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Wore my 1960 Wittnauer in the shower!

1K views 15 replies 12 participants last post by  SodiumMonkey 
#1 ·
:think:

Hello Everyone,

I'm a brand new member, though I've learned a lot here over the past couple of years lurking and reading. Sorry for the abrupt first post without any introduction, but I started a shower a few hours ago and realized after about a minute that I was wearing a vintage Wittnauer, but by then it was too late. It seemed the watch was fine at first as it kept running, but sure enough it stopped after about an hour and now it won't run unless I move it. So, water and potentially soap have definitely gotten inside.

Unfortunately for this circumstance, the watch has a closed back and there is no way I can open it up. First of all, I don't have one, and second I am not a DIYer in any event. If it has an openable back, I would give that a shot, but alas it's the Longines case that's a single piece.

I just called two places, and both are closed until Monday, and I don't really know who else to call. So I guess my questions is, what is the likelihood that the parts will rust by Monday morning? I'll definitely want to have this repaired unless it's crazy expensive, and I gather it shouldn't be so long as nothing rusts. (It's a recent Christmas present from my wife and otherwise in beautiful condition.)

Any thing I can do in the meantime short of opening it up?

Thanks in advance, and I hope to get to participate more cheerfully in the near future.

Regards,

Josh
 
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#3 ·
I suppose personally what I would do for now.. I would locate some silica gel packets (like come with shoes ... etc other things to absorb moister and assuming I could get a dozen or so I'd put the watch in a plastic bag with them (ziplock) and then put it someplace warm / in the sun... till monday and then get to the watch place and have them look at it.

barring silica gel packs you could also place it in a bag with uncooked rice and do the same thing.
 
#6 · (Edited)
warm the watch to body temperature.

Put a drop of cold water on the crystal, one drop, it doesn't need to be bigger than an 1/8 inch.

Wait 10 to 15 seconds.

Wipe off the drop.

If there is condensation under the crystal, get it looked at as soon as possible.

If there is not any condensation, you don't have a water problem.

EDIT: No major damage will be done between now and Monday at any rate...
 
#8 ·
I am a big Wittnauer fan, owning many and I wish you the best of luck. It would be a shame to lose one! Any of the above advice is good.

By the way... W E L C O M E ! !
 
#9 ·
Hello,

Excellent article about what happens if you get water in the movement:

HowTo: What to do if water got into your watch | Watch Guy

Regards

:think:

Hello Everyone,

I'm a brand new member, though I've learned a lot here over the past couple of years lurking and reading. Sorry for the abrupt first post without any introduction, but I started a shower a few hours ago and realized after about a minute that I was wearing a vintage Wittnauer, but by then it was too late. It seemed the watch was fine at first as it kept running, but sure enough it stopped after about an hour and now it won't run unless I move it. So, water and potentially soap have definitely gotten inside.

Unfortunately for this circumstance, the watch has a closed back and there is no way I can open it up. First of all, I don't have one, and second I am not a DIYer in any event. If it has an openable back, I would give that a shot, but alas it's the Longines case that's a single piece.

I just called two places, and both are closed until Monday, and I don't really know who else to call. So I guess my questions is, what is the likelihood that the parts will rust by Monday morning? I'll definitely want to have this repaired unless it's crazy expensive, and I gather it shouldn't be so long as nothing rusts. (It's a recent Christmas present from my wife and otherwise in beautiful condition.)

Any thing I can do in the meantime short of opening it up?

Thanks in advance, and I hope to get to participate more cheerfully in the near future.

Regards,

Josh
 
#10 ·
Thank you very much Gentlemen. Both for the advice and also the well wishes.

As an update, after I posted this and before I was able to read the results, I had opened the stem, put the watch on, and ventured out around my neighborhood in my power wheelchair (I'm not walking anymore, but that's another story). I found that so long as I was moving, the watch ran, and seemed to run accurately, but within a short time of stopping my chair and not moving my arm, it would stop. I assume that means that there is water in the gears, but that a slight dithering motion is enough to break the resulting friction.

Immediately upon returning home and reading your initial responses, I put the watch in a ziplock bag full of white rice. We have a fair amount of that as my wife is Korean and we eat a lot of Korean food - Hence my User Name Bulgoki! [Now you know two things about me besides my misadventure] :)

As of now, about 24 hours later, the watch still runs when I move it.

First thing tomorrow I am going to go a watch repair shop that my cousin has recommended, so I don't think a full 48 hours will pass before they open it up. Also, I'm hoping that less water got into it than the situation in the article where the watch was laundered! Based on what you all have said, I am cautiously optimistic that it should survive a cleaning and oiling.

I'll keep you all posted, and thanks again!
 
#13 ·
Update: Nothing is ever as simple as it should be.

Yesterday morning, as planned, I brought my watch to the fellows who my cousin recommended. I waited a few minutes, and then they told me that the movement was not damaged by the water, but that the self-winding rotor was loose and damaged and they'd need to check their suppliers for a replacement. They showed me how the watch rattled a little bit when the case was closed and the watch was gently shaken. Total cost for cleaning and oiling the movement and replacing the rotor - $200! And it will take 2 to 3 weeks to find one. :-|

And here's the thing:

1. They said the damage to the rotor could not have been caused by the water.
2. I don't recall that rotor being loose or ever rattling until they brought it back to me from their back room.

It is possible that I just never noticed it before. Entirely possible, but . . . I don't know. Also, I did drop the watch once soon after I bought it, but again I didn't notice any issues with the power reserve or any jiggly sound.

So, now I have this uneasy paranoid feeling. I will just have to suck it up and hope the watch comes back as accurate as it was when I first bought it and with no other issues.

Sigh . . .
 
#14 ·
So it cost you $200 to have your watch looked at (which it needed due to the fear of water damage), the movement cleaned and oiled, and the rotor replaced? That's fine, the watch was probably due a service anyway. When had it last had a service? If you don't know then maybe it's a good job it had one now before a more serious (and costly) problem developed.
 
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