What Caused this Dial to be Damaged?

[kippyk]

There is discoloring and spots on the dial around the 1 marker. What causes this? Is it rust? Bad gasket? Will it continue to get worse?

I am trying to learn. Thanks!

 

[Syzygy]

I'm taking a stab at moisture as the culprit.

 

[JwRosenthal]

Yup- moisture got in and condensation caused the droplets which are now damage. Damage like this is very common and not always related to someone swimming or showering with the watch.
When the rear seal and crown seal (and pushers too if it’s a chronograph) start to age they lose their ability to keep the moisture out- it can be sweat from the skin or even ambient humidity. Go from a hot humid day outside into air conditioning and it can happen if the seals are compromised. I don’t wear watches with vintage crowns or aren’t waterproof in the heat of swampy summer.
For those who just have to have that original crown and throw caution to the wind regarding the rock hard/goo like gasket inside- this is your future.

 

[Professor]

Are any modern day watches filled with nitrogen at the factory?
Has anyone offered this as a service?
Telescopic sights are usually nitrogen flushed and filled to prevent moisture and fogging.

 

[JwRosenthal]

I don’t think it would be a huge issue if people actually serviced their watches more than every 20 years (crazy watch people here withstanding of course) and had the gaskets replaced. But as I said before- if you have a vintage crown, you roll the dice.

 

[hronists]

Professor

Are any modern day watches filled with nitrogen at the factory?
Has anyone offered this as a service?
Telescopic sights are usually nitrogen flushed and filled to prevent moisture and fogging.

some of Sinn watches are filled with Ar gas and have additional moisture capsule.

 

[Archer]

hronists

some of Sinn watches are filled with Ar gas and have additional moisture capsule.

Not Ar - it's nitrogen. They used to use argon but it's too expensive, so they switched to nitrogen years ago...but still mark the dials on some as Ar, which I find bothersome.

 

[Ralvari]

Filling them with Nitrogen will not prevent towards the issue commented by @JwRosenthal. If moisture can enter, Nitrogen can leave...

 

[Archer]

JwRosenthal

Yup- moisture got in and condensation caused the droplets which are now damage. Damage like this is very common and not always related to someone swimming or showering with the watch.
When the rear seal and crown seal (and pushers too if it’s a chronograph) start to age they lose their ability to keep the moisture out- it can be sweat from the skin or even ambient humidity. Go from a hot humid day outside into air conditioning and it can happen if the seals are compromised. I don’t wear watches with vintage crowns or aren’t waterproof in the heat of swampy summer.
For those who just have to have that original crown and throw caution to the wind regarding the rock hard/goo like gasket inside- this is your future.

It's interesting because I've always imagined that it takes some significant time for this to develop (not sure why, it's just always been my impression) but I once saw a post on another forum where someone had bought a watch with no mold on the hands, and in a month is had significant mold - he posted this photo of the watch when he got it and then what it looked like a month later:



Indices not affected, but the hands had grown some mold all around the lume. He hadn't observed any fogging or anything, so it must have just been that his location was possibly more humid than where the person he had bought the watch from lived.

BTW I really want one of these...Ikepod Seaslug...if anyone has one they want to give up let me know!!

Cheers, Al

 

[JwRosenthal]

I think in some cases where you see the even patina it is long term exposure. But with droplets like shown in the OP’s picture, it looks like the dial “sweat” and the moisture penetrated the finish and spotted the lume.
I attribute moldy hand lume and corrosion to minute moisture settling under the crystal (up surface) and the hands sitting in that humid cloud at the top of the biosphere- but the dial sits lower.

 

[Fritz]

Seaslug... not the best name the marketing department ever came up with.

Lovely watch, wouldn't mind having one but Seaslug?

Do they have a military or "Explorer" styled piece called the Woodlouse?

 

[Archer]

Fritz

Seaslug... not the best name the marketing department ever came up with.

Lovely watch, wouldn't mind having one but Seaslug?

Do they have a military or "Explorer" styled piece called the Woodlouse?

No, but if you want a Hemipode or Megapode, they can accommodate you.

FWIW, I think "Yachtmaster" is an incredibly dumb name, and I used to own one...I don't let the name get in the way of something I like, but everyone is different.

 

[JwRosenthal]

Omega made a sport watch for racing and for Aqua-sports, but always wondered why they didn’t make watches for fly fishing (Masterbaiter) or bowling (Ballmaster)

 

[Revo]

JwRosenthal

Omega made a sport watch for racing and for Aqua-sports, but always wondered why they didn’t make watches for fly fishing (Masterbaiter) or bowling (Ballmaster)

We fly fishermen do NOT use bait! "Flymaster" would work though

 

[JwRosenthal]

Revo

We fly fishermen do NOT use bait! "Flymaster" would work though

Equally as cheeky

 

[timoss]

Archer

No, but if you want a Hemipode or Megapode, they can accommodate you.

FWIW, I think "Yachtmaster" is an incredibly dumb name, and I used to own one...I don't let the name get in the way of something I like, but everyone is different.

Did someone mention my name?

 

[dsio]

Fritz

Seaslug... not the best name the marketing department ever came up with.

Lovely watch, wouldn't mind having one but Seaslug?

Do they have a military or "Explorer" styled piece called the Woodlouse?

Mate I totally disagree, the Seaslug name is both fitting for a weird and quirky watch with slug eye shaped indices and it doesn’t sound like it’s trying too hard.

When I see:

Graham Chronofighter Flying Tigers Limited Green D-Day BlackSteel 44mm 2CVAV.G03A

Or

IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Top Gun Miramar Edition (Ceramic)

It sounds a bit mall-ninja to me. Many Panerais, military inspired watches and brands desperate to tell a story they made up for marketing do this stuff and that’s what makes the unassuming Seaslug so appealing.

It’s just a good watch with a chronometer rated easily maintained movement, and a totally unique and interesting design in a world full of derivative marketing inspired fluff.

 

[Larry S]

Seaslugs are pretty cool. Can be butterfly beautiful so great name.

 

[Jayrock26v2]

I'm going to say oil or moisture leaking into the closed system