Water Resistance – What it Really Means

Okay, so you bought a watch, or are thinking about buying one, but you have some questions about water resistance. Can you swim or shower with your watch on? Can you snorkel or scuba dive? What about if some water from the rain splashes on your watch – what now?



We have the answers for you. First, we will define water resistance, then explain it with a few quick tips/tidbits. Lastly we will give you a neat chart that should help explain what you can and can’t do with your watch when it comes to water.

Definition:

Water Resistance refers to the depth at which a watch will keep water out. However, it’s important to note that this test is done when the watch and water are motionless – so you must keep this in mind in the real world where the water and your wrist are moving.

Tips and Tidbits:

How is a watch water resistant? The most important feature that allows this are the gaskets, or O-rings that are made of nylon, rubber or Teflon that form watertight seals to keep water out. Additionally, water resistant watch cases are lined with sealant which helps keep water out.
Some watches also have screw-in case backs which assist in added water resistance. Also, divers watches have screw-down crowns that prevents water from getting into the watch through the watch-stem hole.

Okay, on to the tips. Even if in the chart below it says suitable for swimming, we strongly recommend not swimming with your watch unless it has a screw-down crown. That said, even if your watch is water resistant, never, ever pull the crown out (the knob thingy on the side of the watch you pull out and twist around to set the time) if the watch is even a little bit wet. This will likely destroy the watch by allowing water to get in.


Also, we do not recommend wearing your watch in a hot shower, bath, sauna or hot tub. The extreme heat can result in the metal parts of the watch to expand at different rates than the gaskets – which can cause openings that allow water in. Along these same lines, sudden temperature changes, such as going from a hot tub to a cold pool is not a good idea.


Another thing to keep in mind – just because a watch is water resistant does not mean the band is water resistant. For example, if your watch has a leather band we would not recommend getting it wet.


If you do get your watch wet, and you were swimming or diving in salt water, much like a water resistant camera you need to immediately rinse the watch in fresh water. If your watch has a rotating bezel make sure to rotate it a few times in the fresh water to prevent salt deposit build up and corrosion.


Okay, last tip before the chart (who knew there was so much to this topic?): keep in mind that some chemicals can cause corrosion of the gasket in your watch that keeps it water resistant. For example, hair spray, perfumes, and heavily chlorinated water can all cause damage to your watch – including the finish.

The Chart (finally!)

The following chart recommendations are suggested by most watch manufacturers.

Water Resistance                                                Depth Recommendation

Water Resistant (No depth specification)           Splash resistant only.

30 Meters (100 feet)                                           Splashes of water or rain. Do not swim or dive.

50 Meters (165 feet)                                           Light water activities, swimming in shallow water.

100 Meters (330 feet)                                         Suitable for swimming and snorkeling.

200 Meters (660 feet)                                         Suitable for swimming, snorkeling and skin diving.

Diver’s 150 Meters (500 feet)                            Meets ISO standards – is suitable for scuba diving.

Diver’s 200 Meters (660 feet)                            Meets ISO standards – is suitable for scuba diving.



Okay, got all that? If you are ever in doubt this blog will always be here to help. Come reference it at any time.


Thanks for reading, and as always, leave us any comments/feedback/questions - we are happy to hear from our customers!

New Brands, New Items. What do you Want?

Okay, so we have been thinking lately about the numerous watch brands we carry, and the brands of sunglasses that we are beginning with.

We have had lots of meetings, lots of coffee, lots of take-out delivered to the office for dinner. (Jimmy Johns to the rescue!) It has all boiled down to this -

We asked ourselves four questions:

1. What new brands of watches should we carry?
2. Which watch lines should we expand our selection?
3. What new brands of sunglasses should we carry?
and finally,
4. What other products should we carry, if any?

Rest assured we have many ideas on these questions. However, ultimately the answers come to us through YOU -- what do you want?

We would love to see your comments on this, answering one, two or all four of those questions above.

You can either comment on this post, let us know on facebook, twitter, or send us a quick email at cs@mrwatch.com.

We can't wait to hear from you - and in a few weeks we will share some results with everyone. Happy commenting!!!

Brand Name Sunglasses - At Larger Than Life Discounts

Oakley. Guess. Roberto Cavalli. Fossil. Ray-Ban. And the list goes on and on..............

Sunglasses, at MrWatch? Yes, you heard right. Like those Oakley's pictured above? If not, we also have more classic Oakley's:

We have these at the lowest prices you will find. And, just like our watches, they are guaranteed brand new and authentic.

What are you waiting for? Shop Oakley's, or visit our site to see the rest of the brands we have. You won't be disappointed.

Help With Your New Year's Resolutions - 3 Quick Tips

Hey everyone! Happy New Year!

It's 2012, and our staff at MrWatch is wondering where 2011 went! It flew by so fast, but it was such a great year.

Well, as always, we here at MrWatch are here to serve our customers in every way we can, including helping with your new year's resolutions! We also have a few suggestions for those resolutions, if you haven't nailed them down already.

Resolution #1: Celebrate yourself -- know that you are important!
Details: One way you can celebrate yourself is to take care of your appearance. Your personality is reflected in your appearance, and taking time for this will boost your self-confidence and boost others confidence in you.
How MrWatch can help: Browse our huge selection of watches and sunglasses -- you are bound to find the accessory that accentuates your personality perfectly. Wear it at the gym, to the park, out with friends, to that special date or to that all-important interview. And, not to mention, you just spent the last month spoiling all your family and friends -- it's time to spoil yourself!

Resolution #2: Get Fit -- Loose that weight or tone
Details: We just couldn't leave this one off the list. Getting healthier, including losing that stubborn weight or toning is usually the number one new year's resolution.
How MrWatch can help: We have hundreds of sport watches, for both men and women. We have heart rate monitors, watches that keep track of your workouts for you and more. Some brands that are perfect for this are Timex, Suunto, Puma and Casio. Additionally, we have some awesome sports sunglasses, including Oakley's, that are ideal for those of you in sunny places that can work-out outside!


Resolution #3: Save Money - Spend More Wisely
Details: Especially in the current economy across the globe, spending smarter is also on the top of many lists.
How MrWatch can help: If you didn't already know, we at MrWatch boast up to 90% off the retail price on brand name, brand new watches and sunglasses. We challenge you to stop buying what you need and want at big box stores and the mall, and take the time to research online. You will avoid the driving, the weather, the lines and the high prices by shopping online. MrWatch is dedicating to providing products at the lowest prices out there, and our customer service is among the best. What do you have to lose? Hummm, I guess the real questions is: what do you want to save!

We wish all of you well in 2012, and we can't wait to see what this year brings.

Get motivated, make changes, and, above all -- enjoy it!

Happy Holidays!

Christmas is in less than three days, and we are all excited here at MrWatch! I just wanted to reach out to our customers and let you know that we will be taking a short break from blogging, and from the MrWatch news until after the New Year.

We are going to spend some much appreciated time with our family and friends during this holiday season.

But, never fear, we will be back in full swing after the first of the year, and we are excited to see what 2012 brings!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from all of us here at MrWatch. Enjoy this magical time of year!

Tips for Simple, Successful Holiday Shopping – All From the Comfort of Your Own Home

It’s that time of year again! You are making a list, checking it twice, and trying to get presents for everyone while at the same time making cookies, decorating, sending holiday cards, and oh yeah – all that other stuff, like working, paying bills, eating….
How are you possibly going to do it all? You are dreading going to the mall, dealing with the swarms of people, waiting in excruciating long lines, paying full retail for your gifts.

We have a solution. You know what it is, don’t you?

Say it with me. Shopping. Online.

Breathe a long, contented sigh of relief. Slip into your comfy pants, sit by the fire, sip your coffee or hot chocolate, turn on your computer, make a few clicks and you are done! No lines, no masses of people, no traffic! And, not only are you done, but you saved money on everything you bought – because you shopped smart. You went to places like MrWatch and got up to 92% off the retail price.

So pat yourself on the back. Spend time with your family and friends. Actually enjoy the holiday.

You deserve it!

What Makes a Good Return Policy & What to Watch Out For

It seems like everyone has different return policies these days, and sometimes it can get downright confusing! Let me explain what is important to know, and what can send up red flags.

First, let me urge you to follow our number one rule before buying from anyone -- online or not -- make yourself aware of the return policy! I promise it is simple to do, and will save you tons of headache down the line. I feel the company you are purchasing from has an obligation to provide you products and good customer service. However, you as a customer also have an obligation to be aware of that company's policies before buying. Win-win.

Okay, now down to the components of a great return policy, and some warnings as well.

First, check out the length of the return period. 30 days to return is typical, however, sites with much better, longer return times exist. (Like us! Here at MrWatch you can return for 365 days -- that's right, a whole year!)

Then, look for the details regarding how you can return and what happens once your item can be returned. For example, find out if you can obtain a refund, or if exchanges are required. Also, find out if there are any qualifications you must meet before your item is returned.

I will admit it depends on the industry; however, you should be able to return an unworn, unused item for at least 30 days and obtain a refund. If you are not able to do that, this is a red flag. (Disclaimer: Some sites or products, for example, sites that sell Halloween costumes, do not provide refunds -- but this is understandable.)

However, it is reasonable that many sites, ours included, do not allow items to be returned once they are worn or used. What is the definition of worn or used then? Well, I can answer that for the watch industry. If you just try on your new watch, and decide that it is too heavy on your wrist, or you just don't like how it looks on your wrist -- promptly take it off and return it. That is not wear, and it perfectly understandable and acceptable.

If you take all of the tags and protective plastic coverings off the watch, and wear it for even a few hours, this constitutes wear. It makes sense, for after even a few hours a watch can become slightly scratched, etc and all honesty, it is now no longer a brand new watch.

What does that matter you ask? Many websites offer items at awesome low prices -- ours included! As a result, policies are generally in place to make sure those prices can remain as low as they are. Also, at least with our company, if we send customer returns back to the manufacturer, they must be in brand new, original condition. So, if you return a worn, used watch to us, we can't send it back to the manufacturer. Therefore, we would have to damage out that item -- which would raise our costs significantly, which would in turn, raise the prices on our items.

Whew! Okay, glad we explained that. Another policy you should be aware of is how the company handles problems with your order -- meaning, what do they do if you accidentally receive the wrong item, or the item you received is damaged or defective?

In this case, the right thing to do is for the company to take care of this for you right away, with the customer bearing no costs whatsoever. You should either already have or be provided with a prepaid return label to send the item back. Then, the correct or working item should be sent to you with no costs incurred by you, the customer. If a company you are dealing with has a policy where you incur costs at this stage, it is a red flag. (As you may have guessed, we at MrWatch take care of any situations like this ASAP and you are not responsible for any costs at all. We also provide a domestic prepaid return label in every shipment).

Okay, that was a lot of information -- but good information that hopefully helps you in the future. If you have any questions or comments please leave them below -- we want to hear from you!

Keep watching for our next post...........