'Could' you put an entire Rolex into an ultrasonic cleaner?

[silverbullet818]

Are the seals and the oyster case water tight enough to put the entire watch head and band into an ultrasonic cleaner?

I do the bands with the watch head attached hovering over the water.

Wondering if one could do the entire watch case and all for a few seconds.

It's amazing how much gunk comes off the band even after washing it in soap and water.

[T. Ferguson]

Don't do it. Bracelet only, please. The vibrations can cause damage to an assembled movement. When the RSC services your watch the movement is completely disassembled and the separated parts are put through the ultrasonic bath. Besides, there's really no reason to since unlike the bracelet the case doesn't have nooks and crevices you can't get at with a toothbrush.

[swils8610]

Bracelet only. It can damage the movement.

[silverbullet818]

Thanks for the responses! I will follow your advise!

[05carbondrz]

I would not even risk the Head still being attached to the Bracelet.The vibrations are still being transmitted into the Movement.

[silverbullet818]

Thanks for the responses! I will follow your advise!

[Rocket_Man]

I've heard this as well but I really don't get it. The vibrations are very high frequency and are meant to agitate the water around the object, but they don't have much energy behind them. I can't imagine it is enough to put much energy into the movement. The heavy case would attenuate the weak energy of the waves that much more. Also, people do all sorts of things while they wear their Rolexes, hammering, hitting them against a door frame, I've even dropped my older DJ from ~4 feet onto a tile floor. All these put far more energy into the movement and don't seem to cause any harm. People have hit their watches hard enough to break the sapphire crystal but the movement keeps going. So while the accepted belief is that it should not be done, I don't think it should hurt the watch unless a seal is defective and water gets is.

Yes when they service the watch they dissemble the movement and put the parts in an ultrasonic cleaner, but that is the clean the movement of old lubricants and debris.

Has Rolex themselves ever said not to put their watches in an US cleaner?

[Sidmind]

I personally like to put my whole hand in the US cleaner with the watch on, the microcutis refraction from the skin leaching against the SS, with micropourus hair fiber as a ultrasound wave dead-on-ing prevents oil from oozing from the jewels.
/each to their own.
//got nothing

[NeoAnderson]

How clean do you need it? Lol

[Mezz72]

ultrasonic waves can spoil the movement?
lol....

[Abdullah71601]

I just run mine through the dishwasher these days.

[Chris B]

I do it , my pals do it, I've even watched the service guy at Bexley dunk my GMT into an ultra-sonic cleaner that looked like deep-fat fryer, ... but most don't.

[RHIII]

I personally wouldn't do it...but many schools of thought here...a little soap and water suits me just fine...

...I can remember years ago watching my father (a WIS as well) sit his watches in some sudsy ammonia and warm water in the bathroom and then gently scrub with an old toothbrush...they always came out looking great...

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

I just run mine through the dishwasher these days.

Seriously? I hadn't heard of that before

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Seriously? I hadn't heard of that before

Another member suggested it. The things are water proof to at least 10 bar, what is a water spray compared to that? I tried it on my Explorer first (it's under warranty) and now wash them all once a week.

Light wash cycle (40 degrees C), non-spotting dish washing machine detergent, no heat dry. Towel dry when done. Comes out brilliant.

[Highland Ranger]

I do the whole watch and have been for years. You'd be surprised what comes off and otherwise clean watch and it really shines afterwards.

It amazes me that we buy these very robust tool watches and then worry about showers, hot tubs and ultrasonic cleaning.

As a mechanical engineer, I would think Hi amplitude shock (dropping watch on floor) would be the type of vibration to avoid. Not a little wishy washy in the water.

[KarlS]

Did it a few times and no problems

[KNY]

Funny, my AD makes no qualms about dunking a Rolex into the ultrasonic. In it goes and out it comes, all nice and shiny! Do I let him do it with mine? Um, no.

[bongtris]

Will the ultra sonic cleaner remove the filled engravings on the ss daytona's bezel?

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[Boaters]

WOW so many choices I think old school toothbrush and a mild cleaner. I do ultra sound the bracelet once every couple months but never the whole watch.

[silverbullet818]

Now I'm confused. A cycle in the dishwasher seems more harsh even in China mode.

Maybe using a cheaper low powered US cleaner is ok.

[ratty]

Knowing how little care I take of my watches, compared to some other owners on here, I wonder how putting it in an ultrasonic cleaner would damage them?

Can anyone tell us the physics of why doing this will or might damage the watch please?

Thanks

[Danny83]

I found out on here its not a good idea to do that.

[ratty]

Originally Posted by Danny83

I found out on here its not a good idea to do that.

But why?

[rolex_DateJust]

Negative. Only bracelet / fully disassembled movement can go on the ultrasonic cleaner

[HogwldFLTR]

Originally Posted by silverbullet818

Now I'm confused. A cycle in the dishwasher seems more harsh even in China mode.

Maybe using a cheaper low powered US cleaner is ok.

Washers don't couple ultrasonic vibrations to the movement.

[fskywalker]

No way! Just the bracelet, unless you are planning to put in the case without movement.


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[GMT Aviator]

It's not damaging the movement that might cause the problem if you dunk the whole watch in, it's the fact that the collapsing bubbles inside the fluid could cause seal failure between the crystal and the case and any other fine seal area they form on.
For that reason, I wouldn't do it, only the bracelet.

[Rachaphon]

I did it once on my Daytona and moisture got in (that's what RSC told me)!!So, bracelet only!!

[GMT Aviator]

Originally Posted by Rachaphon

I did it once on my Daytona and moisture got in (that's what RSC told me)!!So, bracelet only!!

I rest my case!