Pressure testing at home... do I dare?

[aakprrt]

So, I posted a mini review of my new-to-me Yema LE bronze diver the other week. I bought it from a fellow on Chrono24 who got it on the Kickstarter and really did not wear it. Got the whole kit, papers, etc. Was very clearly in as-new condition. I love it!

But...

I wrote about the wobble on the crown. And I sent a video to Yema for their feedback. Their response was that while some crown wobble is OK in a dive watch, they have concerns about the water resistance and suggested I not take the watch into the water until I have it tested. (I've also asked if they'd repair it if it fails, even though it's technically out of warranty. We'll see.)

My local watch repair shop is friendly but not reliable. I could drop it off to be tested and not see it again for five weeks.

Because the internet makes everyone a genius I watched a bunch of pressure test videos online, learned what to do and what not to do, and am now contemplating spending ~150 on Amazon to buy a pressure test contraption and do it myself.

Is this a terrible idea? For the record, I am a technically competent and intelligent individual so this would not be total buffoonery on my part.

My good friend @Dsloan recommends I tag @Archer in this post!

KL

 

[Dan S]

Could you link the pressure test device that you are considering?

 

[ExpiredWatchdog]

I can tell you from personal experience that a low pressure wet tester won't find a leak that a dive will. Granted, you have to have just the right leak, but those happen.

I'd find another watchmaker if I were you. One who has a Witschi tester. It measures deflection of the crystal under pressure (actually the change in deflection as the pressure changes upon leakage).

 

[sonicosa]

This cane up in another thread, so figured I’d bump this one and see if @aakprrt can share the device they were looking at.

@Annapolis

 

[Archer]

You can pressure test at home, if you have the right equipment. I'm guessing you are looking at a cheap version of this:



These can be effective, and are typically limited to 6 bar pressure, although I used to have one that would do 10 bar:



The idea is that you pressurize the watch above the water line, let the watch sit for a while, then turn the valve to release the pressure, and then plunge the watch into the water. If the watch leaked, air would not be escaping out of the place where it entered, and when that is happening, water doesn't enter. You just have to bring the watch back up above the weather line, before the pressure gets back to atmosphere.

6 or 10 bar is certainly fine for swimming, and frankly most diving.

But these machines have some risk, since they do use water. If the leak is large, it ay never really pressurize the inside of the watch (which you wouldn't know) and then when you push the watch into the water, it could enter the case.

The other risk, which is more frequent, is that there is a leak and the machine works fine, but the crystal blows out of the case. If this happens while under water, it is very bad. Even if it happens above water, which has happened to me, the splash that the crystal makes can cause water to get on the hands and dial.

I know a few watchmakers who do a lot of quartz battery replacing whop use these, but only at the request of the customer, and only after they have informed them of the risks, and the customer has agreed to have the crystal removed and reinstalled to make sure it's solidly in place.

 

[aakprrt]

This is very helpful, thank you. Given the potential risk I may try to find another watch repair service in my area that is more reliable than my current one. Maybe they will have a faster turnaround time.

 

[Archer]

aakprrt

This is very helpful, thank you. Given the potential risk I may try to find another watch repair service in my area that is more reliable than my current one. Maybe they will have a faster turnaround time.

A dry test only takes a couple of minutes...it should be a "do it while you wait" sort of thing...