Rolex Sports in Sauna/Steam Room - Warranty?

[Thewatchfactor]

It can pass for all conditions but if you are scared, you shouldn't wear it then.

[joli160]

Originally Posted by CaptT

As such, when going in the sauna if I'm not able to leave the watch someplace safe I'll take the watch (Rolex or other) and wrap it in a wet hand towel that generally insulates it from the 190-210 degree heat.

Se

Your watch is safer on the wrist than in a towel where it can reach ambient temperature.
On the wrist it will never reach that high temperatures and will get only slightly if any warmer than your skin. If it would reach 210 it would burn you severely. Never happens

[HAL9K]

For what it’s worth, I took my Pelagos FXD to the spa a couple of weeks back, and spent a few hours going from hot tub to dry sauna to steam room to cold plunge to showers etc. I wasn’t concerned with water intrusion but with steam/water vapour intrusion.

Happy to report that there has been zero signs of moisture or humidity making its way in the case.

The outside surface of the crystal got quite foggy in the steam room and I got a bit concerned but it was just the outside and wiped right off when I got out.

Im sure a Rolex diver or any Rolex with the triplock crown would fare just as well (the FXD has a visible gasket on the outside of the crown tube but I’m not sure if there are 1 or 2 gaskets around the crown stem like the Rolex triplock system).

But at the end of the day, it’s your call. A watch is waterproof until it’s not. But if you have a fairly recent production or recently serviced watch, you should be fine.

[learningtofly]

Originally Posted by puma1552

Assuming you're speaking to after the warranty is up, as I'd expect the watch/seals to be covered during warranty if it failed a pressure test?

I wouldn't see any point pressure testing it after the warranty is up because if it fails the test and damages the watch, then you're on the hook for it anyway...pointless test in that case and just another way to possibly cost yourself a lot of money IMO; it's either going to fail in a forced and unnecessary pressure test, or it's going to fail in normal use...you'll be paying either way so may as well just wait for it to fail under normal use instead of almost looking for it to fail by testing it.

There’s no reason that a watch should be damaged by a pressure test.

[GoingPlaces]

Originally Posted by JC316

The recommendation is to have gaskets checked yearly. It's rather simple. They just run a pressure test.

I've never heard of this. Source?

[WatchTimes]

Ive worn my SD4K, 16570 and DJ in Saunas and hot tubs MANY times with 0 issues.

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by Calatrava r

I would not take a watch in a hot sauna. It is full of chemicals none of which are good the watch or it's metal. It is hot which makes the seals expand.

The materials used by Rolex are safe to temperatures that would kill you.

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by BroncoOne

Fake Rolex.

Wrong.

It was a genuine TT Datejust. YG/SS. The yellow gold discoloured to rose.

[winst]

Originally Posted by Michael1968

I’m doing this with every sports watch that I have. No meters if it is Rolex, Omega or any thing else.

Never come across a ‘No meters’ Rolex - I thought they were normally good for at least 100 meters.

[SALTY]

I have been wearing my various Rolex watches (SS & TT) in my gym's hot tube for years and years without issue. I agree with the thought that if you skin/body can take it - your Rolex can. I do not wear my YG DD in the hot tub.

That being said, may hot tubs use Bromine in the water and Bromine is not kind to gold. I am not a chemist or metallurgist but Forgive me for saying this) "have heard" that Bromine somehow attacks gold. Perhaps those that know about this sort of thing can chime in, but I've actually "heard" it more than onvce from various sources.

[KatGirl]

Don’t worry about it. It’s waterproof! I leave mine on at the gym, in the pool, and in the sauna. I’ve never had any issues.

Kat


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[Latrodectus]

Original steam sauna. Many, many years. No problem for my GMT Master what so ever.

[NachoNeal]

Originally Posted by learningtofly

There’s no reason that a watch should be damaged by a pressure test.

Correct.

[jb335]

I would definitely elect to wear it in the sauna or steam room rather than leaving your watch in the locker or car. Gym lockers only keep the honest people out.


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[sys999]

Agree; safer on your wrist at human-survivable temperatures than somewhere else.

[fishingbear]

I’ve never had issues over the years in sauna, wear and enjoy.

[detvcader]

I've been in saunas monthly for the past 11 years with my 116610 and haven't had an issue. However...

Steam is the gaseous phase of water and, as such, consists of water vapor that can penetrate spaces that liquid water could not, such as a gasket with the slightest of degradation. When going from an air conditioned room to the heat of a sauna then back out to the cold, it could expand and contract the gasket due to the temperature changes. Giving way for gaseous water to penetrate imperfect or aged gaskets.

Then there's condensation. The air trapped inside the watch when it's sealed at the factory or by any other watchmaker could be affected under extreme or repeated conditions. The moisture in the air inside the watch could condense, potentially causing fogging or water droplets to form on the inside of the crystal or elsewhere in the watch.

Someone mentioned to get your watch pressure tested yearly, correct me if I'm wrong but won't that "age" the gaskets prematurely due to the forced harsh conditions it's going through on a consistent basis?

Besides, pressure testing for water resistance is done using water and pressure, not heat and steam. A steam room's conditions are different and are not what the watch's resistance rating specifically addresses.

Regardless, in 95% of situations, I'm sure most modern Rolex's will be fine.

[Gab27]

The temperatures encountered in a sauna should not have any impact on the watch, its gaskets, or the lubricants used.

If you think about it, the watch is routinely exposed to (relatively) higher temperatures. It's internal temperature when you are wearing it on a hot, sunny, summer day when it is in prolonged sunlight probably gets higher than what its internal temperature will reach during a short period of being in the sauna.

[shoppy]

I have been over seas recently and the countries all have a fascination for saunas and my watch was fine apart from the heat and I had no worries. My body on the other hand differnt story.

[jamesbondOO7]

If you can take it, your Rolex certainly can!