Rolex crown not functioning correctly.
Discussion
If I'm honest I'm not sure it's ever been correct since it was services a few years ago....
Rolex datejust 1994 model I think, owned by me since new and only ever services it the once. Now when I pull out the crown and try to adjust the time it really only wants to move the hands forwards. It will move them backwards by 5 mins but then seems to loose grip, although I got it to work the other day by chance.
Power reserve seems week as well (I might be imagining it but I feel this coincided with its previous service), if I take it off for 18 hours it will have stopped-normal?
Rolex datejust 1994 model I think, owned by me since new and only ever services it the once. Now when I pull out the crown and try to adjust the time it really only wants to move the hands forwards. It will move them backwards by 5 mins but then seems to loose grip, although I got it to work the other day by chance.
Power reserve seems week as well (I might be imagining it but I feel this coincided with its previous service), if I take it off for 18 hours it will have stopped-normal?
I have the same feeling! My GMT II has not been the same since being serviced 5 years ago.
I've just dropped it in for another service- I was not really too impressed with how it came back from Rolex last time; power reserve and timekeeping were nowhere near as good as before; they did not fit the new bezel correctly, the bracelet looked really awful and I've had problems with the crown.
I stressed this time that I want it coming back like new and in full working order, especially for the cost of a Rolex service.
The cheeky f*ckers also came back to me recommending optional extras of new sapphire crystal to replace the scratched one (not a single scratch on it!) and new dial (apparently the perfect condition black dial has faded).
If it does not come back like new this time, I will kick up a stink.
I've just dropped it in for another service- I was not really too impressed with how it came back from Rolex last time; power reserve and timekeeping were nowhere near as good as before; they did not fit the new bezel correctly, the bracelet looked really awful and I've had problems with the crown.
I stressed this time that I want it coming back like new and in full working order, especially for the cost of a Rolex service.
The cheeky f*ckers also came back to me recommending optional extras of new sapphire crystal to replace the scratched one (not a single scratch on it!) and new dial (apparently the perfect condition black dial has faded).
If it does not come back like new this time, I will kick up a stink.
The crown issue will be the thread-locking failed so the crown is unscrewing - if you keep turning it "backwards" for 5 or 6 full turns it'll come off in your hand. No problem at all to fix, but really shouldn't have happened in the first place.
The power reserve is a different matter. You should have almost 2 days of reserve once it's fully wound, 18 hours is way too little. The reason could be one of a number of things. In no particular order:
Poor servicing so it's wasting power
Faulty auto work so it's failing to wind fully
Broken or slipping mainspring so it never reaches full wind
You not jumping around enough, especially if putting it on from a dead stop.
You can fairly reliably rule out numbers 1 and 3 on that list by winding it fully by hand (unscrew the crown and give it about 40 good turns of manual wind) then leaving it alone (don't wear it) to run until it stops. If you find that it runs for about 40 hours or more then 1 and 3 are very unlikely to apply.
That's about as far as diagnosis at a distance can go I'm afraid, but it at least gives you somewhere to start.
The power reserve is a different matter. You should have almost 2 days of reserve once it's fully wound, 18 hours is way too little. The reason could be one of a number of things. In no particular order:
Poor servicing so it's wasting power
Faulty auto work so it's failing to wind fully
Broken or slipping mainspring so it never reaches full wind
You not jumping around enough, especially if putting it on from a dead stop.
You can fairly reliably rule out numbers 1 and 3 on that list by winding it fully by hand (unscrew the crown and give it about 40 good turns of manual wind) then leaving it alone (don't wear it) to run until it stops. If you find that it runs for about 40 hours or more then 1 and 3 are very unlikely to apply.
That's about as far as diagnosis at a distance can go I'm afraid, but it at least gives you somewhere to start.
No it doesn't need to be a Rolex dealer / service centre and yes, it does need to be opened.
It's an easy job - remove back, release stem and crown together, unscrew crown from stem, add thread-lock and screw back on firmly, re-install, refit back, pressure test to confirm water resistance. Basically the same as for the Longines on this thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
except no need to fit a new stem because the old one isn't broken.
It's an easy job - remove back, release stem and crown together, unscrew crown from stem, add thread-lock and screw back on firmly, re-install, refit back, pressure test to confirm water resistance. Basically the same as for the Longines on this thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
except no need to fit a new stem because the old one isn't broken.
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