As the summer is winding down and we just celebrated the Labor Day weekend. I thought I would like to give all of my customers one more reason NOT to wear their watch in the water. I have had an unusually high number of watches arrive at the shop this summer with water damage. Most are simply rusted from fresh water, the worst that arrive have had an encounter with saltwater. I thought that I would show a few pictures of the difference between the damage from salt water to freshwater.
Salt Water Damage
This Rolex Submariner arrived at my shop with terrible salt water damage. It was rusted beyond any repair and was returned to the customer as is with no work done. It is way past the point of any simple repair and probably needs a new movement. Score one for Salt water.
Salt water causes a nasty black rust in a movement. The rust has a very unusual smell and is just about impossible to clean off a movement. Keep your watch out of the ocean!!
Rolex versus Fresh Water
This watch arrived with quite a bit of fresh water inside the movement. There was water on the dial and all over the movement. I had to immediately clean this watch before the watch rusted any more. Once I open the back of a watch and see water, I need to clean it at that moment. If I wait until the next morning, it may be rusted beyond repair. A watch movement will normally rust as soon as it is exposed to air. So if you get your watch wet, don’t try and take the back off and “dry it” that is just going to make things worse.





32 Comments
David McFarland
I dive with my baby. Should be OK with service?
Paul Mason
Thanks for the heads up Mark. Great pictures of the damage. I have not had my Rolex in water and don’t plane to start doing as I don’t want to have to replace it.
Bob Phillips, Lake Charles, LA
I learned my lesson and you did an exceptional job saving my Rolex and I appreciate you calling me and letting me know what the repairs would entail. You are truly a first class Rolex Watch man! I have recommended you to many of my fellow Rolex wearers. When needed, I will be returning mine for servicing.
Pat Bissell
Great article Mark,
Question, what caused the saltwater leakage ?
I do some scuba diving and have been tempted to wear my submariner (I haven’t) which you have serviced 2-3 times.
I have a a regular dive watch that I always wear and have never had an incident with it. Should I be concerned? Both the submariner and the shark hunter are from the late 70’s.
Christopher
So what you are saying is diving watches (which are intended to be used in deep diving and made to be) are not suitable to be worn in water? I have a Omega Seamaster Professional that has been pressure tested. Still not able to be used in the ocean? Thanks
Alejandrino Villanueva
I thought dive watches like the Submariner can go underwater to a certain depth as long as the winder is screwed in. Are you saying they don’t work? I have a couple dive swatches I do swim ar snorkel with no problems.
Mike Hankel
If they are serviced at the right time, and gaskets have been changed, etc. there should be ZERO issues diving to their advertised depths. The watches above are probably not serviced so their gaskets have failed, or perhaps the crown/caseback were not tightly locked down.
Sam Carroll
^ THIS. ^ The moral of this story should NOT be “don’t wear a dive watch in the water” but rather “service your watch as instructed; esp. replace gaskets every five years, and pressure test once a year.”
Jim w.
My Omega was wet inside from fire hose water. It was salvable. I sure wouldn’t dive with a nice watch, no matter the model name or advertising.
Johnny McLain
Thanks Mark. I try not to put any of my watches under the water. I may wear a cheapo if I’m snorkeling or scuba diving.
Selwyn Rosen
Very interesting and something I will take in consideration since I live so closet to the ocean.Very professional.
Rick Weber
Very interesting post. It seems rather odd that Rolex offers diving watches if they can’t safely be used in the sea. I only go in deep water with watches that have screw down crowns/pushers such as Tudors and Doxas. I had a TAG Monaco fill with seawater a few years ago – an expensive repair. I don’t even wear it in the Y swimming pool anymore! Of course a $30 Swatch can survive almost anything and keep good time. It just isn’t a watch that I enjoy wearing.
T M Sisk
Thanks Mark. I paid over 2 thousand for a factory repair of my Rolex after I was pushed into the water in St. Lucia. I was in the water less than 45 seconds and the watch seemed OK until the next day. Then disaster. Since then I send everything to you and don’t ever wear the Rolex when we go sailing.
Joel
The photos are great. Thanks for the info.
Michael C
There is a school of thought that says if your watch gets wet (fresh water)’best thing is to do is to submerge it in fresh water and place in a glass jar to deliver to the repair shop ASAP in the belief that the rusting process will be slowed down to minimize damage. The same school of thought recommends rinsing a watch that has been in salt water in fresh water thoroughly then doing the same thing.
In your opinion does this practice “hold water”?
Tony Bonich
Then why the heel are Rolex saying you can go to over a thousand meters in there submariners ! They were used by comex for deep diving with no ill affect I’m now very confused is my sub just a dress watch now
John R. Lewis
Why did the Rolex submariner leak I have a stainless sub and a Datejust I have been swimming fresh water salt water with both no problems at all. My sub is 11 years old my Date Just 15 years old both have been serviced by Rolex twice for cleaning etc. never a moments trouble with either. Was it a seal malfunction or what?
Carlos Trejo
I respectfully disagree with the statement “Keep your watch out of the ocean!!”. A Rolex Submariner is meant to be used on the Ocean, on the deep fringes of it actually, keeping it out is sad, like using a Jeep just to buy groceries.
I think the lesson here should be “make sure of having proper maintenance and get your watch pressure tested before taking it to the ocean”.
Mark Morgan
great information thank you Mark
The Watch Doctor
Thanks for all of the good comments. This is a subject that gets a lot of people talking, so I am glad for all of the comments. I never said that a Rolex could not go in the water, what I am saying is to be safe and to keep your watch in good condition for as long as possible, keep it clean and dry. If you plan to dive with it, then you may want to think about sending it to the factory for them to service (for about $1000) . I just see so many watches come into my shop that are water damaged that I just tell everyone, to keep their watch dry. I have had “many” people send in a Submariner that is wet and they admitted that they forgot to tighten the crown. People make mistakes and sometimes it better to be “safe than sorry”.
Bob
Thanks Mark, as always a very informative column and useful caution.
Ed
Wonderful rebuttal Mark. Glad to say my R. Submariner still working great after your tuneup several years ago now.
Jim Bruce
I bought my first Submariner in 1975 and then a GMT Master in 1987, I have been diving (about 30 meters) many times and swimming in the ocean well over 100 times wearing those watches with no water damage. Mark did repair my girlfriend’s oyster for water damage when she failed to tighten the crown. I never go near the water without assuring the crown is wound tight. Your comment about “safe not sorry” is a good message if owners are lax about service or winding down the crown.
John C
Some very good and interesting questions have been raised in the comments and thus far, we have not received a valid answer to any of them. I have Rolex Submariner and an Omega Seamaster, the Seamaster needs to be serviced and I’m at a loss whether to use Mark or Nesbitts-Nesbitts being the most costly for service at around $400.00.
Alfred B
I’m sort of confused about not wearing a Rolodex in water . I have never taken my Rolex off in the water, I believe the watch is water tested and pressure tested to Rolex standards , there really shouldn’t be a problem wearing the watch in water salt or fresh
The Watch Doctor
Seems like the water issue has struck a nerve with my Rolex customers. I never said you can’t wear your watch in water, I say be careful. If you do plan to dive with it on, then most manufacturers would say to have your watch pressure tested every year. The customers that say “I have always worn my watch in water with no trouble” are setting themselves up for trouble. These people go way past the factory recommendation of service every 3-5 years, and this is where the trouble starts. Dry and worn gaskets are a big problem with a rolex, and also vintage models with a plastic crystal are also prime candidates for water damage. I wear a $50 Timex and would never think of getting it wet. Keep the comments coming!!
Lawrence Clouse, Sr
Mark, I’m a former Divemaster and have dived with my submariner for over 20 years without ever having a problem. I believe as you stated in your reply to Alfred B that having your Rolex pressure tested periodically is the key. I was one of the fortunate ones not having my watch tested or routinely serviced. Since finding you the “watch doctor” with reasonable pricing that will no longer be the case. Thanks again. Lawrence C.
Joseph McDonough
I have had my Seiko mechanical dive watch in salt water for about 10 seasons; multiple times each season in salt water, including surf swimming, sailing, kayaking, showering, pool swimming. Less than $200 bucks for the watch, and looks like a classic dive watch; in fact it is. That’s not to say it will never meet its match with the water. However, if I’m going to put out big money for a Rolex (I can’t afford them), who stake their brand’s fame on waterproof toughness, then I expect to be able to do the same with it as my Seiko. Otherwise what is the point? I do believe you must then get the Rolex serviced accordingly per manufacturers recommendations.
Divers used to entrust their lives to mechanical dive watches truly bearing the name. I’d expect Rolex to be able to take the punishment and live up to the hype.
Al
You have cleaned and serviced several of my Rolex watches and, I’ve been very happy. I can trust you to only do what needs to be done at a very fair price.
Could you clarify this statement:
” If you plan to dive with it, then you may want to think about sending it to the factory for them to service (for about $1000)”.
Do they do anything more than you do? I trust your skills as much as anyone and, if they do anything you don’t normally do on a Rolex overhaul, do you offer that service? Or, those parts?
I think many of us buy a Rolex named “Submariner”, “Oyster” etc with the idea that is designed for submersion. And, as long as it’s routinely serviced in a timely manner, will continue to be used in that manner.
Mike
The most expensive watch I own is a Tudor; I could afford a Rolex, but then I’d have to live in a van down by the river. For Rolex owners, why not leave it on the boat, buy a nice Seiko dive watch for a couple hundred bucks and dive with that?
The Watch Doctor
Great idea
SEBASTIAN FERNANDEZ ELLERO
I have a very nice Seiko (a Flightmaster SNA411) for swimming, shallow diving and for casual use.
My precious Omega Speedmaster inherited from my father was never used near water! Also I regulary service it.
Excellent post and advices Mark.