Preowned DSSD Warranty Question

[rshetler]

I purchased a preowned DSSD this week, the warranty card is dated 3/29/2012. I am having two issues the date change is acting strange and its running outside of COSC.

1. Date Change - If I pull the crown out to time set position when the seconds hand is at 12, and run the hands 24 hours, the date changes at 11:58 (not an issue) however, I set the time wore it all day then when it was actually approaching midnight I watched, the date didn't change at 12, nor at 12:01, :02, etc. I went to sleep and woke up the next morning and it had flipped over but who knows when.

2. I set the time using time.gov as accurately as I could. less than 24 hours later I am running +11-12 seconds.

Would these be covered under warranty at no cost?

[Swift_Movement]

I would get an accurate read on the date change issue before calling them out on it. Have it so it is suppose to change at noon so you will be up to see when it actually changes. If it is way off (more then an hour,etc) call them out.

The actual time keeping is clearly off from spec so that needs to be addressed and fixed by them.

Both are covered (the regulation of course) pending the date being way off.

[padi56]

First the date change is quite normal its a mechanical process so could change a few minutes before midnight or after. You could try and cycle the date around a full month could be a bit of oil on the date wheel that could cure it.Now to test for accuracy first fully manual wind your watch 40 full crown turns clockwise only.Then sync your watch with a reliable time source for this test a quartz watch will do.Once synchronised now wear your watch for around 10 hours a day.Next check time once daily with your sync setting watch over 5 full days write it down then average out the lose or gain over the 5 day for a accurate result.Your watch should perform to the COSC spec which is a AVERAGE of between -4 to +6 seconds over any 24 hour period.Do the 5 day test before you even thinking about getting the back of for regulation.Now you should be covered with the warranty for regulation but if they send your watch back to the RSC expect it will take around 4 weeks to return it.Now regulation is a very simple job takes around 30 minutes and thats with a pressure check,at say a AD in-house watchmaker, but with the DSSD watch has to go to a RSC for testing because of its never to be used by man W/R.

[Tools]

I'll agree with Peter.. You need a better testing method than just setting it one night and looking at it the next day.

Of course, if it is really running +10, then you do need it regulated and many people do have that taken care of under warranty.. A regulation is not time consuming nor is it expensive - any watchmaker can do it. However, if you want it done under warranty it will have to go back to the RSC and be out-of-hand for the several weeks that takes..

As to the date change, if it changes manually at 11:58, then it is likely mechanically changing within 5 or 10 minutes of that. It is not a digital clock so will not change with digital precision. I don't think that you have an issue here..

[Orangejoe]

Originally Posted by Tools

I'll agree with Peter.. You need a better testing method than just setting it one night and looking at it the next day.

Of course, if it is really running +10, then you do need it regulated and many people do have that taken care of under warranty.. A regulation is not time consuming nor is it expensive - any watchmaker can do it. However, if you want it done under warranty it will have to go back to the RSC and be out-of-hand for the several weeks that takes..

As to the date change, if it changes manually at 11:58, then it is likely mechanically changing within 5 or 10 minutes of that. It is not a digital clock so will not change with digital precision. I don't think that you have an issue here..

I thought only Rolex could reseal the DSSD... or is regulation possible without compromising the depth rating for this model?

My limited understanding from reading the forum. :-)

[Tools]

Originally Posted by Orangejoe

I thought only Rolex could reseal the DSSD... or is regulation possible without compromising the depth rating for this model?

My limited understanding from reading the forum. :-)

The RSC has the machine to test a DSSD at full depth. Very few have this capacity although some do.. An AD will almost always send a DSSD back to the RSC because they are contracted by Rolex to do so.

However, any watchmaker can reseal a DSSD and do a normal pressure test to any reasonable depth and check seal integrity. It's up to you if that's good enough..

[rshetler]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I've set it for a noon date change against a quartz watch with seconds counter. I don't want to be without it for weeks but I also don't want to run out of warranty without getting things as in share as they can be.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Orangejoe

I thought only Rolex could reseal the DSSD... or is regulation possible without compromising the depth rating for this model?

My limited understanding from reading the forum. :-)

If any watch is pressure checked to say 200m or 300m it will be fine for all normal water activity including scuba.And to reseal any Rolex oyster watch is just like screwing down a jar just tighten it down to the correct 45 inch pounds of torque job done.The extreme depth rating of the DSSD will never be used by man like same could be said for the SD so 200m-300m test will be fine.As today there have been more men that have gone to the moon, that have gone past 300m on scuba gear,its a bit like I have India on my car tyres but I am not going there.

[2ar2c1]

doesn't the 3135 have a date change wheel that changes the date right at 12?

[padi56]

Originally Posted by 2ar2c1

doesn't the 3135 have a date change wheel that changes the date right at 12?

All the Rolex mechanical date movements there will be some variation its mechanical and not electronic, some could change a little before midnight some a little after.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by 2ar2c1

doesn't the 3135 have a date change wheel that changes the date right at 12?

Yes, and no.. Rolex watches are mechanical.. they do not change at exactly the second of midnight like a digital clock would. Many factors are necessary including gear lash, friction, and where the hands were placed by the watchmaker..

Usually a watchmaker will note when the date changes (or actually when the mechanism that changes the date activates), then back it up a minute or so and set the hands on the movement.. This will ensure that the date changes "around" midnight, but never at the exact second of midnight.. it's usually a few minutes either way..

[T. Ferguson]

Agree that a normal depth pressure test is sufficient. About the only time you would likely need more WR is if you dropped the watch overboard in the middle of the ocean. And at that point I doubt it will matter to you if it's still running. Might as well throw the warranty card overboard too.

[rshetler]

So I've done the time test mentioned above set to a quartz watch for the past 3 days. After 24 hours it was +18 seconds compared to the same quartz watch. After 48 hours it was +36 seconds compared to the same quartz watch. After 72 hours it was +50 seconds compared to the same quartz watch.

So if I take the average gain over the three days its around 16.5 seconds fast per day.

I consider that too fast. Now should I take it to a local AD first to see if they will do it in house and do the deep enough pressure test? Will the AD refuse because they are obligated to send it back to RSC?

[T. Ferguson]

Originally Posted by rshetler

So I've done the time test mentioned above set to a quartz watch for the past 3 days. After 24 hours it was +18 seconds compared to the same quartz watch. After 48 hours it was +36 seconds compared to the same quartz watch. After 72 hours it was +50 seconds compared to the same quartz watch.

So if I take the average gain over the three days its around 16.5 seconds fast per day.

I consider that too fast. Now should I take it to a local AD first to see if they will do it in house and do the deep enough pressure test? Will the AD refuse because they are obligated to send it back to RSC?

Almost any qualified watchmaker can regulate the watch, no problem. Most will also be able to pressure test it to some depth that is probably enough.

My only concern (and I'm not sure this really is a concern) is having anyone other than Rolex open the case on a watch under warranty. I don't know that Rolex would even be able to tell if the case has been opened but that would be my concern - that it could somehow void the warranty. It seems reasonable to me that Rolex might balk at providing warranty service on a watch that was opened by someone else and then flooded. I don't have the definitive answer to this so maybe it's not an issue. I would think that if you have it done by an AD then you should be covered even if they do it in-house rather send it to the service center, but I don't know for sure.

You list your location as La. If that's Los Angeles (and not Louisiana) then I'd walk it in the the Beverly Hills service center, with your warranty card, and let them take care of it for you while you wait or grab lunch.

[azguy]

It could be magnetized or need a simple regulation.