eBay GW-M5600 with failed battery?

Camel

New Member
I got it :D:D:D.
The watch is amazing, it actually looks even better than I expected. Really really like the way the colours go together - black, silver text, reddish (display) and a little yellow "arrow". Love it :).

Obviously and unfortunately I have already spotted an imperfection. An arrow-shaped "shadow" in the upper center of the screen. It is visible at a certain angle in a certain light. Visible in the pictures below. Do you think it could be steam? It would not be good at all because it would mean it's not waterproof. Do you think it's easy to wipe off once I open the watch? I've never opened a g-shock before, actually. I didn't get the receipt or warranty for the watch, either. I think I could still return it, but I don't want to!

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rutteger

Administrator
Watch looks good, glad you're (mostly) happy.

Not sure on that mark at all. Have had a couple with condensation problems (one from new!), however the condensation has only shown when the watch has gone from a warm to very cold environment and has appeared as obvious moisture right in the middle of the glass. As soon as the watch goes back to a warm place (i.e. indoors) the condensation soon disappeared. As such I'd probably discount condensation i nthis case.

Hard to know what to advise without having the watch to look at. If you aren't happy with the mark to the display (and why should you be) I'd think about returning it. Certainly the seller should take any risk when it comes to opening the case etc.
 

Camel

New Member
Thanks for the input rutteger!
As it turns out, there's a problem with the condensation as well. The watch does get very foggy from the inside when taken outside to the cold. Is there a fix for it?

I like the watch so much that I'm even considering just getting used to its flaws ;).
 

rutteger

Administrator
Bad news on the condensation. This can either mean a) the watch was sealed in a humid environment (and often seems to occur with models produced in SE Asia for obvious reasons) or b) water is getting into the watch, most likely water ingress via the seal.

If there is condensation I'd ask the seller to sort it. Alternately you can try yourself.
-Remove the caseback.
-Put the watch somewhere to dry, airing cupboard or in sealed tub of rice will do it.
- Replace the seal (look in the wiki for G-Shock spare parts suppliers).
-Grease the seal with a little silicon grease.
-Replace the back
 

Camel

New Member
We are going all the way off the original topic ;).

I feel like I'm discovering the truth about the watch. It was sold as "new". And I would happily agree to it being new, because it is in mint condition apart from the fact that for some reason it was messed with.
The previous owner unscrewed every single screw on the watch. They did that in the most unprofessional manner with an unsuitable tool - it's visible how the screws are damaged because too big a screwdriver was used. Or the screws are made of a very soft kind of metal and they just deteriorate very quickly and should not be touched. Seems improbable though. So - the watch was opened up. The inner side of the glass was wiped. I am quite certain about it. When seen in direct light, the glass seems to have "scratches". But why would it have scratches on the inside? I think it's just very tiny "hair" left by a cloth. The glass could have been wiped with a tissue which left traces of itself.

I have already bought tweezers and a set of tiny watch screwdrivers on eBay. I am thinking of opening the watch (following these instructions), cleaning the glass inside with a dry micro-fibre cloth (doesn't leave "hair"), drying it on a radiator and putting it back together. It doesn't seem hard at all, just need the tools I ordered. I don't really see how the seller could sort the condensation problem :(. I don't want to return the watch, and judging by the way it was treated before, I don't think the seller is a specialist and I don't want to send it to them asking to fix it. Alright, all out ;)
 

rutteger

Administrator
Chewed screws on the caseback are a bad sign.

If you do intend to DIY the job don't forget to at least get some silicone grease for the caseback seal. Might also be worth a new seal whilst you're doing the job.
 

Camel

New Member
Why is it a bad sign? What do you think it means? I don't think they were unscrewed more than once or twice. Very ugly job though :/.
At least? Tell me everything I can do to give the best care to my watch please :).

I requested information about the spare parts for the watch from the support.casio.co.uk. Maybe I could ask the seller to repay the charges for spare parts.
 

rutteger

Administrator
You should be able to open the caseback without damaging the screws - just shows a lack of care I suppose. As you mentioned above perhaps they were careless or used poor tools.
 

Camel

New Member
Fixed!
I wiped the glass inside, with cotton buds.
The steamy shadow inside disappeared and condensation did not show again.
To test it, I popped the watch outside for 5-10 minutes. It fogged up on the outside, but not even a bit inside. I will see how it behaves in everyday use. It's weird the condensation didn't appear, because actually I didn't do anything to fix it. Maybe the screws were not tightened properly?
The whole watch was quite greasy inside and on the seal so I did not apply any more grease. Also, I didn't have it.

Well, there actually was another unpleasant surprise for me to be discovered. It's shown in the picture below. And this one will be reported to the seller. Am I thinking correctly? Is the smaller pin a not-g-shock pin?

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