Okay, so here we go...   It is a lie that you cannot take reps into the water. But as with everything, one must exercise common sense. Replicas are not manufactured to the same standards as genuine watches.   If you wish to shower, swim, snorkel, or dive with your replicas, you should ALWAYS have your rep tested in a pressure chamber for water resistance. That is, if you care about the watch. Many people take reps into the water without realizing any tests whatsoever. They assume the risk that the watch will leak and be damaged. But if you are reading this because your question is, "can I take my rep into the water safely?" the ONLY way to answer that question is to have it tested.   Generally speaking watches with chrono-function should not be placed in water. The pushers cannot be sealed as effectively as a screw-down crown with o-ring. However, some pushers were designed to be water resistant (for example on the Omega Seamaster Professional Chronograph) and their repped counterparts share their water-resistant design characteristics. But again, the only way to know for sure if the watch will be resistant is to have it tested. And all watches, especially those with chrono pushers, should be tested each year. O-rings, seals, and gaskets can deteriorate over time.   Below appears a chart that serves as a guide to what resistance ratings correspond to what types of activities. As you will note, a rating of 50 meters does not mean that a watch is appropriate for diving to depths of 50 meters. This is because the ratings guides recognize that the conditions watches are subject to at 50 meters on the wrist of a diver are quite different than the STATIC pressure the watch is exposed to in a testing chamber. One can generate equivalent pressures on a watch, AT THE SURFACE OF A POOL. Slapping one's arms agressively against the surface of the water, for example, can generate extreme pressures at critical points of the watch. Similarly, movement of one's wrist while swiming at a depth of 10 meters can alter the local pressure considerably - either increasing or decreasing the pressure experienced by the watch, according to the type and force of the movement.   So, if you value your watch but would like to take it into the water, have it tested by your watchmaker. A test can frequently be performed for less than thirty or even twenty dollars and could well be worth the peace of mind it will buy you.