answers please

[Egelber]

I always wondered, when people are selling watches and taking off the watch backs to show the movement, how are the watches being pressure tested for sale? So how do you know your getting a tight watch, and what's the cost to have your watch pressure tested to make certain its sealed back correctly?

[Ruud Van Driver]

I wondered this. I sold my BLNR to a local dealer and he took the back off it. Makes no difference to my life but it might to the person who bought it. If i ever buy a pre-loved Rolex, I’ll take it straight to RSC for pressure testing. I’m very fortunate to have an RSC within half an hour of both my homes.

[albmich]

Depending on the watchmaker, they 1) do a full wet pressure test, 2) do an abbreviated version of it (just a pressure test, not a wet pressure test), or 3) do nothing at all.

Agree w the comment above - I haven't bought many used rolexes but when I did, the first order of business was a true pressure test from RSC.

My watchmaker said by opening the caseback, you're not corroding the seals out instantaneously so nothing should really change. He said he makes a mental note or draws a line with a sharpie to see how the caseback lines up and when replacing the caseback, he tightens it to the same line, maybe an extra coating of silicon grease on the gasket. Perhaps the only reason the watch would be waterproof and then lose it is if the gasket gets pinched while closing the caseback. Otherwise it should remain just as it was

[ras47]

I would never try to remove the back case of a watch myself. I'm no professional and I have no idea how to ensure my work wouldn't damage the watch or ruin the pressure integrity.

When I traded my DSSD to a professional watch guy I simply sent it to him first so he could examine it. i provided external pictures only, just to show the cosmetic condition. I trusted the other guy to determine the internal condition of the watch (and to tell me!).

The watch for which I traded the DSSD is a P-serial from 2000 and it did not come with a service history. Maybe it was serviced and maybe it wasn't. I kept great time though and had no issues. And it's been my grail watch for over 30 years. I plan to wear it for another 30 years so I figured I'd better send it to an RSC just to be sure.

The bottom line about how I know about the water/pressure integrity of a watch is that I trust someone else to tell me. Somebody that knows more than me.

[Defiancekofb]

Many ADs have an in house watchmaker that can pressure test the watch for you, if you choose to buy pre owned. I'm not sure of the cost, but it may vary or if you have a good standing relationship with your AD, they might carry out the pressure test for free.

[Egelber]

Thanks for the responses, I wasn't sure and figured probably sellers would ensure their watch was indeed re-pressurized for the new owner.

[tamiya]

Doubt most sellers would pressure test after popping the back. If gaskets are still fresh shouldn't make any difference after reclosing with care. In an ideal perfect world, gasket should be renewed, regreased then retested... but hey, welcome back to real life.

But if you regularly get your watch underwater, you should be pressure testing it regularly yourself anyway. At least annually most recommendations say.

[Andad]

Most watchmakers would close a caseback with care but the proof is in the pressure testing.
Closing it back to its previously known position does not guarantee the correct Nm.
Adding some grease to the caseback before closing will certainly change the final position.

Not many watchmakers (and none that I know of in my city) can pressure test a watch to 30 Bar as required for a common Rolex 300m requirement.

Far less than the requirement of a DSSD.

I can check mine with my tester to 6 Bar and that is ok for me as I would not be deeper than 1.8 metres in my pool.

[RichardF]

Another really big issue everyone should be concerned about is when someone other than a watch tech/maker opens a Rolex there is the risk of contamination. If someone opens a Rolex and is looking at the movement with a loupe you have to be careful not to breathe or talk in the movement. Also there the risk of dust or humidity from the air in addition to eyelash or eyebrow hair contamination, not to mention someone could cross thread the case. Before blocking/closing the back the gasket should be taken out of the case groove, completely coated with a thin layer of silicon grease and reinstalled but it should really be replaced. The RSC replaces the gasket each time the back is opened even if the watch is new and only needs to be timed. It makes me cringe whenever I see people selling a Rolex and they have photos of the case open and they did it them self.

[Jim Smyth]

I brought a new to me/used watch into a very prominent CMW21 watchmaker in Chicago for a movement verification years back. He opened it up and verified it was in fact a Rolex movement and then closed it up and handed it back to me.

I seen sitting up on his wall a pressure tester and I questioned if he was going to pressure test my watch. He told me he hasnt used it in years and that he knows the watch it sealed by his 35 years of experience.

I told him thats great but I will pay him to pressure test my watch. He begrudgingly did a water pressure test on my watch which passed. I obviously will never go back to him.

When it comes down to it, its my watch and nobody else cares about it more than I do. I assume this applies to most everything so it would be prudent to make sure your property is safe guarded. If you are worried about your used Rolex I would make sure its tested and that your satisfied. The cost of repair will be your expense if it isnt water tight.

[RichardF]

I would defiantly use someone else.

[kultschar]

Have to admit I get put off with sale ads showing the caseback off

[rolex75216]

I would only support back removal by an authorized dealer or certified watch technician. A random seller taking the back of a Rolex that does not know what they are doing is probably not a good sign. Could turn a Deep Sea into something no longer waterproof!

[DJRikki]

I wonder how important the case back issue really is.

It might be like ESD and electronics. I worked in IT for years repairing and building PCs and never used ESD precautions, never suffered any dead CPUs, memory chips or anything. So could just be predominantly FUD with sporadic cases where it is an issue.

[RichardF]

It's serious enough if Rolex even finds out that a certified Rolex tech is opening Rolex watches in the show room of an AD they will catch hell from them for doing it. Rolex had to stop some AD's in the past doing that during preowned watch shows. They only want them being opened in the shop under the proper conditions.


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[polaris72]

Originally Posted by kultschar

Have to admit I get put off with sale ads showing the caseback off

+1 and seller trying very hard to prove authenticity of the watch might be taking pictures of a completely different watch than you are buying...

[slipperman]

Originally Posted by ras47

I would never try to remove the back case of a watch myself. I'm no professional and I have no idea how to ensure my work wouldn't damage the watch or ruin the pressure integrity.

When I traded my DSSD to a professional watch guy I simply sent it to him first so he could examine it. i provided external pictures only, just to show the cosmetic condition. I trusted the other guy to determine the internal condition of the watch (and to tell me!).

The watch for which I traded the DSSD is a P-serial from 2000 and it did not come with a service history. Maybe it was serviced and maybe it wasn't. I kept great time though and had no issues. And it's been my grail watch for over 30 years. I plan to wear it for another 30 years so I figured I'd better send it to an RSC just to be sure.

The bottom line about how I know about the water/pressure integrity of a watch is that I trust someone else to tell me. Somebody that knows more than me.

you traded a dssd 30 years ago. ..? for a watch from 2000 and you've now had it for 30 years? I think some math classes might be in order.

[DJRikki]

Originally Posted by slipperman

you traded a dssd 30 years ago. ..? for a watch from 2000 and you've now had it for 30 years? I think some math classes might be in order.

Did you read his post properly? I dont think thats what was said.

[slipperman]

guy said he traded his dssd for his grail watch which he had had now for thirty years.

doesn’t make sense since dssd has not been around for 30 years.

[slipperman]

to further confuse things, his grail is a 2000 model he says.

[Colin10101]

Originally Posted by slipperman

to further confuse things, his grail is a 2000 model he says.

Re-read his post.

His grail watch is a GMT Master II Pepsi. It has been for 30 years.

He traded his DSSD recently for a used GMT w/ a serial from 2000.

I fail to see what is confusing.

[HogwldFLTR]

Originally Posted by slipperman

guy said he traded his dssd for his grail watch which he had had now for thirty years.

doesn’t make sense since dssd has not been around for 30 years.

So many people don't know the right names for Rolex watches. He could well have meant a Sea Dweller and not a DSSD, imho.

[ras47]

Originally Posted by slipperman

you traded a dssd 30 years ago. ..? for a watch from 2000 and you've now had it for 30 years? I think some math classes might be in order.

Should have been THREE years ago.

[Macnavara]

Originally Posted by Egelber

I always wondered, when people are selling watches and taking off the watch backs to show the movement, how are the watches being pressure tested for sale? So how do you know your getting a tight watch, and what's the cost to have your watch pressure tested to make certain its sealed back correctly?

Noticed the same thing

When i see this i puts me off buying it which is the opposite to what the seller hopes to achieve...

[slipperman]

Originally Posted by ras47

Should have been THREE years ago.

aaah, thank you so much, now that makes sense.

not sure what these other 2 geniuses were understanding, guess they know you or can read your mind.

[The Libertine]

Originally Posted by polaris72

+1 and seller trying very hard to prove authenticity of the watch might be taking pictures of a completely different watch than you are buying...

Wouldn’t even consider buying a watch with the back removed.

[Kyle13]

Whenever I have the caseback off any watch, I usually throw it in the pressure tester to be safe once the caseback is on.


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[77T]

Whenever I took in a watch in trade or a buy, the first person to open it was my CW21 watchmaker after timegrapher test. He checked everything to be sure the condition was acceptable and all was authentic. Then overhaul if needed. If no work was needed, close it up with a new gasket, put it back on the timegrapher, and pressure test to the spec for that model (ummm...no I didn’t deal in DSSD’s )

No matter what may have been shown in pictures before the transaction, or represented by the seller, it is my reputation on the line once I put it up for sale. That’s just my routine - YMMV...


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[Likestheshiny]

If I spend thousands on a used watch, the first thing I do is take it to a watchmaker to confirm that it's in good running order and is still watertight. Seems like a silly risk to not do that, as there are things that could be wrong with the watch even an honest seller wouldn't realize. So, I don't care if the back's been off -- I'm going to have it checked anyway.