Do Rolex watches keep good time?
- Thread starter uhpharm01
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The service interval is usually between 5 and 10 years. Rolexes are built tough so you don't need to service them all that often. But I wouldn't stretch it too long, since lubricants dry up over time, which leads to the metal parts wearing out prematurely combined with a loss in timekeeping functionality.
A Rolex is not comparable to a quartz movement. A high end swiss quartz movement is worth very little, its basically a circut board with a battery. An automatic movement, for example the most basic Rolex Movement with no date, has over 231 working moving parts and 4 different kinds of lubricants that have been assembled by hand. They are worth about $1500 or more just for the movement. The reason an Automatic movement will never keep the same time acuracy as a quartz is because of mechanic complexity and variables such as gravity.
With that in mind, fine automatic movements are timed out to hopefully receive what is called a "Chronometer" rating. This means the watch is subject to various positions, and temperatures over a period of time and must have a tolerance to not gain or loose more than a specified amound of seconds per day. Rolex has a tolerance that goes beyond the minimum requirements for a Chronometer Rating. This means they are more accurate than most automatic movements. Rolex tolerance equates to about 3-5 minutes +/- each month. That is why they are called a "Superlative Chronometer" because they are Superior. If your Rolex is keeping this tolerance, Congratulations! It's in great shape.
Bear in mind, service is required to keep the movement properly tuned and lubricated like an engine. Unauthorized repairs can reduce the accuracy.
Sorry for the long explanation, but the simple is "Yes," Rolex keeps exellent time, its one of the best in the world.
With that in mind, fine automatic movements are timed out to hopefully receive what is called a "Chronometer" rating. This means the watch is subject to various positions, and temperatures over a period of time and must have a tolerance to not gain or loose more than a specified amound of seconds per day. Rolex has a tolerance that goes beyond the minimum requirements for a Chronometer Rating. This means they are more accurate than most automatic movements. Rolex tolerance equates to about 3-5 minutes +/- each month. That is why they are called a "Superlative Chronometer" because they are Superior. If your Rolex is keeping this tolerance, Congratulations! It's in great shape.
Bear in mind, service is required to keep the movement properly tuned and lubricated like an engine. Unauthorized repairs can reduce the accuracy.
Sorry for the long explanation, but the simple is "Yes," Rolex keeps exellent time, its one of the best in the world.
Yes, I have a 31mm Stainless steel. I love mine, its like a part of my arm LOL
I've had mine for about 7 years (
How did that happen!)never needed a service I'm still keeping good time. Checking the crown is important too you don't want it to unscrew by itself, the threads can get worn.
I have recurring nightmares that my crown is open and I get water in it and have to pay for the service! Ha Ha
I just got a Phillip Stein as a fun watch and when I wear it my Rolex stops too. Its good to manually wind it about 20-30 times before you set it (if you didn't already know that)
Yes, I have a 31mm Stainless steel. I love mine, its like a part of my arm LOL
I've had mine for about 7 years (
never needed a service I'm still keeping good time. Checking the crown is important too you don't want it to unscrew by itself, the threads can get worn.
I have recurring nightmares that my crown is open and I get water in it and have to pay for the service! Ha Ha
I just got a Phillip Stein as a fun watch and when I wear it my Rolex stops too. Its good to manually wind it about 20-30 times before you set it (if you didn't already know that)
Actually I just found that out about winding it-have had it since 1988, so don't worry about getting water in to it, if it hasn't happened to me, won't happen to someone like you who actually knows about watches!!
HA! Don't be so sure! LOL my crown could wear out and pop open without me noticing and then I could wash my hands and get water in it and not notice and the movement will rust and my dial will discolor and I wont be able to afford the repair! (cue dramatic music)
And yeah, most people don't ever wind them. Once the watch gets some movement it starts up again but it just cant get any reserve so its better to wind it, but not crucial.
I'm not extreemly familiar with Breitling, but what I do know is not that impressive to me. They sell at a very high price point and unless something has changed in the last few years they only manufacture themselves a very few movements in their watches and buy the rest. So basically your buying a $1000 times X watch that might have the same movement as say a few hundred dollar Tissot. I do not know much about the movements they do make, but in the watch innovation world its not spectacular.
Rolex is far superb at manufacturing and hand assembling every moment in addition to exterior durability and quality not to mention the long lasting resale value and demand. Omega is also incredibley inovatiove and has many long lasting flagship watches in its collection like the Seamaster and manufactures most (if not all of their automatic movements.)
Outside of that you get into the very very high end and limited timepieces that are just incredible but not very accessible. For me anyway.
Gosh i didnt realize i was such a watch nerd untill i joined this forum LOL
I Love Zenith but I can no way afford one. If I could I'd get a big chunky Chronograph with a Diamond Bezel and a leather strap and wear it on my 6" wrist!!
HA! Don't be so sure! LOL my crown could wear out and pop open without me noticing and then I could wash my hands and get water in it and not notice and the movement will rust and my dial will discolor and I wont be able to afford the repair! (cue dramatic music)
And yeah, most people don't ever wind them. Once the watch gets some movement it starts up again but it just cant get any reserve so its better to wind it, but not crucial.
The jeweler told me to wind it 40 times on the date setting area. Is this what you were told?
If you have a watch with a date, there are three positions on your crown. When you unscrew it, and it springs out, this is where you can manually wind it. The second position is the date, and all the way out changes the time.
When you manually wind it, just give it about 30 turns or so is fine but you can't over wind it so don't worry. (Unless its very very old model).
The reason you may want to manually wind it is this:
The interworking of the movement has what's called a mainspring, it looks like a little coil if you have ever seen a watch with a window, and looks like it springs open and closed very fast. This is the source of the energy that powers the gears. The spring must be wound up in order to release the energy. In an automatic movement there is what's called a rotar, you can think of it like a tiny pendulum, similar to a old grandfather clock. It looks like a half moon and secured in the center, as you move your wrist the rotar swings back and forth, automatically Winding the spring.
A fully wound watch will run for approximately 48 hours or so. If you wear it all the time, the reserve is pretty consistent. If you take it off and it completely stops, you have depleted any reserve.
Now say you pick it back up, by the time you handle it and set the date the rotar is turning and the second hand starts moving. But you have no reserve and the watch is constantly trying to catch up.
Honestly most people never know this or do it. Rolex says to go ahead and do it once a month when you flip the date (or every other month). I do not have a date, I wear mine every day of the year almost. Unless it necessary to change the time I open my crown as little as possible. Excessive screwing and unscrewing can wear the threads out.
Never never leave your crown open. Check it twice!
When you manually wind it, just give it about 30 turns or so is fine but you can't over wind it so don't worry. (Unless its very very old model).
The reason you may want to manually wind it is this:
The interworking of the movement has what's called a mainspring, it looks like a little coil if you have ever seen a watch with a window, and looks like it springs open and closed very fast. This is the source of the energy that powers the gears. The spring must be wound up in order to release the energy. In an automatic movement there is what's called a rotar, you can think of it like a tiny pendulum, similar to a old grandfather clock. It looks like a half moon and secured in the center, as you move your wrist the rotar swings back and forth, automatically Winding the spring.
A fully wound watch will run for approximately 48 hours or so. If you wear it all the time, the reserve is pretty consistent. If you take it off and it completely stops, you have depleted any reserve.
Now say you pick it back up, by the time you handle it and set the date the rotar is turning and the second hand starts moving. But you have no reserve and the watch is constantly trying to catch up.
Honestly most people never know this or do it. Rolex says to go ahead and do it once a month when you flip the date (or every other month). I do not have a date, I wear mine every day of the year almost. Unless it necessary to change the time I open my crown as little as possible. Excessive screwing and unscrewing can wear the threads out.
Never never leave your crown open. Check it twice!