Okay, so I’ve been seeing this “3ATM water resistant” thing on watches lately, and I got curious. What’s it really mean? I decided to dig in and do some testing of my own to figure it out.
First off, I grabbed one of my old watches that says “3ATM” on the back. I read online that it doesn’t really mean it’s waterproof. Yeah, it’s more like splash-proof. Rain is probably okay, but don’t go swimming with it or anything.
I started with a simple test. I ran the watch under the faucet for a few seconds, just to simulate some rain. I made sure to dry it off right away. It seemed fine. No water got inside, and it was still ticking.
Next, I wanted to try something a little more intense. I filled a bowl with water and just let a few drops fall onto the watch face. I quickly wiped off the water. I did this a few times. Still good, no problems there.
- Splashes are okay: Washing hands, getting caught in the rain – that kind of stuff seems fine.
- Don’t submerge it: I definitely wouldn’t wear this watch in the shower or while swimming. It’s not meant for that.
- It’s not for diving: 3ATM is nowhere near enough for any kind of diving or water sports.
Here’s what I figured out:
I even read somewhere that if all you’re doing is getting splashed a bit, 3ATM or 5ATM is probably enough. But if you’re into swimming or working out and sweating a lot, you’d need something with a higher rating.
So, yeah, that’s my little experiment with a 3ATM water resistant watch. I wouldn’t trust it for anything more than a few splashes. If you need a watch for more serious water activities, you’re gonna want to look for something with a higher water resistance rating, not just “3ATM”. It isn’t really waterproof.
