cholack
508
Question about vintage watches. Your help please!
For a long time, I stayed away from vintage pieces, but ultimately I have succumbed to their charm and am now ready to acquire my first piece.
However, vintage watch maintenance has always been a barrier in my mind, and I have a very specific question about water resistance and its relationship to the longevity of a vintage piece.
As we all know, moisture leading to water damage can mean the difference between a pristine dial/lume/hands/movement to an eroded dial/lume/hands/movement. Therefore, considering normal day to day wear (and of course without any swimming or other water sports), is it necessary to get your vintage pieces pressured tested for some water resistance? Would you expect the dial/hands/lume to deteriorate if you did not pressure test?
I mean, it would be a pity to acquire a nice example only to have it deteriorate over the course of ownership!
As I don't have any experience in vintage collecting, any advice from the vintage collectors would be greatly appreciated!
For reference, I am thinking that of the Movado Super Sea Sub as my first vintage.
Cheers,
Cholack
Question about vintage watches. Your help please!
For a long time, I stayed away from vintage pieces, but ultimately I have succumbed to their charm and am now ready to acquire my first piece. However, vintage watch maintenance has always been a barrier in my mind, and I have a very specific question abo...
I Treat Every Vintage Watch as Non Water Resistant
Only my Datejust, which was overhauled with all new O-rings and seals, as well as a new crystal; was pressure tested. I feel confident wearing it in any situation but as for the other Vintage watches, O-rings and seals may be hard to come by when overhaul...
It would depend on the particular watch
but many vintage watches could still be made water resistant to original specs. Ive got a 1972 Tissot T12 chrono that passed the pressure text after servicing. I actualy went scuba diving (accidently) with a late 60s Seamaster with not ill effects whateve...
Consider it as not water resistant, so avoid any contact with water.
Check that the case back is firmyl closed, replace the seals, and if you live in a hot and humid country, it will be ok. Best, Nicolas
Yes it is necessary. Not a collector but, here is my opinion....
Hello cholack, As a watchmaker I can tell you, the water resistance is so important. If a watch case leaks, corrosion/damage begins immediately. Oil and water do not go well together, so your service intervals will be much sooner, than if your case was se...
You will have to make difficult decisions.
A vintage watch that was water resistant and whose case has not been damaged or corroded can be made as water resistant as it was originally. However, you may have to replace some parts. The main issue is the crown, as crowns often have gaskets that are n...
Prescient comment - that's precisely the position . . .
. . . I found myself in recently. My watchmaker replaced the crown on my '56 Seamaster Calendar while servicing the movement . . . [original crown displayed] . . . but I asked him to replace it with the original crown for the sake of maintaining the highe...
Just don't expect...
.. vintage watches to be really water resistant even if it is so engraved on the back. And keep it or them in the humidity/ temperature controlled places.... That is the best you can do while you can enjoy the (almost) daily use.... Ken