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Thread: Dive watches with depth guage

  1. #1
    Master MarkO's Avatar
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    Dive watches with depth guage

    Anyone with any experience with the Citizen Aqualand?
    I prefer the analog display rather than the various options with the small LCD on the dial as I doubt I would be able to read it even with the magnification from the mask.

    Also interested in comments on any other dive watches with depth gauge.



    http://www.citizenwatch.com/en-ca/wa...del=BN2029-01E


    Can be had at about $450 rather than RRP

  2. #2
    Grand Master Sinnlover's Avatar
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    I have been tempted by the Oris diver with depth gauge several times. It's a feature on watches that I find fascinating.
    One small problem though....
    I can't swim...
    ;-)

  3. #3
    Grand Master snowman's Avatar
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    I struggle to think of a use for this though - Free diving maybe?

    Does the depth gauge act as a tell-tale 'deepest' marker?

    If you're scuba diving, get a much cheaper gauge and watch/timer to back up your computer.

    M.

    PS It does look quite cool though

  4. #4
    Craftsman Bazz's Avatar
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    I've had this analogue model for quite a few years, and I find the depth gauge a useful back-up to my dive computer as it's very accurate.
    Only snag is, they don't like cold water much. It rips into the battery life, so UK diving means a battery every eighteen months or so.
    I still prefer this design to the new ones though.


  5. #5
    Master MarkO's Avatar
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    Warm water and solar power cover any battery issues, the people I go with supply everything so this is more in the back up / toy / cool gadget category.

    I have 7 weeks here solo no kids and friends who own a dive company. I don't freedive but could be a bit of fun to see how deep I go just snorkeling.

    Clearly a monster so I'm not looking at this as a desk diver!

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by MarkO View Post
    I don't freedive but could be a bit of fun to see how deep I go just snorkeling.
    I would strongly recommend taking free diving training rather than just trying to test your own limits. And that means professional training from a certified instructor.

    R
    Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.

  7. #7
    Master MarkO's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ralphy View Post
    I would strongly recommend taking free diving training rather than just trying to test your own limits. And that means professional training from a certified instructor.

    R
    No, to be clear I'm just talking surface to coral head - so probably <10m.

    We have some freediving here - Tanya Streeter used to dive here - I have a friend who did the safety diver role for some of her dives here. Not how I want to die thanks !

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by MarkO View Post
    No, to be clear I'm just talking surface to coral head - so probably <10m.

    We have some freediving here - Tanya Streeter used to dive here - I have a friend who did the safety diver role for some of her dives here. Not how I want to die thanks !
    Well if you get the opportunity for some pro training at any time I'd highly recommend it, apart from the safety aspect it'll really help you get a lot more out of being under the water. I did a day earlier this week and it was great to get back into it after nearly a years absence.

    R
    Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by snowman View Post
    I struggle to think of a use for this though - Free diving maybe?

    Does the depth gauge act as a tell-tale 'deepest' marker?
    Much more for scuba than free diving IMO. The ascent alarm would be going off constantly and I don't think the sampling rate would give an accurate depth for free diving.

    R
    Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.

  10. #10
    Master ghosty's Avatar
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    the Oris is a nice watch, I've ummed and ahhhed about it several times, also I LOVE the Fifty Fathoms X. a total do all watch for diving, don't think I can get the coin together for it though... I like the IWC as well - the deep 2.

  11. #11
    Master Skier's Avatar
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    I've had a Citizen Aqualand for around 20 years, specifically this one:



    It's used as a back-up when holiday diving and I have found it utterly reliable, simple to use and easy to read. I would try to borrow one with the LCD display to see if you can read it comfortably (or get a mask with corrective lenses). I have various dive computers and D Timers and which combination I use is dependent on what sort of diving: from 20m scooby doo'ing along a reef to 100m + using a CCR and Trimix but the convenience of something watch sized when travelling is hard to beat.

    I once acted as a safety diver for a free diving competition off Cyprus in the early noughties; it was weird seeing the divers appear at between 80 to 100m with nothing as I'm there thinking about all the deco I will be completing before surfacing even with the benefit of using an Inspiration CCR.

  12. #12
    I use a Tissot Sea-Touch for scuba and freediving.



    Bonus: it's orange.

  13. #13
    Master thegoat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sinnlover View Post
    I have been tempted by the Oris diver with depth gauge several times. It's a feature on watches that I find fascinating.
    One small problem though....
    I can't swim...
    ;-)
    Don't bother.
    Always at least a metre out on the depth. Difficult to read in bright blue water so Gawd alone knows what it'd be like in the British murk.
    Lovely watch though.

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