Now I have previously moaned about what happened when I got my Pelagos wet. The bezel seized. Took it back to the AD that sent it off to the RSC. And that fixed the bezel.

But now, same issue with my BB bronze. On holiday. Took it in the sea, and the bezel gets all notchy. When it dries out Its ok. Not quite back to normal. I even washed it in clean water. But that doesn't help.

So, am I unlucky, or do Tudor not know how to make a bezel on their dive watches?

 

C'mon. You telling me no one else had had their bb wet?
Currently in Barcelona ( absolute fantastic city/beach) and had the bbb wet every day at least twice ( clean and sea water). Bezel become stiff/ notchy every time. Ok when dry, o.e. after 4 hours or so.
Back to the AD next week when back in the UK.

 

I did, and mine was very fine after two weeks of bathing with it. But I took care of the watch each evening (I rinsed it with soap to remove most of the salt)

 

My BBB ETA has been wet but I won't take it into the ocean, particularly if the conditions are rough, to avoid the risk of fine sand suspended in the water by wave action working its way into the wrong place or scratching the case -- sand is mainly quartz and is harder than steel and bronze. Barcelona is not ocean I know but sand probably still gets stirred up close to the seabed.

 

Seems very strange that basic use in water is an issue. Maybe others can elaborate if this their experience as well.

 

Thanks chaps ( I'm assuming you are chaps)
Not sure that my bbb' s issues are about sea water, or just about getting wet. Either was it doesn't matter. A dive watch should be capable of getting wet in sea water. ( where else is it likely to see pressures equivalent to 200m depth).

The fact that I'm seeing similar bezel issues with Tudor cant be just me? Hence the post.
4hrs after being in the sea/wet, all is well with the bezel again.

 

A friend of mine took his brand new BB to the sea and only after one day the bezel started pitting... He did get a repair under warranty but since then his opinion on the brand has changed. Cost of a Tudor is very cheap to his standards as the value of his collection (no vintage) should be close to $1M but he did not expect this to happen instantly.

 

I can deal with pitting. After all a bbb is expected to corrode. But seizing should be something else.
My cheapo seiko is fine in the sea.
This is a £2.8k watch. And apart from a notchy bezel is great. The bit I'm struggling with, is a dive watch that struggles in the water. Basic stuff?

 

My BBB and Pelagos have been diving with me in fresh water many times. No problems whatsoever, with the bezels or anything else. I seriously doubt it will have problems in salt water if you clean it in fresh water afterward, like all dive gear. The notion that Tudor never tested the BBB in salt water is doubtful, but them I never believe anything I read on watch forums anyway. FWIW, the Black Bays were made as dive watches for non-divers, since that seems to be the vast majority of the internet watch community. No extension clasp or crown guards are a giveaway they're not for true diving, unlike the Pelagos. Rolex would never make a "poser" dive watch; that's what their Tudor division is for. That said, if it says it's waterproof to 200 meters it is, and you can definitely dive with it. But they're not up to the same standards as the Pelagos or the Rolex divers.

 

@ScubaPro Not a shot at you, just the comment

It's a dive watch and made to wear in the sea, if you can't do that with it
Sand scratching the case

Live across the road from the beach and take the dogs walking all the time and have had a dive watch in the most turbulent part of the water almost daily. Lucky to get a rinse if I go for a swim in the salt water pool when home ( crocodiles and box jellyfish in ocean ) and never had a issue. It's a real dive watch thou

 

Just like suvs for city dwellers. Maybe an occasional puddle.

 

I've had my Black bay in the ocean and have had no issues whatsoever

 

Much as it pained reading @ScubaPro 's use of the word "poser" to describe owners of BB's, the BB isn't a true dive watch. As for your facepalms, okay go ahead and flog me, I'm just a wus with my BB coz I want to keep it nice & shiny and it doesn't like getting wet. ...

 

I’ve had my B.B. GMT in the sea for the last 3 weeks. Has been absolutely fine. Gets a bit gummed up with salt, sun cream etc but taking in the shower sorts that.

 

Haha. Now that is just bragging having a BB gmt!

I have also a BB s and g that has been no where near water yet. Only because it has the leather strap on it.

My bbb still dont like it when it is wet. Be that salt or clean water. It becomes real notchy. Feels really horrid. A few hours later, when dry, the bezel is back to being sweet. Strange I know. Sounds like I've been a bit unlucky.

 

I'd love to see some evidence that shows a significant number of BB's or other 'dive' watches that lack crown guards suffering because of it.

Are there pictures or reports of BB's, Seamaster 300MC or early Subs having problems with damaged crown tubes due to a lack of guards?

 

It must be seriously poor quality bronze to pit while swimming. I've seen numerous bronze boat fittings attached to a deck for decades without pitting.

 

@WatchWalker mentioned the bezel on his friends BB pitted but he may have been referring to the bezel insert which is probably aluminium, correct me if I'm wrong. When the OP referred to the BB Bronze being "meant to corrode" he most likely meant it is supposed to develop a patina as bronze does.

 

There are different bronze "formulas".

have fun
kfw

 

Yeah. Corrode=patina. Not in a bad way. Actually in a good way as the patina protects the bronze underneath from further corrosion. But like what makes stainless steel, stainless.
There is clearly something going on between my bezel and the watch case. And this is creating the notchyness. Cant be grit as it's ok when dry. And the gap between case and bezel is very small.