Dive Watches with Different Coloured Hands

[Speedy2254]

Something that has been bugging me, where dive watches have different coloured hour & minute hands, is there any convention (eg ISO 6425) that regulates the colour of each hand?
Most of the ones I've seen seem to have a white hour hand & an orange minute hand but is this universal?
Thanks,

[Sinnlover]

I don't think there is a convention or standard but lots of research has been undertaken in to what colours are most visible under water at various depths, for some reason people think orange is the colour that is easily visible underwater hence the orange minute hands, (and orange dials) however I have read research that contradicts this.
I suspect having a minute hand that is easily distinguished from the hour (or any other) hand on the dial is more useful underwater than simply using a diffrent colour.
I think Omega were the first to use the coloured hands on their PloProf, it was a pure tool watch where form followed function.

[apm101]

Often called 'Plogeur' hands. Fitted to alot of dive watches, as Sinnlover, points out, for visibility.

Orange was found to be the most prominent colour in murky water by the US Navy in 1967. Prominent minute hand is of more applicability to divers.

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/661156.pdf

- - - Updated - - -

Often called 'Plogeur' hands. Fitted to alot of dive watches, as Sinnlover, points out, for visibility.

Orange was found to be the most prominent colour in murky water by the US Navy in 1967. Prominent minute hand is of more applicability to divers.

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/661156.pdf

[Sinnlover]

As a synopsis (taken from the web and based on the research shared by apm101)

The best colours to use for visibility in water was shown by Luria et al.

A. For murky, turbid water of low visibility (rivers, harbours, etc.)

1. With natural illumination:
a. Fluorescent yellow, orange, and red.
b. Regular yellow, orange, and white.

2. With incandescent illumination:
a. Fluorescent and regular yellow, orange, red and white.

3. With a mercury light source:
a. Fluorescent yellow-green and yellow-orange.
b. Regular yellow and white.

B. For moderately turbid water (sounds, bays, coastal water).

1. With natural illumination or incandescent light source:
a. Any fluorescent in the yellows, oranges, and reds.
b. Regular yellow, orange, and white.

2. With a mercury light source:
a. Fluorescent yellow-green and yellow-orange.
b. Regular yellow and white.

C. For clear water (southern water,[clarification needed] deep water offshore, etc.).

1. With any type of illumination fluorescent paints are superior.
a. With long viewing distances, fluorescent green and yellow-green.
b. With short viewing distances, fluorescent orange is excellent.

2. With natural illumination:
a. Fluorescent paints.
b. Regular yellow, orange, and white.

3. With incandescent light source:
a. Fluorescent paints.
b. Regular yellow, orange, and white.

4. With a mercury light source:
a. Fluorescent paints.
b. Regular yellow, white.

The most difficult colours at the limits of visibility with a water background are dark colours such as grey or black.

[Topcat30093]

Often called 'Plogeur' hands. Fitted to alot of dive watches, as Sinnlover, points out, for visibility.

Orange was found to be the most prominent colour in murky water by the US Navy in 1967. Prominent minute hand is of more applicability to divers.

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/661156.pdf

- - - Updated - - -

Often called 'Plogeur' hands. Fitted to alot of dive watches, as Sinnlover, points out, for visibility.

Orange was found to be the most prominent colour in murky water by the US Navy in 1967. Prominent minute hand is of more applicability to divers.

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/661156.pdf

As a synopsis (taken from the web and based on the research shared by apm101)

The best colours to use for visibility in water was shown by Luria et al.

A. For murky, turbid water of low visibility (rivers, harbours, etc.)

1. With natural illumination:
a. Fluorescent yellow, orange, and red.
b. Regular yellow, orange, and white.

2. With incandescent illumination:
a. Fluorescent and regular yellow, orange, red and white.

3. With a mercury light source:
a. Fluorescent yellow-green and yellow-orange.
b. Regular yellow and white.

B. For moderately turbid water (sounds, bays, coastal water).

1. With natural illumination or incandescent light source:
a. Any fluorescent in the yellows, oranges, and reds.
b. Regular yellow, orange, and white.

2. With a mercury light source:
a. Fluorescent yellow-green and yellow-orange.
b. Regular yellow and white.

C. For clear water (southern water,[clarification needed] deep water offshore, etc.).

1. With any type of illumination fluorescent paints are superior.
a. With long viewing distances, fluorescent green and yellow-green.
b. With short viewing distances, fluorescent orange is excellent.

2. With natural illumination:
a. Fluorescent paints.
b. Regular yellow, orange, and white.

3. With incandescent light source:
a. Fluorescent paints.
b. Regular yellow, orange, and white.

4. With a mercury light source:
a. Fluorescent paints.
b. Regular yellow, white.

The most difficult colours at the limits of visibility with a water background are dark colours such as grey or black.

Thanks to you both for the insight on how different colours are affected by the different contrasts of the water.

[M4tt]

In my experience, at depth it is contrast that matters. Here's forty meters or so:



But ultimately, good lume and contrast is the best trick:



But flash really helps...

[Manxdiver]

I've found the best way to read your watch underwater in poor vis is to hold your torch against it for a few seconds before viewing. That way, no issues with colour of hands etc as you are going on the lume alone.

[Dougal]

Who needs contrast in a dive watch? Hands up!

[Routers]

Citizen seem to have followed the convention described by the OP in this case anyway.

[ralphy]

In my experience, at depth it is contrast that matters.
But ultimately, good lume and contrast is the best trick.

At depth, contrast is the most important criteria in ambient light, colour is only relevent if lit artificially.

109m.


R

[Speedy2254]

Thanks for the replies, I've been away from my phone, just catching up.

[bedlam]

Often called 'Plogeur' hands. Fitted to alot of dive watches, as Sinnlover, points out, for visibility.

Orange was found to be the most prominent colour in murky water by the US Navy in 1967. Prominent minute hand is of more applicability to divers.

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/661156.pdf

Orange was found to be the most prominent colour in murky water by the US Navy in 1967. Prominent minute hand is of more applicability to divers.

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/661156.pdf

The Luria research has been hilariously misunderstood and mis-applied by some watch companies. Most notably Doxa. Doxa's claims about orange and better visibility when diving are just embarrassing.

The colour-visibility question was tested in different water turbidities (murkiness) at a constant depth of 1.5m. 1.5m isn't diving and it turns out the findings don't apply to diving. As soon as you go deeper the water filters certain light frequency out and colours like red and orange are not visible.

In my experience high contrast is far more helpful than what specific colours you use of the dial or hands.

[pacchi]

Well, where I dive (Lake Zürich), like many other fellow divers said, contrast is the most important. Colours are not important below 30m as they are all gone. It is dark as night anyway and all is done with artificial lighting. Nowadays it is very rare I bring any watch with me as I have to carry 2 computers and a analog compass on my sleeves and deal with all the other equipment necessary to do deep Trimix dives.

[snowman]

Is there much to see in the lake?

M

Sent from my ASUS_X00PD using Tapatalk

[PSTW]

At depth, contrast is the most important criteria in ambient light, colour is only relevent if lit artificially.

109m.


R

Open circuit in a wetsuit at 109m?

Trimix with frozen testicles?

[joe narvey]

At depth, contrast is the most important criteria in ambient light, colour is only relevent if lit artificially.

109m.


R

What kit at that depth? I would have expected a Kirby Morgan down there

[PSTW]

What kit at that depth? I would have expected a Kirby Morgan down there

I’d have expected a drysuit for the cold and a rebreather, just for the ease. Looks a brave diver to me!

[snowman]

I’d have expected a drysuit for the cold and a rebreather, just for the ease. Looks a brave diver to me!

Well, if he's got a Wetsuit on, he's something, but Brave isn't the word that springs to mind

Unless it's somewhere lovely and warm, of course.

M

[bedlam]

Open circuit in a wetsuit at 109m?

Trimix with frozen testicles?

Depends where you dive. My last 100+m dive was open circuit in a wetsuit, in the north of Bali

109m open circuit would be pretty much a touch and go dive as you couldn't carry enough gas for more than 10mins bottom time (unless they had hang tanks, which I'm not a fan of).