Amazing but true...

[dieselpower]

A couple of days ago I took my 1665 out of the watch box to wear. I had not worn it for a few days so I manually wound it and set the time and date. Then, as is my want, I took a nice glass of chilled white wine, a recently delivered copy of a classic car magazine and settled into a nice hot bath whilst the wife put the kids to bed. Bliss......

 

I was in the bath for about 45mins (I like a bath!) then had a quick shower and dried off. Whilst drying I noticed my lovely modded 1665 and admired it for a second. Then... aaaaarghh! I noticed that I had - in my stupidity - neglected to screw the crown back down after setting the watch. Yes folks, the watch had just been in a bath for 45 mins (admittedly not totally immersed for all that time) then in a shower for say 5 mins with the crown totally unscrewed and - would you believe it - there were no visual signs of any water ingress. I decided to keep the crown open to allow for evaporation and keep the watch on my wrist to evaporate any H2O that may have got in. After 20 mins or so a little condensation started to form on the inside of the glass so I took the watch off, placed it in a bowl of rice and put the whole thing in a very warm airing cupboard overnight. The following day the glass was clear, I closed the crown properly and strapped it on my wrist. There has been no condensation issues and she's running fine. Unbelievable!

 

[Guest zeleni kukuruz]

D...

You will have a hard time selling that watch here on the forum if you ever think about doing that

Great that she is safe

[sgtguk]

Dodged a bullet there mate      Glad it is ok !

[dieselpower]

Zeleni, this watch is not and will not be for sale  . She's the first proper mod job I embarked on. Lugs reshaped by RBJ (glad he's not around anymore!) gen crown and tube, 2846 slow beat movement, aftermarket T39 superdome (I have a gen waiting to be fitted) gen springbars, PMWF insert with Ofrei pearl, dial and hands relumed by Tribal and a Ubi flat top 3 datewheel overlay. She's been on my wrist through thick and thin, battered (look at the glass!) scratched, kicked, dropped, drenched and now bathed without her swimsuit on  . She's mine and on my wrist she stays......

[sgtguk]

Can't wait to see the difference the new crystal makes 

[hiker01]

Just to be sure, I would also have opened the CB whilst you put it in a bowl of rice.......then after, make some Sushi off the rice

[Nanuq]

That shows the thinking Rolex put into the Triplock crown and tube. When the wearer leaves it unscrewed there's still that one last pair of o-rings inside the tube hanging on for dear life.

Nice! Rice anyone?

[phillycheez]

That shows the thinking Rolex put into the Triplock crown and tube. When the wearer leaves it unscrewed there's still that one last pair of o-rings inside the tube hanging on for dear life.

Nice! Rice anyone?

Yup.

Triplock crown is genius.

[freddy333]

Ditto HikeUSA. Condensation on the crystal generally appears after it has wafted its way through the mechanicals. So, just to be safe, it would be wise to have a look-see inside to check for remaining condensation &/or rust.

[dieselpower]

Thanks for advices chaps. But as I am to watchmaking what Adolf Hitler was to diplomacy I think I'll just leave well alone and if it konks out I'll use up one of those spare movements I've been hoarding. Wa ha. Wa ha ha ha ha.

[freddy333]

Der Fuhrer was a great diplomat (he got everything he wanted out of Chamberlain & the French prior to the war), but a terrible military strategist.

On the other hand, I think your plan is brilliant.

[alligoat]

My watchmaker likes to test Rolexes for WR by leaving the crown unscrewed- at that point you gotta hope the two gaskets in the tube (for subs) do their thing!

I finally told him that was BS and had him screw down the crown. I always try to do my water duties with the crown screwed down!

On a DJ, Explorer, GMT, etc, you only have one gasket- at that point you gotta hope it's tight or got a good dose of silicone!

[Nanuq]

one of those spare movements I've been hoarding.

Ohhhhhh really! Got a 2846?

[highoeyazmuhudee]

ya got lucky!

[dieselpower]

@ Nook - 

[dieselpower]

She's running fine. I may treat her to a service and let Rolexman know what happened but I'm not really one for tinkering, didn't the Boeing aircraft company say "If it isn't broken don't fix it"? Thanks for your thoughts and concerns and all.

 

Oh, there is a rather funny PS to this story which I didn't mention but I shall now... After taking the watch out of the rice bowl I wound it and set the date. Now the datewheel has a Ubi flat top 3 overlay and I know these are a pain in the ass and after she was serviced last time (about a year ago) the date alignment was not great (it never had been) and this time as the date clicked over it was even worse, the bottom of the date number was sitting below the edge of the opening in the dial so what did I do? I gave the watch a firm slap into the palm of my hand and lo and behold the date now sits exactly between the top and bottom of the window. Perfecto! You can probably see that the number 1 is a bit to the left but I don't suppose another bashing will cure that 

[freddy333]

I hate to say it & hopefully I am wrong, but I have a feeling the reason the overlay re-centered itself after being jolted is because it is coming off the datewheel & you may soon have another problem.

[Nanuq]

didn't the Boeing aircraft company say "If it isn't broken don't fix it"?

My favorite version is, "If it isn't broke, I ain't fixed it enough yet".

[Nanuq]

so what did I do? I gave the watch a firm slap into the palm of my hand and lo and behold the date now sits exactly between the top and bottom of the window. Perfecto!

A man after my own heart.

[dieselpower]

Date wheel (thus far) working fine. No more condensation appeared. Time keeping very good (not timed it exactly) but not gaining or losing anything significant.

[Tribal]

Nice Story.