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What temperature can watches withstand?

Foo2rama
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D Duckie
Actually viscosity actually drops when the temp of the oil goes up and visa versa.
Additionally, with regard to these modern synthetic oils that are often used the volatility of the oil is much less of a concern than will cause any wear issues.
I should imagine the worst that can happen is ithe oil will thicken up as the volatile compounds evaporate and cause more drag and time keeping or power reserve will go way off thus triggering a service anyway.
Besides, as already outlined before it's a real problem for your watch you may have expired yourself.

that’s not how power reserve works. If it is harder to power the movement, it does not take more "winds" but it requires more torque which the main spring starts to loose near the end of the wind.
Edited:
 
D
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Foo2rama Foo2rama
that’s not how power reserve works. If it is harder to power the movement, it does not take more "winds" but it requires more torque which the main spring starts to loose near the end of the wind.

Quite right.
However, I was mostly talking about the effects of temp on viscosity and the longer term effects of highly elevated temps and volatility which also can increase viscosity.
 
POinNY
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Bumping this up….

long story and I won’t get into the details but I was doing a condensation test where you heat up the watch and place a drop of colder water to see if any traces of moisture are left on the underside of the crystal. The watch in question is a newer SMP 300m that is 1 month old.

I’m slightly worried that I got the watch too hot. I used two heat sources…first I would leave it under an incandescent lamp for 20 minutes and then I used a hair dryer that was used from ~12” away (for 30 sec) and then I proceeded with the drop of water on the glass. No signs of moisture were found but I did do the heating up process 3x times over 2 days just to make sure. All times it was done the watch got warm but not unbearable where I couldn’t hold it in my hand for periods of time. If I was able to hold it in my hand with no discomfort then surely it should not have been too hot for the watch to handle? I know Omega specifies it can handle a max of 60 degrees Celsius. Is it possible that if the watch really did reach that temperature I would be able to hold it without any pain?

really worried about the gaskets and rubber seals even though the watch is only 1 month old. Could I have fried these components or accelerated the wear at best?
 
drhex
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POinNY POinNY
Bumping this up….

long story and I won’t get into the details but I was doing a condensation test where you heat up the watch and place a drop of colder water to see if any traces of moisture are left on the underside of the crystal. The watch in question is a newer SMP 300m that is 1 month old.

I’m slightly worried that I got the watch too hot. I used two heat sources…first I would leave it under an incandescent lamp for 20 minutes and then I used a hair dryer that was used from ~12” away (for 30 sec) and then I proceeded with the drop of water on the glass. No signs of moisture were found but I did do the heating up process 3x times over 2 days just to make sure. All times it was done the watch got warm but not unbearable where I couldn’t hold it in my hand for periods of time. If I was able to hold it in my hand with no discomfort then surely it should not have been too hot for the watch to handle? I know Omega specifies it can handle a max of 60 degrees Celsius. Is it possible that if the watch really did reach that temperature I would be able to hold it without any pain?

really worried about the gaskets and rubber seals even though the watch is only 1 month old. Could I have fried these components or accelerated the wear at best?

You fried it, send it to me for correct disposal.



Watch will be fine, think of wearing/leaving it in the sun e.g. Why did you think it necessary to test for condensation?
 
POinNY
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drhex drhex
You fried it, send it to me for correct disposal.



Watch will be fine, think of wearing/leaving it in the sun e.g. Why did you think it necessary to test for condensation?

Hi, thanks for the feedback. I get anxiety during the honeymoon stage of a new thing, in this case, the SMP 300m. I was washing my hands at night with the watch on, taking care not to get any water on it, and then in the morning I realized the crown had "a bit more to go" before completely tight, and the rest is history.

Omega specifies an operating temp. of MAX 60 degrees celsius/140 degrees F. Is this the max temp. the watch itself should be limited to or the ambient temp? For example, it's 140 degrees outside so I shouldn't take the Omega outside or I got my SMP itself up to 140 degrees and now it's toast?
 
noelekal
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Hmmm ... roasting watches for fun and frolic.

This might be a watch forum.

I have wondered if anyone has successfully repaired watches that have been through a house fire. I keep mine in a gun safe that's rated to protect to 1500F for 30 minutes. Assuming they were inside and external temperature was that high for no more than 30 minutes I am curious to what would be found when things cooled off and watches were retrieved from the safe.
 
drhex
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POinNY POinNY
Hi, thanks for the feedback. I get anxiety during the honeymoon stage of a new thing, in this case, the SMP 300m. I was washing my hands at night with the watch on, taking care not to get any water on it, and then in the morning I realized the crown had "a bit more to go" before completely tight, and the rest is history.

Omega specifies an operating temp. of MAX 60 degrees celsius/140 degrees F. Is this the max temp. the watch itself should be limited to or the ambient temp? For example, it's 140 degrees outside so I shouldn't take the Omega outside or I got my SMP itself up to 140 degrees and now it's toast?
Ambient temp. I'd be surprised if you have 60 deg Celsius in NY?. The crown should be water tight even when not screwed down provided the watch has been serviced according to schedule, the screw down is just additional protection. It doesn't hurt to get water resistance tested once a year imho.
 
POinNY
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drhex drhex
Ambient temp. I'd be surprised if you have 60 deg Celsius in NY?. The crown should be water tight even when not screwed down provided the watch has been serviced according to schedule, the screw down is just additional protection. It doesn't hurt to get water resistance tested once a year imho.

That is great to hear, thank you very much.
 
scubafan
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POinNY POinNY
Bumping this up….

long story and I won’t get into the details but I was doing a condensation test where you heat up the watch and place a drop of colder water to see if any traces of moisture are left on the underside of the crystal. The watch in question is a newer SMP 300m that is 1 month old.

I’m slightly worried that I got the watch too hot. I used two heat sources…first I would leave it under an incandescent lamp for 20 minutes and then I used a hair dryer that was used from ~12” away (for 30 sec) and then I proceeded with the drop of water on the glass. No signs of moisture were found but I did do the heating up process 3x times over 2 days just to make sure. All times it was done the watch got warm but not unbearable where I couldn’t hold it in my hand for periods of time. If I was able to hold it in my hand with no discomfort then surely it should not have been too hot for the watch to handle? I know Omega specifies it can handle a max of 60 degrees Celsius. Is it possible that if the watch really did reach that temperature I would be able to hold it without any pain?

really worried about the gaskets and rubber seals even though the watch is only 1 month old. Could I have fried these components or accelerated the wear at best?
Why don't you boil it? ‍
 
Z
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Or microwaved it ?
Can you take a video so we all can see the gremlin effect of the microwaved speedy ?
 
Omegafanman
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Japanred Japanred
Does anyone know what temperatures modern Omega watches can withstand without being damaged?

I know they tested the speedmaster Moonwatch to -18*C for 4 hrs. Does this apply to all modern Speedmasters? What temperature would be recommended for a period of say 24hrs, whilst off the wrist?

The NASA tests were super tough and show how strong watches are. Modern Omega METAS rated are tested in different positions and at two different temperatures: 23 and 33 degrees centigrade. Magnetism features a lot more in the tests for modern living / earthbound use I guess. I recall an old advert for a standard (now vintage) Omega flown strapped to the side of a plane (Seamaster / prop plane maybe) it would have still had a hard ride and got pretty cold. It worked fine on landing so modern watches should do the same or better. Perhaps someone has a copy of that advert handy.
Most watches are exposed on the wrist so there is heat transfer from the body/ suit to consider. For sure in Space (being an almost perfect vacuum) heat transfer happens more slowly so watches can cope with much more extreme temperatures than they can on Earth in an atmosphere (basically don’t put your watch in the Oven ;0)
 
YY77
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Omegafanman Omegafanman
I recall an old advert for a standard (now vintage) Omega flown strapped to the side of a plane (Seamaster / prop plane maybe) it would have still had a hard ride and got pretty cold. It worked fine on landing so modern watches should do the same or better. Perhaps someone has a copy of that advert handy. ;0)
Not the Seamaster your referring to but I read that about the Zenith A385:

Zenith-A385-el-primero-operation-sky.jpg

https://monochrome-watches.com/zenith-chronomaster-revival-a385-introducing-price/
 
Omegafanman
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Omegafanman Omegafanman
The NASA tests were super tough and show how strong watches are. Modern Omega METAS rated are tested in different positions and at two different temperatures: 23 and 33 degrees centigrade. Magnetism features a lot more in the tests for modern living / earthbound use I guess. I recall an old advert for a standard (now vintage) Omega flown strapped to the side of a plane (Seamaster / prop plane maybe) it would have still had a hard ride and got pretty cold. It worked fine on landing so modern watches should do the same or better. Perhaps someone has a copy of that advert handy.
Most watches are exposed on the wrist so there is heat transfer from the body/ suit to consider. For sure in Space (being an almost perfect vacuum) heat transfer happens more slowly so watches can cope with much more extreme temperatures than they can on Earth in an atmosphere (basically don’t put your watch in the Oven ;0)

I found it on the Omega website.... probably a good indicator of what a modern watch should take... more than the human can :0)
 
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Archer
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POinNY POinNY
Omega specifies an operating temp. of MAX 60 degrees celsius/140 degrees F. Is this the max temp. the watch itself should be limited to or the ambient temp? For example, it's 140 degrees outside so I shouldn't take the Omega outside or I got my SMP itself up to 140 degrees and now it's toast?

Just as an FYI, part of the testing for water resistance includes a condensation test. In this test the watch is heated to as much as 56 degrees C.
 
hronists
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POinNY POinNY
I was washing my hands at night with the watch on, taking care not to get any water on it,

may I remind you it is a diver watch rated to 300 meters of depth? Water is where it belongs.
 
POinNY
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Archer Archer
Just as an FYI, part of the testing for water resistance includes a condensation test. In this test the watch is heated to as much as 56 degrees C.

I was reading up on some older posts of yours and you prefer to use a heating plate specifically for this purpose that heats up the watch to 47 degrees Celsius. If my watch hypothetically did get to 60 degrees Celsius, would the average person even be able to hold it in their bare hand if it was that hot without any discomfort?

Really just want to know if the exposure to the high heat (for a few times over the course of a few days) did anything to the rubber gaskets/o'rings/seals. Are these items that can fail suddenly or is the wear and tear gradual. At best I'm hoping that the exposure to high heat just accelerated some of the wear and did not fry these components entirely. No abnormal issues since though. Is the only way for a definitive answer now to get a pressure test?

Trying to solve for one problem and creating a new problem in the process sucks...
 
Premaster
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My opinion: The gaskets should not have suffered at all. Have you registered the accuracy before the questioned heat-ice-test? How has the watch been running since then? Equally? Then your watch is perfectly fine and not at all affected. I would observe the accuracy and maybe test the water pressure to confim these assumptions. Don't worry! Enjoy it and in a few years you will have to service it as every watch and it will come back as new.
 
Canuck
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If the astronauts that actually were on the surface of the moon, wore watches, check out the extremes of temperature that occur on the surface of the moon, for an idea of the extremes of temperature their watches could have experienced. I rather doubt the astronauts would have been exposed to either extreme.
 
Archer
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If you are concerned, get a pressure test done.
 
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