Dive Watch

Before you take your new watch out diving, make sure you follow these expert tips.

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ScubaLab's 2014 Gear Guide is filled with the cream of the crop in BCs, dive computers, regulators, underwater cameras, masks, snorkels, fins, wetsuits, drysuits and everything else you need to complete your dive kit. It also has gear maintenance tips, explanations about the important features on every category of gear, and a behind-the-scenes look at how ScubaLab tests gear. One of the most-popular sections in the Gear Guide offers tips on what to do with your gear after you buy it — what we call "Out of the Box." Here: Prepping your new dive watch.

**1. Become familiar **with the metal ring or bezel that goes around the face of the watch. The bezel should also be tight enough that it needs some effort
to move it around the dial. You’ll feel it go against the internal indents as you move it.

2. Test out the bezel to make sure it is easy to hold. There usually are indentations on the outer edge of the bezel to give you a firm grasp and make it easier to move.

3. If you like to wear your scuba watch on top of your wetsuit, check to make sure the strap will fit around the wetsuit that you usually wear. If it doesn’t fit, the watch maker might have included extensions that lengthen the strap.

4. It’s worth reading the manual. Today’s dive watches have lots of functions that are practical and useful — or just downright cool. Reading up on the details of your new watch is the best way to get the most out of it.

Tips for Maintaining Your Dive Watch | VIDEO: 60 Second ScubaLab