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Old 1 November 2019, 01:46 PM   #1
snyde
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Crown gunk?

I noticed some discoloration on the crown threads. I zoomed in with my camera and was shocked by what I saw. I rarely unscrew the crown because the watch has been on my wrist since I bought it brand new this time last year. Anyone else have this build up too?




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Old 1 November 2019, 01:51 PM   #2
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The threads are greased and should be periodically cleaned and re-greased.
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Old 1 November 2019, 02:27 PM   #3
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^^^^ what he said :)
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Old 1 November 2019, 03:14 PM   #4
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The threads are greased and should be periodically cleaned and re-greased.


I’ve never greased mine and it threads like butter. If one was going to grease them what’s the recommended grease?


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Old 1 November 2019, 09:34 PM   #5
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ok notting getting this if true the crown has always been screwed down how does crap get by the crown tube if its sealed to the case ?
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Old 1 November 2019, 09:37 PM   #6
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I’ve never greased mine and it threads like butter. If one was going to grease them what’s the recommended grease?


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Ditto
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Old 1 November 2019, 10:18 PM   #7
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What did you use to clean it?
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Old 2 November 2019, 01:30 AM   #8
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Alcohol to clean

Fomblin to lubricate
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Old 2 November 2019, 02:38 AM   #9
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Whatever you do, do not use a toothbrush and soapy water with the crown unscrewed! As watchmaker said, alcohol (I use a Q-tip) and it doesn’t need to be dripping. I even use tweezers to grab any strands of cotton the Q-tip might have left behind. Then I re-lubricate.

I think lube is important because of the rubber gaskets in the crown. If they get dry they can tear. This is most crucial on a Sub with a triple lock, where you can see one of the o-rings on the crown threads when unscrewed. Also, just from a mechanical perspective, metal threads rubbing metal threads will eventually cause metal to wear down causing a byproduct of metal particles. Lube prevents the wear of the threads and also traps any small metal particles preventing them from entering into your watch case through the crown tube. Must be lubed!

As far as how it gets dirty... well any type of lube or grease that is subject to the outside environment will attract tiny particles of dirt. Your crown looks like a DJ, OP, or Exp crown, Meaning not a triple lock, so even when screwed down tiny particles can find there way into the first couple of threads and when you uncrew they spread to the rest. Additionally, if you never ever unscrew it, that means you never wind it or have the need to reset it, which means you wear it all the time and likely subject it to dirt, sweat, skin particles, moisture, etc. all the time (unless you diligently place it on a watch winder when you aren’t wearing it). In a nut shell, this stuff finds a way over time. Call it a phenomenon, or scientific miracle, it just does. Threads can be like butter, and with little tolerance, made with the utmost precision, but microscopically they are still two imperfect pieces of metal fitted together.

If you don’t wear it all the time, then just the process of unscrewing it to wind it and set it every once in a while will allow the grease to start to look dirty.

I am not a watchmaker, just my two cents.

Again, do not scrub it with anything dripping wet, or run it under water with the crown unscrewed.
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Old 2 November 2019, 06:07 AM   #10
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Thanks guys. I used a micro fiber cloth and just lightly brushed the gunk and it came away pretty quick and easy. Any idea what kind of lube to use ?


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Old 2 November 2019, 07:20 AM   #11
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Any idea what kind of lube to use ?
Fomblin (UT18)

Easy to find online
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Old 2 November 2019, 08:50 AM   #12
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Fomblin (UT18)



Easy to find online


Thank you


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Old 2 November 2019, 08:51 PM   #13
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suggest next time when playing in the dirt, screw it !
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Old 4 November 2019, 12:18 AM   #14
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I used dental lace floss silk to clean the thread, worked great.
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Old 5 November 2019, 08:53 PM   #15
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all that junk will end up falling down the tube not a good thing
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Old 5 November 2019, 11:33 PM   #16
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ok notting getting this if true the crown has always been screwed down how does crap get by the crown tube if its sealed to the case ?
Quote:
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suggest next time when playing in the dirt, screw it !
Quote:
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all that junk will end up falling down the tube not a good thing
When the crown is screwed down the threads are not sealed at all on a twinlock and the crown should not be in contact with case.

"All that junk" will not end up falling down the tube due to the placement of the seals (as below)
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Old 6 November 2019, 07:28 PM   #17
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Ok wrong on my last statement !
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Old 7 November 2019, 03:01 AM   #18
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To those who say you should lubricate the case tube threads....in my 30 years of wearing a Rolex I have never heard such a thing. It is not mentioned in any Rolex literature that comes with a new watch. I have never seen any such debris on the crown/tube threads of any of my watches. And my current is a YG Sub and the case tube threads are clean gold colored. No gunk whatsoever.
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Old 9 November 2019, 01:07 PM   #19
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To those who say you should lubricate the case tube threads....in my 30 years of wearing a Rolex I have never heard such a thing. It is not mentioned in any Rolex literature that comes with a new watch. I have never seen any such debris on the crown/tube threads of any of my watches. And my current is a YG Sub and the case tube threads are clean gold colored. No gunk whatsoever.

I guess my skin sheds more than yours. I’ll let you know what it looks like next year.


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Old 9 November 2019, 01:30 PM   #20
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I think that your tube was over-greased.. It only takes a film to keep metal-to-metal wear at bay in a non-pressure fit, not a blob.

You can use an acid brush, or a small painters brush to just brush on that film.
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Old 21 November 2019, 04:08 AM   #21
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The threads are greased and should be periodically cleaned and re-greased.
All the pieces in my tiny current collection have threaded crowns so should they be periodically cleaned and LIGHTLY greased and if so how often
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Old 21 November 2019, 04:42 AM   #22
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All the pieces in my tiny current collection have threaded crowns so should they be periodically cleaned and LIGHTLY greased and if so how often
Newer lithium or silicon greases do not break down and will "lube" for many years. It is more likely that there will be grit or dirt build-up that you can see just as you see the build-up inside the clasp, or your crown will feel gritty when you unscrew it.

If you are cleaning your watch, clean it thoroughly, including the threads.
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Old 21 November 2019, 06:01 AM   #23
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Newer lithium or silicon greases do not break down and will "lube" for many years. It is more likely that there will be grit or dirt build-up that you can see just as you see the build-up inside the clasp, or your crown will feel gritty when you unscrew it.

If you are cleaning your watch, clean it thoroughly, including the threads.
And what’s the best way to clean, I would think that if I unscrew the crown completely and then very lightly brush the threads clean with a soft nylon brush that it would push the crud into the crown and then it would wind up in the crown stem or is that an incorrect assumption

Thanks
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Old 21 November 2019, 12:09 PM   #24
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And what’s the best way to clean, I would think that if I unscrew the crown completely and then very lightly brush the threads clean with a soft nylon brush that it would push the crud into the crown and then it would wind up in the crown stem or is that an incorrect assumption



Thanks


No it will most likely stick to the brush. It’s very easy to remove too.


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