How should I react if my watch gets wet?

If your watch has even a little fog inside , it means that there has been a handling error, or that it is no longer, or not, waterproof. Don't panic . The most important thing is to find solutions as quickly as possible in order to best preserve your components and allow the possible repair of your quartz or automatic watch.

No matter how serious the situation you find yourself in and what type of movement your watch has, the process remains the same.

What should I do if water gets into my watch?

If you find that fog, water drops or liquid has entered your watch, then here are some steps that can save you:

• Open the crown , by pulling it out or unscrewing it depending on the model of watch you have. This will create an opening between the inside of your watch and the outside.

• Then place the watch with the glass facing a flat surface and if possible with a slight inclination towards the crown, upside down, so that the water can escape.

• You can also place your watch in paper towels, a dry cloth or even on rice , whichever you prefer.

This step won't miraculously soak the water out of your watch, but it can still help. It's just a "time-out" step before moving on to the next one.

WARNING: Do not place your watch on a radiator, this can have the opposite effect and damage the watch due to too great a change in temperature.

Contact the brand or your watchmaker

With a bit of luck your watch will clear the fog and this may save you from a trip to your watchmaker. However this is a rare occurrence , and although invisible to the naked eye, the oils and components may have been altered.

You therefore have two options available to you: the after-sales service of your watchmaker, or you can go directly to a watchmaker.

In both cases, the brand or watchmaker will remove the fog or water from your watch before performing a full service of your timepiece if necessary. The water resistance will then be tested to ensure that there are no other infiltration problems.

Making your warranty work

If your watch is under warranty , we still advise you to dry it as best you can before sending it to your watch brand's customer service department to prevent water from stagnating in the watch and damaging the mechanism.

The after-sales service process is simple, in order to activate the warranty or not , the watchmakers test the water resistance of the watch. If it is water resistant , then it is a case of improper handling by the customer and the warranty will not work. In this case, if it turns out not to be water resistant , it is then under warranty and all repairs will be covered by the company . In both cases, you will have a watch like new and water resistant again if your model allows it!

Have a complete overhaul at a watchmaker

In the same vein as the repair under warranty, that of your watchmaker will in all cases be chargeable. The advantage is the speed with which he will be able to look at your watch and thus limit the spread of damage .

How to avoid leaks? Here are our tips

• Make sure your watch crown is properly closed or screwed down before putting it in water. This is the most important step.

• If you have a watch with several displays such as a calendar or a chronograph, be careful not to use the push buttons underwater.

• Avoid exposing your watch to significant temperature variations. Sudden changes in temperature can damage the water resistance of your watch.

• Never open the back of your case alone as you risk closing it incorrectly and therefore altering the water resistance of your watch.

Finally, it is advisable to have the water resistance of your watch checked by a professional approximately every 3 years depending on your watch model. This will prevent possible accidents.

Conclusion

If you have any trace of water infiltration , hurry to remove it, dry it and have your watch repaired by a watchmaker . Every second counts. In case the visit to your watchmaker must wait, remove as much moisture as possible using our methods.

Most often, water seeps in due to improper handling or misinterpretation of the seal. Don't be fooled and find out before the tragedy!

Now that you're used to it, there's no reason to worry , your reflexes will save your watch from the deep end! Be careful to close the crown before taking the plunge!

SOURCES:

• Photo Tuperware Rice: DIY Watch Club