agree 100%. People in the watch community are far too cavalier about taking the case back off to take pictures of the movement — my favorites are the ones where they completely uncase the movement and hold it in their unprotected hands!

I have sold a few higher-value watches in the past where buyers have asked for a movement picture. I have always agreed, but also always tell them by removing the caseback I will no longer guarantee any water resistance, nor accept returns if they subsequently find particles of dust in the watch, as I am not a watchmaker in a clean room.

 

In a closely but probably totally different industry, we didn't have mops (swabs) but we had a collection of handles for this very purpose. While not supercritical, the steam was operated at a high enough pressure to cause extreme burns and high pressure injection wounds.

 

Unscrew the crown, pull it out all the way to set position.
Put in a vacuum chamber take it down a few bars for 8 hrs.
Should do the trick.
If you can undo the back, warm it up to the touch with a hair dryer a minute or two.
Let cool down to ambient temp, put back on, wind er up set, screw crown down & go.
Look close at the crown threads they may be worn or corroded.
That may be a sign, time for new crown & tube.

 

Yep, thought of tht. But they did not turn on the oven. They used the heat from the pilot light.
Similar on stove top between the burners.
Problem, unless you are living retro, 50 - 70's, no pilot lights.
Pieso ignition. Makes it harder to have a house go to pieces if pilot light goes out.

 

You probably saved yorself some monies by getting some of the moisture out.
So, all was not lost in effort.

 

You should see some of the Rolex watches that come in for service.
They uscrew the crown to set local time on aircraft arival.
Hurry check in, jump in the ocean.....####$$$$****
That said, Rolex puts there Oyster case in this long pressure chamber.
Fill it with water, never mentioned pressure applied.
But, pulled out a failed unit. There was nothing absolutley 0 parts salvageable.
It was a flat liner-------
Don't feel bad. Just don't do it again.
I tighten my crown & put it under tap water to clean the dirt off all the time.
Some times liquid soap & soft tooth brush. I have seen enough gime from watches and bands.
Yuckee Pucky

 

Like the Omega in question here, a Rolex should have water resistance even with the crown unscrewed. If it leaked, then the seal was either missing or had deteriorated due to lack of proper servicing. Lack of servicing is the most common cause of watches leaking, not leaving the crown unscrewed.

Cheers, Al

 

Why would you say that.
But, correct the gaskets, O-Rings dry out after years of exposure to the natural & human environment.
I just don't want to go down to 300m, can't hold my breath and what little you have would be force out by the external pressure.

 

Folks were right, ( Can't take me any where! )

 

Valid points. New case back gasket for sure. But, rather open the case up dry it out to prevent rusting.
Unscrewing the back without damaging, very likely....
All said & done it will still need service. Agreed watch the show.....
Mike

 

Because people are often under the impression that if a screw down crown is left unscrewed, there essentially a big hole in the case that water can enter, which would only be the case if the design of the crown sealing system was very poor.

Here's a Seasmeter:



Dry pressure test using -0,7 bar vacuum, and +10 bar pressure - obviously passes fine with the crown screwed down:



Crown unscrewed:



Passes the same pressure testing:





Crown pulled out to the setting position:



Passes the same pressure testing:



I've serviced a lot of flooded watches, and most end up with water in them from people washing their hands, so not even going into a pool let alone taking the watch diving. All these had the crowns screwed down when they leaked:









Regular pressure testing and replacement of the seals are what's most important in keeping water out of the watch.

Cheers, Al