Close call! (crown unscrewed+ h2O)

[S52]

So had a pretty scary close call a couple weeks ago.

I was down in Key west on a work trip, and had my trusty GMT on my wrist. My buddies were already in the pool so I grabbed a can of brew and jumped into about waist deep water... right as I was about to dunk the watch under I felt over the crown as a final safety check and wouldn't you know it the freaking crown was completely unscrewed!

Its a good thing I was only a couple of beers in otherwise Im certain that check would not have occurred!

It was ironic too because after the scare, my friends and even a couple strangers commented "hey you've still got your watch on, are you sure it wont get ruined?"

So lesson learned... any time theres even a chance of me being near water while wearing these watches, obligatory crown check will occur!

Anyone else have similar stories/ blunders to share?

[kilyung]

I once took a shower after setting the time but forgot to screw down the crown. No big deal.

[RolexDivers]

Even with the crown unscrewed, the sub is good for 100ft water submersion.
As far as GMT, well maybe good for 50ft unscrewed?

BUT yes, water is water and it will find its way into your case so always have your crown screwed in, don't take any chances.

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

Even with the crown unscrewed, the sub is good for 100ft water submersion.
As far as GMT, well maybe good for 50ft unscrewed?

BUT yes, water is water and it will find its way into your case so always have your crown screwed in, don't take any chances.

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

Even with the crown unscrewed, the sub is good for 100ft water submersion.
As far as GMT, well maybe good for 50ft unscrewed?

BUT yes, water is water and it will find its way into your case so always have your crown screwed in, don't take any chances.

Great info . . . didn't know that

Thanks

HAGWe

[joe100]

I see your a fellow aviator. Preflight checks my friend

[RolexDivers]

and along the same lines, I think the DSSD, with its crown unscrewed,
is 1000ft water resistant ---- can you believe that? It is amazing to know that at its most vulnrerable point, the DSSD acts like a SUB at its strongest ....

[gwalker]

The trip lock crowns are just as waterproof open as they are closed. The issues people have are almost always due to not servicing the watch and the o-rings don't seal like they are supposed to.

[Andad]

Too much misinformation IMO.

A correctly functioning (read serviced and pressure tested) Rolex crown is waterproof to its rated depth with the crown unscrewed.
In the case of the triplock that is 500 bar (multilply that by 14.8 psi)
The screw down function is to prevent you from using the crown at depth.

The Daytona pushers have a screw down function which is also there to prevent them from being used at depth but notice that the Daytona screw down pushers don't have a 'crown' style seal as it is not needed.

S52 would only have had a problem if his crown stem or case back seals had been worn.

[versatile1]

Originally Posted by directioneng

Too much misinformation IMO.

A correctly functioning (read serviced and pressure tested) Rolex crown is waterproof to its rated depth with the crown unscrewed.
In the case of the triplock that is 500 bar (multlply that by 14.8 psi)
The screw down function is to prevent you from using the crown at depth.

The Daytona pushers have a screw down function which is also there to prevent them from being used at depth but notice that the Daytona screw down pushers don't have a 'crown' style seal as it is not needed.

S52 would only have had a problem if his crown stem or case back seals had been worn.

Oh.

[Andad]

My

[Watchmutt]

word

[padi56]

Originally Posted by kilyung

I once took a shower after setting the time but forgot to screw down the crown. No big deal.

Likewise I was once 30m underwater and I noticed my crown was unscrewed on my SD,but did not panic as it was insured.On return to surface after our planned dive watch was fine and still fine today after hundreds of hours underwater in salt and freshwater.

[James M]

Originally Posted by directioneng

Too much misinformation IMO.

A correctly functioning (read serviced and pressure tested) Rolex crown is waterproof to its rated depth with the crown unscrewed.
In the case of the triplock that is 500 bar (multilply that by 14.8 psi)
The screw down function is to prevent you from using the crown at depth.

The Daytona pushers have a screw down function which is also there to prevent them from being used at depth but notice that the Daytona screw down pushers don't have a 'crown' style seal as it is not needed.

S52 would only have had a problem if his crown stem or case back seals had been worn.

I never knew this

[Brushpup]

Originally Posted by padi56

Likewise I was once 30m underwater and I noticed my crown was unscrewed on my SD,but did not panic as it was insured.On return to surface after our planned dive watch was fine and still fine today after hundreds of hours underwater in salt and freshwater.

Now we have someone openly admitting they subjected their SD to the harsh and rigorous conditions of taking it 90 ft down? In Salt water no less!

What is this place coming too?

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Brushpup

Now we have someone openly admitting they subjected their SD to the harsh and rigorous conditions of taking it 90 ft down? In Salt water no less!

What is this place coming too?

Well it was pure accident I remember setting the time and giving it a wind then my group come up on deck so just put watch down by my gear.After planning the dive with my group just put watch back on wrist after kitting up and doing a buddy check then all in the water.I was busy just watching and checking my group while going down making sure they were all OK.But when we reached out planned depth just checked watch and computer and noticed crown was unscrewed.But my priorities were my group and not the watch as watches can be replaced lives cannot.

[Brushpup]

Peter, I was just being sarcastic about someone actually diving with a SD.

Sorry my humour and sarcasm didn't come through.

[S52]

Originally Posted by directioneng

Too much misinformation IMO.

A correctly functioning (read serviced and pressure tested) Rolex crown is waterproof to its rated depth with the crown unscrewed.
In the case of the triplock that is 500 bar (multilply that by 14.8 psi)
The screw down function is to prevent you from using the crown at depth.

The Daytona pushers have a screw down function which is also there to prevent them from being used at depth but notice that the Daytona screw down pushers don't have a 'crown' style seal as it is not needed.

S52 would only have had a problem if his crown stem or case back seals had been worn.

Interesting, thanks for the info did not know this!

Even so, still feel much more comfortable with it screwed down if getting wet!

[knuss]

I've almost made this mistake several times.

[GeoGio Greece]

Originally Posted by directioneng

Too much misinformation IMO.

.........In the case of the triplock that is 500 bar (multilply that by 14.8 psi)
The screw down function is to prevent you from using the crown at depth.


S52 would only have had a problem if his crown stem or case back seals had been worn.

500 bar is 5000 m in depth , (1 bar = 10,33 m of water )

The triplock has three seal areas, the second, being the one on the inside of the crown, the no 3 of the cut section , "seats" only when screwed down.

So, concluding, I am of the opinion, that the inside seal, ( Nos 1 & 2 ) on the crown axis and possibly theone ( No 4 ), of the trip lock, on the end of the "male" threads - neck, can hold some liquid-water penetration, when open, but srewing down is the "procedure" that secures the watch, as the latter, due to the tappered shape in the inside of the crown, "seats" the o-ring to seal and the crown seats the seal inside it.

There is a slide somewhere showing all these seals in a cut section, but could not find it now in my files. ( I did !!! )

I once just got my Sub wet while unscrewed with no damage, but some friends, with AK and DJ ( twinlock models ) had them open when showering or at sea and were floaded with water.

[Hairdude1]

Cool pics!

[gregdolley]

Originally Posted by directioneng

Too much misinformation IMO.

A correctly functioning (read serviced and pressure tested) Rolex crown is waterproof to its rated depth with the crown unscrewed.
In the case of the triplock that is 500 bar (multilply that by 14.8 psi)
The screw down function is to prevent you from using the crown at depth.

The Daytona pushers have a screw down function which is also there to prevent them from being used at depth but notice that the Daytona screw down pushers don't have a 'crown' style seal as it is not needed.

S52 would only have had a problem if his crown stem or case back seals had been worn.

Good info!

[sub-eddie]

Originally Posted by padi56

Likewise I was once 30m underwater and I noticed my crown was unscrewed on my SD,but did not panic as it was insured.On return to surface after our planned dive watch was fine and still fine today after hundreds of hours underwater in salt and freshwater.

Does insurance cover water damage? I have jewelers mutual but don't know exactly if they would cover that. I've always been curious to know if they do and I once asked them but I didn't get a straight answer.

[Onikage]

Originally Posted by GeoGio Greece

500 bar is 5000 m in depth , (1 bar = 10,33 m of water )

The triplock has three seal areas, the second, being the one on the inside of the crown, the no 3 of the cut section , "seats" only when screwed down.

So, concluding, I am of the opinion, that the inside seal, ( Nos 1 & 2 ) on the crown axis and possibly theone ( No 4 ), of the trip lock, on the end of the "male" threads - neck, can hold some liquid-water penetration, when open, but srewing down is the "procedure" that secures the watch, as the latter, due to the tappered shape in the inside of the crown, "seats" the o-ring to seal and the crown seats the seal inside it.

There is a slide somewhere showing all these seals in a cut section, but could not find it now in my files. ( I did !!! )

I once just got my Sub wet while unscrewed with no damage, but some friends, with AK and DJ ( twinlock models ) had them open when showering or at sea and were floaded with water.

Nice cross sectional. Is it me, or is there a "top crust" to the crown?

[Tri-Tip]

So, say you are 100 feet down and notice that the crown on your Sub is unscrewed. Do you leave it unscrewed until your surface, or screw it down? Could screwing it in while submerged force water into the watch?

[Onikage]

Wouldn't want to "plunger" any saltwater into the watch...

[GeoGio Greece]

Originally Posted by Onikage

Nice cross sectional. Is it me, or is there a "top crust" to the crown?

This is supposed to be a "real" crown assembly cut off.

Because the crown "construction" metal is steel, ( for technical reasons ), while the appearence must have been gold in this example, the cutting off "twisted" the over layed gold metal sheet, just slightly detaching it from the steel base in this specific point to form this "crust".

If you have an experienced and trained eye ( like mine , being an enginner and having worked for years with metal constructions, cut off sections, x-rays on pieces, ultra sounds, destructive and non destructive proofing methods, etc ), you can clearly see the tubular construction of the main shaft, how the tappered assembly of this tube mates with the crown, the different metal / construction of the neck, the threads on the neck and crown and how they develop and fit, the "crust" continuation all over the crown, the "O" - rings seats, the lathe patterns, etc.

I once "fished" this picture from somewhere on the net, I do not even remember where and when, and kept it. Its good that I did !!

[padi56]

Originally Posted by sub-eddie

Does insurance cover water damage? I have jewelers mutual but don't know exactly if they would cover that. I've always been curious to know if they do and I once asked them but I didn't get a straight answer.

At the time it was all insured with my all risks dive insurance including myself camera equipment, diving equipment, and watches all for unexplained loss or water damage.

[Onikage]

Originally Posted by GeoGio Greece

This is supposed to be a "real" crown assembly cut off.

Because the crown "construction" metal is steel, ( for technical reasons ), while the appearence must have been gold in this example, the cutting off "twisted" the over layed gold metal sheet, just slightly detaching it from the steel base in this specific point to form this "crust".

If you have an experienced and trained eye ( like mine , being an enginner and having worked for years with metal constructions, cut off sections, x-rays on pieces, ultra sounds, destructive and non destructive proofing methods, etc ), you can clearly see the tubular construction of the main shaft, how the tappered assembly of this tube mates with the crown, the different metal / construction of the neck, the threads on the neck and crown and how they develop and fit, the "crust" continuation all over the crown, the "O" - rings seats, the lathe patterns, etc.

I once "fished" this picture from somewhere on the net, I do not even remember where and when, and kept it. Its good that I did !!

Ok so I haven't used proper engineering terms. And I laugh a lot. I agree, cool pic.

[springer]

About three years ago, a good friend of mine jumped in his pool with the crown unscrewed on his GMT II. He never noticed it until after the fact and was in the pool for some time. Later he noticed the crown's position and eventually the watch started fogging. He had the watched checked and it did have water inside. He brought the watch to an AD and had it checked and the watch was sent to the RSC in NYC for repair. It cost him $2500 to have it repaired. He also told me that his home owners insurance paid for most of the repair.

The inner o-ring in the tube will wear with time and lose is ability to have a proper, water tight seal. Every since this incident with my friend's watch, I always check my crown before exposure to water.