Rolex losing multiple hours per day

[foreright]

As the title - my GMTIIc is losing several hours time per day. What's odd is that it's losing WHOLE hours at a time - ie. it looks like the hour hand simply doesn't go forwards every now and then and it tells the "correct" time except with the wrong hour! I've only really noticed it for the last couple of weeks and it's variable the number of times per day - twice today so far (albeit one was overnight). I've tried winding manually and it doesn't seem to make a difference.

I've never come across this before - I'd expect it to start gaining / losing time if it needed a service but not to lose exactly an hour each time! Has anyone seen this before? I'm guessing it needs to go for a service / look at...

[WizzBang]

That is odd, maybe unique.
Hope it's still within warranty.

[foreright]

WizzBang said:

That is odd, maybe unique.
Hope it's still within warranty.

I'm somehow doubting it's unique (anyone want to buy a unique Rolex? Only £50k??) - it's way outside warranty though but does need looking at. Any recommendations?

Edit: Hour hand has stopped advancing completely now so I'm guessing that's the issue - the wife is less than impressed with the cost of Rolex servicing!

Edited by foreright on Tuesday 23 June 13:31

[h0b0]

Cannon Pinion apparently

[Jamescrs]

foreright said:

I'm somehow doubting it's unique (anyone want to buy a unique Rolex? Only £50k??) - it's way outside warranty though but does need looking at. Any recommendations?

Edit: Hour hand has stopped advancing completely now so I'm guessing that's the issue - the wife is less than impressed with the cost of Rolex servicing!

Edited by foreright on Tuesday 23 June 13:31

Just wondering what Rolex charge for servicing? I genuinely have no idea.

I had my Omega Seamaster Chronometer serviced a couple of years ago by Omega and that cost me somewhere closer to £500 than £400 but I don't remember the exact figure after mine stopped self winding. I wonder how Rolex compare?

[foreright]

Jamescrs said:

Just wondering what Rolex charge for servicing? I genuinely have no idea.

I had my Omega Seamaster Chronometer serviced a couple of years ago by Omega and that cost me somewhere closer to £500 than £400 but I don't remember the exact figure after mine stopped self winding. I wonder how Rolex compare?

I believe the "standard" service for this model is £550 or thereabouts - the sky's the limit if they doing anything aside from service though (such as decide you "need" a new bracelet / dial / hands / whatever)! Had a couple of quotes that are a bit cheaper from independants though.

[glazbagun]

How old is the watch and can you jump the hand with the old satisfying click?

I don't like to diagnose watches on the internet, but a GMT with an hour hand problem would have my money going in very few places.

At some point Rolex changed the older GMT system from a venerable set of twin pawls on a sort of double-hour wheel to a newer system using an intermediate wheel with a spring, which was later upgraded I believe as they can break.

If it is this spring, then it will likely require a Rolex AD as they don't sell their parts to others. Maybe with a stinking letter

See the following for the difference:

http://blog.watchdoctor.biz/2018/02/24/rolex-3185-...

My virtual tenner goes on that.

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Edited by glazbagun on Wednesday 24th June 03:27

[foreright]

That’s awesome thanks - my Internet research came up with pretty much the same diagnosis - seems as you say to be a weakness in this movement. The watch is a 2008 I believe - my wife bought it for me as a wedding present in 2012. I’m guessing that makes it the earlier style from the pics above.

[glazbagun]

Googling says the Rolex 3186 with the spring instead of pawls ran from 2005-2018 in GMT Master models, so I'd guess it's the later of the two. They now use a completely unrelated movement. It's a straightforward fix but like I say, it will need the spring replaced during a service, so will need someone who can access Rolex parts.

[NEC3]

I dropped my Daytona in for service at my AD on Wednesday when i picked up my Pepsi, they quoted £600 ish as long as doesn't need any other work. They did say it would come back looking brand new though, which is good as when i do wear it i do everything with it on so has plenty of battle scars..