Water damage to my watch. What can I do?

With the tropical temperatures of recent weeks, our customer service colleagues receive many questions from people who suddenly have moisture in their watch after a dip in the cooling water. This does not always mean that the watch is broken.

Main causes of moisture in a watch:

• The watch has come into contact with water with the crown open,
• The watch could not withstand the water pressure,
• Damage or wear to glass, lid or gaskets.

In this article we explain how you can prevent moisture from getting into your watch and what you can do to solve it.

How do I know there is moisture in my watch?

The first sign that there is moisture in the watch is that condensation forms on the inside of the glass. This especially occurs with a large temperature change. Compare it to wearing glasses in winter. Step onto a warm bus or train from outside and your glasses will fog up immediately. This also sometimes happens when you jump into a cold pool in the summer; The glass of your watch fogs up.

Condensation on the glass of your watch does not necessarily mean that the watch is not waterproof. There is always some moisture in the watch, because there is moisture in the air. When the case is closed during manufacture, there is air inside the watch with the moisture content at that particular moment.

A waterproof watch is tightly sealed with gaskets to keep moisture out. This also means that no moisture can escape! The result of this is that when the pressure changes due to a change in temperature, the pressure inside and outside the watch is unequal. This can cause condensation.

This problem does not or hardly occur with a non-waterproof watch. Because the case is not (water)tight, the air in the case can adapt to the pressure outside.

Is the moisture in my watch harmful?

A light haze on the watch crystal does not immediately affect the operation of the watch and usually disappears on its own. Place the watch with the crown open for a few hours in a dry and warm place (not on a radiator!). If the condensation does not disappear, there may be more going on.

If the condensation layer increases and droplets form, there is a risk of damage to the movement and rust formation. In that case, we recommend that you immediately visit a jeweler or watchmaker to have the watch checked.

How did that moisture get into my watch?

Moisture in the watch can have various causes. The most common cause is the crown not being closed properly. When the watch is immersed, water flows straight into the watch through the opening in the watch case.

The second most common cause of moisture in a watch is swimming with a watch that is not suitable. Almost all watches state on the lid and/or dial what the water resistance of the watch is. There are three ways in which water resistance is indicated: in meters, ATM or bar. 

The indication in meters is a bit confusing. 50 meters does not mean that you can dive 50 meters deep with this watch. It stands for 50 meters of pressure, or 5 atmospheres (ATM) or 5 bar.

The table below provides an overview of the water resistance of watches:

We also advise against wearing your watch with a rating of less than 10 ATM in a hot tub or sauna.

Other causes of moisture in a watch are damage to the glass or worn gaskets. In that case, always visit a watchmaker or jeweler to have the watch repaired.

If you would like to know more about the water resistance of watches, visit our water resistance information page.

How to prevent moisture from getting into my watch? 4 tips. 

• Before showering or swimming, always check whether the crown of your watch is pressed or screwed shut. And do not open the crown when you are in the water. The use of pushers (for example on a chronograph) in the water is also not recommended.
• Check whether the water resistance of your watch is suitable for the activity you are going to undertake. Are you going snorkeling on holiday? Then take a watch with at least 10 ATM water resistance.
• Avoid abrupt temperature changes; Don't jump straight from the hot sun into an ice-cold pool.
• Regularly maintain your watch. The watchmaker always checks the water resistance and replaces any worn gaskets.

What can I do against water damage to my watch?

Do you have condensation under the glass of your watch? Place the watch in a warm and dry place or in the sun with the crown pulled open or unscrewed. If the condensation does not disappear, place the watch in a bowl of (uncooked) rice overnight with the crown open.

If the condensation does not disappear, this may mean that there is more moisture in the watch than desired. Then go to a jeweler or watchmaker to have the watch checked. It is possible that the lid is not closed properly, the gaskets are no longer in good condition, or that moisture enters the watch through another route, for example through damage to the glass.

Don't forget to press or screw the crown closed again when the condensation is gone.

Absolutely do not use a hairdryer to remove moisture from your watch!

It may seem like a quick way to get moisture out of your watch, but we strongly advise against using a hairdryer or placing the watch on a hot radiator! This can deform (plastic) parts such as gaskets or even weaken/crack the glass and worsen the problem.

Moisture and smartwatches

Be extra alert to water with smartwatches. After all, these are electronic devices comparable to a smartphone and very sensitive to moisture.

Most modern smartwatches, such as those from Garmin, have an ATM certification, just like analog watches. The same table as above applies to these watches. 

With many other smartwatches, the water resistance is indicated by an IP rating. That is the indication of water resistance for electronic equipment. 

You can read more about this in our article about the waterproofness of smartwatches.

Water damage and warranty

Before watches leave the factory, they are tested by the manufacturer for water resistance. Some brands – such as Seiko and Citizen – even have an ISO certification for their dive watches. Water damage is therefore usually not caused by a manufacturing defect, but by (wrong) use and wear. In the latter case, water damage is unfortunately not covered by the manufacturer's warranty.