It will come as a surprise to many people that most water damage to water resistant watches does not occur by exceeding the depth limitations of the watch (but that will certainly do it), but from more common everyday occasions that you never think about. The two biggest culprits are hot showers and the hot tub. Let me explain.
Hot Showers
When you take a hot show while wearing your watch, the dramatic temperature changes of the metal casing causes some condensation to form on the interior of the watch. Sometimes, you can even see it on the inside of the crystal. Continuous exposure to hot showers can eventually corrode the timing mechanism in the watch and cause it to malfunction.
Hot Tubs
Hot tubs are even worse. Not only can they be hotter than a normal shower and promote greater chances for condensation, they have high pressure water outlets that expose the watch to aberrant pressure that simulates pressure that can exceed the depth rating of your watch. If the watch has a low depth resistant rating, you can actually drown your watch. It can even happen to higher rated watches that are repeatedly exposed to the hot tub, because the extreme temperature changes can eventually damage the gaskets that provide the protection and cause leakage. The “bottom line” – don’t wear your watch in a hot tub! It was simply not designed for this kind of abuse.
Be smart and avoid these common situations that can cause damage to your watch. If you follow my advice, your watch will last longer, keep better time and ultimately save you a lot of money in the long term.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at info@bidiamonds.com or 760-268-0100.
The Author: Paul Buchanan is a Graduate Gemologist, Graduate of the American Institute of Diamond Cutting and President of Bella Ideale Diamonds, more popularly known as bidiamonds.com.
