Buying vintage and worrying about water resistance

[zapokee]

Originally Posted by Harmon Rabb

The same can be said about just about anything in life. There are no guarantees. I can walk over the street and fall and break my neck or I can do it while do something fun like skiing. One of the nice features about a Rolex say red 1680 to take your example above is that is was made as a tool watch and can continue to be that regarding waterproof ness and that it’s made to take some beating. Most vintage watches already have patina from many years of usage. A few more doesn’t matter. I’d rather wear no watch at all than owning a vintage watch thats I’m afraid of damaging. What’s the point. I ride motorbikes, doing active sports like swimming, skiing, playing tennis etc. So far I have never done any damage to any of my watches after 15 years or so.

Absolutely fair. We all need to find our own levels of risk tolerance

[colpol]

Had my 1680 serviced last month

Says on papers - due to age of this watch - we would not recommend it to be waterproof & would advise not using it in water or wet environments

[Swearengen]

I swim with my 16800. It has been serviced, seal changed and pressure tested so is pretty safe

[Bob the brush]

I swim with my 1016, I do take the precaution of having it pressure tested, I would like to say every year, but realistically its its every couple of years. I dont dive any more, so its only pool swimming or a dip in the sea.