The Rolex Forums   The Rolex Watch

ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX


Go Back   Rolex Forums - Rolex Forum > Rolex & Tudor Watch Topics > Rolex General Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 18 June 2008, 07:08 AM   #1
Lubrifar
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Real Name: Mr. T
Location: anc/sfo
Watch: for the signs!
Posts: 776
3185 vs 3186

Please share your comments about the two movements. Thanks!
Lubrifar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18 June 2008, 07:12 AM   #2
pdpmojo
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: NY
Watch: SS GMT R/BLCK
Posts: 196
I have the 3185 in my GMT II and I think its great. Its been pretty much spot on accurate for the last year I have worn it. I have only synchronized it a few times and it has been running ever since i bought it.
pdpmojo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18 June 2008, 07:16 AM   #3
SPACE-DWELLER
"TRF" Member
 
SPACE-DWELLER's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Real Name: Bo
Location: Denmark
Watch: Rolex, of course!
Posts: 22,436
Imho, they're equally good!

Yes, the Cal. 3186 has the Parachrom Bleu hairspring.

But although the PB hairspring is completely anti-magnetic and resists shocks up to ten times better, I for my part don't think the PB hairspring is any better than the conventional one in the Cal. 3185. The accuracy of the classic Cal. 3185 is amazing and is not beaten by the Cal. 3186, imho.

The PB hairspring is just another Rolex invention to get completely self-supplying.
__________________
With kind regards, Bo

LocTite 221: The Taming Of The Screw...
SPACE-DWELLER is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18 June 2008, 08:02 AM   #4
Mrdi
Banned
 
Mrdi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: PA
Posts: 3,478
It seems as a result of the parachrome some of the gearing was also changed.
This accounts for the lack of play in the hands when adjusting.
That may be what makes the M series unique in the future, the last of the old style GMT with
the 3186. Who knows?
Mrdi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18 June 2008, 09:11 AM   #5
Felly Jr.
"TRF" Member
 
Felly Jr.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Real Name: Felly
Location: Washington State
Watch: SS Daytona/GV
Posts: 2,998
IMO, the GMT II's with the 3186 movement are going to be a big hit with collectors.
Felly Jr. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19 June 2008, 03:10 AM   #6
Trurolexer
Banned
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: USA
Watch: 5513MaxiI+PreComex
Posts: 18,421
Quote:
Originally Posted by Felly Jr. View Post
IMO, the GMT II's with the 3186 movement are going to be a big hit with collectors.
X2!!!
Trurolexer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19 June 2008, 03:43 AM   #7
HDHNTER
"TRF" Member
 
HDHNTER's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Real Name: Allen
Location: SC
Posts: 2,766
Quote:
Originally Posted by Felly Jr. View Post
IMO, the GMT II's with the 3186 movement are going to be a big hit with collectors.
If they do catch the interest of collectors I would think the same could be said for the 3186 equipped Expy II's.
HDHNTER is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19 June 2008, 03:50 AM   #8
JJ Irani
Fondly Remembered
 
JJ Irani's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Real Name: JJ
Location: Auckland, NZ
Watch: ALL SOLD!!
Posts: 74,319
Well, guys.....while the new 3186 movement has the technologically advanced Parachrom Blue spring, the 3185 is a time-proven, dependable, robust and very versatile movement....proven over several years of use....though hell and high-water.....through the freezing tundra and over the hot as hell Sahara.

NEVER FAILED!!! The 3186 is more than welcome to replace the 3185; but the 3185 will always remain as the all time GMT-II classic calibre!!

JJ
__________________
Words fail me in expressing my utmost thanks to ALL of you for this wonderful support during my hour of need!!

I firmly believe that my time on planet earth is NOT yet up!! I shall fight this to the very end.......and WIN!!
JJ Irani is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18 June 2008, 10:42 AM   #9
Lubrifar
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Real Name: Mr. T
Location: anc/sfo
Watch: for the signs!
Posts: 776
How long has 3185 been in production?
Lubrifar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18 June 2008, 11:51 AM   #10
BiG JeEzY
"TRF" Member
 
BiG JeEzY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Real Name: Jerome
Location: N. California
Watch: GMT I/EXP II/DJ
Posts: 3,351
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lubrifar View Post
How long has 3185 been in production?
The caliber 3185 has always been featured in the 16710 and 16570 and I would believe that the movement has been in production since about 1988-1989.

I agree that the caliber 3185 and 3186 are probably the most precise Rolex movements ever made. Its timekeeping abilities are incredible. I have a watch with the caliber 3185, its been powering my Explorer II for 7 years without any problems at all. Still gains roughly less than a second a day.
__________________
-Rolex Explorer II Black dial 16570 (circa 2001)
-Rolex GMT Master I Pepsi 1675 (circa 1978)
-Rolex Datejust TT Champagne 16233 (circa 1991)
-Vintage Longines Automatic La Grande Classique
-Vintage Seiko 6138 Automatic Chronograph with "Kakume" Dial
BiG JeEzY is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18 June 2008, 12:07 PM   #11
Tools
TRF Moderator & 2024 SubLV41 Patron
 
Tools's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Real Name: Larry
Location: Mojave Desert
Watch: GMT's
Posts: 43,514
I believe that with the parachrome hairspring, the 3186 is now poised to get a paraflex shock system and become the next fully in-house movement.

As far as upgrading from a watch with the 3185 to the 3186, I don't think that there is enough advantage there to justify the cost for such a move, but it might be worth looking around to get the EXP II or GMT II with it if you're on the hunt..
__________________
(Chill ... It's just a watch Forum.....)
NAWCC Member
Tools is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18 June 2008, 01:02 PM   #12
ral
Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Philippines
Posts: 650
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lubrifar View Post
How long has 3185 been in production?
Since 1988... and maybe no longer in use actually.

Inside the Oyster
ral is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18 June 2008, 12:34 PM   #13
Jedi
"TRF" Member
 
Jedi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Real Name: Lee
Location: Malaysia
Watch: 16750
Posts: 2,534
The jewels are still outsourced.
__________________
Lee

This is my watch. There are many like it but this one is mine...

Flickr
Blog
Jedi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18 June 2008, 12:45 PM   #14
Felly Jr.
"TRF" Member
 
Felly Jr.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Real Name: Felly
Location: Washington State
Watch: SS Daytona/GV
Posts: 2,998
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jedi View Post
The jewels are still outsourced.
Wow, Rolex doesn't own their own precious stone mines?
Felly Jr. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18 June 2008, 12:48 PM   #15
Jedi
"TRF" Member
 
Jedi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Real Name: Lee
Location: Malaysia
Watch: 16750
Posts: 2,534
That would be the day.

I actually meant the jewels in the movement...

Still a damn good call
__________________
Lee

This is my watch. There are many like it but this one is mine...

Flickr
Blog
Jedi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18 June 2008, 12:56 PM   #16
Felly Jr.
"TRF" Member
 
Felly Jr.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Real Name: Felly
Location: Washington State
Watch: SS Daytona/GV
Posts: 2,998
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jedi View Post
That would be the day.

I actually meant the jewels in the movement...

Still a damn good call
Felly Jr. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19 June 2008, 02:49 AM   #17
Lubrifar
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Real Name: Mr. T
Location: anc/sfo
Watch: for the signs!
Posts: 776
How is Parachrom-Blu pronounced?
Para Chrome Blue?
Lubrifar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19 June 2008, 03:14 AM   #18
DSJ
"TRF" Member
 
DSJ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Real Name: David
Location: USA
Watch: your step!
Posts: 7,882
3186 - a 3185 made a little better, IMO.

I have no problems having a 3185 and am not experiencing "3186 envy."
__________________
Rolex. The Rolex of watches.
16570 Expy2 Noir, 116710 GMT Master II,
2552.80 SMP
DSJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19 June 2008, 03:22 AM   #19
Mrdi
Banned
 
Mrdi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: PA
Posts: 3,478
Quote:
Originally Posted by DSJ View Post
3186 - a 3185 made a little better, IMO.

I have no problems having a 3185 and am not experiencing "3186 envy."
As long as you have your own source for jewels David,
there is no reason for envy!
Mrdi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19 June 2008, 03:59 AM   #20
Skippy
Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Holland
Posts: 283
In case of the Explorer II it probably depends on how long they will be selling them. The production of the GMT II has been stopped so the 3186 only has been in there for about a year(I guess) but the Explorer II's are still being produced in 2008 so they won't be as rare as the GMT II's. You can find incredibly good deals on m series Explorer II's over here with grey dealers(seen them as low as 3150 euro's brand new). As for collectebilitey I don't know how they would fare as the differance isn't noticable from the outside like with the red subs or dwellers. The 168000 reference is also very rare but doesn't fedge the huge amounts red subs do because of the lack of outside visability. The best watch to get now if you wan't it for collecting purposes might be the csoc 14060m sub no date as this is clearly visible on the dail and some people think/say/know that it won't be sold next year. If I had the cash I would defenitly go for that one as they are pretty easy to get wright now for good prices.
Skippy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19 June 2008, 04:05 AM   #21
HDHNTER
"TRF" Member
 
HDHNTER's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Real Name: Allen
Location: SC
Posts: 2,766
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skippy View Post
In case of the Explorer II it probably depends on how long they will be selling them. The production of the GMT II has been stopped so the 3186 only has been in there for about a year(I guess) but the Explorer II's are still being produced in 2008 so they won't be as rare as the GMT II's.
Good point, forgot that the Expy is still in production.
HDHNTER is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19 June 2008, 05:36 AM   #22
f16570
"TRF" Member
 
f16570's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Real Name: F
Location: Scotland
Watch: Exp II White Face
Posts: 4,272
All said and done, it is still a Rollie.
The movement to non WIS is imaterial.
__________________
Why have what's new when you have what's best.
f
f16570 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19 June 2008, 09:17 AM   #23
Lubrifar
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Real Name: Mr. T
Location: anc/sfo
Watch: for the signs!
Posts: 776
Quote:
Originally Posted by f16570 View Post
All said and done, it is still a Rollie.
The movement to non WIS is imaterial.
But the trouble, my friend, is we are ALL WIS.
Lubrifar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19 June 2008, 10:14 AM   #24
shoppy
"TRF" Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Real Name: Simon
Location: UK
Watch: OP and daytona
Posts: 1,783
The 3135 is great and proven but the new 3186 is also superb and I found much better at keeping time. But this is just MHO.
shoppy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Wrist Aficionado

My Watch LLC

WatchesOff5th

DavidSW Watches

Takuya Watches

OCWatches


*Banners Of The Month*
This space is provided to horological resources.





Copyright ©2004-2024, The Rolex Forums. All Rights Reserved.

ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX

Rolex is a registered trademark of ROLEX USA. The Rolex Forums is not affiliated with ROLEX USA in any way.