Vintage watch wearing

STANDY · Dec 22, 2020

Have heaps of watches that are vintage and hardly any are waterproof and I wear them everywhere except swimming and showering. Cook, clean hands and wash up with them, even get caught in the rain occasionally and never had a issue.

Get over the paranoia that they secretly fill up with water if they go near it.

Ascalon · Dec 22, 2020

Dan S
It may be perfectly fine, but "reckoning" isn't as good as an actual pressure test. The water-resistance depends on more than new gaskets, including the condition of the sealing surfaces, and also whether the crown and pushers were replaced.

Indeed, you are correct.
He was merely pointing out that a static pressure test is a moment in time.
Both from new, or vintage after a service, daily life leads to degradation.

His point was that if the seal seats are in good condition, irrespective of age, the addition of new gaskets should ensure that original factory specs can be reasonably expected. But also, that lifetime performance is also a reasonable expectation, perhaps more so due to better performance of the gaskets over time due to improved materials and manufacture.

tgeekb · Dec 22, 2020

JwRosenthal
I think the conclusion to the never ending debate is- better safe than sorry (don’t wear it in humid environments or when it may get wet) if it hasn’t been pressure tested) and an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure (again- don’t wear it in the wet unless all seals have been replaced- case checked for integrity- and then pressure tested).
Just be smart about it- this is like taking a 60’s Porsche on a cross country rally- sure, you can haul out of your garage and probably make it- but I would want a full service and inspection before it left.

I was just about to take my 60's Porsche across country. Thank for the advice!

Ted1858 · Dec 22, 2020

Well, shoot...I am certainly careful when washing my hands, and I remove my watches when doing the dishes, etc. But I do live in a humid climate and only a small percentage of my collection has been serviced. Am I at high risk of moisture issues?

krogerfoot · Dec 22, 2020

I'm no closer to understanding whether people think having a second watch in your pocket means you're wearing two watches, or having two watches on your wrist(s) is so unremarkable that it's eccentric to even point it out. Judging from the fact that I'm the only person on this thread who's expressed any curiosity about it, I'll continue to assume one or both is a common-knowledge thing that has somehow escaped me for my entire life.

Canuck · Dec 22, 2020

Someone recently commented about my wearing two watches, and asked me why I do it. My reply was, “I thought everybody wore two watches?” Is it really a matter that deserves comment?

JwRosenthal · Dec 22, 2020

Ted1858
Well, shoot...I am certainly careful when washing my hands, and I remove my watches when doing the dishes, etc. But I do live in a humid climate and only a small percentage of my collection has been serviced. Am I at high risk of moisture issues?

I wear watches from the 20’s-60’s that are snap back with open crown tubes and flat pushers on a regular basis. Like you, I’m careful when I wash my hands and take them off when I do dishes as well. I have a pouch in my satchel that is waterproof- if I get caught in a summer rainstorm, I just tuck it in there.
I have a lovely Gruen I got on eBay cheaply. It ran perfectly and I wore it a few times with no problem. One day I got caught in a rainstorm, I was wearing long sleeves and figured that protected the watch fine (and it is a “waterproof” case) but my sleeves and arm were damp and I was hot and sweaty. That evening I put the watch on my dresser and the next morning there was fog under the crystal. I dropped it in a ziplock bag of rice and took it immediately to my watch savvy friend who opened it up and sure enough, the previous owner has removed the rear gasket and hadn’t replaced it. Luckily no damage done as it was dried out in the open- then serviced.

Verdi · Dec 23, 2020

I wear mostly vintage.
The only thing I am really careful with is moisture/water.

However, lume does crumble with time. So I would not chop wood or play tennis with a valuable piece that has a lot of lume on the dial and hands.

vlaspri · Dec 23, 2020

Just realised that I sold my most modern watch (<5 years old) in october and now I wear only vintage. I wear a couple vintage Omega watches on daily basis in office and weekends, but if active leisure is planned on weekend days I wear this - Swatch (!) Black Friday from my birth year and one of a few quartz watches which have charming lume patina.

lawler · Dec 23, 2020

My only issue with vintage is whether it can sustain the normal bumps and scrapes that a modern daily watch could, especially when it is an expensive piece.

tgeekb · Dec 23, 2020

I'm loving the fact that people wear their vintage watches and don't just let them collect dust. I figure they lasted this long somehow, right?

SK13 · Dec 24, 2020

I've worn my 1981 De Ville quartz while single seater motor racing for over 30 years with no problems but when I inadvertantly wore my dad's 1960s Seamaster automatic a few times (just forgot I'd changed over) it broke (who could have guessed?) & caused it to have a very expensive holiday.

felsby · Dec 28, 2020

JwRosenthal
Vintage + moisture = crystal fog = panic.

I was hiking when my cal. 265 developed crystal fog. Flipped the back case off for 2 minutes, everything fine, moving on.

lexieb007 · Dec 28, 2020

I'm new to Omega though have quite a few other vintage. I'm seriously thinking about getting an Apollo 8 Ceramic for daily rough wear when I can't wear a vintage speedmaster. However for the life of my I can't understand the 50M water rating on that new special edition....

airansun · Dec 28, 2020

Moderators: Make this thread a sticky, so we don’t have to reanswer this question every four months! 😉

Vintage watch wearing

STANDY

Ascalon

tgeekb

Ted1858

krogerfoot

Canuck

JwRosenthal

Verdi

vlaspri

lawler

tgeekb

SK13

felsby

lexieb007

airansun

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