Annual water resistance test questions

The only time I've had water damage was with a Breitling Colt A17380 after I washed my hands with the crown unscrewed. Damage happened in 2019, watch was purchased used in 2016, and I think production for that model ended in 2010? Never serviced as far as I knew, so well overdue for a service.

For my resistance testing in general, I just ask for the watch I'm wearing to be tested whenever I visit the boutique for some other reason.

I dont swim with a watch on anyway, I'm more worried about accidentally smacking it into something.

And again, limited experience with this, but the Breitling I had to send in for service didnt require any additional cost beyond their standard full service cost. I assume with modern watches, you'd have to let it sit with moisture for a significant amount of time before you cause damage that requires repairs beyond a normal service. So even if I did neglect a watch for too long and some water got in, I'm not out any extra money or time compared to if I pre-emptively sent it in for service. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Yes, exactly what Omega states:

Typical dry testing equipment tops out at 10 bar, so 100 m. But the test is in 2 stages. The first is a vacuum test, done at -0.7 bar. Since water pressure on a watch can sometimes aid in sealing it (with a smaller leak) the vacuum test is in my view, the more important one. It is basically letting you know that under no pressure at all, like with a splash for washing your hands or immersion in water of a few cm's, that the watch will not leak.

Once the vacuum test is completed, the watch is subjected to the pressure test at +10 bar.

This is for watches that are rated for at least 100 m. For watches rated to lower pressures, like the Speedmaster Pro, the vacuum and pressure tests use different numbers.

If you want to go above 100 m, then it's a whole different series of steps involved, using water under high pressures - this is a test where a failure means water gets in the case. I generally only do this type of test when doing a full service, and after replacing all the seals.