I received an email last week from a nurse who had condensation under the crystal of her Aqua Terra quartz. She was local and was able to drive the watch over to me that morning, and here is what she brought:



Quick pressure test confirmed that the watch was not sealed properly:



Removed the movement - here you can see the condensation on the inside of the crystal - it was pretty heavy:



Movement went on the heating unit to see if it could be dried out:



Some time later after drying, on the timing machine and being powered by the machine. Consumption numbers, EOL, LWL all look fine, so it looks like the bullet was dodged:



New O-ring for case tube:



New crown, and case back gasket was replaced of course:



Pressure tests are all good:



Ready to be picked up:



I've restored a number of moisture damaged watches, usually after they are too far gone to do this kind of save with. It's nice to get one that doesn't cost the owner a ton of money for a change.

The key with this sort of thing is getting to someone who can resolve the problem as soon as you can. Doesn't matter if it's quartz or mechanical, quick action can save you lots of money.

Cheers, Al

 

Excellent advice, thanks Al.

 

Very interesting, but did she have any idea why the watch wasn't sealed as it should be?

 

I don't think she did, but the seals in the crown and case tube were shot...these parts don't last forever.

 

I guess there's no way the regular user can find out weather the seals are still good unless checked by a watchmaker?

 

Many jewelers and watchmakers will conduct a leak test for free or minimal charge. The thinking is that it drives traffic and people are more likely to pick up a new band or have a battery changed while they're in.

In NYC, the Omega boutique will do free pressure testing. Just the thing before heading off to your tropical summer destination.

 

Sure there is - take it into the water and see if it leaks. It's not the most cost effective way of finding out, but the watch user can do this.

As I've said before, seals work, right up until the time they don't. If you get your watch wet regularly, get it pressure tested regularly.

Cheers, Al

 

How old was this watch?

Understanding that gasket life can vary regardless of age...

 

i get get my watches pressure tested annually and gaskets changed every other year just for my peace of mind. At the very least, the gaskets should be changed at time of service but I'd never, ever trust a watch that long. My schedule is a bit overly cautious but I'll spend a few dollars a year to avoid this sort of damage.

 

I didn't ask, but the serial number is 9010XXXX. It's not really old by any means....

Regular pressure testing is cheap insurance...

 

I'm curious, did she recall getting the watch wet, or did this just spontaneously occur?

 

She said she left it on the counter in the bathroom while she had a shower, and then noticed it was fogged later in the day. I'm guessing it was likely due to her washing he hands, at some point rather than the shower - the watch was clearly leaking at the crown.