Pressure test - timing & options in London

[LooseCann0n]

I have had my 2014 Rolex SD4k (116600) since March 2019 - bought from Chronext where it came with their confirmation that the watch has been pressure tested (though not sure if the seals would have been changed on what was a <5yr watch).

It has performed flawlessly since purchase still keeps great time around +/- 1spd and has been looked after by me. I usually wear on weekends, preferring my DaytonaC for weekdays.

This watch has been my holiday watch and the watch I mostly wear in pools and the sea, most recently a few weeks ago in Cornwall, UK.

Am going on holiday soon and my questions are:
1) when should I get the watch pressure tested, 2) when should the seals and gaskets be replaced and
3) when can I go in London to get these done.

Also any info on what I should expect and how much it should cost would be amazing.

For your trouble, I attach a picture of the watch out doing its thing!



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[padi56]

In the real world any high street watchmaker shop could dry pressure check to 200m-300m if passes it will be fine for all water sport including scuba. If used regular in water fresh or salt depending on use a pressure check say once a year or two will be fine.

My own personal deepest dive just on breathing air and very very very carefully planned was a little over 100m, and can assure that was plenty deep enough for me and a 1990s Rolex SD. If I remember the deepest recorded dive just on scuba gear was in the Red Sea quite a few years back now ,by a guy called Nuno Gomes total depth was just over 318m perhaps now broken.


Now it only took him about 20/50 minutes to reach that depth, but because of breathing different gasses at that depth and pressure. It then took him little over 12 hours with all the safety stops to finally return to the surface safe, and without any form of decompression treatment. Now at these extreme depths, there are several diving related problems to overcome nitrogen narcosis, decompression sickness, oxygen toxicity, sheer dehydration and the different effects of the gases when changing over tanks containing the different gas mixtures. Now while breathing the high helium mix past around 60M the helium gas wants to leave the blood while the nitrogen wants to rush in.

Now this dive would have not been possible without a huge back up and very careful planning. Gomes is in a very small group of guys that have gone over 250m with just scuba gear. Plain fact there have been more guys to go to the moon, that have got past 250m underwater just on scuba. But most recreational divers today stick to around 30m- 40m max depth on just air. Some more technical recreational divers would go to perhaps 120m but for this type of diving you must be very experienced with plenty of planning and backup. So today the dive ratings on many watches are a bit of a joke as they will never be used by man or superman wearing on the wrist in water, perhaps they make them today because they can and little more.

[CaptT]

Originally Posted by padi56

In the real world any high street watchmaker shop could dry pressure check to 200m-300m if passes it will be fine for all water sport including scuba. If used regular in water fresh or salt depending on use a pressure check say once a year or two will be fine.

My own personal deepest dive just on breathing air and very very very carefully planned was a little over 100m, and can assure that was plenty deep enough for me and a 1990s Rolex SD. If I remember the deepest recorded dive just on scuba gear was in the Red Sea quite a few years back now ,by a guy called Nuno Gomes total depth was just over 318m perhaps now broken.


Now it only took him about 20/50 minutes to reach that depth, but because of breathing different gasses at that depth and pressure. It then took him little over 12 hours with all the safety stops to finally return to the surface safe, and without any form of decompression treatment. Now at these extreme depths, there are several diving related problems to overcome nitrogen narcosis, decompression sickness, oxygen toxicity, sheer dehydration and the different effects of the gases when changing over tanks containing the different gas mixtures. Now while breathing the high helium mix past around 60M the helium gas wants to leave the blood while the nitrogen wants to rush in.

Now this dive would have not been possible without a huge back up and very careful planning. Gomes is in a very small group of guys that have gone over 250m with just scuba gear. Plain fact there have been more guys to go to the moon, that have got past 250m underwater just on scuba. But most recreational divers today stick to around 30m- 40m max depth on just air. Some more technical recreational divers would go to perhaps 120m but for this type of diving you must be very experienced with plenty of planning and backup. So today the dive ratings on many watches are a bit of a joke as they will never be used by man or superman wearing on the wrist in water, perhaps they make them today because they can and little more.

I believe the record has been broken (in 2014, now ~332m). Remarkable accomplishment in either case.

In fact, getting to 100m (or 75m) rather remarkable as well.

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?p=10830895

[LooseCann0n]

Great - thanks.


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[tjantheman]

Just go to any Rolex AD and ask them to pressure test it. They’ll do it for free in a matter of minutes.

[LooseCann0n]

Originally Posted by tjantheman

Just go to any Rolex AD and ask them to pressure test it. They’ll do it for free in a matter of minutes.

Good to know - thanks


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[1995akcoop]

Originally Posted by padi56

In the real world any high street watchmaker shop could dry pressure check to 200m-300m if passes it will be fine for all water sport including scuba. If used regular in water fresh or salt depending on use a pressure check say once a year or two will be fine.

My own personal deepest dive just on breathing air and very very very carefully planned was a little over 100m, and can assure that was plenty deep enough for me and a 1990s Rolex SD. If I remember the deepest recorded dive just on scuba gear was in the Red Sea quite a few years back now ,by a guy called Nuno Gomes total depth was just over 318m perhaps now broken.


Now it only took him about 20/50 minutes to reach that depth, but because of breathing different gasses at that depth and pressure. It then took him little over 12 hours with all the safety stops to finally return to the surface safe, and without any form of decompression treatment. Now at these extreme depths, there are several diving related problems to overcome nitrogen narcosis, decompression sickness, oxygen toxicity, sheer dehydration and the different effects of the gases when changing over tanks containing the different gas mixtures. Now while breathing the high helium mix past around 60M the helium gas wants to leave the blood while the nitrogen wants to rush in.

Now this dive would have not been possible without a huge back up and very careful planning. Gomes is in a very small group of guys that have gone over 250m with just scuba gear. Plain fact there have been more guys to go to the moon, that have got past 250m underwater just on scuba. But most recreational divers today stick to around 30m- 40m max depth on just air. Some more technical recreational divers would go to perhaps 120m but for this type of diving you must be very experienced with plenty of planning and backup. So today the dive ratings on many watches are a bit of a joke as they will never be used by man or superman wearing on the wrist in water, perhaps they make them today because they can and little more.

More men have been sent to the moon… wow


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[LooseCann0n]

Originally Posted by LooseCann0n

Good to know - thanks


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Edit - wrong quote!

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[LooseCann0n]

Originally Posted by tjantheman

Just go to any Rolex AD and ask them to pressure test it. They’ll do it for free in a matter of minutes.

Is this true - went to WoS in City (Liverpool st) and they said no - need to send it off and could take 6-8 weeks.
Any specific ADs - ideally London - that have done this?


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[Mal H.]

Originally Posted by LooseCann0n

Is this true - went to WoS in City (Liverpool st) and they said no - need to send it off and could take 6-8 weeks.
Any specific ADs - ideally London - that have done this?


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I've yet to find one that will do more than the 10 bar dry test. I just plan to have my dive watch serviced more often and call it good.

[LooseCann0n]

Would be happy with the 10 bar test - it is only going in water around 2m deep so just want to be sure the seals are still good for purpose…


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[Mal H.]

Originally Posted by LooseCann0n

Would be happy with the 10 bar test - it is only going in water around 2m deep so just want to be sure the seals are still good for purpose…


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That's shouldn't be too hard to find. Failing that, a 10 bar dry tester isn't really all that expensive.