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- Water resistance test. Make a water resistance
test before summer and anyway before all submersions, even if the watch
is a few months old.
- The 10-atmosphere limit. Remember you
should never make submersions (but it would be better not to make bath
too) with watches that are not guaranteed for at least 10 atmospheres
and which are not provided of screwed crown and back (about the back,
other solutions are acceptable if they guarantee the 10 atmospheres).
- The screw closing. If your watch is not
equipped with screw closing avoid any "aquatic" use: even
if guaranteed impermeability should be good safe, you will never be
sure that crown gaskets are not damaged by a hit you could have not
recognized.
- Look at the chronographs. It is not advisable
to submerge a chronograph if it is not provided of screwed crown and
pushers (and of water resistant back). Avoid actuating pushers underwater
even if the Brand allows it explicitly. A modest hit is enough to compromise
o-ring gaskets. In all the other chronographs an unwanted action of
the pushers could cause a real disaster.
- The vibrations danger. Be careful with
long motorbike trips: they can damage the strongest of the mechanical
watches, especially if automatic wind.
- Thermal shocks. A long exposition to
the sun of a watch (especially with black dial) and a subsequent immersion
in cold water cause a thermal shock affecting strongly its rate.
- Look at hits. Every watch, even the strongest
one, can be damaged and can stop after a hit that you could have not
recognized.
- Flooding. If your brand new water resistant
watch gets flooded, do not try to dry it. You must submerge it in running
water and immediately run to the next qualified repairer. This way only
you can avoid major damages.
- Guaranteed repairing. If the flooded
watch is protected by guarantee, immediately ask for a water resistance
test, to avoid problems. Remember that if the watch passes the test,
then you are guilty: may be the crown has unscrewed because you forgot
to close it properly or may be you forgot it completely open. In these
cases, you could not obtain a guaranteed repairing, but you should pay
for it. If, as often happens, the person who sold the watch grants you
the right to obtain a free repair, do not forget to thank him, it has
been very glad of him.
- A watch can (almost) always be repaired.
When you want to make a submersion, choose the most robust of your water
resistant watches. Remember it is very difficult to damage a watch in
such a manner that a good repairer cannot make it return as new.
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