Help! There’s moisture in my watch!
I was wondering if anyone here has dealt with moisture in their quartz watches before. I’m guessing it’s probably from me leaving the watch on the bathroom sink counter while showering.
I was thinking about taking the case back off and putting it in a container with rice or silica packets for a couple of days. Does anyone concur with this?
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Anthony
I’ve got problems. Like which watch am I gonna wear today?
Paragould, AR, USA
Member since
Last active: 5 days ago
8.00” / 20.32 cm
You nailed it. Submerse in rice or packets of silica. No need to remove the case back, especially with rice.
Bathrooms are watches arch nemesis. One, steam will find any unsealed opening. Two, tile floors.
Once you get moisture pop the back off and use a hair dryer but don't get it too warm. Then the rice trick Hope you don't get a watermark on the crystal.
No reason to panic. This is caused due to the temperature difference between inside and outside.
No reason to panic. This is caused due to the temperature difference between inside and outside.
Do you think I should still rice the watch?
It suggests that the watch is not water or airtight. Common with vintage watches.
For a modern watch I'd get a watchmaker to change the gaskets and pressure test. Or return for repair if still under warranty.
Most watches aren’t hermetically sealed inside a vacuum. Especially being quartz, if the battery has been changed at a jeweler or home… the air inside your watch is plain old regular air that contains some amount of moisture.
Rice, a couple silica packs in your watch box can help reduce the amount of moisture though. Which should reduce the condensation effect.
Do you think I should still rice the watch?
If the moisture goes away within a few minutes once you’re inside, nope! If it stays there for let’s say 30 minutes, you should.
If the moisture goes away within a few minutes once you’re inside, nope! If it stays there for let’s say 30 minutes, you should.
Ok thank you!
Sit it under a light bulb, not to close.
I collected a bunch of silicate packets from dog treats and put them in a small ziplock with the watch's crown open. The moisture from the inside was drawn out.
Had condensation in a 1973 Seiko king quartz. I removed the case back and used a hair dryer. Changed the gaskets and it never happened again.