I have a doubt about vintage dressier seamasters from 50/60's and the possibility of wearing them in the swiming pool or having a shower. I've heard is not recomended.
I wonder if by changing crown and back gasket won't be enough. Assuming that the case has no damage, and the crystal is original or correct replacement.
If they were originally water resist, which are the factors that made them non wr after 40/50 years?

 

My 40+ year old 18ct Longines Ultra-Chron passed the 30m water resistance test.

 

I wouldn't take risk with any Seamaster more than 20 years old age. Period.

 

Bingo!

 

$ 200? I thought it was $140..........

 

Add in the extra bracelet. Didn't like the Jubilee style it came with so I grabbed a President style.

 

From this ....................................................................................To this


for USD 60......OK.......reasonable

 

Thanks for your replies,
Let´s hope Al extend this information,
but I think Steve is right with the possibly imperceptibly twisted or bent case reason.
Does it apply the same on vintage divers?

 

water resistance with vintage watches is quite good, if you don`t go near water..... kind regards. achim

 

This is by far the best explanation I´ve heard... lol
Seriously, i´m not intended to take them near the water, just want to know the real reason why is not recomended.

 

There are many factors that can affect water resistance in an older watch. The crystal must seat well, not be cracked or crazed, the case back seal should be new, and yes the crown too if you are interested in any serious water resistance. Even with replacing all those parts, some watches still won't pass the water resistance testing I do here. The condition of all the sealing surfaces of the case are important, so when I scrape out that old case back gasket that has been in there for decades and has turned to black goo, and find pitting where it seats, then there will likely be problems sealing the case. The same goes for the area where the crystal seats, as there is no gasket there with an armored tension ring crystal for example. Lastly there's the case tube that the crown seats on - if it is worn then the watch won't seal even with a new crown, unless the tube is replaced.

I try to get watches to seal if I can, but sometimes it's just not possible. Most people are fine with this and understand these are not dive watches.

Now a watch passing to 30m using a pressure test is fine, but will it pass a vacuum test? That to me is the most difficult test to get these old watches to pass. Watch testing is a funny thing - pressure on the outside of the watch can actually help it seal by compressing the parts more, so the vacuum test can be a telling test to do on a watch. One of my pressure testing machines uses vacuum and pressure to test a watch (no water is involved by the way - it's a completely dry test), and often watches will fail the vacuum test, and pass the pressure test. In vintage watch like the type being discussed here, the vacuum test is a more useful test. The reason why is that most people are not going to take their watch to 30 m depth, but they will get splashes on it while washing their hands and getting caught in the rain. The vacuum test is what tests the watch for conditions where it gets wet and is not under pressure - pressure that might help seal the watch during a pressure test and possibly give a false sense of security.

Usually even if a watch passes both tests in my testing machine (the program I use for these watches tests with -0.4 bar vacuum, and then +3 bar pressure) I recommend not to intentionally get the watch wet. As has been said, it's a one shot deal. Better safe than sorry.

Cheers, Al

 

Thanks Al
Very useful information.

Now I understand perfectly all the factors that can affect water resistance.
As I said before, I was not intended to swim with them, I'm agree with they're a single shot.

As allways, it's a pleasure to ask something on this forum and get the correct and clear answers, and many times instantly. This is far the best place in internet for sharing knowlege I found in many years.
Thanks all

 

This is new to me. Now I really have to keep away all vintages from drops of water, especially during washing hands.
Oh ....also keep it in sporran during rain. (I think I am the only native Jakarta who know sporran)

 

Pretty much why they stopped using that system so quickly. Good on paper ≠ good in the real world.

 

very interesting, thanks.