If he was not going to get the watch to a service centre for more than a month as originally stated it is good advice. I would rather fresh water in a movement than salt water any day. Have collected divers and dived / waterski'd with 30 + watches over the 35 years. Also I have always pressure tested dive watches yearly
I would agree that fresh water is less corrosive than salt water, but I'm thinking, wouldn't it be better to just to spay the whole movement with WD-40 or something in the interim?
Same here... new watch, multi$K, 600m, 2yrs, if they can't get it WR, where is this world going to...
I'll have to get a message to marine archeologists and aviation accident investigation teams. STOP USING FRESH WATER! WD40 is the new wave!
Wouldn't WD ("water deterrent, btw...) 40 leave gunk, which doesn't matter in a 1:1 scale engine, but does matter in a micro-mechanism like a watch? not trying to be a smarta$$, just asking... thanks
I love the smell of WD40 at the bench! NOT! When I smell that coming from a freshly opened watch, I know I'm in for a lot of work...not recommended.
To me fishing reels are just like mini watches without a case back for sealing, and having a few reels worth over $1000 and they always get washed with with fresh water after salt water use and stripped down and service yearly with no ill effects. WD-40 would break down the grease and oil used for the smooth running of the gears. Think it would do the same in a watch with the rotor still moving until you got a service
That's like saying "I spent $80,000 on a Mercedes that can do 160mph, so why should I check the air in my tires?" Seals are rubber and they perish.
Ok, so given the OP's scenario then, the fresh watch rinse in an emergency would be better than the WD?
There is no "one size fits all" rule that governs for every scenario. I would reserve rinsing with fresh water to a watch that was completely flooded with salt water. Without knowing how much water is actually in the case, and where it's located, I can't say what the best thing to do here is. If it's a small amount of water, as this appears to be from the single photo posted, then I would typically not recommend rinsing the entire movement with fresh water, as that could possibly do more damage than good. Limiting damage isn't just about making the contaminant less corrosive, but also limiting the area in the watch movement that has any exposure at all to water. No point in rinsing salt water from 10% of the movement, if it damages the other 90% in the process. Not to mention the dial and hands...as I'm assuming the OP isn't equipped (skills or tools) to start removing those before rinsing the movement out with water. Best advice is to get it to a watchmaker ASAP. Failing that, and with minimal water intrusion as this appears to be, I would take the case back off and gently heat the watch to dry out the water that's in there. This will keep the water from getting to other places, even if it doesn't save the parts that are already impacted. Keep in mind that it's rare that you will get out of this without any damage...eliminating it is not always possible, but minimizing it can be. Cheers, Al
Not really the same. Now If I spent 80000 on a car and it leaked on the seals it would be sorted under warranty, I wouldn't expect to change seals once a year. I have the PO 600m. And I would be peed off if it leaked ,if service is 4/5 years then these should be water tight for that length of time. I would just send back to omega and let them sort it and state not fit for purpose. Just my opinion.
No one is saying you have to change seals once a year - Omega recommends annual testing to ensure it's sealed. This is not just Omega - very few, if any, watch manufacturers guarantee water resistance for 4-5 years, and most I've seen recommend regular pressure testing as Omega does. Omega (or any other brand) can't know what knocks the crown or HEV might have taken that may cause a leak, or if the wearer incessantly fiddles with the watch by winding the crown all day long in meetings, prematurely wearing out the seals... Water resistance is not a permanent feature, and like any other part of the watch, seals need to be maintained. In fact I would say more so than the rest of the watch actually, if you get it wet regularly. The reason you don't hear more about leaky dive watches is because the vast majority don't see water - they are desk divers only. Cheers, Al
Does this mean my watch is not covered under warranty for leaks ? I would like to know as I do use mine a lot in the ocean and pools. Thanks
The answer is...it depends. I know everyone wants a definitive answer on these questions, but it's not that easy. I don't speak for Omega, but here are my thoughts... Scenario 1 - earlier this year I was in Hawaii, and visited the Omega Boutique in Waikiki. The only thing I came away with from that visit was a job offer, but if I had bought a PO there, wound it up, screwed down the crown, strapped it on, and gone straight to the water and it leaked - yes I would expect it to be fully covered under warranty. Scenario 2 - say I have the same PO I wear for 4 years daily, it gets knocked around, there are dents and scratches on the case here and there - nothing huge but not pristine and clearly it's been worn. If I have never done any pressure testing, and I go in the water and it leaks, I think the chances of that being covered under warranty are slim. For a scenario that is somewhere in between like the OP's, it's hard to say. But I think a key point here is that you want to prevent this from happening in the first place, and that means regular testing. If you live in a country where they have these "not fit for purpose" laws, then sure maybe those will override Omega policies. It may also be why I see watch prices in those countries being higher then in North America. Oh, and I don't have a PO, but I did take this to Hawaii, and although I'm not a big water guy, I certainly did pressure test it before I left... I did go into the water for maybe an hour, wore the watch, and no leaks. If you regularly get your watch wet, then get it tested at least once a year. I can't say that all boutiques can do this, but those who have a boutique watchmaker, and maybe even a boutique technician should have the equipment since they would be opening watches regularly. Cheers, Al
