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Waterproofing a Panerai 6152/1

Hesekiel

Vintage Watch Enthusiast
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G' Day, Ya'll!
For 4-1/2 years now I own a Kilowattore built Panerai 6152/1, featuring a River (Nightwatch) case and a T25 Plexi. The watch is amazingly patinated, the way only Kilo can do it. I love this watch and have no plans on ever selling it. My problem is that when it's raining, the watch is fogging up, so it's the opposite of waterproof. I have no plans on ever jumping into the ocean with it, but I want it to have a decent amount of resistance to humidity.

The way I understand it, water can enter in 3 pathways:
1) front bezel
2) rear case cover
3) crown tube

I know that River sells a gasket for the rear case, but I haven't seen anything for the front.
I'm willing to learn and walk the walk. Where do I start? Can you point a fellow enthusiast in the right direction?
Thank you!
 
Last edited:

PAM_BOY

Legendary Member
6/5/19
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I think that would be a difficult walk...
I would leave it as it is and not wear it in the rain and just enjoy it when the weather is nice! ;)
But if you decide to give it a try, please keep me updated!
 
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Hesekiel

Vintage Watch Enthusiast
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How so?
There are 3 points of entry.

1) The easiest is the rear. All I need is a new seal from Nightwatch ($5) and install that with silicone grease
2) There's a rubber ring at the stem, and in order for me to see if it's okay, I will have to remove the crown guard. However, I'm not sure where I would be able to get a new o-ring, so that's why I'm holding back on that move for now.
Then there's the crown tube itself. It should have been soldered into place, and, again, in order to find that out, I'll have to take it apart.
3) Finally, the crystal. The way I understand it, the crystal is pressed in from the top and glued in place. If that's true, I would have to remove the movement in order to push the crystal out from the inside. I have a new T25 crystal in stock.

Of course, once I have a new gasket in the back, I will have the watch pressure tested, so that I have a baseline. Perhaps that's all that's needed, but since I'm new to working on watches, I'd like to get some input from the experienced modders.
 

Hesekiel

Vintage Watch Enthusiast
Supporter
Certified
4/1/17
864
955
93
California
I opened her up and found that the rear gasket is not only dry but very stretched. Hopefully, that's the main problem.

Panerai-6152-front.jpg
 

23Zen

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Planet Pam
Hi,

any progress? have you solved problem? I am gonna to fix in my 6152 the same.