Moisture in my watch, help!

Dampness in your men's or women's watch? It can be quite bothersome as watches are not fond of water or condensation accumulating inside the glass. This moisture can lead to several consequences for the watch movement, bringing potentially negative outcomes. In this edition of Watch News, we will enlighten you on the potential issues your watch might be facing due to moisture, provide guidance on what to do if there is condensation inside, and discuss the potential harm it may cause. 

Moisture in watch, what should you do?

Discovering moisture in your watch can be frustrating, but there's no need to panic. It doesn't necessarily spell doom for your timepiece. We'll elucidate later on how you can address this issue. Perhaps you're pondering how the moisture found its way into your watch. Not all watches labeled as waterproof grant you the freedom to shower or swim without consequences. Many watches are splash-proof, but it's worth considering whether you intend to swim or snorkel with your watch. What you might be looking for is a diving watch, or a watch that is waterproof to at least 10 atmospheres.

Diving watches are suitable to use when snorkeling or diving. With a watch that is waterproof up to 10ATM it is no problem to wear your watch when taking a shower or a dive in the pool.

But what to do when there is moisture in your so much beloved watch? We will give you some advice that might help you out!

Also read: 'This is how waterproof your watch is'

Gc watch, waterproof up to 10ATM

How does moisture get into your watch?

The first thing to figure out is how the moisture ended up inside your watch. Moisture in a watch can be caused by various reasons. Did you take a walk in the rain? Perhaps you forgot to take your watch off when swimming or showering? Or maybe you wore it while exercising or did you stand in the cold for some time and then entered a warm room? There can be a good reasons why there is damp, condensation, inside of your watch. It does, however, not need to be that your watch has a defect. There could be just a simple reason why condensation forms on the inside of your watch glass. Even large temperature differences can cause water vapor to form.

Also read: 'My watch is broken! Ten common faults on watches'

Condensation on the inside of the watch

Condensation on the inside of the glass of your watch actually occurs because your watch is leaking or because you have not closed the crown of the watch properly, for example. Somehow, moisture got inside. This usually has to do with the waterproofness of your watch. It usually says on the cover to how many metres your watch is waterproof, sometimes it also says so on the dial. In addition, the watch glass could also be broken or perhaps the gasket in your watch has had its day. Then it's time to look up a watchmaker or jeweller.

Citizen diving watch with ISO certificate

Is condensation in your watch harmful?

Watches do not like water on the inside, this is common knowledge. Condensation on the inside of the glass is especially annoying, but does not have to be directly harmful. Is it no longer condensation, but do you have drops in your watch? Then go to the jeweller very quickly.

How waterproof is my watch?

On almost all watches, the water resistance of your watch is indicated on the cover. Sometimes it is also written on the dial. There are three ways in which it is stated: in metres, ATM or bar. It all comes down to the same thing: water pressure.

10ATM = 10 bar = 100 metres

Watches are tested for water resistance in factories. This is done under ideal conditions. If a watch is waterproof to 100 metres (also called 10 bar or 10 ATM), this does not mean that you can dive with it to a depth of 100 metres. Because your arms will move at such a depth, there will automatically be much more pressure on your watch and water will penetrate.

What can I do with my watch?

3 ATM / 3 bar/ 30 metres:
Your watch is splash-proof. This means you can wear it while washing your hands, but be careful with water. The watch is not suitable for showering, swimming or diving and also pay attention when you walk or cycle through heavy rain.

5 ATM / 5 bar / 50 metres:
Watches that are waterproof up to 5 ATM are suitable for showering. But do not go swimming with this watch.

10 ATM / 10 bar / 100 metres:
These watches are suitable for swimming and snorkelling, but unsuitable for diving.

These watches are waterproof to 10ATM>

20 ATM / 20 bar / 200 metres:
Suitable for swimming and diving in seas or lakes. Not suitable for deep-sea diving.

Citizen Promaster Marine diving watch: waterproof to 200 metres

100 ATM / 100 bar / 1000 metres:
Suitable for deep-sea diving.

Are you considering a watch that will at least allow you to swim, snorkel or dive? These diving watches can withstand water well.

How waterproof is your watch? You can read it here.

How do you get moisture out of your watch?

Do you have condensation under the glass of your watch? Put the watch away for a while. Preferably do this with the crown open, so put the crown in the outermost position (the position with which you can also set the time). The condensation has come in, so it can come out again. Wait calmly until the condensation has disappeared. Put the watch in a warm place or in the sun. Alternatively, place the watch in a bowl of rice, as rice absorbs moisture.

Oh: and don't forget to press the crown closed again after the moisture has left the watch. The watch should definitely not come into contact with water with an open crown.

Watch with an open crown.

Do not use a hairdryer to get moisture out of the watch

An attractive thought might be to use a hairdryer, for example, to get the condensation out sooner. We strongly advise against this! This can actually cause greater damage.
Is the condensation still not out after several days or does it keep coming back? Then the watch is no longer properly waterproof. Then take it to the jeweller and have him look at it. It could be that the valve cover is not closed properly, the gasket is no longer good or that moisture is getting into the watch in another place, such as through the crown.

Also read: Watch battery replacement? Recognise a watch with a flat battery!

Warranty for moisture in watch?

Water damage due to moisture in the watch may be covered by the warranty, as long as it is a manufacturer's fault that was not caused by your own actions. Watches with water damage are tested for waterproofness by the brands themselves. Should it turn out that the waterproofness is fine, the water damage occurred in another way. Possibly because the crown of the watch was not pushed or turned properly. In that case, the damage is not covered by the warranty.

Do you still have questions after reading this Watch News? Then feel free to contact us. We will be happy to advise you.