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greasing a watch


docdoc

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I wonder if anyone of you may have bump into a tutorial that would explain how to grease your watch tube and crown (and all the other parts needed to) ?

Wich tools ? Which product ? Where to put it in the watch case ? etc.

thanks

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Just a question, I get how to grease the caseback gasket its pretty much a no brainer. What puzzles me is how do you grease the crown gasket where the gasket is inside of the crown and not on the tube?? Do you release the stem and crown from the watch, grease, then put it back in???

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Just a question, I get how to grease the caseback gasket its pretty much a no brainer. What puzzles me is how do you grease the crown gasket where the gasket is inside of the crown and not on the tube?? Do you release the stem and crown from the watch, grease, then put it back in???

I remove the gaskets, grease them and replace them. Yes, this means removing the stem.

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Pretty much!

Small amount of silicone, on the tip of a toothpick, followed by a wipe off with a fine cotton bud, is my method.... just don't OVER grease the suckers, grease in itself does not seal, the O ring does that job, the silicone just aids the surface contact.

Offshore

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Greasing the seals will not ensure that the watch is watertight. The grease adds nothing to the waterproofness or tightness of the case. All greasing does is allow the seals to be lubricated and not hang up on the caseback when you screw it down, or the crown when you wind, set the time, or unscrew it from the tube.

There is a simple test you can do before you risk your watch in water (I am still of the opinion that if you really need to swim with a watch, you buy a cheapie disposable one...).

Homemade 4 foot water pressure test.

Get a pyrex measuring cup or clear container.

Heat water to 120 F and fill the cup with water.

Insert the watch into the water, and look for a stream of bubbles, if you see bubbles, you have a leak. Remove the watch immediately.

If there are no bubbles, it's waterproof to about 4 feet of depth.

How this test works is simple, the heat causes the air to expand inside the case, as it expands IF there is an escape route for it from the case, you will see the bubbles.

This test will not damage the watch, because the air is trying to ESCAPE, the water is not trying to get in, as long as you remove the watch before the bubbles stop (in case of a leak) the water won't go inside the watch case.

Good luck.

RG

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Greasing the seals will not ensure that the watch is watertight. The grease adds nothing to the waterproofness or tightness of the case. All greasing does is allow the seals to be lubricated and not hang up on the caseback when you screw it down, or the crown when you wind, set the time, or unscrew it from the tube.

There is a simple test you can do before you risk your watch in water (I am still of the opinion that if you really need to swim with a watch, you buy a cheapie disposable one...).

Homemade 4 foot water pressure test.

Get a pyrex measuring cup or clear container.

Heat water to 120 F and fill the cup with water.

Insert the watch into the water, and look for a stream of bubbles, if you see bubbles, you have a leak. Remove the watch immediately.

If there are no bubbles, it's waterproof to about 4 feet of depth.

How this test works is simple, the heat causes the air to expand inside the case, as it expands IF there is an escape route for it from the case, you will see the bubbles.

This test will not damage the watch, because the air is trying to ESCAPE, the water is not trying to get in, as long as you remove the watch before the bubbles stop (in case of a leak) the water won't go inside the watch case.

Good luck.

RG

Ahhhh! The Zigmeister! Post too soon! Your eye must be feeling better! Glad to see you up and about! Hope you're feeling much better!

Hike

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Greasing the seals will not ensure that the watch is watertight. The grease adds nothing to the waterproofness or tightness of the case. All greasing does is allow the seals to be lubricated and not hang up on the caseback when you screw it down, or the crown when you wind, set the time, or unscrew it from the tube.

There is a simple test you can do before you risk your watch in water (I am still of the opinion that if you really need to swim with a watch, you buy a cheapie disposable one...).

Homemade 4 foot water pressure test.

Get a pyrex measuring cup or clear container.

Heat water to 120 F and fill the cup with water.

Insert the watch into the water, and look for a stream of bubbles, if you see bubbles, you have a leak. Remove the watch immediately.

If there are no bubbles, it's waterproof to about 4 feet of depth.

How this test works is simple, the heat causes the air to expand inside the case, as it expands IF there is an escape route for it from the case, you will see the bubbles.

This test will not damage the watch, because the air is trying to ESCAPE, the water is not trying to get in, as long as you remove the watch before the bubbles stop (in case of a leak) the water won't go inside the watch case.

Good luck.

RG

Great tip. Thanks!

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But If your watch fails the test won't you have some water inside the watch where the air from the bubbles used to be?

Theoretically, no. The case material damps the thermal transfer of heat to the inside of the watch cavity. When you snatch the leaky watch out of the water, it continues to heat up inside even when it's been removed. Wipe it down quickly and you'll prevent water sneaking back in at the leak as it subsequently cools.

Theoretically.

You won't get *all* the water from the vicinity of the leak, so you'll want to open it up again and continue waterproofing efforts. As it's open, let it dry completely before trying again.

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As for greasing a watch, let me also add: When attaching a new crystal to a vintage Rolex I apply a tiny bit to the inside of the crystal retaining ring, and a small bit to the inner and outer faces of the watch crystal right where it meets the case, so the retaining ring presses on easier.

It might have saved me cracking a few crystals, and I think it adds a miniscule additional amount of leak resistance.

Emphasis on miniscule! :tu:

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  • 2 years later...

Greasing the seals will not ensure that the watch is watertight. The grease adds nothing to the waterproofness or tightness of the case. All greasing does is allow the seals to be lubricated and not hang up on the caseback when you screw it down, or the crown when you wind, set the time, or unscrew it from the tube.

There is a simple test you can do before you risk your watch in water (I am still of the opinion that if you really need to swim with a watch, you buy a cheapie disposable one...).

Homemade 4 foot water pressure test.

Get a pyrex measuring cup or clear container.

Heat water to 120 F and fill the cup with water.

Insert the watch into the water, and look for a stream of bubbles, if you see bubbles, you have a leak. Remove the watch immediately.

If there are no bubbles, it's waterproof to about 4 feet of depth.

How this test works is simple, the heat causes the air to expand inside the case, as it expands IF there is an escape route for it from the case, you will see the bubbles.

This test will not damage the watch, because the air is trying to ESCAPE, the water is not trying to get in, as long as you remove the watch before the bubbles stop (in case of a leak) the water won't go inside the watch case.

Good luck.

RG

I agree with Zig,use a cheeper watch for swimming and what not. I have a five year old G shock that cost me around $50.00. Been In the pool/ocean many times without issue. I dont put my reps through anything more than a hand wasing or getting caught In the rain,with Pina Coladas :D

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