Water spot inside watch.

[highoeyazmuhudee]

Hey guys.

 

Black Bay rep from maybe 2014? or 2015....

 

Went swimming in some coolish salt water, then in the hot sun noticed a dried water spot on the inside of the watch on the [censored] around the 3 o clock position.

 

Case back gasket was greased prior, crown was screwed down and I believe I even greased the gasket there as well.

 

Is this a failure of the Nylon crystal gasket? Or a crown tube? Or something else?

 

It seems to be common to reps, as my 14270 rep also has the same kind of spot in the same place but didn't come with me on this particular trip where the black bay developed this dried water spot.

 

thanks

 

 

[mymanmatt]

The area that leaks in most watches is the crown. The case tube o-rings, or the crown is not tight enough. I don't think you should take a gen into salt water, let alone a rep. But, that's just my opinion. You may want to have it looked at inside to make sure there is no damage. Good luck.

[Nanuq]

When I was building my Snowflake (Phong case) it would leak like that.  Upon CLOSE inspection I found the "flat" area on the midcase where the caseback o-ring seals was deformed.  It was bulged out a smidgen, probably when someone tapped threads into the new tube hole during manufacturing.

 

I had my guy machine that flat and that let the caseback come in a bit further and get the right squeeze on the o-ring.

[automatico]

"The area that leaks in most watches is the crown.  The case tube o-rings, or the crown is not tight enough.  I don't think you should take a gen into salt water, let alone a rep."

 

+1

 

Another place to look for leaks is where the case tube screws into the case.

I use a Bergeon 5555/98 to find leaks with the movement out of the watch.  I put a regular Schrader air valve like used on aluminum wheels in place of the pressure release valve and can pump it up as high as 100 psi (6 or 7 atm) with an air tank, not with the pissant pump on the tester.  The catch is air will escape from between the bezel and case plus anywhere air is trapped first test or two making it hard to pinpoint the leak but sooner or later you can narrow it down to exactly where it is.  Fancy high pressure, very high $$ dry testers are Ok but they are not too hot for finding where the leak is unless it puffs smoke in the dome. 

If the leak is big enough it can blow the crystal out...the reason for removing the movement.  

 

Sometimes you can run up on an old Bergeon 5555 for not much $$ and convert it to a 5555/98 with the higher pressure kit for around $200.

Money spent on a tester beats a box of rusty Etas...or a rlx 1570 (I have one of them already).