Sub C bezel, stiff clicks after getting wet

[slide13]

My 114060 is two weeks old now. Love the watch! Wore it today and got a little sweaty so when I got home I decided to give it a rinse. First time it's seen water really, just hasn't come up before now. I noticed after giving it a rinse in the sink that the bezel got a little harder to turn and then a few of the clicks got really stiff, just randomly. I thought maybe some grit got in it so went back to the the sink to flush it again, gave the bezel a few turns under the water and then submerged it and did the same and then gave it a final rinse. Still had some stiff feeli clicks, like way stiffer than normal. As it dries out its gotten better.

This was about a half hour ago. Still doesn't feel quite as smooth/easy as it did before it got its bath but it no longer has the real stiff clicks.


Anybody ever experience anything like this before?

[wrist_watcher]

I would fill up sink with warm water mixed with a little dish detergent. Submerge watch and slowly rotate bezel a few times. Then do same in clean warm water. See if it rotates better.

[slide13]

Thanks, that seems to have done it! Should have known that, but just figured since it wasn't real dirty a quick clean water rinse would do it.

[tomchicago]

This watch is not meant to get wet!!!

[FSUGeoff]

Originally Posted by tomchicago

This watch is not meant to get wet!!!

I know... I was gonna say what is he thinking

[tomchicago]

Originally Posted by FSUGeoff

I know... I was gonna say what is he thinking

[slide13]

Just adding to this for anyone who might come across this topic in the future.

First, never did find any reference to this with a Sub but I did find this about the Tudor Pelagos which uses the same ratchet system:

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f23/tud...n-4078794.html

Sounds like exactly what I was experiencing.

I ended up giving it two different soapy water baths. The last one was with some good swishing around and working the bezel. It came out feeling perfect, but as it was drying out it did stiffen up briefly again, but then after fully drying it's now perfectly smooth and feel just like new again. I've been using the bezel regularly over the last half day or so just looking to see if it feels rough or hard to turn again and so far it hasn't.

Not really sure what is going on other than there must be, or have been, some dirt or something in there that is causing the problem and the water initially moved it into a bad place. Hopefully not something I'll run into again but if so I guess I'll have to take it in to get looked at.

[mjclark32]

Usually just running the faucet over it and moving the bezel simultaneously does the trick

[michaelodonnell123]

My buddy has the same watch as you, along with the stiff bezel. Cleaning it fixed it for a short while and then it was rough to turn again. He had it serviced and it was good for a while and it got rough yet again. A couple of months ago I put a tiny drop of virgin olive oil between his bezel and the case, gave the bezel a few turns and its been buttery smooth since. I also did it for my Seiko Padi and it is very smooth now as well. I have been doing this for many years with a lot of different watches and it always worked out well. I even put a tiny drop on the threads if the crown does not tight down nice and smooth.

[Cryten]

Originally Posted by michaelodonnell123

A couple of months ago I put a tiny drop of virgin olive oil between his bezel and the case, gave the bezel a few turns and its been buttery smooth since. I also did it for my Seiko Padi and it is very smooth now as well. I have been doing this for many years with a lot of different watches and it always worked out well. I even put a tiny drop on the threads if the crown does not tight down nice and smooth.

Olive oil?

That sounds like something my wife would do - after prodding it with a screw driver first

[Quailhunter]

"after prodding it with a screw driver first"

That's funny, especially since that's my wife's first approach to fixing things too.

[Psmith]

Reminds me of a thread from years ago... someone drenched their GMT IIc in oil and then commented on how smoothly the bezel and crown operated afterwards!

[tomchicago]

i would hesitate to use anything but a synthetic lubricant on these watches.

[wrist_watcher]

No lubricant on bezel mechanism. This will be a magnet for dirt and such and you will have more serious issues.

[HogwldFLTR]

Sounds like grit lock...glad cleaning fixed it.