day since I got it!!