Technical Specifications of Nixon Dive Watches

Nixon dive watches are fashionable and functional and are available in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. There are several dive-standard Nixon watches, including the men's 51-30, the men's 51-30 chronograph, the men's 51-30 leather chronograph and the men's 51-30 leather chronograph. The men's 51-30 diver's watch is available in several colors such as black, gold and chrome.

  1. Water Resistance

    • Diving watches need to be resistant to water and functional under water at a pressure higher than that of ordinary atmospheric pressure. The men's 51-30 dive watch is functional up to 300 meters below the surface. Physical vapor deposition -- or PVD -- is a way of coating the watch to make it hard-wearing, resistant to corrosion and less susceptible to tarnishing. PVD surfaces, formed by a specialized type of electroplating technology, are also resistant to ultraviolet radiation, making them even more useful in dive conditions. The layer of deposit required is only around .3 microns, according to PVD Coatings.

    Materials

    • Nixon 51-30 watches have casings made from gold-plated metal using PVD technology and cost around $500. The PVD layer is usually applied on top of a nickel or nickel-chromium electroplate layer. Ceramic 51-30 men's watches are more expensive -- at around $2,600 -- because ceramic is a more expensive material to work with. Each watch has a stainless steel skeleton and butterfly buckle strap, an external rotating ceramic bezel with a countdown timer, scratch-resistant sapphire crystals and a custom-numbered case-back with hardened mineral crystal windows and a ceramic screw crown at the 9 o'clock position.

    Movement

    • Nixon dive watches are powered by quartz, which are Swiss-made, mechanical three-hand movements with a date, automatic winding, sweeping seconds and 25 jewels.

    Dimensions

    • The dive-watch casing measures 51 millimeters -- in width from left side to right side, including the crown -- by 15 mm in depth or thickness. Very thick, deep watches measure 13 millimeters or more, so this diving watch is highly durable and sturdy. The strap is designed in the form of a metal "bracelet" and can be freely sized for each wearer. Straps are usually 25 mm wide. The clasp is a push-button mechanism. The chronograph function allows the user to measure time like a stop-watch, which can be useful during diving.

    Extras

    • Most Nixon watches come with a presentation box and a two-year guarantee. The 51-30 leather chronograph dive watch comes with high-visibility hour markers and larger side buttons, to make it more accessible and usable in sporting, outdoor environments.