# Drying A O&w M4



## stuart-roberts (Sep 25, 2005)

Hi all,

This is my first post to this forum...

I've got a 2 yr old O&W M4 and the other day I got in the bath not knowing that the crown was not screwed down properly, now I have some condensation on the inside of the glass..... Has anyone got any suggestions on how to dry it out... I've left it on a sunny window-sill with the crown un-screwed.. but that didn't do much.

Thanks for any suggestions,

Stuart Roberts


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## USEDMODEL (Mar 26, 2005)

Hi Stuart

If you have a removal tool for screw down casebacks, remove the back of the watch.

Put it crystal down on a radiator that is not too hot. Either adjust the radiator thermostat or put a towel or something between the radiator and the watch crystal to ensure it does not get too hot.

Leave it for several hours. The screw down back should also be heated on the radiator to dry it out.

Take it off the radiator and let the watch cool to room temperature, replace back and screw in crown.

This method has worked with me for both modern and vintage watches.

DO NOT have the radiator on too hot or it will cause the oil in the watch to start to harden (apparently)

Hope this works.

Roy.


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

I`ve had this problem and have found putting the watch in a container with a bag of silica desiccant solves it


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

The watch needs to be taken to a watch repairer as soon as possible. The only way to safely remove all the moisture is to remove the movement and then have the watch resealed after assembly. If the moisture is left it will damage the dial and can rust the movement.


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## USEDMODEL (Mar 26, 2005)

Roy

I bow to your vast experience on this point. Just a question. What about vintage watches that are unable to be fully sealed after they have had all the moisture removed?

This is, in no way meant as, an arguement against the statement posted earlier but as a means of finding out more about looking after a vintage watch, that has been accidently immersed and needs to be dried out.

What will the watch-maker do that cannot be done at home if the watch is unable to be resealed.

Roy


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

stuart-roberts said:


> Hi all,
> 
> This is my first post to this forum...
> 
> ...





mach 0.0013137 said:


> I`ve had this problem and have found putting the watch in aÂ container with a bag of silica desiccant solves it
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Roy said:


> The watch needs to be taken to a watch repairer as soon as possible. The only way to safely remove all the moisture is to remove the movement and then have the watch resealed after assembly. If the moisture is left it will damage the dial and can rust the movement.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I didn`t read the original post properly, I was thinking more on condensation caused by for example sweat not due to the ingress of bath water









Roy is of course right get it to a watch repairer ASAP


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

USEDMODEL said:


> Roy
> 
> I bow to your vast experience on this point. Just a question. What about vintage watches that are unable to be fully sealed after they have had all the moisture removed?
> 
> ...


Nothing Roy but in my experience the movement should always be taken out to make sure that all the moisure is removed. Water will soon rust a movement.


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## USEDMODEL (Mar 26, 2005)

Thanks for that Roy.

It is one of the things I can do, remove a movement, so your advice will be valuable when I next get a vintage watch wet.

I shy away from using Silca dessicant as it is hydrascopic and will absord water from anywhere and if the dust gets into the watch, you have a water magnet.

Thanks again.

Roy


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

USEDMODEL said:


> Thanks for that Roy.
> 
> It is one of the things I can do, remove a movement, so your advice will be valuable when I next get a vintage watch wet.
> 
> ...


Oops!!! I didn`t no that


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