Do any of you guys have a Rolex that you can't swirl start?

[jjdesq]

I have a sea dweller(brand new), a stainless datejust(about a year old), a tt datejust with a black pyramid dial('88 recently serviced), and my dad has an air king w/engine turned bezel that I'm not really sure when it was last serviced but it's keeping good time and all my watches as well as my fathers can be started up with a few swirls except for my stainless datejust. It keeps good time(+3) but it takes about 20-30 winds to get it going and after doing a search on google I couldn't find much info on the topic and I'm wondering what would cause this and if there is anything to worry about because it seems unusual that the second hand won't start moving with a couple of swirls. I have even tried to get it going with 30-40 swirls and nothing, it needs what seems like a lot of winding and I'd like to know if any of your Rolexes are like this...It's practically brand new so I hope this isn't a sign of something wrong or that something isn't right with the watch so please help ease my worry and tell me all is good...

[Wcdhtwn]

I think 25 turns is normal to get the second hand going on a watch that has wound all the way down. And that gets it about half wound... So if your doing 30-40 that's not outrageous... But I understand your concern. Maybe a service is in order.

[jjdesq]

Originally Posted by Wcdhtwn

I think 25 turns is normal to get the second hand going on a watch that has wound all the way down. And that gets it about half wound... So if your doing 30-40 that's not outrageous... But I understand your concern. Maybe a service is in order.

Well, it's still under warranty but I would be surprised if telling them I have to wind it to start it would be grounds for getting the watch serviced, plus I'd probably come off as neurotic but It seems like it's pretty much a given that when your Rolex is dead you move it around a little bit and it starts going again...I was hoping someone with a decent collection has come across this before and it's not considered something to be worried about. Maybe someone with more knowledge about how the movement works could shed some light, I'll keep muh fingers crossed...

[utc66]

My SD 3135 movement takes about 12 turns of the crown to get it going. My '76 date just with 1570 slow beat movement starts almost instantly.

[CRM114]

Originally Posted by jjdesq

I have a sea dweller(brand new), a stainless datejust(about a year old), a tt datejust with a black pyramid dial('88 recently serviced), and my dad has an air king w/engine turned bezel that I'm not really sure when it was last serviced but it's keeping good time and all my watches as well as my fathers can be started up with a few swirls except for my stainless datejust. It keeps good time(+3) but it takes about 20-30 winds to get it going and after doing a search on google I couldn't find much info on the topic and I'm wondering what would cause this and if there is anything to worry about because it seems unusual that the second hand won't start moving with a couple of swirls. I have even tried to get it going with 30-40 swirls and nothing, it needs what seems like a lot of winding and I'd like to know if any of your Rolexes are like this...It's practically brand new so I hope this isn't a sign of something wrong or that something isn't right with the watch so please help ease my worry and tell me all is good...

If the movement has wound down until it stops, you need to fully wind it up using the crown. Not sure what you mean by "swirl starting" except if you're talking about just moving the watch to spin the winding rotor inside to get the 2nd hand moving. If that's your question the problem is the watch still isn't wound, and won't wind-up properly with that method, or "swirling". Use the crown, 30-40 turns. The automatic movement uses arm motion and rotor to merely maintain the wind of an already-wound watch.

[Old Expat Beast]

Some Rolex movements will start up when you pick up the watch, others will take a good few crown winds (20-30 or more) to get running; it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with them or that they need a service. For optimum performance you should give the watch a full 40 winds anyway, and maintain that with several hours of active wear every day. Some people even like to give a weekly top-up wind.

[jjdesq]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Some Rolex movements will start up when you pick up the watch, others will take a good few crown winds (20-30 or more) to get running; it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with them or that they need a service. For optimum performance you should give the watch a full 40 winds anyway, and maintain that with several hours of active wear every day. Some people even like to give a weekly top-up wind.

Thanks, this is the post I was hoping for...

[Ckci]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Some Rolex movements will start up when you pick up the watch, others will take a good few crown winds (20-30 or more) to get running; it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with them or that they need a service. For optimum performance you should give the watch a full 40 winds anyway, and maintain that with several hours of active wear every day. Some people even like to give a weekly top-up wind.

Adam is the man!

[Watch Box]

My Sub takes 10-15 swirls and I thought that was a concern... Till a read this!


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[CRM114]

How come it's supposedly the Information Age and yet apparently it's too difficult to obtain and read a manual anymore?

For a "dead" watch, wind the mainspring using the crown. The perpetual motion/rotor alone may get the 2nd hand moving but it's not going to wind the mainspring up to where it should be.

[jjdesq]

Originally Posted by CRM114

How come it's supposedly the Information Age and yet apparently it's too difficult to obtain and read a manual anymore?

For a "dead" watch, wind the mainspring using the crown. The perpetual motion/rotor alone may get the 2nd hand moving but it's not going to wind the mainspring up to where it should be.

I have 4 different examples and 3 of them behave one way and one doesn't...I was just trying to make sure that there wasn't a problem. I'm well aware you have to wind the watch with the crown, and I did read the manual

[Runnin' Rebel]

116610LVc
116619
116710
116713
16710

All these start within 15-20 turns of the crown for me