Rolex gaining over an hour per day (?!)

[Holy_Peanuts]

Hi everyone.

I purchased an early 2000s Bluesy at auction several years ago. It was running fast (30 seconds per day) so I brought it to a local watchmaker to have it cleaned and open the caseback to ensure everything was kosher. He said everything looked good in terms of authenticity. If I remember correctly, the beat rate was very off and he made some minor adjustments and got it running at around +/-5 seconds per day.

Since then, the watch has been in storage. Took it out yesterday for a special occasion and noticed that it gained 44 minutes in 12 hours!

Thought the potential culprit was magnetization and found a website that claims that theres an app you can install on your phone (Physics Toolbox Magnometer) to use as a quick DIY to check for magnetism. The reading jumps dramatically when I bring the phone close to a speaker, but unfortunately, it doesn't change at all near the watch.

Any ideas what can be happening here? Looking like I'll be making my first trip to an RSC..

[2000-NJDEVILS]

Head over to my favorite Rolex dealer in Montreal, Maison Birks, and let them advise you on how to cure the problem……Do not worry as This is not an expensive repair….

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by 2000-NJDEVILS

Head over to my favorite Rolex dealer in Montreal, Maison Birks, and let them advise you on how to cure the problem……Do not worry as This is not an expensive repair….

Relatively speaking. A full service on a watch like this will probably run in the $1000 plus range.

I agree with the others, given the age of the watch I’d send it off to RSC Toronto.

Good luck

[2000-NJDEVILS]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Relatively speaking. A full service on a watch like this will probably run in the $1000 plus range.

I agree with the others, given the age of the watch I’d send it off to RSC Toronto.

Good luck

I wholeheartedly agree - why pay for a caseback opening and subsequent repair when the whole watch can be made like new - with a warranty no less…

[enjoythemusic]

Servicing every 10 years makes sense, so it sounds like your Rolex is overdue. RSC can get it looking and running like new

[996marty]

Sounds like something the RSC will sort out and hopefully it won’t cost too much

[Andad]

I would have it serviced.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Andad

I would have it serviced.

Exactly that have a full movement service by RSC after service watch will be good as new with a 2 year warranty.

[Sailman]

Magnetized….

[KatGirl]

Originally Posted by Sailman

Magnetized….

Yup! Easy fix. Get it demagnetized, then check timekeeping.

Kat


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[77T]

I agree you should consider a full service. To save spending hundreds $$$ unnecessarily, maybe use a step-action plan.

If your watchmaker who did the first service is available to you, take it to have the balance and escape wheel jewels checked for lube. If it's well lubed, ask him to demag it - do a dry pressure test - and see how it runs. This should be a reasonable cost.

If any check fails, then a full service and be prepared to invest $500-1000 depending upon what needs to be replaced.


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[RRGHOST1]

Just have it serviced.

[saxo3]

Originally Posted by Holy_Peanuts

Any ideas what can be happening here? Looking like I'll be making my first trip to an RSC..

The obvious suggestion is to have it serviced at a Rolex Service Centre (RSC), but you won't find out why it's running so fast. That's fine if you don't care. There is a way to check the movement without opening the caseback and before RSC. Good luck!

[Onequik135i]

What method is there to check the movement of a watch without opening the case back ?

[dk65]

Find an "analog" compass. Like this:

https://www.brunton.com/products/truarc-3

Walk the compass around the watch. If the compass needle goes nuts and doesn't point north, your watch is magnetized. An easy fix for any competent watchmaker.

There are phone apps to do this (Lepsi) but they have not worked well for me. The compass test is very reliable. Phone compass will not work. Needs to be a real compass.

I've seen this twice with our watches. Once when my wife left hers sitting on her laptop... that has magnetic lid (MacBook). We don't know how the other one happened. Both caused watch to run several minutes per hour fast. Damage fixed both, took the service guy at the AD about five minutes to fix each.

[Apdl]

Get a $10 Degausser on amazon and give it a shot first

[7enderbender]

Sounds like it got magnetized in our neodyne magnet world we unfortunately live in these days. Buy a cheap demagnetizer and have a local watch store quickly run it through theirs. I bet that solves the issue.

[Marcjvr]

Same thing happened to my omega seamaster

Turns out it was magnetized.

Good news it was a quick and easy 1 second fix on a degausser