Aera Help Centre

316L stainless steel - also known as surgical steel - is used for the overwhelming majority of modern wristwatches. 904L Stainless steel - from which Aera watches are made - is known as a superalloy. 904L has more nickel, chromium, molybdenum and copper which makes it more expensive and harder to process. However it is more resistant to corrosion and pitting, which means a longer life for the case and a more durable finish, which is why it is used in the aerospace and chemical industries. Increased chromium content also gives the brushed surface a deeper, more lasting lustre whether polished or brushed. Yet it is still surprisingly rare in watchmaking. So it is for both practical and aesthetic reasons we decided to go the extra mile. 

Sadly not, at least, not in that way. The jewels are vital to the smooth running of a movement; they are the durable, friction-reducing bearings in which the pinions and other parts of a watch movement rotate. They are universally man-made because they are more consistent in quality and performance. 

‘Water resistant’ is the term used by an overwhelming majority of Swiss made brands since the 1960s, when the term waterproof was deemed illegal by the Federal Trade Commission in the USA. A watch is sealed with gaskets and may be subject to a wide variety of temperatures and humidity in daily use, which may affect its resistance to water pressure. 

The depth rating printed on the dial and caseback of your watch represents the degree of water pressure (expressed in metres below sea level) to which the watch, in normal conditions, will perform without problem. They are the water depth to which the watch has been rated. Both Aera watches are built to easily withstand short-term submersion in water including swimming and snorkelling. The Diver, however, is rated to 300m (or 30 bar) which means it offers greater resistance to water pressure and will function in normal conditions for swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving.