First Submariner - simple questions

[enewmen]

Hi all.

I was thinking of getting a Submariner 116613LB for a long time.
One thing I was worried about was the actual depth, after reading the foums people are confident the watch can dive deeper than I can.

Dumb questions:
Since the watch is very waterproof, are there any risks for wearing a Submariner 24/7 (besides the obvious effect on my wrist)?
Can I wear it like a normal watch or like jewerly - very reistant to scratches (the sapphire crystals and the metal)? Or when in doubt, leave the watch at home. I think I'm OK unless I drop it or hit it with a hammer.
How to care for it to remove old soap, dirt, and stuff?
Is salt water harmful ? How to care for the watch after soaking in salt water? I will plan to use the watch during routine ocean diving.

If I spend 10k on a watch, I want engineering, not just good looks.
I did search online and the Rolex web-site, but didn't find much.

Thanks, this will help a lot!

[padi56]

Well yes any Rolex can be worn every day that's what they was made for,but remember in everyday wearing it will get scratches that's a simple fact of wearing any watch.Now I see you have chosen a mixed metal watch,now gold being a softer metal it will scratch more easy than the SS.Now some of my watches have spent well over 600 hours under salt and fresh water.So after diving in salt or pool or open fresh water always rinse well in fresh clean water.And if using regular to dive pressure check watch once a year.And just keep watch clean with soap and water and normal routine service watch will be fine for many many years of wearing and diving.

[enewmen]

Thanks for the post! Good advice.
Can minor scratches be polished out? Guessing the sapphire crystal is very difficult to scratch.

I'll remember to do a pressure check once a year for the daily 66m/200' dives.
I know what salt water does to diving gear, which is why I had concerns for the watch in that environment.
So just cleaning with soap & water is enough? Better to wipe it dry with something or just air-dry?

Basically the Rolex is MUCH more durable than say a $100 Timex?

[T. Ferguson]

Originally Posted by enewmen

Thanks for the post! Good advice.
Can minor scratches be polished out? Guessing the sapphire crystal is very difficult to scratch.

I'll remember to do a pressure check once a year for the daily 66m/200' dives.
I know what salt water does to diving gear, which is why I had concerns for the watch in that environment.
So just cleaning with soap & water is enough? Better to wipe it dry with something or just air-dry?

Basically the Rolex is MUCH more durable than say a $100 Timex?

Yes it can be polished. In fact, at routine service at the Rolex Service Center (RSC) the watch will be polished and come back looking brand new again.

You can wipe it dry.

No comparison to a $100 Timex.

[Cesium133]

Originally Posted by enewmen

Basically the Rolex is MUCH more durable than say a $100 Timex?

Depends on what you mean by "durability".

A Rolex is well engineered but it is still a mechanical watch. That means there are hundreds of tiny screws, jewels, and moving parts within a small area. A good thump against a wall or drop on the floor can dislodge something. So, in a sense, you can say it is very durable for being a mechanical watch. But I would argue a quartz watch is less likely to stop working if bumped due to it's simplistic movement.

What the Rolex has going for it is one of the best water resistant cases ever made. The Oyster case and triple-lock crown is probably the benchmark for all dive watches. If the seals are in good shape, nothing will be getting in that case.

As Padi56 stated, it's a watch and will eventually show signs of wear. Clean it regularly and have it pressure checked once a year and you'll prolong its life. When necessary, have it serviced and it will come back looking new.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Cesium133

Depends on what you mean by "durability".

A Rolex is well engineered but it is still a mechanical watch. That means there are hundreds of tiny screws, jewels, and moving parts within a small area. A good thump against a wall or drop on the floor can dislodge something. So, in a sense, you can say it is very durable for being a mechanical watch. But I would argue a quartz watch is less likely to stop working if bumped due to it's simplistic movement.

What the Rolex has going for it is one of the best water resistant cases ever made. The Oyster case and triple-lock crown is probably the benchmark for all dive watches. If the seals are in good shape, nothing will be getting in that case.

As Padi56 stated, it's a watch and will eventually show signs of wear. Clean it regularly and have it pressure checked once a year and you'll prolong its life. When necessary, have it serviced and it will come back looking new.

Well that depends on whether the quartz watch is digital or analogue digital .Dont forget there are a lot of mechanical parts in a quartz analogue watch too.Take the Rolex Oyster quartz its hand stack drive train is from the cal 3035,but its escapement is a quartz crystal and its power is via a battery.My favorite dive tool watch was the Citizen Aqua-land 11 that watch gave far more diving information than any simple time lapse bezel.

[Vincent65]

If you want one, just buy one, wear it, enjoy it and keep it clean and serviced, much like a pair of shoes! Rolex have already thought of all the answers to your queries, so you don't have to worry about it!

[enewmen]

The Rolex is still a mechanical watch like you said. What I ment by durability is there must be reasons why people are willing to may much more for the Rolex that looks similar.
I have a $20 Casio that took lots of beatings and still runs great after 10 years - same battery. The problem is the Casio can not be serviced - the uglyness can't be fixed.

A watch I can wear 24/7, excellent water resistance, and servicing that can make the watch look like new is what I was looking for.
I think it's time to make the big dive for a watch I will want to keep.

[Cesium133]

Padi56...yes, you are correct. There can be some watches with a lot of functions and thus more parts.

I was speaking from personal experience. Before I became a WIS, I wore cheap quartz analog watches and put them through abuse and never had a problem (with the exception of water resistance). I was just stating that, in general, a modest watch like a Timex can serve one well.

In fact, I was wearing an Expedition the other day and cracked it right into a metal support beam in my basement. Thought it was a goner but there was no issue. I was impressed.

I just wanted the OP to know that a Rolex is well made but not indestructible. A lot of people new to Rolex think that for $10k the watch will never break or need to be repaired. Wait until they find out a routine service costs $500.

[Cesium133]

Originally Posted by enewmen

The Rolex is still a mechanical watch like you said. What I ment by durability is there must be reasons why people are willing to may much more for the Rolex that looks similar.

Trust me, a Rolex is tough. The internet is full of people putting their Subs through torture tests. Some are pretty funny...dishwashers, boiling pots of water, frozen in blocks of ice, ect...

The reason people pay $$$ for Rolex is a combination of so many factors. First, and most importantly, they are well made and have years of proven reliability. They have lead the field in so many technological aspects of watch making. They are easily the world's most recognizable brand and often represent a level of accomplishment. The brand has an almost cult-like following and allows one to be a part of a club, hence TRF. They have great resale value so it's possible to keep flipping them without worry of too much depreciation. And finally, Rolex spends more on marketing than anyone else in the watch game so we're constantly being told they're worth the money.

[Alcan]

Originally Posted by enewmen

If I spend 10k on a watch, I want engineering, not just good looks.

The reason its $10K is because of the engineering.

Originally Posted by enewmen

How to care for it to remove old soap, dirt, and stuff?
Is salt water harmful ? How to care for the watch after soaking in salt water? I will plan to use the watch during routine ocean diving.

This works:

[KeepTicking]

Originally Posted by Alcan

The reason its $10K is because of the engineering.




This works:

The reason it's $10k is because of its MARKETING.

[thomaspp]

[QUOTE=enewmen;3979019]Hi all.


Dumb questions:
Since the watch is very waterproof, are there any risks for wearing a Submariner 24/7 (besides the obvious effect on my wrist)?
Can I wear it like a normal watch or like jewerly - very reistant to scratches (the sapphire crystals and the metal)? Or when in doubt, leave the watch at home. I think I'm OK unless I drop it or hit it with a hammer.
How to care for it to remove old soap, dirt, and stuff?
Is salt water harmful ? How to care for the watch after soaking in salt water? I will plan to use the watch during routine ocean diving.

QUOTE]

Subs are tanks! They take everything life throws at it (wouldn't suggest hitting it with a hammer though!).

[kilyung]

Your body will take a beating before a sub does.