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Sterilizing my omega with UV light box- safe?

The_Tikbalang
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Hi friends,

I would like to ask if its safe for my seamaster PO to be exposed to UV light boxes for sanitation purposes? In this time of the COVID pandemic, i use my watch daily at work.

Your thoughts and suggestions are most welcome.

thanks!
 
rbob99
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Whenever I get another watch, I put it in the light box before wearing. I will sometimes keep the used strap it came on, but I don't want to wear it before it gets sanitized. I have had no problems with the light box.
 
watchyouwant
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Crank up the UV intensity and in a few years you have a brown dial..... All the Rage in the Moment...
 
M
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UV can be deadly for many pigments, so yes, your dial and whatever painted surfaces you have on your watch might get discoloured in the long run.

On the other hand glass is a very good protection from UV, so depending on the intensity and spectrum of your light box your dial may be safe. Does the lume glow like crazy after the light box? If not then the dial should be ok.
 
felsby
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@The_Tikbalang What makes you think UV removes virus and germs more effectively than soap water?
 
The_Tikbalang
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felsby felsby
@The_Tikbalang What makes you think UV removes virus and germs more effectively than soap water?
Thanks for the question Felby. UV light is known to destroy bacterial DNA strands causing cell death. We use it to sanitize our ICU cubicles.
 
The_Tikbalang
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M Motik
UV can be deadly for many pigments, so yes, your dial and whatever painted surfaces you have on your watch might get discoloured in the long run.

On the other hand glass is a very good protection from UV, so depending on the intensity and spectrum of your light box your dial may be safe. Does the lume glow like crazy after the light box? If not then the dial should be ok.
Thanks Motik. Thats what Im concerned about. Will the UV light accelerate color desaturation and even weaken the ceramic structure.
 
The_Tikbalang
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watchyouwant watchyouwant
Crank up the UV intensity and in a few years you have a brown dial..... All the Rage in the Moment...
Thanks Watchyouwant. I however love my ceramic dial the way it is.
 
The_Tikbalang
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rbob99 rbob99
Whenever I get another watch, I put it in the light box before wearing. I will sometimes keep the used strap it came on, but I don't want to wear it before it gets sanitized. I have had no problems with the light box.
Thanks RBob99, certainly most reassuring.
 
The_Tikbalang
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Watch my Whisky Watch my Whisky
You can just use soap and water.
Thanks Watch my Whisky. Thats what my SA at omega told me as well. I was worried if i do that my spring bars would get rusty hence the question about the UV lightbox.
 
scapa
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I just wash mine when I get home from the wards, usually with Dawn Antibac, sometimes a quick spritz and wipe with a benzalkonium chloride or equivalent issue product. I have a few colleagues who do use the lightbox but my watches are rarely in conditions that would require instrument levels of sterilization.

Since the pandemic I've used a Damasko or Sinn in place of my SMP Diver when things got really ropey, again with no issues.
 
scapa
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The_Tikbalang The_Tikbalang
Thanks Scapa! That add a few more options on how to clean my watch.

Happy to help -- and I generally switch everything over to bracelets or rubber if I'm in clinic/hospital or rounds. Leather straps or for weekends only these days. Good luck,
 
gbesq
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Not that I’m advising against sanitizing your watch, but if you’re referring to Covid specifically I think that the risk of contracting it from your watch is pretty remote. It’s an airborne virus. Yes, virus particles can settle onto surfaces and objects and you could conceivably contract the virus by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes, nose, etc. But you’re probably already touching more contaminated surfaces in a single day than you would prefer to think about. The best defense is any of the vaccines.
 
BlackTalon
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^^ Sounds like he works in a hospital environment with plenty of exposure... I could see wanting to take some extra measures.
 
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