Can you Request RSC to replace your Spring with a Parachrom?

[Athonatron]

I wonder if they could do that for you as an upgrade.

My damn watch gets magetnetized too easily and would want something more magnetically neutral.

Anyone know if this could happen?

[rajurama]

Im sure you can get an upgrade. However I feel even the older springs were anti magnetic. Blue Parachrom is better no doubt.

[Athonatron]

I don't think so. I had to demagnetise mine and it dropped 3seconds per day after.

[Chris B]

I'm sure that they'd be sympathetic given your circumstances

Please don't think I'm an idiot but if your daily environment have the watch at risk & the mainspring was replaced what about the rest of the watch movement?

Respectfully, couldn't you just not wear the watch at the risky times, or if not maybe consider a MG?

[kokovovoru]

Milgauss is your best bet.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Athonatron

I wonder if they could do that for you as an upgrade.

My damn watch gets magetnetized too easily and would want something more magnetically neutral.

Anyone know if this could happen?

If any mechanical watch is exposed to a very strong magnetic field, its parts can sometimes become temporarily magnetised. When this occurs, there is no longer free movement of the balance wheel and the watch can no longer run freely like it should. Often, adjacent coils in the hairspring will stick to each other when magnetised but nearly all modern day movements are quite anti-magnetic.If really magnetised this has the effect of shortening (or stiffening) the hairspring which makes the watch run very very fast,thats if it will run at all.And we are not talking about a mere few seconds a day.



Top quality Swiss watches use a non magnetic alloy Nivarox for balance and spring parts,these parts are 98% anti-magnetic.If a watch becomes magnetised it will normally run very very erratic.Normally speed up and not by just a couple of seconds minutes or come to a complete stop.There must be millions upon millions of Rolex watches in this world today.And the watches that show any signs of being magnetised is very very small indeed and a very simple task to remedy it.Nearly all the Swiss watch industry have been using Nivarox hairsprings for decades that includes high end watches like Patek,but now they have developed there own simply to be self sufficient like Rolex in all watch parts.Myself worked in the Steel industry for 30 odd years before I retired working close and using very powerful magnets.Capable of lifting 15 plus tons never had any problem with any watch I was wearing Rolex or others.

[Omega_Precision]

Originally Posted by Athonatron

I wonder if they could do that for you as an upgrade.

My damn watch gets magetnetized too easily and would want something more magnetically neutral.

Anyone know if this could happen?

You would definitely benefit from the new Rolex spring. As far as Rolex incorporating this new spring in older movements, I don't know if they will or they won't. You would probably have to ask but eventually I think all services will have this spring put in when an overhaul is needed, regardless of customer's preference. If you ask, I am sure they would replace the spring because this is Rolex's new spring and with all the hype, they would certainly have to live up to how it's better than it's old spring and replace yours with a new one.

Good luck and let us know what happens....it would give us all an option when our watches need to get sent.

[Athonatron]

Thought it was swappable seeing they just replace the srping with the newer one.

This is assuming they are the same which may not be the case, but it would be a great updage when you are getting it serviced.

[sbakar]

Originally Posted by padi56

If any mechanical watch is exposed to a very strong magnetic field, its parts can sometimes become temporarily magnetised. When this occurs, there is no longer free movement of the balance wheel and the watch can no longer run freely like it should. Often, adjacent coils in the hairspring will stick to each other when magnetised but nearly all modern day movements are quite anti-magnetic.If really magnetised this has the effect of shortening (or stiffening) the hairspring which makes the watch run very very fast,thats if it will run at all.And we are not talking about a mere few seconds a day.



Top quality Swiss watches use a non magnetic alloy Nivarox for balance and spring parts,these parts are 98% anti-magnetic.If a watch becomes magnetised it will normally run very very erratic.Normally speed up and not by just a couple of seconds minutes or come to a complete stop.There must be millions upon millions of Rolex watches in this world today.And the watches that show any signs of being magnetised is very very small indeed and a very simple task to remedy it.Nearly all the Swiss watch industry have been using Nivarox hairsprings for decades that includes high end watches like Patek,but now they have developed there own simply to be self sufficient like Rolex in all watch parts.Myself worked in the Steel industry for 30 odd years before I retired working close and using very powerful magnets.Capable of lifting 15 plus tons never had any problem with any watch I was wearing Rolex or others.

Very informative, thanks.

Out of curiosity, how do you demagnetize a watch?

SNB

[acce1999]

Actually there was a thread on TZ the other day talking about the reverser wheels getting magnetized (the steel parts of course) on a 3186 - with Parachrom Blue. This was said to have an impact on the gear train, slowing the watch down slightly (a couple of seconds per day), and after demagnetizing the watch it was back to normal accuracy.

I've been thinking about this for a couple of days, and do not know what to believe. The information was said to come from a watchmaker at one of the RSC in the US.

I know what happens when the mainspring (before Nivarox) get magnetized, then we are talking deviation... but it seems that quite a few people experience a loss of accuracy (in seconds per day) and get the information from RSC that the watch was magnetized.

A silly question perhaps (I'm not a physicist): What kind of magnetic flux do we talk about when it is "temporarily magnetized", and how long does it take to "wear off" (without demagnetization)?

Best,

A

[cody p]

Originally Posted by Omega_Precision

You would definitely benefit from the new Rolex spring. As far as Rolex incorporating this new spring in older movements, I don't know if they will or they won't. You would probably have to ask but eventually I think all services will have this spring put in when an overhaul is needed, regardless of customer's preference. If you ask, I am sure they would replace the spring because this is Rolex's new spring and with all the hype, they would certainly have to live up to how it's better than it's old spring and replace yours with a new one.

Good luck and let us know what happens....it would give us all an option when our watches need to get sent.

disagree, i don't see them retrofitting hair springs at service just because they will feel compelled to live up to the 'hype'.

[ippon20]

Originally Posted by cody p

disagree, i don't see them retrofitting hair springs at service just because they will feel compelled to live up to the 'hype'.

I'm with you on this one. I would expect them to use all their stock Nivarox before throwing a Parachrome in there. Either way, I think it's all "hype", only difference being the color and the fact it's made in house.

[Omega_Precision]

Originally Posted by ippon20

I'm with you on this one. I would expect them to use all their stock Nivarox before throwing a Parachrome in there. Either way, I think it's all "hype", only difference being the color and the fact it's made in house.

They would probably source out their surplus of old springs to another manufacturer. If Rolex is going to phase out all these old models with new models, which has the Parachrom spring, there would be no need to house these old springs.

[ippon20]

What about people that have older movements? That would be a reason. That's like saying that Rolex got rid of all replacement hands of an older model because the newer model didn't use them (which you know they didn't). They will service your watch no matter how old as long as they have parts for it. I don't think they're hurting for shelf space in their building and lord knows they don't need to sell old stock to make money to stay afloat as a company.

[acce1999]

Originally Posted by Athonatron

Thought it was swappable seeing they just replace the srping with the newer one.

This is assuming they are the same which may not be the case, but it would be a great updage when you are getting it serviced.

In real life there is no need for the Parachrome hairspring, the Nivarox is just as good - or perhaps even better. Parachrome Blue (PB) was Rolex way to insource production, and since Nivarox is a patended alloy they had to invent their own. Only time will tell whether PB is better than Nivarox.

But other than that I am pretty certain that PB:s will be retrofitted at service, but only if it is needed. The bridge and the hairspring is the most expensive part to replace, so you do not want to do that unless it is absolutely necessary.

BTW: If you have problems with the watch being magnetized you should consider yourself lucky, since you then are one of very few persons really in need of a Milgauss - and that is a very cool watch! Go get one!

Best,

A

[cody p]

Originally Posted by acce1999

In real life there is no need for the Parachrome hairspring, the Nivarox is just as good - or perhaps even better. Parachrome Blue (PB) was Rolex way to insource production, and since Nivarox is a patended alloy they had to invent their own. Only time will tell whether PB is better than Nivarox.

But other than that I am pretty certain that PB:s will be retrofitted at service, but only if it is needed. The bridge and the hairspring is the most expensive part to replace, so you do not want to do that unless it is absolutely necessary.

BTW: If you have problems with the watch being magnetized you should consider yourself lucky, since you then are one of very few persons really in need of a Milgauss - and that is a very cool watch! Go get one!

Best,

A

agree, if needed, then yes, of course.

[Athonatron]

Originally Posted by acce1999

In real life there is no need for the Parachrome hairspring, the Nivarox is just as good - or perhaps even better. Parachrome Blue (PB) was Rolex way to insource production, and since Nivarox is a patended alloy they had to invent their own. Only time will tell whether PB is better than Nivarox.

But other than that I am pretty certain that PB:s will be retrofitted at service, but only if it is needed. The bridge and the hairspring is the most expensive part to replace, so you do not want to do that unless it is absolutely necessary.

BTW: If you have problems with the watch being magnetized you should consider yourself lucky, since you then are one of very few persons really in need of a Milgauss - and that is a very cool watch! Go get one!

Best,

A

Interesting, didn't know that. Good food for thought there.

Thought it was a step up.

Just wanting my Blusey to be the best it can be.

[nylawbiz]

Re: The OP: I believe Rolex will only replace original parts witht he same parts. Otherwise they would be in the Frankenwatch business. Also, why would they encourage upgrades, when they are in the business of selling new watches?

[padi56]

Originally Posted by sbakar

Very informative, thanks.

Out of curiosity, how do you demagnetize a watch?

SNB

They just pass watch though Degaussing machine but sometimes movement might have to be disassembled.
.

[Athonatron]

Originally Posted by nylawbiz

Re: The OP: I believe Rolex will only replace original parts witht he same parts. Otherwise they would be in the Frankenwatch business. Also, why would they encourage upgrades, when they are in the business of selling new watches?

I personally don't think upgrading to a new parachrom should be labelled as a frankenwatch action.

If that was the mindset, they wouldn't replace dials with new ones either.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Athonatron

I wonder if they could do that for you as an upgrade.

My damn watch gets magetnetized too easily and would want something more magnetically neutral.

Anyone know if this could happen?

Originally Posted by Athonatron

I personally don't think upgrading to a new parachrom should be labelled as a frankenwatch action.

If that was the mindset, they wouldn't replace dials with new ones either.

Just cannot understand why you think the parachrome is a upgrade and just cannot understand how you say your watch gets magnetised too easily.Do you work in, or near strong magnetic fields?.To you place your watch near large magnets in speakers etc.?.What are you symptoms with your watch when you say its magnetised.?.How much does it gain or loose or does it just stop.?Have you worn any other mechanical watch before, and did you have any of the same magnetism problem wearing it.?

[Athonatron]

Originally Posted by padi56

Just cannot understand why you think the parachrome is a upgrade and just cannot understand how you say your watch gets magnetised too easily.Do you work in, or near strong magnetic fields?.To you place your watch near large magnets in speakers etc.?.What are you symptoms with your watch when you say its magnetised.?.How much does it gain or loose or does it just stop.?Have you worn any other mechanical watch before, and did you have any of the same magnetism problem wearing it.?

If you read through you will see I note the difference now so all is good.

My previous post was dicussing that I didn't think that upgrading to a parachrom would deem the watch a frankenwatch.

This thread was just created for innocent conversation and to clarify some things. My watch was magnetized when i got it and was gaining over 8 seconds a day before I demagnbetized it myself. Now it is 3.5-4secs a day and perfectly fine.

I was just curious if I could request the new spring at my next service.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Athonatron

If you read through you will see I note the difference now so all is good.

My previous post was dicussing that I didn't think that upgrading to a parachrom would deem the watch a frankenwatch.

This thread was just created for innocent conversation and to clarify some things. My watch was magnetized when i got it and was gaining over 8 seconds a day before I demagnbetized it myself. Now it is 3.5-4secs a day and perfectly fine.

I was just curious if I could request the new spring at my next service.

How do you know your watch was magnetised, and if your watch was like you say magnetised.The normal symptoms of any magnetised watch is very very erratic running and gaining considerable more than 8 seconds a day,what did you do to demagnetise your watch.And in any mechanical watch consistency is one of the most important factor if any watch. If say it runs 15 seconds fast every day then its still a very accurate watch, and all thats needed is a bit of regulation.

[BigHat]

Agree that the Rolex parachrom spring initiative was more about better control of the supply chain than noticeably superior performance in time keeping and resistance to magnetic fields. An old time expert here (since moved on) convinced me to buy a current Sub as a result.

No idea if Rolex views this spring as something special or just a part they will phase in when they use up the others (ads aside). Nor do I have a clue about being able to request one during service.

If your watch is getting magnetized so frequently though that it's an annoying, I think you are operating in some very rough conditions. A simple replacement of one very good spring for another one that's only slightly better isn't likely to solve the problem.

Couple final points -- the mainspring isn't the only item in the watch that needs to be protected from mag. fields to keep a watch in regulation. Go to the WatchTime archives and see the review on the Millie and what other parts (escape wheel for one) were made from non-magnetic materials as well. It's also design features (no date window, etc) and Faraday cages that protect the movement from strong mag. fields. You aren't going to get any meaningful protection with a new spring alone.

[Athonatron]

Originally Posted by padi56

How do you know your watch was magnetised, and if your watch was like you say magnetised.The normal symptoms of any magnetised watch is very very erratic running and gaining considerable more than 8 seconds a day,what did you do to demagnetise your watch.And in any mechanical watch consistency is one of the most important factor if any watch. If say it runs 15 seconds fast every day then its still a very accurate watch, and all thats needed is a bit of regulation.

Held it up to a compass and watched it move the compass needle quite abruptly.

A de-gaussed it with a demagnetizer I bought and it now works perfectly.

I just thought that the spring would be better if it stopped it from getting magnetized in the first place.

The thing is now I know that isn't the case. :)