Seiko Club Singapore Museum

Fogging in watches

michael68
Fogging in watches
Dear all,

I have collected several Seiko diver over the years and kept it in my cupboard. Recently, when I took them out, I was surprised to see half of my collection having what appears to be a thin layer of fog. It does not look like moisture but something that made the glass blurred.

I put it in my camera dehumidifier hoping it could be due to the high humidity and wish it would go away. It did not...I asked the watch shops and was told it happens...and one shop told me it is due to non usage resulting in the drying of the oils in the mechanism and collected on the glass inside.

Anyone had this problem before and is sending it back to Seiko the only way out? Any DIY method to solve it? Thanks in advance!



Mike
lunarin79
Re: Fogging in watches
Have you tried cleaning it?



If it can't be cleaned off, you will need to change a new crystal.



These happens to some of my Seikos as well
TheChef
Re: Fogging in watches
I rotate wear my watches to prevent this. If watch is stored too long in a stale humid environment, fogging may occur.
maxwinamp
Re: Fogging in watches
It happened to one of my watch. I dismantled the whole watch and clean the inside the crystal.
TheChef
Re: Fogging in watches
I make it a point to air my watches once in a while.
herzausstahl
Re: Fogging in watches

"maxwinamp"

It happened to one of my watch. I dismantled the whole watch and clean the inside the crystal.


I did the same. The "fog" was oily, certainly not moisture. Just unscrew the case back, release the crown stem, drop the movement, and you can clean the inside of the glass easily.



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004
Re: Fogging in watches
Interesting info regards to fogging , i guess Singapores humid hot weather aint exactly watch friendly .
magna_strike
Re: Fogging in watches
well, off topic abit, recently my casio mudman fogs up rather bad under certain conditions like travelling on an air con bus...which kinda sucks as i have no idea how to resolve... :(
lunarin79
Re: Fogging in watches

"magna_strike"

well, off topic abit, recently my casio mudman fogs up rather bad under certain conditions like travelling on an air con bus...which kinda sucks as i have no idea how to resolve... :(


wow, this is the first fogging I've read, for a gshock, esp a mudman :shock:
maxwinamp
Re: Fogging in watches

"lunarin79"

[quote="magna_strike"]well, off topic abit, recently my casio mudman fogs up rather bad under certain conditions like travelling on an air con bus...which kinda sucks as i have no idea how to resolve... :(


wow, this is the first fogging I've read, for a gshock, esp a mudman :shock:[/quote]

My mudman fog as well. Gshock fogging mainly due to moisture in the case due to humid condition where it was assembled. (Made in Thailand)

One way to minimise (not solve) this is to open up the case back and put in in a airtight container (like lock & lock) and put some dehumidifier tabs. Wait a day to two and quickly put back the case back when it's a bright sunny and hot day.
michael68
Re: Fogging in watches
Thanks for your reply. As herzausstahl has pointed out and probably true, it is not mositure but oil. Because I put it into my camera dry cabinet and set a low humidity setting to dry it up. It did not work. So I guess probably humidity may not be the direct cause although some of the fogging may be due to humidity....

Anyway, may need to send all these watches for "defogging"...probably will cost few hundred dollars.....any good Seiko watch "master" to recommend that can help me at a nominal cost? Thanks again!



Mike
cyclohexane
Re: Fogging in watches
i also have the same prob! btw, how you guys open the back (screw case)? like freaking tight leh.
michael68
Re: Fogging in watches
Tried too and it is especially hard to remove the back casing of new watches. Any clues as to how much Thong Sia will charge for the cleaning? Any feedback on the servicing quality? Would the service personnel take extra care to prevent any scratches on new watches?
cyclohexane
Re: Fogging in watches
anybody here have any suggestions on how to open a super tight screwcase back?
CoolieND
Re: Fogging in watches
Ball of rubber bands? :P
cyclohexane
Re: Fogging in watches

"CoolieND"

Ball of rubber bands? :P


??? i've tried sticking tape (sticky side outside) to a ball and press it against the case and turn method. but still the same... sian 1/2....
Darkangel
Re: Fogging in watches
















You definitely need the case opening tool and a case holder, I tried using the rubber ball it's not effective.
cyclohexane
Re: Fogging in watches
wow.. err.. can ya tell me where and what model to get?
telepgm
Re: Fogging in watches
Waterproofing compromised?





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atossg
Re: Fogging in watches
Had the same experience before. Ended up having to change the gasket and all was well again.
Cosmograph
Re: Fogging in watches
Below is copied directly from a post I read about fogging crystals in WUS. To share with fellow forumers here. This could well be one of the reasons for fogging above other legitimate ones. The watch is a 300M automatic WR diver.





******************************

I realize this was originally posted over a year ago but after a year of trying I have finally resolved the "fogging issue" with Bulova Precisionist.

I had multiple watchmakers look at the watch as well as sending it to Bulova Service and still no resolution. There were all kinds of explanations, including one stating that what I saw was an optical illusion!

The fogging only seemed to appear when outdoors but this turned out to be due to the natural light. The fogging was barely visible indoors in artificial light and when viewed straight on, it disappeared entirely.

The resolution finally came after contacting the President of Bulova Canada and I give full credit to him for his immediate response.

The real problem is caused by a very fine overspray of the silicon lubricant they use on the gaskets during production. The overspray on the inside of the crystal is the real culprit and a watchmaker at Bulova Service was able to pop the movemennt and clean the inside of the crystal in under 10 minutes while I waited.

The watch is now perfect !!!
atossg
Re: Fogging in watches
Thanks for the info. Had never suspect that it could be due to the overspray of lubricant ...