Member X 91 Posted November 3, 2009 Well, my first real problem with any of my watches has occured Noticed after my 25 minute very brisk walk into walk this morning in the post-rain dampness that my body heat appears to have caused condensation to form underneath the crystal in my Parnis BR01 homage :( It's fading slowly but clearly the fact that the crown isn't screw down (and has a small gap between the case and the crown) must mean that it's far from waterproof... How can I fix this? I don't really want to take it apart as I am lacking tools and general ability, and there is also no case back on this watch, it all goes in from the front. Should I pull the crown out and place the watch (crown facing up) on a warm/hot radiator to try and get water vapour inside the casing to evaporate out of the crown opening? Or try and find some of that dessicant stuff that you get in electronic product boxes, then place it and the watch underneath a glass bowl with a good seal to the table surface for a few days to try and absorb any moisture into the dessicant stuff? Any advice very much appreciated! Thank you kindly knowledgeable sirs Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SliceMaster 281 Posted November 3, 2009 Should I pull the crown out and place the watch (crown facing up) on a warm/hot radiator to try and get water vapour inside the casing to evaporate out of the crown opening? I´ve tried that trick once and it worked for me so give it a try!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dingle 57 Posted November 3, 2009 Should I pull the crown out and place the watch (crown facing up) on a warm/hot radiator to try and get water vapour inside the casing to evaporate out of the crown opening? I´ve tried that trick once and it worked for me so give it a try!! great tip! I will have to give it a try as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trailboss99 994 Posted November 3, 2009 Either of those should work well enough for a small amount of condensation. I'd try the raditor on a sunny window sill first. Fortunetly rain water is pure and unlikely to cause any harm in the short term. As lomg as it doesn't stain the dial anyway. Col. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prestigewatchco 2 Posted November 3, 2009 Take the back off if you can too much heat will effect the oil so no hair driers etc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Member X 91 Posted November 3, 2009 Thanks for the advice, all I will try the radiator trick and see what happens - I would take the back off but there's no caseback as everything goes in the front and then the casefront/bezel/crystal all gets screwed down on top! I'll let you know how I get on :( Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dingle 57 Posted November 3, 2009 I'll let you know how I get on :( or off? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Member X 91 Posted November 3, 2009 You want me to know how I get off? This really is an open forum... lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Massimo 53 Posted November 3, 2009 A friend of mine recommends sticking it in a bag of rice (the watch that is, guys), crown pulled out, and apparently it soaks up any moisture really well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sconehead 5 Posted November 3, 2009 Unscrew the crown, put it in a cardboard box in a warm dry place, ie an airing cupboard, with a bag of 'silica gel' (the little white bags you get in electrical goods packaging) give it a day or two and it'll be gone... Be aware though, this WILL happen again unless you lube the crown/o-ring/tube...B) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AllergyDoc 40 Posted November 3, 2009 Fortunetly rain water is pure... Here in Central California, trace amounts of two common pesticides have been found in rain water. B) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sconehead 5 Posted November 3, 2009 Fortunetly rain water is pure... Here in Central California, trace amounts of two common pesticides have been found in rain water. B) We have acid-rain in these here parts Doc...Oscar drinks it you know... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Member X 91 Posted November 4, 2009 lol Thanks for the advice all I tried the radiator thing but they're not on enough at the moment to make much difference! The sun is also uselessly weak at the moment so leaving it on the windowsill this morning made bugger all difference... I therefore got brave and started taking the screws out the front! Sadly it looks like two of them are too tight for my weedy screwdrivers so I will see what other ones I can find. Even if I can just wipe the condensation off the inside of the crystal then leave everything under a glass bowl with the front half and crystal off for a few days, hopefully that will help! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trailboss99 994 Posted November 4, 2009 I say X, what you need is a set of RWG1.1 shop screwdrivers! And case back tools and case holder and hand pullers and spring bar tool and anything else we can sell you! Col. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KBH 7 Posted November 4, 2009 Anyone who owns reps needs at bare minimum a decent set of screwdrivers and a ball of duct tape. Oh yeah, and a tube of silicone grease. At the minimum you're going to need to regulate a movement sooner or later. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Member X 91 Posted November 4, 2009 lol @ Col - a salesman who never misses an opportunity I think I will have a look at the shop later today! The problem with the BR01 homage is that the screws have properly large heads, a good 1mm gap between the sides of the groove, so I might even need a 'normal' size screwdriver to get the stiff ones out without causing 'dents' in the grooves from using a too-small screwdriver... This is my first foray into self-fixing something - One day I want to be building mini-fiddy's and U-boat/fiddy lovechild watches!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
landwomble 0 Posted November 4, 2009 Unscrew the crown, put it in a cardboard box in a warm dry place, ie an airing cupboard, with a bag of 'silica gel' (the little white bags you get in electrical goods packaging) give it a day or two and it'll be gone... Be aware though, this WILL happen again unless you lube the crown/o-ring/tube... this is good advice - if you ever need more silica gel absorber than you know what do to with then you can buy huge bags of it sold as cat litter in your local supermarket. It's the same stuff (and it's awesome cat litter as it absorbs all the moisture, meaning it doesn't smell and you can toss the dessicated crap out and keep using the litter). Just don't put your watch in the litter tray......! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Member X 91 Posted November 5, 2009 I'm pleased to say that all seems well now after I left it on the windowsill all day! I'm sure that if I get the watch hot again it might steam up, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it Thanks for the advice all! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
onzenuub 307 Posted November 5, 2009 Condensation can build up inside a watch crystal whenever the watch is exposed to a lot of water, extreme fog, or humidity. Whenever the watch warranty is in place, most manufacturers recommend those who are familiar with the workings of the timepiece remove the condensation. However, if the warranty has expired, there are ways to remove the condensation on your own. Difficulty: Moderately EasyInstructionsThings You'll Need: Watch Jeweler sized tools Watch seal Magnifying glass Lint free cloth Cotton swabs Glass cleaner Lamp with light bulb Sun Hair dryer Step 1Remove the back of the watch carefully. It you still have the instructions that came with the timepiece, use those to ensure you don't damage the watch. Otherwise, choose jeweler sized tools to pry the back off the watch without fear of causing permanent damage. Step 2Check to see if the seal between the watch fixtures and the casing is intact. If it has eroded or broken, it will need to be replaced in order to prevent the same type of thing from happening again in the future. However, be aware that not every watch has a seal so if you don't find one, just move on to the next step. Step 3Check to see if water has built up inside the watch fixtures. Use a magnifying glass to do this in order to see the fixtures clearly. If moisture is obviously present, you will need to treat both the watch crystal and its fixtures for condensation. Step 4Remove condensation from the watch crystal by wiping it clean with a lint-free cloth. Using the magnifying glass, check closely to make certain you have not smudged or streaked the crystal. If so, use a bit of glass cleaner on a cotton swab to clear up the problem. Then wipe dry again with the cloth. Step 5Hold the watch carefully over the top of a hot lamp light bulb, if the moisture issue inside the fixtures is only mild or can't be determined. The heat from the bulb should remove any minor condensation within a few minutes without damaging watch parts. Step 6Put both the watch crystal and fixture into direct sunlight if you are afraid of touching any of the watch's inner workings. Let it sit in place until you note that the moisture is gone by looking through the magnifying glass. Step 7Use a hair dryer on low to medium heat setting to eliminate mild to medium condensation from either the watch crystal or the fixtures. Step 8Check to see if the watch is working properly. Watch it for a couple of hours to make certain that it isn't losing time or otherwise malfunctioning. If so, try replacing the watch battery and then check it again. If the watch appears to be working properly, move on to the next step. If not, it may be necessary to take it to a jeweler for complete repair. Step 9Replace the watch backing, making certain that it fits snuggly into place. If it does not, then your seal may not be in the correct position. Adjust it until the watch closes properly. Step 10Check to make sure the crystal remains clear and the timepiece is functioning properly before snapping the watch back fully into place. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dingle 57 Posted November 5, 2009 great info onze. sticky for sure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Member X 91 Posted November 5, 2009 +1 on that! Thanks onze Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
