water resistance question

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Scotty Mo

·Jun 12, 2022

Hoping someone could answer something for me. I recently purchased an Omega 2505, which has no water resistance whatsoever. I was thinking I could add a caseback gasket and crown gasket just to protect the watch from humidity or any accidents, but have never tried to add gaskets to a watch that didn't come with them. The caseback is a snap on, not a screw down as well. Any insights would be appreciated

 

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Dan S

·Jun 12, 2022

The ref 2505 is a great jumbo IIRC, but I think you will be very hard pressed to retro-fit it to be water resistant. It's not as simple as adding gaskets, because the case is not made with sealing surfaces to fit a caseback gasket or to accept a water-resistant crown. IMO, you'd be better off saving it for dry occasions and buying a second watch for rainy days.

TBH, it can be somewhat challenging to restore the water-resistance of watches that were originally water-resistant. What you are suggesting would be astronomically more difficult.

 

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Scotty Mo

·Jun 12, 2022

That's what I figured, but I hoped I was wrong. Thanks for the reply. I'm just bummed I won't be able to wear it for several months. It's crazy humid in Kansas all summer and I don't want to risk damaging it

 

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Evitzee

·Jun 12, 2022

Unless you are spending a lot of time outside in the summer you should be able to wear it. These days our houses, cars, stores, restaurants are all air conditioned so living a normal life will be ok. Millions of wristwatches were made with little or no water resistance and they were worn every day by men and women.

 

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redpcar

·Jun 12, 2022

The sweat from your body making its way up through the case is the biggest threat.

Kansas? Do people still live there? I thought they all moved out 🙁😉
(I grew up in west KS)

Edited: Jun 12, 2022

 

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Scotty Mo

·Jun 12, 2022

Yeah, a few of us have stayed. I'd explain why, but I'm not really sure.

 

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Waltesefalcon

·Jun 12, 2022

I live in SW Oklahoma, several of my wrist watches are pre-war and only have snap backs. I've never had a problem with wearing them normally during the summers here. If I'm fishing, canoeing, or doing something else that may involve water I wear my KonTiki.

 

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JimInOz

·Jun 13, 2022·Melbourne Australia

Scotty Mo

That's what I figured, but I hoped I was wrong. Thanks for the reply. I'm just bummed I won't be able to wear it for several months. It's crazy humid in Kansas all summer and I don't want to risk damaging it

Maybe you could try Elma Vacu-Proof, it's a sealant designed to increase water resistance on watches (crowns/pushers etc).

I've never used it but a member over at WUS posted about it.

https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/elma-vacu-proof-sealing-fluid.5292053/

Here's the data sheet for it.

https://www.elma-ultrasonic.com/fil...ts/ProductInformation/EN/PI_VACU-PROOF_EN.pdf

Available in Canada, probably in the US as well.

https://perrinwatchparts.com/products/elma-vacu_proof-64640110

Maybe @Archer could advise if he has encountered it.

 

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Pvt-Public

·Jun 13, 2022

Scotty Mo

It's crazy humid in Kansas all summer and I don't want to risk damaging it

Humidity in Kansas? Come out here to the southeastern coast, anywhere from Virginia and south then you’ll get some humidity.

 

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Archer

·Jun 13, 2022·Omega Qualified Watchmaker

JimInOz

Maybe you could try Elma Vacu-Proof, it's a sealant designed to increase water resistance on watches (crowns/pushers etc).

I've never used it but a member over at WUS posted about it.

https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/elma-vacu-proof-sealing-fluid.5292053/

Here's the data sheet for it.

https://www.elma-ultrasonic.com/fil...ts/ProductInformation/EN/PI_VACU-PROOF_EN.pdf

Available in Canada, probably in the US as well.

https://perrinwatchparts.com/products/elma-vacu_proof-64640110

Maybe @Archer could advise if he has encountered it.

Never heard of it.

 

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Larry S

·Jun 13, 2022·Color Commentator for the Hyperbole.

Wore my newly acquired UG Tri Compax on a summer business trip to London in which I literally had to run/tram from T1 in O’Hare to T5 because my United flight got cancelled and they put me on BA. When I got to my hotel, I had to ask for a bag of rice. It spent the week in that rice in my room safe. Wore my Timex. It was off to the spa as soon as I got home. Its pretty much impossible to “water proof” something not designed as such. The stem is the weak point.

 

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Danwales

·Jun 13, 2022

Probably best for dry weather wear but the water resistance of watches is sometimes underated. My grandfather wore a cheap Lorus quartz with a snap back case for 30 years in South Wales which is pretty wet. I would bet he never had the gaskets changed when going to a market stall for a £3 battery change but the thing shows no signs of water ingress and 4 years after his passing the watch is still working perfectly.

j

 

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Waltesefalcon

·Jun 13, 2022

I wore my Hamilton Piping Rock today. It was warm and muggy here, 98°F and 32% humidity. I spent five or six hours out running errands in it. I have no A/C in the daily driver. I just got home, it's still 97°F out. The case back has a bit of sweat on it, after popping the back off, the movement itself is dry as a bone.