Seamaster exposed to water with unscrewed crown

Donn Chambers · Sep 15, 2021

Foo2rama
What if it is humid when you open it?

do you have gasket grease to reseal it?

how can you be sure all moisture is out?

do you have a tool that will not scratch the case?

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.

josiahg52 · Sep 16, 2021

MRC
Hmmmm, steam is still water. Past the critical point (needs very high pressure and very high temperature) H2O becomes a gas and can be compressed, unlike water. Molecule size doesn't change, they're just closer together, cuddling up as it were. However exposing my watch to that I'd be more worried that there would be no flesh or muscle left, and possibly heavily eroded bone, to support the watch. So it would fall off onto the tiles in the base of the shower. And haven't we had many stories here of the damage that would do?

I was apprenticed in an industry that ran at those temperatures & pressures and one of the first thing we were told was not to put a hand near a leak of any sort even if you couldn't see it.

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.

Out of TIME! · Sep 16, 2021

vadimo
For unknown reasons first time in 8 years my watch somehow crown got unscrewed and I taken shower with the watch.

The Crown was not pulled out to the date settings

At what point of operating crown the seal gets exposed ?

No visible water damage currently

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.

Out of TIME! · Sep 16, 2021

Doc Olives
Note: this is definitely what NOT to do, but I can vividly remember my father taking a Geneve from the 60s or 70s he had, and after seeing condensation inside the crystal, opening the stem all the way and … placing it in the oven to dry out. Yes, putting it in the oven around 350 or so… I’m imagining @Archer falling out of his chair while reading this…

Anyway, hopefully no damage done and definitely don’t take my father’s advice on this one. And in case you’re wondering, I’ve still got that Geneve, and there might be a wee bit of moisture damage to the dial.

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.

Out of TIME! · Sep 16, 2021

mrbreen
Some years ago I got caught biking home in a torrential Midwest downpour whilst wearing a vintage monocoque Seamaster (Yes, I know). It took on moisture so I hovered it over a low wattage bulb and let the condensation collect to the crystal. I then popped the crystal and wiped it clean. Moisture problem solved… or so I thought. 2 weeks later, it stopped running and was subsequently serviced. All’s well that ends well.

Your watch on the other hand, is probably just fine 😀

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

Out of TIME! · Sep 16, 2021

vadimo
For unknown reasons first time in 8 years my watch somehow crown got unscrewed and I taken shower with the watch.

The Crown was not pulled out to the date settings

At what point of operating crown the seal gets exposed ?

No visible water damage currently

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

Archer · Sep 16, 2021

Out of TIME!
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.....####$$$$****

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

Out of TIME! · Sep 16, 2021

Archer
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. ::facepalm1::

Out of TIME! · Sep 16, 2021

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

Out of TIME! · Sep 16, 2021

Donn Chambers
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.

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

Archer · Sep 17, 2021

Out of TIME!
Why would you say that.

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

Seamaster exposed to water with unscrewed crown

Donn Chambers

josiahg52

Out of TIME!

Out of TIME!

Out of TIME!

Out of TIME!

Archer

Out of TIME!

Out of TIME!

Out of TIME!

Archer

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