Water resistance is a feature that must be maintained. Seals must be regularly replaced, the watch should be regularly tested. More often than its minimum service interval. After years of wearing the watch, maybe even a few drops here and there, screwing in and unscrewing the crown, pressing the pushers, you are slowly degrading the integrity of your seals, of your threads, and the seating of your plexi or crystal. You may not lose the rated pressure resistance entirely, but it is being slowly eroded much like the bolt in our old compressor. It worked until it didn't.
All this really just to say: your Grandfather didn't have a cool 'vintage' diver. You do. Maybe he wore it in the surf, maybe in the shower. You shouldn't.
So what do you need to do? Get your watch serviced before it starts showing issues. Generally it's every five years for a big brand Swiss watch.
Second, do not wear a vintage watch in the shower, or the ocean, or a pool. The heat, salt, and chlorine will eventually destroy your seal integrity and that will certainly happen before your five year service interval is up. Rinse any watch (new or old) that's been in a pool or the ocean with fresh water, and then dry it as soon as possible. If you get your watch wet, do not pull out/unscrew the crown or press pushers until you have dried it.
Lastly, be realistic with your expectations and where you take your watches. Can you take your 1937 Bugatti Type 57 race car through a Pikes Peak rally? Of course you can, it's your car. Should you do that? |
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