Can You Wear Your Rolex In the Sauna? What You Should Know
Rolex watches are built to last. Rolex is a watch company that does things differently from most of its competitors. Whilst luxury watches are often delicate and should be worn with care, Rolex watches are built to last and to handle all kinds of different harsh environments.
In Rolex’s own words, “AT ROLEX, WE MAKE WATCHES THAT ARE BUILT TO LAST A LIFETIME. THE WORK WE DO ENSURES THAT OUR WATCHES CAN BE WORN IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE AND WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME.”
Rolex also states:
“Rolex watches have proved themselves from the start in the most extreme conditions imaginable – from the depths of the deepest oceans to the summits of the highest mountains, in the air and on the race track. Moreover, to ensure that all Rolex watches can live up to these high expectations, every single one is tested to extremes before it is allowed to leave the Rolex site.”
With this statement, Rolex watches will indeed be able to withstand the most extreme environments and conditions. And it’s safe to say that a sauna can be classified as one such extreme environment. However, the fact that you can wear your Rolex in a sauna doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. Naturally, Rolex wants to prove the performance and durability of its timepieces by stating that they will be able to handle these situations. But there’s a difference between can and should. Especially when we are talking about an object that costs several thousand dollars. Sometimes, it can be wise to be careful, even if it theoretically should be no problem.
After all, Rolex once put out an ad when they boiled a Rolex Oyster. So with this in mind, if your Rolex is well-maintained, you will be alright bringing it to a sauna.
Why wearing your Rolex in the sauna may not be a good idea
A sauna can be extremely warm. And a Rolex should be able to withstand this extreme heat without any issues. But the issues can arrive when you are consistently subjecting the watch to extreme temperature changes. For example, you enter the sauna in the extreme heat and then go into a colder room, or maybe even jump into an ice bath.
To begin with, always ensure that the crown is properly screwed down before you enter a sauna (or bathtub or pool for that matter). If you have not had it serviced checked for a long time, it can also be wise to have it pressure-tested to ensure that it is indeed waterproof.
The biggest issue with wearing your Rolex watch in a sauna frequently is that the heat together with the cold (the rapid temperature changes) expands the gaskets. Since gaskets are made of rubber, they cannot, unlike other parts of your watch, last forever. They, therefore, need to be replaced occasionally to ensure proper functioning and to ensure water resistance.
Rapid temperature changes – like a sauna – will cause premature wear to the gaskets and may ultimately compromise the watch’s integrity.
Condensation inside your watch
In a sauna, condensation of the inner glass can cause issues due to sudden changes in temperature. The watch naturally has air inside it and when it is in an extremely hot environment, the air inside becomes hot as well. But when you then take the watch outside, what could happen is that the cold air outside the watch could cause condensation in the inner surface of the watch due to the difference in temperature.
Some brands use argon gas in the watch to solve this problem, but Rolex does not have this type of solution. Most likely, they don’t deem it necessary. However, this can only happen if the seals fail and the watch has let water in. If the watch is securely sealed, it does not have any moisture inside and will thus not cause condensation on your crystal.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that yes, you can wear your Rolex watch in a sauna. As Rolex stated, they are built to the extremes and will therefore likely not have any issues with handling the heat of the sauna.
But the general consensus is still that it is not advised to take your Rolex to a sauna. The reason is the extreme temperature fluctuations that affect the gaskets of the watch. Ultimately, it leads to premature wear which, over time can lead to the water resistance being compromised. And there’s not much worse that can happen to a Rolex watch than that it starts leaking water or getting moisture inside. The repair bill for this can be really high and the damages to the movement and watch can be substantial.
If you wear your Rolex to a sauna once or twice because you don’t want to take it off in a public space, you’ll likely have no issues at all. But if you do it on a regular basis, maybe even daily, it will have a greater effect on the longevity of the watch. Ultimately, it may mean that you need to service it sooner or have it pressure-tested more frequently to be on the safe side.
