How to keep your watch from humidity inside a safe

[breitling77]

Hi All,

I have some questions which need your opinions and advices.

How do you keep your luxury watches from humidity inside a safe? I put my watches inside it's own box and placed them inside a safe. However, I always notice that there seems to be some 'mold' forming inside the box. No matter how I clean them regularly, it always come back. I think it's due to humidity as my brand new shoes are facing the same problems, even they are inside the shoe boxes. I am planning, to put all my watches into a watch box and to prevent the original watch boxes from being "molded". Meanwhile, I think all of us who own Rolex, know that Rolex boxes are always easily "attacked" by mold. Do you face the same problems? Any good ideas how to maximise the space inside the safe? As you are aware, the watch box may be too bulky and takes up alot of space. Thus I intend to place the watches inside the safe while preventing the boxes from being 'molded'.

Lastly, any good suggestion for a good watch box? I saw a forumer owns a Braun Buffel, but I did look for it from the retail shop, they do not have it.

Thanks for your help in advance. Really appreciate if you could share your views.

[clokwerk oranje]

get a dry cabinet (the ones used for cameras and lenses) to store your watch boxes and leather straps...

[ten10]

Preventing Moisture

Hi there breitling77,

Firstly, check if your safe (and your shoe rack) is placed near plants. As you may know plants produce a lot of moisture in the air and contribute to what you’re experiencing now. Remove or re-position your plants then.

Secondly, is your safe near the shower/wash room or directly facing the air-con? Maybe moisture seems to collect on the colder surface of the safe. Remember, the safe is one big chunk of metal.

Well, if you have none of the above, then off-the-cuff I could think of 4 methods.

Method 1
This is an old fashion but quite effective way. Put charcoal into a zip-lock plastic, punch a few small holes in it and place it where you want. The charcoal naturally absorbs the moisture and eliminates musky smells.

The alternative is to buy from Daiso small “Charcoal Pillows” to be placed in your safe.

Method 2
I learnt this while staying overseas... using calcium chloride (salt). Through a natural process, salt condenses moisture out of the air. This is how they melt snow by the roadside. However, it will rust anything ferrous in nature. If your watches are stainless steel, no worries but how about the pins and springs?

Method 3
You will need a small fan and a heater circuit which will pulse high current into a chain of resistors which will heat-up to about 0.5Watts.

The fan attached to the back of the safe will suck-up moisture with the hot-air.

Method 4
You can build yourself an electronic moisture buster. You will need an ATX Power Supply, 3 pieces of Peltier modules, 3pc heatsinks, a small 12V fan, some small drilled holes in the safe and some electrical/electronic skills.

Attach the 3 pieces of Peltier modules to each heatsink and when powered will cool the heatsinks which in turn causes moisture to condense on the fins. A fan placed near the fins will blow moisture out of the safe.

Note: If you are keen on Method 3, I can design the circuit for you to build.

Cheers!

[buaysaikum]

I put my watch boxes in a dry cabinet together with my camera.

would have placed some silica gel in the watch boxes if I do not have a dry cabinet

[dennistwc]

Bro Ten10,

thanks for sharing . method 1 & 2 is simple and economy but I scare my watch get rusty so I ll go for Charcoal

[psee]

Hi there breitling77,

Firstly, check if your safe (and your shoe rack) is placed near plants. As you may know plants produce a lot of moisture in the air and contribute to what you’re experiencing now. Remove or re-position your plants then.

Secondly, is your safe near the shower/wash room or directly facing the air-con? Maybe moisture seems to collect on the colder surface of the safe. Remember, the safe is one big chunk of metal.

Well, if you have none of the above, then off-the-cuff I could think of 4 methods.

Method 1
This is an old fashion but quite effective way. Put charcoal into a zip-lock plastic, punch a few small holes in it and place it where you want. The charcoal naturally absorbs the moisture and eliminates musky smells.

The alternative is to buy from Daiso small “Charcoal Pillows” to be placed in your safe.

Method 2
I learnt this while staying overseas... using calcium chloride (salt). Through a natural process, salt condenses moisture out of the air. This is how they melt snow by the roadside. However, it will rust anything ferrous in nature. If your watches are stainless steel, no worries but how about the pins and springs?

Method 3
You will need a small fan and a heater circuit which will pulse high current into a chain of resistors which will heat-up to about 0.5Watts.

The fan attached to the back of the safe will suck-up moisture with the hot-air.

Method 4
You can build yourself an electronic moisture buster. You will need an ATX Power Supply, 3 pieces of Peltier modules, 3pc heatsinks, a small 12V fan, some small drilled holes in the safe and some electrical/electronic skills.

Attach the 3 pieces of Peltier modules to each heatsink and when powered will cool the heatsinks which in turn causes moisture to condense on the fins. A fan placed near the fins will blow moisture out of the safe.

Note: If you are keen on Method 3, I can design the circuit for you to build.

Cheers!

Thks for sharing. I'd been placing small satchets of silica gel in my watch boxes before placing them in safe. May try Method 1 soon.

[exxondus]

which reminds me, i better go daiso buy those charcoal pouches.

Thanks!

[breitling77]

Hi there breitling77,

Firstly, check if your safe (and your shoe rack) is placed near plants. As you may know plants produce a lot of moisture in the air and contribute to what you’re experiencing now. Remove or re-position your plants then.

Secondly, is your safe near the shower/wash room or directly facing the air-con? Maybe moisture seems to collect on the colder surface of the safe. Remember, the safe is one big chunk of metal.

Well, if you have none of the above, then off-the-cuff I could think of 4 methods.

Method 1
This is an old fashion but quite effective way. Put charcoal into a zip-lock plastic, punch a few small holes in it and place it where you want. The charcoal naturally absorbs the moisture and eliminates musky smells.

The alternative is to buy from Daiso small “Charcoal Pillows” to be placed in your safe.

Method 2
I learnt this while staying overseas... using calcium chloride (salt). Through a natural process, salt condenses moisture out of the air. This is how they melt snow by the roadside. However, it will rust anything ferrous in nature. If your watches are stainless steel, no worries but how about the pins and springs?

Method 3
You will need a small fan and a heater circuit which will pulse high current into a chain of resistors which will heat-up to about 0.5Watts.

The fan attached to the back of the safe will suck-up moisture with the hot-air.

Method 4
You can build yourself an electronic moisture buster. You will need an ATX Power Supply, 3 pieces of Peltier modules, 3pc heatsinks, a small 12V fan, some small drilled holes in the safe and some electrical/electronic skills.

Attach the 3 pieces of Peltier modules to each heatsink and when powered will cool the heatsinks which in turn causes moisture to condense on the fins. A fan placed near the fins will blow moisture out of the safe.

Note: If you are keen on Method 3, I can design the circuit for you to build.

Cheers!

Wow! Thanks for your suggestions! I think I will try method 1. Thanks alot!

[ten10]

Thks for sharing. I'd been placing small satchets of silica gel in my watch boxes before placing them in safe. May try Method 1 soon.

As we learn to live, we oso live to learn lah! I'm oso here to learn what, right! You're most welcome...

[GBS]

Man these Ideas are great.... Thanks

[triton]

i would recommend separate the papers, box and watch when storing.

why? out of these 3 items, the papers and watch are probably the most important out of the 3. also, optimizing space within safe. unless yours is those chest height, big ones.

store the watch in a cool dry area with silica gel inside. area near the box(es) put some silica gel as well.

store the papers/cards (exclude manual) in a folder. place the folder inside safe

wrap the watch with rolex cloth (other equivalent) and place them inside rolex pouch (other equivalent). place them inside safe.

[Watcha]

use large ziplock bag for the watch boxes with silica gel.
silica gel don't last long if not sealed. once they turned pink from blue, it means they absorbed moisture at capacity.

you can either heat the gel to get the moisture out. it will turn back to blue. or buy a new tub.

for the watch itself, no problem unless in storage for long periods.

[Noriki]

These guys are good

[exxondus]

wah this thread very informative. lots of stuff like charcoal, seperating the items to store, how to see a gel had reach capacity all here.

thanks everyone!