Safe Queen Maintenance

[illiguy]

I bought my 4 month old nephew a BNIB 14060M.

It's a safe queen (saving until nephew is 18). To care for the watch, should I let the watch run every now and then for the oils to move around? Does it harm a watch to let it sit idle for years on end with no service?

I thought it'd be cool to have my nephew open up a NOS in the future.

[brandrea]

Wow congrats to your nephew! What a great uncle he has
I'd say you'll need to service it 18 years from now anyway, so if it were me, I'd leave it sit.

Ask your RSC and see what they'd recommend

[domrusso10]

Not really sure in the maintenance end but I think what you're doing is a great idea. Do you think you'll be able to hold out until 18 or you might crack early?


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[Doc Strange]

Awesome idea.

[mike]

I know of one collector that bought an 8 year old watch that had sat at the ADs all that time. Sold as a new watch, but was serviced before delivery.

I've always made it a habit to give one that sits a lot a wind every 4 or 6 weeks and move the rotor around a bit.

It's going to need a service after all that time though. Seals and gaskets dry out and oils, as good as they are today, need changed.

[kilyung]

If you're truly putting it in a safe, make certain you have dessicant bags in there.

[illiguy]

Originally Posted by kilyung

If you're truly putting it in a safe, make certain you have dessicant bags in there.

Thanks for the advice. What if just tucked away in a bedroom drawer?

Happy New Year, everyone!

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by illiguy

Thanks for the advice. What if just tucked away in a bedroom drawer?

Happy New Year, everyone!

I'd suggest getting a safe. Not necessarily a big one, but a good one.

Eighteen years is a long time to set in a drawer.

A lot of bad things can happen is eighteen years and you want to protect your investment.

[Rolex addict]

I bought a Kermit that was a safe queen for 8 years and had it serviced. Absolutely no issues. That's not 18 years, so I can't really comment on that length of time. I'm sure there are good watch repair guys here that will steer you in the right direction. Or, you could wear it for 18 years and have it serviced just before you give it to your nephew. It's not NOS, but still a very nice gift.

[Sublover2166]

Asked Rik Dietel about this. He said pull the watch out of the safe once a month and give the watch 40 full turns on the crown and put it back in the safe. Probably to let the oils keep the moving parts lubed.

[GeoGio Greece]

Originally Posted by mike

I know of one collector that bought an 8 year old watch that had sat at the ADs all that time. Sold as a new watch, but was serviced before delivery.

I've always made it a habit to give one that sits a lot a wind every 4 or 6 weeks and move the rotor around a bit.

It's going to need a service after all that time though. Seals and gaskets dry out and oils, as good as they are today, need changed.

Exactly as such

[GeoGio Greece]

Originally Posted by Sublover2166

Asked Rik Dietel about this. He said pull the watch out of the safe once a month and give the watch 40 full turns on the crown and put it back in the safe. Probably to let the oils keep the moving parts lubed.

Winding does not move the balance. The oils will dry out anyway, so will the seals, so the service to protect the rubis and the teeth, shall be done.

[GeoGio Greece]

Originally Posted by kilyung

If you're truly putting it in a safe, make certain you have dessicant bags in there.

This is only if you leave the crown unscrewed. You can also seal it in a plastic box or bags that seal airtight.