Help: Skin corrodes watches !

[HopeDream]

Hi Everyone,

It''s time for me to get a new watch and I''d like some suggestions.

I have fairly acidic skin so I have trouble finding a watch I can wear for any length of time.
I corrode through the finish on fashion watches in about two weeks, and my gold-plated timex lasted me about 2 years.

The weakest point seems to be the little winding knob: a watch with a stainless steel back does little good if the knob''s base metal gives me a rash.

Do you have any recommendations for a resistant watch? (I''d like one to last 5-15 years)

I prefer small battery powered analogue watches, with indiglo (or an equivalent) if possible.

Should I save up for a gold watch?

Thanks!
HD

(I''m glad I don''t have my sister''s problem - she stops watches, both winding spring and battery powered ones).

 

[HopeDream]

See?

Bah!

 

[Karl_K]

I have the same problem and other than going to a plastic watch haven''t found a solution.

 

[AprilBaby]

Me too! I just stopped wearing a watch because the watch was ruined and my skin was green/black. The better question is...how do we change our skin acidity?

 

[Octavia]

I have the same problem, and gave up. I just use my cell phone to keep track of time.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Have you all considered painting the back with nail polish? It''s one of the recommendations for people who react to earring backs etc.

 

[Dancing Fire]

yep,i get rash if i wore gold plated jewelry,but fine with wearing a S/S watch.

 

[VRBeauty]

If I were in your shoes, I''d save up for a solid gold watch, or a high quality plated watch. I should warn you though that I have a Raymond Weil watch that looks beautiful from the front -- the thick gold plating is in beautiful shape -- but not so much on the reverse. It seems RW spared no expense on the side that shows, but cut corners on the part that''s hidden.

I also have 2 or 3 watches with 14k cases -- I like solid gold precisely because I don''t have to worry as much about the finish wearing through or degrading. My watches are all pre-owned, one (quartz) bought at a local pawn shop and the others (manual) bought on e-bay. They don''t have all the features you''re looking for, but they''re beautiful and functional enough for my needs.

Is there any possibility that you''re wearing your watch too tight? I suspect that was partially to blame for the damage to my RW watch.

Good luck!

 

[HopeDream]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for your experience and recomendations!

I'll try the nail polish as a last resort, but I'd prefer to get something that is natualy inert and durable.
I do wear my watch quite loose, but it still tends to slide up and become sung around either my hand or my arm.
Aparently skin acidity is part of the body's natural defences to prevent harmful bacteria from colonizing our skin.

Hmm, I guess I should try a gold watch - The thought of plating doesn't sit well, so I'd beter go solid gold on this one.

Anyone have experience with the Geneve or Vicence brands?

They seem to be the only ones I can find that do a battery powered gold watch.

Cheers!

 

[VRBeauty]

You might try over in the "jewelry" thread, I think there are a few watch aficionados who hang out there.

 

[MustangGal]

DH also eats through watches. We found that solid stainless watches (he had a few Fossil ones), and his current all titanium Citizen work great. The Fossils both wore out in other places after a year, but he NEVER took them off. The pins holding the links together would start falling out. He''s on 2 or 3 years with the Citizen now, and no problems. It''s also got the eco-drive, so no batteries needed.