Watches Lost In The Ocean

[Apdl]

Just wondering, of all the watches (and other tools) lost in the oceans and lakes, how did it happen to you and was it recovered.
I have seen Padi56 comment that he has a sea dweller at 1000ft below the surface somewhere.
I am fascinated by these stories and also horribly afraid at the same time.
How does one prevent this? Check the bracelet screws and pray?
Are modern Roex watches any better?

There are some great examples
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/a-...4-months-later
Tom Place and his lost 16610 https://thedeeptrack.com/the-deep-tr...aka-tom-place/
https://timeandtidewatches.com/diver-finds-lost-patek/

[EzraPound]

[fsprow]

Aquanaut torn off my wrist by the boom 10 years ago, sailing in Lake Malawi. Now lying at 80 meters or so on the bottom. Perhaps Peter (Padi) would like to recover it??

[996marty]

I’ve seen a couple of posts this year of people that have luckily found items lost in the sea

[0nly5iv3Digits]

I periodically check the bracelet screws on my watches. I don't muck about with any "lock-tite" or anything like that. It's not necessary imo. Just keep a handy set of watchmakers' screwdriver's lying around, and check/tighten every so often.

Whenever I pick up a watch (and if I'm ever "iffy" about the screws), I run my thumb and index finger along the sides of the bracelet and have a quick visual inspection to see if anything is out of oder.

I've never had a bracelet "come apart" on me.

There was a chap who lost his sub on a sandy beach where I live. He paid a "professional" prospector to find it - with the help of a metal detector. It was found a few weeks later.

[rolexjackson]

While sitting at the dinner table, luckily. One of the screws on my wife’s OP 34 just fell out and the watch hit the deck. I was able to find the screw and the watch is fine. It could have been way worse.


Life is short buy the watch-

[Kevin of Larchmont]

Every couple of days I run my fingers along the edge of the bracelet to feel for loose screws. Never found one. And I use a little Loctite every time I set a screw.

[ArtNouveau]

Not an ocean but a few years ago I lost a Seiko while riding my mountainbike on trails at a private ranch. It was found four months later by the owner’s daughter. It had been run over by a tractor in a field and damaged the bezel and crystal. It was still watertight so a couple hundred dollars later a local watchmaker made it look new again. I still have it and it’s a momento now.

[2loaded]

Originally Posted by ArtNouveau

Not an ocean but a few years ago I lost a Seiko while riding my mountainbike on trails at a private ranch. It was found four months later by the owner’s daughter. It had been run over by a tractor in a field and damaged the bezel and crystal. It was still watertight so a couple hundred dollars later a local watchmaker made it look new again. I still have it and it’s a momento now.

Pictures, or it didn't happen...

[dandy]

Originally Posted by fsprow

Aquanaut torn off my wrist by the boom 10 years ago, sailing in Lake Malawi. Now lying at 80 meters or so on the bottom. Perhaps Peter (Padi) would like to recover it??

wow, was it because of the rubber strap? any feedback on the strap so we avoid the rubber version? it happened to me but in other inferior brands

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Apdl

Just wondering, of all the watches (and other tools) lost in the oceans and lakes, how did it happen to you and was it recovered.
I have seen Padi56 comment that he has a sea dweller at 1000ft below the surface somewhere.
I am fascinated by these stories and also horribly afraid at the same time.
How does one prevent this? Check the bracelet screws and pray?
Are modern Roex watches any better?

There are some great examples
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/a-...4-months-later
Tom Place and his lost 16610 https://thedeeptrack.com/the-deep-tr...aka-tom-place/
https://timeandtidewatches.com/diver-finds-lost-patek/

To be fair on the watch and quite a few years back I was left dangling over the side of a dive boat. My SD bracelet got caught up on my BC by the deck hand trying to get back on the boat in quite a choppy sea. But it held my almost 15 stone weight for several minutes before lug or bracelet clasp pin failed.And a good job it did watch was lost to the abyss but I still got my wrist but SD was replaced by my dive insurance.

[geoach]

nato strap for the ocean or lakes

[brandrea]

I check for loose screws every time I put on my watch. Force of habit I guess

[77T]

Originally Posted by geoach

nato strap for the ocean or lakes

I agree that this helps a lot when a single springbar fails. I know that is a fairly rare occurrence in the grand scheme of things. But the risk is there in wild water as some of the stories here have illustrated.

If an Oysterflex for the DeepSea is ever fashioned by Rolex I hope they introduce some aspect that can provide the same level of protection against a single springbar failure.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Dirt]

It's a funny thing really.
There was one Rolex diver found sometime in the past year in a river near the ocean not far north of my location.

With regard to Spring bars and Straps.
Seiko have larger Spring bars but their Straps in the past are notorious for failing on short notice or totally unexpectedly, so there will be plenty to be found underwater.
I know quite well as i've had a couple break on short notice without consequence and my cousin had one fail in the water way up north in the late 60's or early 70's, which turned up washed up on the beach still functioning quite well a couple of years later which was reported in the local paper.

An Omega Titanium Ultra Deep has the right solution as does the Rolex 5517 and Tudor FXD as do others with fixed Springbars

[fsprow]

Originally Posted by dandy

wow, was it because of the rubber strap? any feedback on the strap so we avoid the rubber version? it happened to me but in other inferior brands

Yes, it was on the Patek rubber strap. If it hadn’t been I expect it would have torn up or broken my wrist.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by geoach

nato strap for the ocean or lakes

Nothing drags out a regular (non-welded) springbar quite like a nato strap. Ever wonder why there were so many pics showing a nato miraculously 'saving' a watch on one side, after the other side was pulled out? You rarely see a failed springbar photo with anything other than a nato. Also, and this is so often overlooked, but the nato pin buckles are quite flimsy and the only thing between your watch and the ocean floor.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Nothing drags out a regular (non-welded) springbar quite like a nato strap. Ever wonder why there were so many pics showing a nato miraculously 'saving' a watch on one side, after the other side was pulled out? You rarely see a failed springbar photo with anything other than a nato. Also, and this is so often overlooked, but the nato pin buckles are quite flimsy and the only thing between your watch and the ocean floor.

Never a truer word spoken

[Johnnymiz]

I'm sorry, but that logic has a flaw.
you only see failed springbar pics with natos because they are the only ones that keep the watch if one fails.
if you lose a springbar with a bracelet or 2 piece strap there is no evidence because the watch is gone. you don't even notice it slipping from your wrist in the water.
but I do agree with the flimsy pin buckle issue, which is why i like zulu straps. there is no pin to fail on the buckle.
This IS a thread about watches lost in the ocean. pretty sure none lost were on one piece straps.

[enjoythemusic]

i lost a bunch of ancient gold bars and coins in the ocean. If you find any, they're mine

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by Johnnymiz

I'm sorry, but that logic has a flaw.
you only see failed springbar pics with natos because they are the only ones that keep the watch if one fails.
if you lose a springbar with a bracelet or 2 piece strap there is no evidence because the watch is gone. you don't even notice it slipping from your wrist in the water.

Good point and duly noted

But at times, a good to honest reasonable assumption will suffice as well given some real world experimentation and observations to back it up.
Then there is the fact that fixed spring bars are a very real and entirely legitimate thing in some quarters for a good reason

[thughes]

Fortunately I lost a Seiko not a Rolex, but I really loved that old watch. I had a client on the river a couple of years ago and I was throwing a cast net for bait. I guess the spring bar failed. As johnnymiz said, I didn't even notice when it left my arm. After catching bait I was buttoning up the boat and getting ready to move and when I checked the time, no watch. Thinking back I did remember seeing a sparkle during one throw of the net, but it didn't really register until I checked the time. Thirty feet of water and fast current, gone. No idea what happened. But, I was doing the same thing yesterday with my Sub on my arm. But I do have insurance.

[Apdl]

Some great stories and tips, so I think the solution is to get a 5517... :)

[jeffgo888]

HAH!! A testament to the Rolex sturdiness...
Moonwatch??? We dont need no stinkin Moonwatch LOL

[slus]

Originally Posted by Johnnymiz

I'm sorry, but that logic has a flaw.
you only see failed springbar pics with natos because they are the only ones that keep the watch if one fails.
if you lose a springbar with a bracelet or 2 piece strap there is no evidence because the watch is gone. you don't even notice it slipping from your wrist in the water.
but I do agree with the flimsy pin buckle issue, which is why i like zulu straps. there is no pin to fail on the buckle.
This IS a thread about watches lost in the ocean. pretty sure none lost were on one piece straps.

Flawed logic or not I've lost several spring bars on NATO straps and zero with a bracelet, and have only been using NATOs on beater watches since then. Never lost the watch, but it wouldn't take much to lose it in an active situation. I popped a spring bar off with a NATO just by picking up my kid recently

I read a tip to use heavy duty shoulderless spring bars for NATO straps. On a non lug hole case, you'll need to cut the bars off with wire cutters. At a few bucks each, that seems like cheap insurance.

[Cambo]

Every time I go on a dive, I hope to see that little glint of gold….having said that, if I actually did find a Rolex on a dive, I would make every effort reasonable to find the owner, and would hope others would do the same.

[Apdl]

Originally Posted by Cambo

Every time I go on a dive, I hope to see that little glint of gold….having said that, if I actually did find a Rolex on a dive, I would make every effort reasonable to find the owner, and would hope others would do the same.

The Hero we need. Watch guys get how tragic of a loss this would be

[Marcaine]

I found a red band and red case G shock while diving in Barbados.

Watch turned out to be from one of the dive crew that lost it about a month prior.

They were able to identify describe some unique markings on the back of the watch.

Next time I will keep my mouth shut. I guess I will keep the good karma. Not sure what I would do if I found a Submariner.

[waterman1]

Picked up a Blancpain recently and they have a great system using hex screws on one end of the bar essentially making it a fixed bar system. Does not make for easy strap changes but I’ll take the security over speed of strap changes.

[Driver8]

Originally Posted by Apdl

How does one prevent this? Check the bracelet screws and pray?
Are modern Rolex watches any better?

A tiny drop of Loctite 222 is the way to go. Rolex bracelets come from the factory with a dab of their version of Loctite, so it makes perfect sense to me to use it when adjusting the bracelet. Sure, you can just run your finger down the sides of the bracelet every time you put the watch on, but Loctite negates any problems at source.