Unreliable Rolex - any advice?

Unreliable Rolex - any advice?

Author
Discussion

Chr1sch

Original Poster:

2,585 posts

192 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
quotequote all
Hi guys

Last June i forked out £3k for my wife's 30th on a Small ladies Rolex Datejust. Its a second hand one, lovely condition etc but recently its started loosing a significant amount of time if not worn. (e.g. 30 mins if not worn for a weekend)

The wife says theres another chap at her work with Rolex who has similar issues, is this true? Are they kinetic (I dont recall anything mentioned when researching them)

Or is it crap and i've been ripped off - any advice appreciated!

Cheers

Chris

Adrian W

13,848 posts

227 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
quotequote all
Err.................just like a car, they need servicing!!

Model number? Age? History? where did you buy it?

Troubleatmill

10,210 posts

158 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
quotequote all
As above.

Parts can get worn - needing replacing.
Lubrication

etc etc.

Mad March Taffy

508 posts

118 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
quotequote all
I'll take it off your hands for £50...

:-)

Andy OH

1,903 posts

249 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
quotequote all
It needs a service, simple as that. There are many places that service a Rolex other than Rolex themselves, should you want to save some money on a service.

Mad March Taffy

508 posts

118 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
quotequote all
Being serious for a moment...

Get in touch with Variomatic - I am sure that he will sort you out for a very reasonable price - a service will get it back working fine

andy tims

5,571 posts

245 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
quotequote all
Automatic watches self wind when worn by the wearers arm movements. When still, the mainspring simply discharges its power and the watch stops. Most automatics have a power reserve of approx 40 hours before they will simply stop and for the last few hours of that, they will usually run slow. Try hand winding the watch after 24 hours of it not being worn and see it that helps, before sending off for a service.

TimLambert7

642 posts

124 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
quotequote all
Brace yourself for a service bill of £400+ if going through an Approved Dealer.

Variomatic

2,392 posts

160 months

Monday 22nd December 2014
quotequote all
As Andy's said, it's an automatic (self winding) watch and will have a power reserve of around 40 - 45 hours when not worn, and timekeeping will suffer seriously as you get towards the end of that time.

The fact it's managing to run at all for a "weekend not worn" is pretty good going, especially for a ladies calibre, which tend to be less efficient thanks to smaller spring barrels and auto winding weights.

If she regularly doesn't wear it over the weekend then she can either get used to resetting it on the Monday, get an automatic winder to keep it in (get a multi-watch one and it gives you an excuse to buy a few for yourself to fill the gaps wink ), or give it half a dozen or so manual winds on the Saturday night / Sunday morning. That should give enough extra reserve to prevent the timekeeping tailing off before the Monday.

michael gould

5,691 posts

240 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
Variomatic said:
As Andy's said, it's an automatic (self winding) watch and will have a power reserve of around 40 - 45 hours when not worn, and timekeeping will suffer seriously as you get towards the end of that time.

The fact it's managing to run at all for a "weekend not worn" is pretty good going, especially for a ladies calibre, which tend to be less efficient thanks to smaller spring barrels and auto winding weights.

If she regularly doesn't wear it over the weekend then she can either get used to resetting it on the Monday, get an automatic winder to keep it in (get a multi-watch one and it gives you an excuse to buy a few for yourself to fill the gaps wink ), or give it half a dozen or so manual winds on the Saturday night / Sunday morning. That should give enough extra reserve to prevent the timekeeping tailing off before the Monday.
good advise.......my wife has the same watch and it doesn't keep great time but a watch winder will help ....buy one of ebay for £80

yeti

10,523 posts

274 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
Chr1sch said:
Are they kinetic (I dont recall anything mentioned when researching them)
My guess is that your 'research' was precisely and absolutely zero. How did you think it was powered?

'Kinetic' is a Seiko-only term which means the watch is quartz crystal regulated but powered by a capacitor charged by a winding rotor which is activated by the wearers movement.

The Rolex is (assumed) automatic; regulated by a hairspring and powered by a mainspring which gathers winding tension via a winding rotor activated by the wearers movement.

michael gould

5,691 posts

240 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
yeti said:
Chr1sch said:
Are they kinetic (I dont recall anything mentioned when researching them)
My guess is that your 'research' was precisely and absolutely zero. How did you think it was powered?

'Kinetic' is a Seiko-only term which means the watch is quartz crystal regulated but powered by a capacitor charged by a winding rotor which is activated by the wearers movement.

The Rolex is (assumed) automatic; regulated by a hairspring and powered by a mainspring which gathers winding tension via a winding rotor activated by the wearers movement.
didn't read the original post properly.......Mt Yeti is correct, you haven't done your research

Chr1sch

Original Poster:

2,585 posts

192 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
michael gould said:
yeti said:
Chr1sch said:
Are they kinetic (I dont recall anything mentioned when researching them)
My guess is that your 'research' was precisely and absolutely zero. How did you think it was powered?

'Kinetic' is a Seiko-only term which means the watch is quartz crystal regulated but powered by a capacitor charged by a winding rotor which is activated by the wearers movement.

The Rolex is (assumed) automatic; regulated by a hairspring and powered by a mainspring which gathers winding tension via a winding rotor activated by the wearers movement.
didn't read the original post properly.......Mt Yeti is correct, you haven't done your research
Thanks for all the posts gents most helpful

with regards to research, truthfully I was 100% focussed on originality and the spec the wife wanted. I just assumed they were a 'standard' battery powered watch like my TAG (albeit that was a 3rd of the price..)

I bought from a dealer in Hatton Garden after much deliberation, i'm happy with the quality and finish given its age, however less so in the fact it looses time over a 48hr stationary period. Im some what relieved that people see that as normal, I will send it off for a service in the new year.

It has a subtle aftermarket diamond bezel (i understand rolex never did them.. so has to be aftermarket) do i assume i'm better off using a specialist for the service?

jimmy156

3,681 posts

186 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
Chr1sch said:
Thanks for all the posts gents most helpful

with regards to research, truthfully I was 100% focussed on originality and the spec the wife wanted. I just assumed they were a 'standard' battery powered watch like my TAG (albeit that was a 3rd of the price..)

I bought from a dealer in Hatton Garden after much deliberation, i'm happy with the quality and finish given its age, however less so in the fact it looses time over a 48hr stationary period. Im some what relieved that people see that as normal, I will send it off for a service in the new year.

It has a subtle aftermarket diamond bezel (i understand rolex never did them.. so has to be aftermarket) do i assume i'm better off using a specialist for the service?
So you didn't do your research and now you're not listening hehe

It is normal for it to lose time (or even stop) if not worn over the weekend. My automatic seiko will stop if i don't wear it for a day and a half!

Adrian W

13,848 posts

227 months

Wednesday 24th December 2014
quotequote all
If it has an aftermarket bezel Rolex won't touch it, you will need to take it to an independent

Chr1sch

Original Poster:

2,585 posts

192 months

Wednesday 24th December 2014
quotequote all
Thought as much, thanks

bry1975

1,246 posts

162 months

Wednesday 24th December 2014
quotequote all
Hi,

Speak to Simon Michlmayr.

http://www.michlmayr.com