Accidentally Left Crown Unscrewed

[sjhoppes]

Hey All,

Hoping you can ease my concerns. I set my Rolex sub date 2023 model today since there’s only 30 days in June and forget to screw down the crown (that’s what I get for doing it at work). I washed my hands all day and was spraying my son down in the shower (only splash water) for a bit before I realized. Am I good or should I be concerned? Watch is only 8 months or so old. Note crown was either in date position or pushed all the way down. I freaked out so I didn’t pay attention when I realized.

[Gearjockey]

After searching ”forgot to screw Submariner crown in”

Google yielded several results and the most popular was ‘triplock Crown has a gasket on the outside, which will prevent water from entering”, at least splashing water, maybe not submerged.

As an aside, I feel like setting the time is not complete until the crown is re-screwed.
It’s an incomplete operation until that process has been accomplished.

I think it’s fine.

[hutch300]

You are fine. As mentioned you have a trip lock crown and its highly unlikely you have an issue on such a new watch.

[sjhoppes]

When I googled it there were so many trolls out there I couldn’t tell what response was thoughtful or just trash. I saw people saying even the double lock is good open since all the seals are inside. I can’t believe I did it. Someone came in my office as I was setting it and threw me off. So mad at myself.

[77T]

Two of you Googled it? Really?

Well I guess there was no point in looking at the many discussions here about the Triplok crown and the gaskets that would let you dive into the deep end of any swimming pool a few hundred times...

Your Sub Date is fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[sjhoppes]

Was in complete freak out mode to be honest and went into a panic. Amazing how my brain went instantly to google lol.

[Gearjockey]

Originally Posted by 77T

Two of you Googled it? Really?

Well I guess there was no point in looking at the many discussions here about the Triplok crown and the gaskets that would let you dive into the deep end of any swimming pool a few hundred times...

Your Sub Date is fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

In my experience, Google (or whatever) most often returns TRF discussions anyway and is much less cumbersome to use than TRF search feature.

[sjhoppes]

Originally Posted by Gearjockey

In my experience, Google (or whatever) most often returns TRF discussions anyway and is much less cumbersome to use than TRF search feature.

I actually didn’t see any TRF when I did google. I’m slightly embarrassed I did but like I said in complete freak out mode.

[sjhoppes]

Dumb question I’m sure but does it need to stay unscrewed tonight to dry or anything weird. Sorry if it’s a dumb question.

[EEpro]

Originally Posted by sjhoppes

Dumb question I’m sure but does it need to stay unscrewed tonight to dry or anything weird. Sorry if it’s a dumb question.

The trip lock crown saved the day so there is no water inside your watch to worry about.

It wouldn't help if there was. There's no source of pressure inside nor airflow inside to allow water or water vapor to escape the seals. It would take the same pressure to egress past the seals as it does to ingress.

The sub can go swimming with the crown out. No big deal. Just don't make a habit of going scuba diving with the crown open.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by sjhoppes

Dumb question I’m sure but does it need to stay unscrewed tonight to dry or anything weird. Sorry if it’s a dumb question.

No.

Just like leaving it unscrewed does not open a hole to the insides to let anything in, it won't let anything out either.

The seals are inside the tube the crown screws onto. Unless those seals are gone or there is extreme lateral pressure against the sides of the crown, there is no way water can waltz into your watch.

Rolex_Twinlock_Triplock.jpg

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Gearjockey

In my experience, Google (or whatever) most often returns TRF discussions anyway and is much less cumbersome to use than TRF search feature.

I agree.

If I want to search TRF I use google and type my search term plus The Rolex Forums to get results

[TimeAZ]

even if you left the crown unscrewed, there's almost no chance you will have any water damage to your sub. that crown and case are far more complicated than meets the eye. the gasket design has been OVER-engineered. seriously. just look at the patent for the crown and stem.

if it makes you feel any better, throw your watch on a bed of rice and leave it be overnight.

[Andad]

Originally Posted by TimeAZ

even if you left the crown unscrewed, there's almost no chance you will have any water damage to your sub. that crown and case are far more complicated than meets the eye. the gasket design has been OVER-engineered. seriously. just look at the patent for the crown and stem.

if it makes you feel any better, throw your watch on a bed of rice and leave it be overnight.

Boiled or special fried?

[Old Expat Beast]

To put things in perspective, you can safely take a $15 Casio F-91 deeper than 30 metres underwater (see Youtube), and that has three non-screwdown pushers, and a skinny plastic case with caseback held on by tiny phillips-head screws.

[Watchdog]

From all that I have read over the years on this forum, you're cool. The watch should be protected from that small exposure.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by sjhoppes

Hey All,

Hoping you can ease my concerns. I set my Rolex sub date 2023 model today since there’s only 30 days in June and forget to screw down the crown (that’s what I get for doing it at work). I washed my hands all day and was spraying my son down in the shower (only splash water) for a bit before I realized. Am I good or should I be concerned? Watch is only 8 months or so old. Note crown was either in date position or pushed all the way down. I freaked out so I didn’t pay attention when I realized.

Would doubt if you have anything to worry about many years ago now while guiding a group of divers over a reef in the Red sea. At around 25m underwater looked down at my 16600 SD and my crown was fully unscrewed. But I did not panic as the party of divers in my care were far more important than any watch. When returned to surface no water damage whatsoever and watch is still fine today 25 years later. So with the crown unscrewed all oyster watch will still have a certain amount of water resistance, there are still the internal tube seal and a case seal. But I would always recommend that the crown is screwed down just finger tight no force needed when used in water.

[rolexjackson]

Originally Posted by padi56

Would doubt if you have anything to worry about many years ago now while guiding a group of divers over a reef in the Red sea. At around 25m underwater looked down at my 16600 SD and my crown was fully unscrewed. But I did not panic as the party of divers in my care were far more important than any watch. When returned to surface no water damage whatsoever and watch is still fine today 25 years later. So with the crown unscrewed all oyster watch will still have a certain amount of water resistance, there are still the internal tube seal and a case seal. But I would always recommend that the crown is screwed down just finger tight no force needed when used in water.

When you noticed it unscrewed, did you screw it in at the time or did you just leave it like it was until you surfaced?


Life is short buy the watch-

[padi56]

Originally Posted by rolexjackson

When you noticed it unscrewed, did you screw it in at the time or did you just leave it like it was until you surfaced?


Life is short buy the watch-

The other divers I was guiding were far more important than screwing the crown back down, if there was any water ingress the damaged would have already been done, so it would have made no difference.

[sjhoppes]

I think my concern is mostly from my lack of understanding on how the crown works. I didn’t know if it needed to be screwed in for the internal gaskets to be tight for the water resistance or not. Sounds like from everyone that this is not how it functions.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by sjhoppes

I think my concern is mostly from my lack of understanding on how the crown works. I didn’t know if it needed to be screwed in for the internal gaskets to be tight for the water resistance or not. Sounds like from everyone that this is not how it functions.

Left to right HEV, Daytona pushers,Twin Lock,Trip Lock.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by sjhoppes

I think my concern is mostly from my lack of understanding on how the crown works. I didn’t know if it needed to be screwed in for the internal gaskets to be tight for the water resistance or not. Sounds like from everyone that this is not how it functions.

Good question and one will get varying answers.
Naturally, it's a given the manufacturers will always say that the crown should always be in the screwed down position as that's basically how it's all intended to work.

When we look at the cut away models of all the designes, the only one that has no obvious crush type of seal is the daytona pusher which is designed for a 100 m water resistant watch.
The HEV will naturally be more water resistant the deeper it goes under water as the pressure increases and exerts more crush on the outer seal.
The Triplock has an external O-ring which comes into play when the crown is screwed down. Though it's well understood that the internal O-rings form a significant part of the effectiveness of the design.
The Twinlock clearly has a crush seal up inside the crown which is squashed down onto the end of the Crown tube when fully screwed down.

It's important to note the Rolex ran an advertising campaign way way back in the day, which showed how effective a Twinlock can potentially be at keeping water out.
Keep in mind that the early Submariners originally were designef with Twinlocks with some being upgraded at Rolex service to a Triplock when it became available for that reference.
Anyway, the advertising campaign showed a picture of the 100 m water resistant watch which had stopped working due to deformation of the caseback against the movement at extreme depths. Notably the watch had a Twinlock crown that was left open for what was intended as a destructive test and no water entered the case during the test.

We can reasonably assume that the internal seals on the crowns and pushers are rather effective when everything is in good order.
Though i remember one poor fellow on this forum with a new Deepsea that was getting moisture inside the watch after being in a hot tub.
Rolex fixed it under warranty after a few trips back to them to find the cause, which worked out to be a faulty HEV that didn't show up as being the culprit on initial testing.

[Jonny8]

Once I saw to my horror that my wife was wearing my Explorer with the crown unscrewed and out. It had been like that ‘for a day or two.’ So baths, showers, bathing kids, washing hands etc.

No damage. The oyster case and crown system on these are great.

[thesharkfactor]

You could have a swim with a trip-lock crown open and still be ok. I would not worry.

[Oxfordian]

Ah, the advantage of owning the core Submariner like my 124060, it has no additional complications to worry about, just wind it, set the time, screw the crown down and just wear it, and wear it and wear it, no pesky date change to worry about 5 times a year.

Seriously, as many have said your Sub Date is just fine, but please in future don't let anyone distract you from important watch setting tasks, office stuff can wait until you have finished this vital task.

For reference the next date change month is on Tuesday 1st October so get some time blocked off on the office calendar so you have the required peace and quiet to carry out this necessary adjustment.

[sjhoppes]

Thanks all! I feel much better. I knew I could trust this forum as usual.

[BroncoOne]

You could leave it unscrewed all summer and still be fine. You aren’t diving under the incredible pressures that the watch is capable of withstanding.

[Calatrava r]

No. The watch was not submerged to any depth. You are fine.

[brandrea]

Crisis diverted OP, carry on

[worldofoyster]

you are fine.