SDDS & timekeeping

[Rolex116520]

I bought my Deepsea about 2 month's ago and I find that this watch keeps excellent time , I would say by far better then all other Rolex watches I own and have owned.
Would this have to do with the " Blue parachrome" spring? I would like to ask those who have the same watch but especially those lucky enough to own both Sea-Dwellers if they notice any difference. I do understand that the same watch may keep time differently on one individual then another.

[lawyerwatchfan]

Originally Posted by Rolex116520

I bought my Deepsea about 2 month's ago and I find that this watch keeps excellent time , I would say by far better then all other Rolex watches I own and have owned.
Would this have to do with the " Blue parachrome" spring? I would like to ask those who have the same watch but especially those lucky enough to own both Sea-Dwellers if they notice any difference. I do understand that the same watch may keep time differently on one individual then another.

How accurate has the DSSD been thus far (+/- seconds per 24 hours)? Has the accuracy varied as it has "broken in"? Do you wear the watch daily? When not worn, do you keep it in a winder?

[The GMT Master]

It's using the 3135 movement, which is in a large number of models, and the effect of the Parachrom hairspring will be minimal, in my opinion. It all comes down to regulation, and it sounds like you have a well regulated watch

[Rolex116520]

Well, I set the watch when I bought it ( 2 months ago) and I wore the watch none stop for about 2 weeks , I now interchange it during weekdays with my 116520 but will wear it on weekends . I take it off at night.
I reset it again yesterday and it was less then a minute slow .
To me that is excellent , much better then my 116520 and 16520 or 1603 .

[lawyerwatchfan]

Less than 60 seconds off over a two month period sounds exceptionally good to me especially since you don't always wear the piece on consecutive days and you did not reset the time in the interim. Congrats on getting a very well regulated sample! Enjoy.

[Hamish]

I have owned my deepsea for around two months and I originally set it using an atomic clock.
It loses a second a day which I am very impressed by....

[Singslinger]

My Deesea is about 7 weeks old and yes, it keeps very accurate time. It could be because it's still new but for now I'm more than satisfied that it's about as accurate as my Daytona.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Rolex116520

I bought my Deepsea about 2 month's ago and I find that this watch keeps excellent time , I would say by far better then all other Rolex watches I own and have owned.
Would this have to do with the " Blue parachrome" spring? I would like to ask those who have the same watch but especially those lucky enough to own both Sea-Dwellers if they notice any difference. I do understand that the same watch may keep time differently on one individual then another.

All Rolex movements are more than capable of running to a second or two either way if the are regulated correctly.Regardless to whatever hairspring they have in the movement.Several TRF members have vintage Rolex running +1 second a day,and I have a 85 year old one running +5 seconds a day.

[Rolex116520]

Originally Posted by Singslinger

My Deesea is about 7 weeks old and yes, it keeps very accurate time. It could be because it's still new but for now I'm more than satisfied that it's about as accurate as my Daytona.

I own and have owned 3 ( F,Z and now V) 116520 but none have kept time as well as my Deepsea.
Worst was the Z reg that would loose close to a minute a day . My actual V looses some time aswell but seems only adjusting every 2/3 weeks for a minute. I can accept that as I now wear it much less because of the Deepsea . My F reg lost some too , but less then the Z that had no excuse as I wore that all the time too. I wonder if the fact that my F reg still had the thin hands would keep better time with me then the Z reg with fat hands as they both had the same wrist time?

[Rolex116520]

Originally Posted by lawyerwatchfan

Less than 60 seconds off over a two month period sounds exceptionally good to me especially since you don't always wear the piece on consecutive days and you did not reset the time in the interim. Congrats on getting a very well regulated sample! Enjoy.

Exactly why I posted this thread as I'm as impressed as you are , but reading some of the other responses it seems that the deepsea is generally keeping excellent time . Maybe because they are all relatively new .

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Rolex116520

Exactly why I posted this thread as I'm as impressed as you are , but reading some of the other responses it seems that the deepsea is generally keeping excellent time . Maybe because they are all relatively new .

Well cannot see why its any differnt from any other Cal 3135 the movement its only been out 20 years. Its simply down to regulation and the wearer with mechanical watches.

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=83744

[Rolex116520]

Originally Posted by padi56

Well cannot see why its any differnt from any other Cal 3135 the movement its only been out 20 years. Its simply down to regulation and the wearer with mechanical watches.

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=83744

I completly understand what you are saying , what I meant by being relatively new is when a watch is new out of the factory it may run accuratly but with wears and may loose or speed up .

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Rolex116520

I completly understand what you are saying , what I meant by being relatively new is when a watch is new out of the factory it may run accuratly but with wears and may loose or speed up .

Many factors come into play with all mechanical watches,changes in temperature different wearing habits etc.What will be say +2 on one wrist don't necessarily mean it will be same on another.All Rolex movements since the 10XX series more than capable of a few seconds either way.But to get any mechanical watch to self regulate with no daily deviation they are in the minority.The fact is no mechanical watch will keep spot on time, close yes, but 100% spot on no.As long as any chronometer runs too, or perhaps a little bit better than the COSC norm we should be jumping for joy.

[Rolex116520]

Originally Posted by padi56

Many factors come into play with all mechanical watches,changes in temperature different wearing habits etc.What will be say +2 on one wrist don't necessarily mean it will be same on another.All Rolex movements since the 10XX series more than capable of a few seconds either way.But to get any mechanical watch to self regulate with no daily deviation they are in the minority.The fact is no mechanical watch will keep spot on time, close yes, but 100% spot on no.As long as any chronometer runs too, or perhaps a little bit better than the COSC norm we should be jumping for joy.

That is exactly what I'm doing , jumping with joy . I love that SDDS better with the day and that it is now the one of my Rolex watches that keep best time is only a bonus . I have always had mechanical watches ( except a digital Buler when I was 12 ) and I understand that if you want absolute exact time keeping one is better off with a 5 USD quartz then any Rolex .
Must admit that the automatic Cartier Santos I had in the mid '80 was a real disaster for time keeping .
Long story short , when a cousin took that watch in for service ( problems with the bracelet too ) he actually recuperated the watch and sold it as he had a gambling problem ... he always lost . Anyway his mother reimbursed me at that gave me acces to my first Rolex 1603 and I never looked back since . Absolutely love Rolex watches .

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Rolex116520

That is exactly what I'm doing , jumping with joy . I love that SDDS better with the day and that it is now the one of my Rolex watches that keep best time is only a bonus . I have always had mechanical watches ( except a digital Buler when I was 12 ) and I understand that if you want absolute exact time keeping one is better off with a 5 USD quartz then any Rolex .
Must admit that the automatic Cartier Santos I had in the mid '80 was a real disaster for time keeping .
Long story short , when a cousin took that watch in for service ( problems with the bracelet too ) he actually recuperated the watch and sold it as he had a gambling problem ... he always lost . Anyway his mother reimbursed me at that gave me acces to my first Rolex 1603 and I never looked back since . Absolutely love Rolex watches .

Its surprising what you can do with most modern day movements today with careful regulation.Rolex are built to be chronometers in the first place,now take ETA.Most of there movements come in 5 grades the top two being chronometer grade like the ETA 2824-2T thats used like in the Rolex Tudor.Although a chronometer movement its not tested main reason COSC cost etc.I have done several experiments over the years with a bit of help from my watchmaker friend and his timing machine.The best was a $60 Alpha manual wind chronograph with the Seagull ST-19 chronograph movement.


The Seagull Chinese movement now made in a very modern factory they have been manufacturing movements since 1955. And have long been the favourite movements for homage replica type watches under various own brand names. The ST-19 was a 19-25 jewel column-wheel chronograph,depending on complications,and allegedly identical to the Venus 175 movement. And made on the same machinery, which the Chinese acquired when the Venus 175 went out of production many many years ago. Others claim that the Seagull was simply reverse-engineered from the Venus and the argument continues over which story is correct: either way, the fact remains that the design retains all the very accurate and long-lasting properties to the old Swiss Venus movement.After some careful regulation this movement ran well inside the COSC spec.And as continued to do so for almost three years now.But has been re-regulated a couple of times over said period a very accurate and more important a consistent movement that cost just $60.

[Rolex116520]

Originally Posted by padi56

Its surprising what you can do with most modern day movements today with careful regulation.Rolex are built to be chronometers in the first place,now take ETA.Most of there movements come in 5 grades the top two being chronometer grade like the ETA 2824-2T thats used like in the Rolex Tudor.Although a chronometer movement its not tested main reason COSC cost etc.I have done several experiments over the years with a bit of help from my watchmaker friend and his timing machine.The best was a $60 Alpha manual wind chronograph with the Seagull ST-19 chronograph movement.


The Seagull Chinese movement now made in a very modern factory they have been manufacturing movements since 1955. And have long been the favourite movements for homage replica type watches under various own brand names. The ST-19 was a 19-25 jewel column-wheel chronograph,depending on complications,and allegedly identical to the Venus 175 movement. And made on the same machinery, which the Chinese acquired when the Venus 175 went out of production many many years ago. Others claim that the Seagull was simply reverse-engineered from the Venus and the argument continues over which story is correct: either way, the fact remains that the design retains all the very accurate and long-lasting properties to the old Swiss Venus movement.After some careful regulation this movement ran well inside the COSC spec.And as continued to do so for almost three years now.But has been re-regulated a couple of times over said period a very accurate and more important a consistent movement that cost just $60.

Waow , Thank you very much for those precisions and examples . I have just realised in a very technical way that we are paying trough our noses for Rolex movements ... but pay a lot for image and marketing .

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Rolex116520

Waow , Thank you very much for those precisions and examples . I have just realised in a very technical way that we are paying trough our noses for Rolex movements ... but pay a lot for image and marketing .

Dont get me wrong I love Rolex but now mainly for the History of the brand old Hans was a very clever man.A Rolex watch will always hold its price in the market and very well made.And the Rolex movement will run for decades but the Seagull well I will have to wait and see on that one.The point is at a price
say $5000 the Rolex will always be a $5000 watch,while the Alpha a $60 throw away if broken.