Man loses Apple Watch Ultra in lake, finds it is working even after 3 months

A man lost his Apple Watch Ultra in a lake and gave up hope of ever getting it back. Surprisingly, it was recovered three months later from the bottom of the lake, and it was still working!

The Apple Watch Ultra marked its biggest durability test when a user accidentally dropped it at the bottom of the lake. (Unsplash)

We have heard Apple talk about the durability of the Apple Watch Ultra at the launch event. Many reviewers have also affirmed the claims by putting it through tough outdoor routines. However, in a recent event, the Apple Watch Ultra marked its biggest durability test when a user accidentally dropped it in a lake. While the Apple Watch Ultra does come with water resistance up to a depth of 100 meters (twice that of the Apple Watch Series 9, at 50 meters), not many would have expected it to survive in a lake after staying underwater for three entire months. But, according to a report, that is exactly what happened.

9to5Mac narrated the incident that occurred with Amir Noorani, a reader of the website. As per the report, Noorani, a user of the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra, took it along with him on a trip to Austin, US. There, he decided to go for water-based recreational activities at Lake Travis such as boating, swimming, and scuba diving. During one such scuba diving exploration, the watch band came off and the Apple Watch Ultra sank to the bottom of the lake.

Apple Watch Ultra displays remarkable durability

The Apple Watch Ultra comes with special straps that do not come off easily. However, in this instance, Noorani was wearing a silicon band that did come off. The unfortunate incident occurred when he was at a depth of 30 feet (roughly 9 meters), and he helplessly watched the smartwatch sink to the bottom. Even as he tried to grab it while it fell, it was of no use.

“I ended up hiring a scuba diver after dropping a marker but they were unable to find it,” he told 9to5Mac.

At this point, there really was not much he could do. So, as a last resort, he enabled Lost Mode on his Apple Watch through the Find My app on his iPhone. This would show a message to anyone who finds it later and will help get it back to the owner. After that, Noorani returned to his home in Los Angeles.

Surprisingly, someone did end up finding it and contacted Noorani to come pick it up. But this happened after a period of three months.

“Three months later I received a call that they found the watch. I live in Los Angeles but my brother was able to meet the diver and retrieve the watch,” Noorani said. The Apple Watch Ultra was covered in grime and dirt, which he was able to remove with some effort, most of it, anyway.

But did it turn on? It did not immediately, but after charging the smartwatch for multiple days, it finally turned on. “[It is] a testament to Apple's engineering,” said Noorani.