Not sure if you can swim, shower or dive with your watch? Pick its water-resistance rating and what you want to do, and this checker gives a clear yes, no, or caution with the reason. The short version: 50m is for splashes, 100m for swimming, and 200m+ with an ISO 6425 rating for scuba.
1. Your watch’s rating
2. What do you want to do?
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Frequently asked
Can you swim with a 50m water resistant watch?
Only lightly. 50m (5 ATM) handles handwashing, rain and the occasional shallow swim, but it is borderline for regular swimming. For routine pool or sea swimming choose 100m or higher.
Can you shower with a watch?
Even on 100m+ watches it is best not to. The problem in a shower is not depth but heat and soap, which age the rubber gaskets faster than cold water. Take it off before a hot shower.
Is 100m water resistance enough to swim?
Yes. 100m / 10 ATM is the sensible minimum for regular swimming and casual snorkeling. For scuba you want 200m or more with an ISO 6425 dive rating and ideally a screw-down crown.
What does ATM mean on a watch?
ATM (atmospheres) is a pressure rating: 1 ATM ≈ 10 metres of static pressure. So 10 ATM is marked as 100m. Note the rating is a lab test under static pressure, so real-world safe activity is more conservative than the number suggests.
Why is my "water resistant" watch not waterproof?
No watch is permanently waterproof. Seals age, crowns get left unscrewed, and heat or impact can breach them, so ratings describe tested resistance when new and well maintained, not a lifetime guarantee.
Dig deeper
Reference data
| Rating | Activity | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30m | Handwashing / splashes | Caution | Fine for the odd splash, but keep it out of submersion. 30m is "splash resistant", not for washing up over a full sink. |
| 30m | Rain | Caution | Light rain is OK; do not submerge or jet water at it. |
| 30m | Hot shower | No | No. Steam, hot water and soap degrade the seals. |
| 30m | Pool / sea swimming | No | No. 30m will not survive swimming. |
| 30m | Snorkeling | No | No. |
| 30m | Scuba diving | No | No. |
| 50m | Handwashing / splashes | Yes | Yes, handwashing and splashes are fine. |
| 50m | Rain | Yes | Yes, rain is no problem. |
| 50m | Hot shower | No | Avoid it. Hot water and soap age the gaskets faster than cold submersion. |
| 50m | Pool / sea swimming | Caution | Light, shallow swimming only, and ideally not regularly. 50m is borderline for real swimming. |
| 50m | Snorkeling | No | No, step up to 100m+. |
| 50m | Scuba diving | No | No. |
| 100m | Handwashing / splashes | Yes | Yes. |
| 100m | Rain | Yes | Yes. |
| 100m | Hot shower | Caution | Possible but not recommended; heat is the real enemy of seals, so keep it off in hot showers. |
| 100m | Pool / sea swimming | Yes | Yes, 100m is the sensible minimum for regular swimming. |
| 100m | Snorkeling | Caution | OK for casual snorkeling; for frequent use a screw-down crown helps. |
| 100m | Scuba diving | No | No, scuba needs 200m+ and ISO 6425. |
| 200m | Handwashing / splashes | Yes | Yes. |
| 200m | Rain | Yes | Yes. |
| 200m | Hot shower | Caution | It will survive, but heat still ages seals, so why risk it. |
| 200m | Pool / sea swimming | Yes | Yes, comfortably. |
| 200m | Snorkeling | Yes | Yes. |
| 200m | Scuba diving | Yes | Yes for recreational scuba, ideally with a screw-down crown and an ISO 6425 rating. |
| 300m | Handwashing / splashes | Yes | Yes. |
| 300m | Rain | Yes | Yes. |
| 300m | Hot shower | Caution | Fine in practice; heat is the only reason to skip it. |
| 300m | Pool / sea swimming | Yes | Yes. |
| 300m | Snorkeling | Yes | Yes. |
| 300m | Scuba diving | Yes | Yes, including deeper recreational and technical diving. |
Daniel Hart is the editor of Watch The Watch. He researches and writes the site’s buying guides, brand comparisons, and explainers, focused on accessible, enthusiast-level watches — affordable automatics, divers, field and dress watches, everyday quartz, and the straps, winders and tools that go with them. The goal is practical, budget-aware advice that helps readers choose the right watch for their wrist and their budget. Recommendations draw on manufacturer specifications and the wider enthusiast community.