Well, it is truly hard to type this out, but I'm in need of some consoling. Today I lost my 3 week old Seamaster diver...in the sea. It's an embarrassing and anticlimactic story: I live in Boston and was out with a buddy on his sailboat in the harbor just cruising around to the Boston harbor islands. The watch has been slightly too tight since I got it and needed an adjustment. I just haven't found the time to get downtown yet to a watch store.

Foolishly, I was messing with the dive extension to give me some relief and while climbing back into the boat after a little dip where we moored, I must have not done the clasp right like a total amateur and knocked my hand against the hull climbing in and the watch slipped right off my wrist and immediately disappeared in the water. Armed with nothing but goggles I tried desperately to look for it but we were easily in 15 feet or deeper waters and there was no chance.

Luckily I did insure right when I got it with Jewelers Mutual, so I'll set up a claim Monday morning when they open. It doesn't do much to alleviate the pain though as this watch already had special meaning to me! (My kid already banged it around and marked it as a family heirloom). Has anyone else lost a watch so quickly?!

 

Call a local dive shop and see if they have anyone with an underwater metal detector that wants to make a little money.

 

This was our first idea. We were way out in the harbor though, almost where it opens up. Is it still possible? It just seems so big, I'm not even sure how to find exactly where we were.

I know next to nothing about such things. I'm barely a sailboat guy- I was really just along for the fun and to actually swim with my dive watch.

 

when you said "where we moored" made me think the sailboat was tied on a buoy that you could go back to and search.. ????

 

Yes it was a mooring out between two of the outer harbor islands. I can surely find the general area if someone took me back there, but we are talking about the Atlantic Ocean here. I'm just overwhelmed, don't really know where to start, and don't exactly have the cash to spend on paying a dive crew (how much does that cost??). There's probably tons of metal scraps and lord knows what lying around the floor of the Boston harbor. It just feels impossible.

The bottom line is - I hope - my insurance should cover this loss and replace the watch. Somehow that just doesn't make me feel any better right now.

 

bummer! let us know how the claim process goes and final outcome, good luck!

 

I will be sure to report. I've read nothing but good feedback about Jewelers Mutual. Can't see them denying it unless there's a stupidity clause...but I'm pretty sure stupidity is why we get insurance in the first place! A vicious cycle...

 

If you where at a mooring in the harbor which is what I assumed it would be fairly easy.

 

This is way you get insurance ... Stuff like this can happen to anybody...it will all end up ok...
In Boston this weekend... I ll go diving tomorrow and if I find will let you know

 

While I am unable to offer any advice on diving, sailing, nor tracking down your lost watch; I offer my sincere sympathy. If I wasn't on the opposite side of the country, beers would be on me.

 

Please don't take this as cheeky or aggressive but: the Boston harbor is pretty huge. We were down the channel a bit not far from where it opens up to blue ocean waters. Even if I could find the exact spot, it would take hours if not days of searching, and I'm not sure it would yield results. Not to mention the cost of employing a diver full time.

 

I've read Jewelers mutual will drop people fast after one claim. I hope this doesn't happen to me! Have fun in Boston and let me know what you find

 

I know it is not going to help, but here is the great story of watch recovery after 14 months in the water:
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/a-rolex-submariner-lost-at-sea-recovered-14-months-later

P.S. For this reason, I have my Seiko SKX007 handy, when I go to a Cape.Hopefully insurance company will take care of it. Let us know!


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If you were to have someone with a metal detector or someone with a diving suit on site at that specific moment I think you would have had time to find it.
Now that significant time has passed chances are the watch is not in the same place it fell/landed.
Some day, someone will find your watch (son of a ...).

 

A mooring. Easy
Going back a few days later it will still be within the area and ok

Go to a dive shop and ask around for anyone that dives frequently. Offer a few hundred $$$

 

Nope not at all. My feeling was you where in a fixed mooring in 15-20 feet of water based on your description which makes a pretty easy search of about a 45 foot radius.

As your where not in a fixed mooring it complicates the issue. And free diving down trying to find something that buried in the silt is nigh impossible.

 

...And if you're don't get the local divers looking, at least share the location here! I still have a few weeks of holiday I need to take this year

(sorry to hear about your loss, naturally!)

 

If I were a real dickhead, I'd give the OP a custom avatar message about this situation.

 

So sorry to hear this - but remember that it could happen to any of us (and it has, from time to time). Attempting a search and rescue sounds reasonable to me, based on what's been posted above ... you could arrange that at the same time that you file a claim, and return the check uncashed if the watch is found within a week or two. Just a thought.

As soon as you get a replacement (if that's what happens), hand it to your son ... maybe he'll give it another distinctive feature

 

Something tells me you already have one in mind ...