Humidity and case sealing.

[offshore]

I was talking today with a local watchmaker.

We were commenting on the many quartz which we were seeing with "seized" drive trains.

(I had 7 come to me on Sunday, all with the circuit OK but hands not running)

There is a quick fix by running the train at speed, using a demagnetizer, to clean the corrosion/verdigris off.....not exactly to the watchmakers handbook, but effective nevertheless.

This problem, is due in the main to the high levels of humidity in our local area.

Every time we open a case to change a battery, or carry out any work, we reseal it with humid air inside. Subsequently a problem can exist due to this.

So I put forward the thought, that maybe we should be working in a closed workroom, with a dehumidifier running.

Now this wouldn't help me for working at my outdoor market stall, but I guess my be an answer for my in house repairs.

I would be interested in others thoughts on this, and also how the humid air may affect a mechanical watch in the longer term.

Offshore

[trailboss]

Hmm, you may be on to something there. Fortunatly the workroom here has a aircon with a de humidifier seting which I intend to use when the summer starts. Being in rain forest the humidity gets rather high. Not much we can do in the field tho.

Col.

[Packard]

I would guess that warming up the watch just prior to sealing would help. A hair dryer would work.

I had a higher end Seiko that got condensation in the works (the face would show the condensation) after a battery change.

I brought it back to the store and they blew it out but the condensation returned.

I sent it to Seiko and they declined to work on it because of the condensation.

The condensation only showed up when I wore it because the heat from my wrist warmed up the watch.

Edited August 10, 2009 by Packard

[Nanuq]

Wouldn't cold air blown into the works be drier? If I remember my chemistry, warmer air has a higher water capacity, as seen by relative humidity readings. I know in the winter here we'll have sunny days and the snow will sublimate directly to vapor, and when the night falls it cools so quickly the water forms ice crystals and falls out of the air again.

Then again, I doubt you want to work on watches at -30F.

[freddy333]

I always thought it was common knowledge that humidity (& dust) were bad for all watches. This is why many gens' service departments are temperature/humidity/dust controlled & 1 of the reasons they charge more than most independents.

[Pugwash]

If humidity is a problem, before casing a watch, leave all the parts in a ziplock bag with a pouch of Silica Gel. That'll dehumidify anything short of a glass of water.

[offshore]

Puggs,

I agree totally, although when the parts came out, you would still be recasing humid air.

You could case a watch and leave it with the stem out in a bag with silica gel, and then close the stem before undoing the bag, which should work.

Unfortunately, this is good for one off jobs, but when you are doing bulk battery changes,

(This last week I had 150 to do, & was doing on average 15/hr) using a bag would be impractical.... even trying to dry each unit as you were recasing would slow things down dramatically.

I do think a dehumidifier is the answer for my home shop,and maybe I just won't be able to do battery changes at the market (or any other work which requires opening the case back!)

Makes you wonder how all the guys in the mall kiosks get on. Must just put up with clients complaining.

O/S

[Nanuq]

What about a simple solution? Just set the watches crystal-down on a very warm surface, and let them get uncomfortably warm before you snap each back on. If you're doing an assembly line, have them laid out in order as you work so they're hot to the touch when you pick each one up.

[RWG Technical]

I think the practical solution is a simple dehumidifier in a closed door room. That should be enough to allow the air to be dry and not have condensation when the owner wears the watch.