Is the Fossil Gen 5 waterproof?

Best answer: Yes, Fossil Gen 5 is rated 3 ATM, which means the watch is rated to work in depths up to 30 meters, or 100 feet.

• The water's fine: Fossil Gen 5 ($295 at Amazon

No aquaphobia here

Consumer gadgets are inherently fragile. We have to worry about cracking the screen, getting them dirty, and keeping them dry. Smartwatches most definitely fall into those same categories. The good thing is that most smartwatch manufacturers are starting to produce watches that have durability for drops as well as water — and some even look good while doing it. Fossil's latest line of Gen 5 watches may not have military-grade durability just yet, but thankfully it's added some water-resistance since the last iteration.

A typical rating for most phones and watches that do include a form of water resistance is IP67 or IP68, which means they're rated to work up to depths of 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. It's best to think of these as splash-proof. Fossil stepped up the water-resistance rating on its Gen 5 line up of watches by going all the way to 3 ATM, which means you'll get protection up to 30 meters, or 100 feet. Wear OS even has some apps that are specifically designed for swim tracking, which would pair nicely.

Fossil goes so far as saying:

Wash your hands, jump into the shower or hit the pool without fear. Your smartwatch will be safe and sound.

This means you can most likely wear your watch everywhere you go, even while swimming. It's great to see OEM's taking a little extra effort to do a better job "life proofing" these devices.

Going under

Fossil Gen 5

$295 at Amazon

Splish Splash

The Gen 5 line of Fossil watches are great-looking timepieces, with a style that can be assumed as delicate. While you don't want to use them as your next deep-sea diving watch, you can safely take them swimming or showering.