Water Resistance Testing

Water Resistance Testing

How long do you take to change a battery & test my watch?
We will try to compete the replacement & re-test the case the same day, if not, your watch should be ready the next working day - please read below to see why our tests take time

why should my watch be tested for water resistance?

Watches are very much taken for granted. No other precision instrument has so much expected of it with such little regard or concern.

A watch is expected to accurately function for 24hours EVERY day EVERY week EVERY month regardless of position across great variations in temperature.

The sensitivity of Quartz analogue movements pioneered the expansion of the protective watch case. There is an extremely small battery current available which the movement can convert to motive power. This makes a stabilised atmosphere critical for continually reliable operation.

Manufacturers recommend regular maintenance in order to ensure reliability, part of this regular maintenance concerns the case - it is only by having a reliable case that any the working components of the watch can be protected.

Whilst manufacturers recommend biannual testing to ensure that the seals protect, battery replacement involves penetrating the seals & therefore increases the possibility of deterioration.

For this reason, we recommend the following:-
Where the watch is used as a Primary life source (i.e Scuba Diving), it should be returned to the manufacturer for complete seal replacement and service.

Where the watch may be subjected to water submersion but is used in combination with Dive Computers etc. - we visually inspect the case seals and then:-

(1)Heat the case to remove atmospheric residual moisture
(2)Seal the case
(3)Pressurise in air through a series of pressure gradients finally testing to a maximum pressure of 100 metres for 15 minutes
(4)Rapidly De-pressurise in Air (a major air leak will expand the case and dislodge the glass thus becoming apparent before subjecting the works to moisture)
(5)Repeat the test but submerge the case in water whilst removing pressure - any leak will be apparent as a fine stream of bubbles emerging from the fail point
(6)Finally repeat the test pressurising in water to maximum pressure of 100metres for 15 minutes
(7)After the time has elapsed, the case is then heated for 10 minutes. Any micro leak will cause condensation to form on the glass inside when rapidly cooled as a final procedure

Because of the intensity of tests, we do not offer a 'while-u-wait' service - the extended procedure however, ensures that the results are reliable and ensures case integrity.

It should be remembered that many watches incorporate a single seal screw down crown. It is good practise to ensure that the crown is firmly screwed home before any submersion there is no protection from water damage if the crown is left open