What to Do If Your Watch Gets Wet

If a watch gets wet, the first instinct should never be to hold it to your ear to check if it is still running, nor to place it near a heat source to dry it quickly: it should be taken off immediately, dried on the surface with a soft cloth, and the crown or pushers left untouched until the moisture has been removed by a professional.

The right reflexes in the moment

As soon as condensation appears under the crystal, or contact with water beyond the stated water resistance is suspected, the watch should be taken away from moisture without delay. Dry it in open air, case facing down if possible to let the moisture escape, never using a hairdryer or placing it on a radiator, since heat can damage the gaskets and increase condensation inside the case.

What absolutely not to do

Opening the case yourself, working the crown in an attempt to get it running again, or placing the watch in a low-temperature oven are all well-meaning mistakes that generally make things worse. An automatic watch contains dozens of components sensitive to moisture; only a trained eye can safely assess the extent of the problem.

Calling on a professional quickly

After taking these initial precautions, the best course of action is to hand the watch to a watchmaker as soon as possible, before moisture causes internal oxidation. This is precisely the purpose of our repair warranty, designed to handle this kind of situation with the seriousness it deserves, in keeping with the care our Besançon workshop brings to every watch.

How to proceed with MONTIGNAC

For any question or to send a watch in for repair, simply reach out to our customer service to be guided through the steps suited to your model. The house's return procedure also details the practical steps for sending a watch safely to the workshop.

A wet watch is not necessarily a lost cause, provided you act quickly and avoid attempting a repair yourself. How fast the watch is taken care of makes all the difference in preserving the movement over the long run.