Help please GMT-II perpetual not working

[funkyr]

Hi all,

A few days ago the perpetual function on my GMT-II stopped working. 116710LN

I usually wear the watch daily for 8 hours.

For about 4 days when I don't wear the watch for 4-5 hours (ie overnight) it stops completely. I've tried manually winding it up all the way and the same thing still happens.

Interestingly when I shake the wactch when it's discharged it ticks along so that tells me the perpetual winding thing works but maybe the spring that charges it is faulty?

Unfortunately out of 2 year warranty I've owned the watch for 2.5 years now.

Any suggestions would be welcomed thanks!

[Tools]

8 hours a day is likely not enough to keep it fully wound and it will eventually wind down to only what you put into it; not enough to stay running over night.

Fully wound is 40 turns (good for 48 hrs), but, still, it will wind down in a few days to only what you physically put into it by wearing...

If you only wear it 8 hrs each day; you may need to wind it fully once a week to keep it from stopping..

[sub-eddie]

Originally Posted by Tools

8 hours a day is likely not enough to keep it fully wound and it will eventually wind down to only what you put into it; not enough to stay running over night.

Fully wound is 40 turns (good for 48 hrs), but, still, it will wind down in a few days to only what you physically put into it by wearing...

If you only wear it 8 hrs each day; you may need to wind it fully once a week to keep it from stopping..

[ecsub44]

Originally Posted by sub-eddie

[sub-eddie]

Originally Posted by ecsub44

[ecsub44]

Originally Posted by sub-eddie

I didn't understand why you put the guy after Tools' thorough post.

What was it that you didn't understand?

[sub-eddie]

Originally Posted by ecsub44

I didn't understand why you put the guy after Tools' thorough post.

What was it that you didn't understand?

I may be wrong but 8 hours a day is more than enough to run the watch without needing to be wound. I use mine for about 6 hours a day and usually never use it on sundays at all and it still runs without needing to be wound at the end of the week. The only time that it has run out of power is when I don't use it for 2 days in row. Or, maybe I misunderstood; that is why I put the I stand corrected if I missed something.

[ecsub44]

Originally Posted by sub-eddie

I may be wrong but 8 hours a day is more than enough to run the watch without needing to be wound. I use mine for about 6 hours a day and usually never use it on sundays at all and it still runs without needing to be wound at the end of the week. The only time that it has run out of power is when I don't use it for 2 days in row. Or, maybe I misunderstood; that is why I put the I stand corrected if I missed something.

Well...that clears things up.

Totally depends on your activity. Some folks can wear it 8 hours at work and it will run down after 3 days...most likely a desk job.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by sub-eddie

I may be wrong but 8 hours a day is more than enough to run the watch without needing to be wound. I use mine for about 6 hours a day and usually never use it on sundays at all and it still runs without needing to be wound at the end of the week. The only time that it has run out of power is when I don't use it for 2 days in row. Or, maybe I misunderstood; that is why I put the I stand corrected if I missed something.

You must be extremely active during that short period..

It's simple math..

The Rolex is geared for general activity each day to replace the amount of wind used and is expected to be put on in the morning and taken off at night - about 12 hrs. This is also expected to be with moderate activity..


8 hours a day is only 1/3 of a day, so it is running on it's own for 2/3 of the day. If you combine this with a somewhat sedentary lifestyle, say an office job or the like, that 8 hour period may only be putting 6 or 10 hours of wind into the watch.. Eventually it will wind down to that being all you have.. (10 hours of wind input vs 24 hours of wind used every day is a daily net loss of 14 hours)

If the watch is off the wrist for 12 hours each day and you only have 10 hours of wind in it, it will stop 2 hours before you put it back on...

[sub-eddie]

Originally Posted by Tools

You must be extremely active during that short period..

It's simple math..

The Rolex is geared for general activity each day to replace the amount of wind used and is expected to be put on in the morning and taken off at night - about 12 hrs. This is also expected to be with moderate activity..


8 hours a day is only 1/3 of a day, so it is running on it's own for 2/3 of the day. If you combine this with a somewhat sedentary lifestyle, say an office job or the like, that 8 hour period may only be putting 6 or 10 hours of wind into the watch.. Eventually it will wind down to that being all you have.. (10 hours of wind input vs 24 hours of wind used every day is a daily net loss of 14 hours)

If the watch is off the wrist for 12 hours each day and you only have 10 hours of wind in it, it will stop 2 hours before you put it back on...

Makes sense.

[mikkolopez]

A watchwinder might be a better alternative over the weekend (or even at nights) to keep it running.

[DanG]

I guess I am having a hard time believing that you need to wear your Rolex for 12 hours to keep it wound.

On many days I have traded off between my two Rolexes. I wear my Explorer II when bicycling and then switch back to my Yacht Master when I am done. I can do this five out of seven days a week and neither watch will stop working and neither watch will have any winder time. The Explorer will see a four to five hour ride time.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by DanG

I guess I am having a hard time believing that you need to wear your Rolex for 12 hours to keep it wound.

On many days I have traded off between my two Rolexes. I wear my Explorer II when bicycling and then switch back to my Yacht Master when I am done. I can do this five out of seven days a week and neither watch will stop working and neither watch will have any winder time. The Explorer will see a four to five hour ride time.

Gearing for a watch, or any other endeavor, needs to be based, on and engineered for, specific parameters.. Most people will put their watch on when they get up and take it off when they go to bed; say 8 am until 9 or 10 pm - 12 to 14 hours. Engineers have geared the watch to wind at a specific rate that they have determined an average person's movement may incur over that 12 to 14 hour time-frame.

If it is over-geared the watch will constantly be over-winding itself unnecessarily turning the entire mainspring in the barrel wearing itself out.. Under-geared and it will never fully wind itself up.

The amount of actual time on your wrist is meaningless though. If you don't move your wrist, you won't wind your watch. You may be more active than somebody else and so what you see with your watches can be vastly different than another person with different activities..

Frequently when people are ill or on vacation and reading a book for several hours each day (or similar relaxed activities) their watch may stop while on their wrist..

[Apdl]

Originally Posted by Tools

Gearing for a watch, or any other endeavor, needs to be based, on and engineered for, specific parameters.. Most people will put their watch on when they get up and take it off when they go to bed; say 8 am until 9 or 10 pm - 12 to 14 hours. Engineers have geared the watch to wind at a specific rate that they have determined an average person's movement may incur over that 12 to 14 hour time-frame.

If it is over-geared the watch will constantly be over-winding itself unnecessarily turning the entire mainspring in the barrel wearing itself out.. Under-geared and it will never fully wind itself up.

The amount of actual time on your wrist is meaningless though. If you don't move your wrist, you won't wind your watch. You may be more active than somebody else and so what you see with your watches can be vastly different than another person with different activities..

Frequently when people are ill or on vacation and reading a book for several hours each day (or similar relaxed activities) their watch may stop while on their wrist..

Great post, thanks!

[funkyr]

An update - The crown when placed in the 'recharge' position no longer winds the watch but shaking it does recharge it.

It's out of warranty (3yo).

[rolexposeur]

sorry to hear about that. thanks for the update.

[bayerische]

Well, then it's service time.

[funkyr]

Service or repair?

I just called an authorised dealer here in London and they said if it's out of warranty they can get their watch technician to look at it and attempt to repair it at my expense.

A service goes to Rolex I presume? I wonder how much they will charge?

[Billywiz]

Originally Posted by sub-eddie

[joe100]

Remember, generally the rotor only maintains the power reserve. A full wind is required periodically to replenish what you lose during periods of inactivity. I give my watches a full wind every 3 days. That's my rule because I don't like to be at the bottom end of the PR.