GMT II new movement

[Robb]

Would someone like to elaborate on it. I just bought the watch, mainly because I love the look of it but what is the deal with the new movement?

[Rubenonfire]

I believe the major improvement is the Rolex proprietary hairspring along with the ball-bearing rotor, but I admit to making an educated guess. Mike and Peter will know for sure.

[Ironstark]

The new 3186 movement is based on the 3185.
There is a new design jumping hour mechanism and it is fitted with the new "parachrom" hairspring. The jumping hour mechanism is more positive, the "parachrom" alloy hairspring is much more resistant to shocks and is suppossed to be imperivous to magnetic fields.
There is no ballbearing rotor that remains unchanged and is the same as all of the 31** family of movements.

[Rubenonfire]

Originally Posted by Ironstark

The new 3186 movement is based on the 3185.
There is a new design jumping hour mechanism and it is fitted with the new "parachrom" hairspring. The jumping hour mechanism is more positive, the "parachrom" alloy hairspring is much more resistant to shocks and is suppossed to be imperivous to magnetic fields.
There is no ballbearing rotor that remains unchanged and is the same as all of the 31** family of movements.

Thanks Ironstark! Where did I get the idea about the ball-bearing rotor?

Nice GMT, by the way!

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Originally Posted by Rubenonfire

Thanks Ironstark! Where did I get the idea about the ball-bearing rotor?

Nice GMT, by the way!

Tempting!

NO, BO!

NO!

[Rubenonfire]

Originally Posted by Spacedweller

Tempting!

NO, BO!

NO!

Should have seen that a mile away, but yet, that's what it is and that's what it's called.

[alexcord]

Originally Posted by Ironstark

...The jumping hour mechanism is more positive...

Please could you elaborate? I take it the hour hand moves gradually through the hour as normal?

Regards

Alex

[Tools]

Originally Posted by Rubenonfire

Thanks Ironstark! Where did I get the idea about the ball-bearing rotor?

Nice GMT, by the way!

The bezel is ball bearing supported...

[Rubenonfire]

Originally Posted by Tools

The bezel is ball bearing supported...

Yes, that is correct but not what I was thinking. Nick Hacko and Al (Alcan) were talking about Rolex movements needing to have ball-bearing rotors, and that Rolex had just now started putting that in some of their models....maybe the Daytona?

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Speaking of the Daytona, does it have the parachrom bleu hair spring? Rolex.com says it does, but from the photo there to judge, it does not have the characteristic blue colour to it.

[USMCsilver]

Also with the new hairspring another detail -- I have read that it is almost impervious to temperature changes as well.

[Ironstark]

Originally Posted by alexcord

Please could you elaborate? I take it the hour hand moves gradually through the hour as normal?

Regards

Alex

GMT II`s have always had the jumping hour function but for the new 3186 the jumping hour module has been redesigned and improved so when engaged the jump is now a firmer and more positive, more accurate. Of course the hour hand functions normally when not in jumping hour mode.
The blue parachrom hairspring is in the 4130 Daytona now, although it had not been fitted until recently (I`m not sure exaclty maybe a year or so) and its in the YM II 4160.
The bezel does run on ball bearings which makes the bezel action smoother and it now jumps in half hour increments.
The only Rolex movements with "ball race" rotors are the Daytona and the YMII.