Expert input appreciated on my GMT Master (kinda long)

[BiG JeEzY]

Hey all,

I used to be a regular on this forum a couple years back but since I started working and going to school full time, I've found it difficult to spare some time from my day to post here. Because when I usually post here, Ill be on for hours at a time. I hope my schedule will lighten up soon and I can finally start posting as a regular again.

Anyways, about the watch, I have a GMT Master with acrylic crystal that is dated back to 1978 that has started to behave erratically as of late. Whenever I don't wear it, I always leave it on an Orbita sparta winder which spins the watch every 15 minutes.

Over the past 3 months, every time I remove the watch from the winder, the watch is still running, however, its a couple hours behind every time. Ill then reset it, wear it for a day, then put it back on the winder afterward. A few days later, its a couple hours behind yet again but still running. Also I noticed that at times as I wear it after using a winder, the watch will still actually stop while on my wrist. Ill then shake my wrist to restart it.

This isn't the only unusual observation I made. Another discovery I made is sometimes as I look at the watch, the second hand will seem to struggle to sweep at parts of the dial. To be specific, as it reaches between the 12 and 1 o'clock markers, it will tick like a quartz movement several times, then go back to sweeping the rest of the dial.

I took it to a local watchmaker in my area who is certified to work on Rolex watches and he states the watch still winds properly and cannot seem to pinpoint the problem. I thought it could be a bad rotor axle and he said that was fine. He recommends to just have it serviced and gave me a quote for how much he would charge. I last serviced the watch about 5 years ago.

My question for the watch experts on the forum is what can possibly be wrong with my watch? It just started happening a few months ago. Should I have it serviced? Is there anything I can try at home (manual wind it, leave crown unscrewed, position the dial in different directions etc) to see if that can remedy the problem? The watch has always been running great before this all started happening, I want to get some expert advice before considering sending it in for another overhaul.

Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for any input,
Jerome

[globalmedia33]

I'm not an expert here but I think the watch needs service.

[BiG JeEzY]

Originally Posted by globalmedia33

I'm not an expert here but I think the watch needs service.

I will definitely service it eventually, considering its was my dad's watch before me and have been worried about all these issues happening. I got to know the watchmaker who looked at the watch, he is a great individual. He was able to get my watch opened as soon as I described the problem.

I haven't decided if I will have him service it or send it to the local San Francisco RSC.

[globalmedia33]

Originally Posted by BiG JeEzY

I will definitely service it eventually, considering its was my dad's watch before me and have been worried about all these issues happening. I got to know the watchmaker who looked at the watch, he is a great individual. He was able to get my watch opened as soon as I described the problem.

I haven't decided if I will have him service it or send it to the local San Francisco RSC.

I think it will be fine with watchmaker or RSC. I think RSC will cost a little more.

[Vanessa CW21]

Hi Jerome

First of, you should manually wind your watch 40 times when it stops, not just shake it.

It sounds like something's wrong with the gear train. Could be dirt, metal dust, grease in the wrong spots, or even bent teeth. Either way, a complete overhaul should take care of it.

Good luck.

p.s. I would call Rolex to make sure your local watchmaker is indeed authorised to work on them, just to be sure...

[BiG JeEzY]

Originally Posted by Vanessa

Hi Jerome

First of, you should manually wind your watch 40 times when it stops, not just shake it.

It sounds like something's wrong with the gear train. Could be dirt, metal dust, grease in the wrong spots, or even bent teeth. Either way, a complete overhaul should take care of it.

Good luck.

p.s. I would call Rolex to make sure your local watchmaker is indeed authorised to work on them, just to be sure...

Thank you for the input Vanessa! I had a feeling you would post on here.

When I shake the watch, I didn't mean in a rough way. I do slow and long arm motions to restart it. It does work.

As for the watchmaker, he has serviced other clients watches before including a client he mentioned about who brought in a Datejust that was over 50 years old. He clarified with me that he only uses genuine Rolex parts and I even saw him use the exact special tool required to open the caseback of my watch. I know that there is only one type of tool that can open a Rolex caseback. I will call though as it is always good to be on the safe side.

So I assume, there's nothing I can do at home to try to remedy the problem? The watch will continue to behave this way until its serviced?

[Vanessa CW21]

Originally Posted by BiG JeEzY

Thank you for the input Vanessa! I had a feeling you would post on here.

When I shake the watch, I didn't mean in a rough way. I do slow and long arm motions to restart it. It does work.

As for the watchmaker, he has serviced other clients watches before including a client he mentioned about who brought in a Datejust that was over 50 years old. He clarified with me that he only uses genuine Rolex parts and I even saw him use the exact special tool required to open the caseback of my watch. I know that there is only one type of tool that can open a Rolex caseback. I will call though as it is always good to be on the safe side.

So I assume, there's nothing I can do at home to try to remedy the problem? The watch will continue to behave this way until its serviced?

As for the acting up of the hands, yes, there's nothing you can do. As for the winding issues... well, you could manually wind it and solve that problem! A watch winder doesn't wind your watch, it keeps your watch wound!

[BiG JeEzY]

Originally Posted by Vanessa

As for the acting up of the hands, yes, there's nothing you can do. As for the winding issues... well, you could manually wind it and solve that problem! A watch winder doesn't wind your watch, it keeps your watch wound!

Thanks again Vanessa, you have been really great with your input and its been a lot of help.

I somehow have this hunch, since I've been wearing the watch and can kinda feel how it runs, that the acting up of the hands is what's causing the watch to stop. That the two issues are related. Because it does wind perfectly fine, I turn the crown 40 times and it started back up. But when the second hand starts that erratic ticking for a few seconds, it looks like it really struggles to continue moving. I'm thinking that's what shuts down the movement if the power reserve isn't high enough to keep the watch going. Almost as if there's a defect in the movement that's causing it to work harder and strain a bit for those few seconds just to stay running.

Ill definitely have it serviced real soon. I hope no permanent damage has been done..