Pressure testing non screw down crowns

[Waggy]

I have a new pressure test machine to test my watches water-proof(ness) and have seen several videos on testing watches and I am confident that I can perform a test on the types of watches with a screw down crown. However I have other watches (non-diver) which are 'water resistant' but they have a regular push down crown which I wold like to test. Does anyone have any tips on how I keep the stem/crown seated in place during the pressure testing process, without a movement in the watch case to hold them in position the stem/crown could simply fall out. during the set up or shoot out during the de-pressurisation phase of the test. I was thinking of using some tape just to physically hold the stem/crown in position mimicking the function of the key-less works, but wanted to know if anyone had any 'best practices' or other ideas?

[Endeavor]

When you have a hammer, not everything is a nail.

"Water resistant" means that you could, with some luck, walk with your watch in a slight drizzle. Not for under the shower nor swimming. I've heard plenty of stories were so called "water-proof" up with low ratings watches (new) got "flooded" with water after a bicycle tour in the rain.

Has your "water resistant"-watch a rating at all? If not, to which pressure do you like to test that watch? And, once you break the seal, the test is void.

Edited March 18, 2023 by Endeavor

[JohnR725]

5 hours ago, Waggy said:

I have a new pressure test machine to test my watches water-proof(ness)

Which machine and maybe a picture?

5 hours ago, Waggy said:

crown could simply fall out.

Isn't the crown supposed to have a gasket if it's a water resistant watch? If it has a gasket it seems like it would probably stay in place.

 

 

[watchweasol]

My belief of waterproof and water resistance is that the waterproof is just that and is build withstand the pressure of diving in water to given depths. If you exceed the depths as stated you risk blowing the seals and suffering damage. Water resistance basically that it ok in the occasional rain shower and an accidental quick dunk but not prolonged imersion. Even a watch without a screw down crown with a gasket is dependant for its water resistance on the condition of the seals. Just because it says water resistance it might not be .  In either case as stated it’s all down to the condition and age of the seals.

[tomh207]

My understanding is that the WR is measured static water column. All bets are off if the water is moving or the watch is moving through the water column, realistically it would more likely be both are dynamically changing. I think PADI certified dive watches are rated to 200m water resistance, I don’t believe PADI goes beyond 30m, at least for recreational divers.

 

Tom

[JohnR725]

5 hours ago, tomh207 said:

WR is measured static water column.

On paper water resistant testing seems pretty straightforward. But as you noted other things will affect this because a diving watch is meant to have pressure to hold everything together and keep it sealed. Thing about like a cork going into a bottle more pressure the harder you push the cork the better the seal.

Where things get really bad is you wash your hands there's no pressure and as you commented moving water has a habit of getting into places rather than static water. Or you wash your hands with hot water a heat up your watch the air expands and because there's no pressure on the watch other than just the gasket which of its old is probably disintegrated anyway then when the air cools down it pulls the moisture pass the gaskets.

I think I saw Seiko once had a brochure on what the meaning of the various water pressures are on a watch as to whether you can dive into a pool or go to see diving or even wash her hands but like you said washing hands is worse than diving. Although it's not the worst thing of all to do.

The worst thing if you want to destroy a watch including a Rolex is being a farmer. I once visited a watchmaker in Idaho who told an interesting story. A lot of the farmers in Idaho use siphoning to get their water onto the field so when you're driving along the fields you'll see all these half round pieces of aluminum pipe and ponder what therefore unless you actually know. So what they'll do is ill fill up a ditch next to the field with water which is typically cold and then they will stick the half from pipe CN and flip them over and they will siphon the water out into the field. The problem is Idaho is typically hot at least where I was in Idaho and the farmers gravy hot sweating because he's working hard and is shiny Rolex is going to get hot in the sun and then it's going get drenched into the cold water. Depending on how big the field is is going to be hot cold hot cold For quite some time and according to the watchmaker I talked to he didn't care who is watch it was diver whatever they would disintegrate. But you look at the water resistance they're not based on that sort of thing they're based on water pressure solid pressure like a column of water not real-world situation of the water could be hot or cold words moving or its oh then there's the other thing

it could have other influences like hand creams or are the sanitizing creams that we have now a lot of those are not good for the caskets. Yes I work in a shop with a change a lot of batteries and they dry pressure check all the watches and they complain about the lotion that's under the back how dirty the backs can yet the dirty the bands can get it's amazing how dirty your metal band would get the time.

 

 

[Waggy]

Thanks you all for the comments above, my intention is just to see if the gaskets I install on refurbished (non-diver) watches are installed and functioning correctly. I assumed a simple low pressure test (3 bar?) would give this confidence. I appreciate that there are a lot of factors in the gaskets holding in the real world, but if they are not installed correctly by me from day 1 then they have no chance of working, so I want to be sure I give them the best chance possible - hence the pressure test.

Maybe there is a better way to get the assurance over and above a visual check that everything looks to be installed and working correctly when it leaves my desk, any experience or recommendations greatly appreciated.

[tomh207]

Water resistance ratingSuitabilityRemarks

Water Resistant 3 atm or 30 mSuitable for everyday use. Splash/rain resistant.Not suitable for showering, bathing, swimming, snorkeling, water related work, fishing, and diving.

Water Resistant 5 atm or 50 mSuitable for everyday use, showering, bathing, shallow-water swimming, snorkeling, water related work, fishing. Splash/rain resistant.[6][better source needed][7]Not suitable for diving.

Water Resistant 10 atm or 100 mSuitable for recreational surfing, swimming, snorkeling, sailing and water sports.Not suitable for diving.

Water Resistant 20 atm or 200 mSuitable for professional marine activity, serious surface water sports and skin diving.Suitable for skin diving.

Diver's 100 mMinimum ISO standard (ISO 6425) for scuba diving at depths not suitable for saturation diving.Diver's 100 m and 150 m watches are generally old(er) watches.

Diver's 200 m or 300 mSuitable for scuba diving at depths not suitable for saturation diving.Typical ratings for contemporary diver's watches.

Diver's 300+ m for mixed-gas divingSuitable for saturation diving (helium enriched environment).Watches designed for mixed-gas diving will have the DIVER'S WATCH xxx M FOR MIXED-GAS DIVING additional marking to point this out.

Here is some text about WR resistance, hope this helps. WR for non professional dive watches is defined by ISO 22810:2010, probably very dry reading if you can get your hands on it . It does however lay out testing and definitions that would probably help, I’ll see if I can find a copy.

 

Tom

Found it!

Tom

ISO-22810-2010.pdf

[Waggy]

To tape then as WD40 doesn't seem to fit

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

54 minutes ago, Waggy said:

To tape then as WD40 doesn't seem to fit

 

A car mechanic's solution then. I will hope that we in the world of watch mechanics have just a touch more finesse