Winding Rolex, really?

[G@tor B@it]

All:

For anyone who hasn't read one of my posts yet, the confessions:

1. Knew nothing about Rolex besides the name until a couple months ago.
2. Buying one only to impress people (yep, and probably not the only one)!
a. At least for that silly reason, I can afford it.

My goal is to buy by April, when I turn 40, as it's to be a gift to myself. So I've spent the past couple months learning and researching. I actually made a trip to meet DavidSW this past Thursday, and plan to do business with him.

So in my research, I've seen mentions of winding. I don't own any watches you have to wind... and though winding went out the window decades ago. And of course if there ever was a watch you still had to wind, surely it wouldn't be a new model of the finest watch in the world?!?! But then I see ads with mentions of "power reserve." I started to realize you might actually have to wind a Rolex. Of course when I went to DavidSW and met Nina, she confirmed.... yep, after 2 days a 11613 is going to stop running.

So if I don't wear this thing everyday, its going to stop, have to be wound, and have to be set? I just don't understand why Rolex still makes watches this way. I have 2 Citizen Ecodrives... and they don't have to be touched! The only reason I can come up with... is that winding these watches are part of the "experience." You're suppossed to love winding it and setting it once, maybe twice a week. But then think about this.... if these are the finest time pieces money can buy (just work with me here...) and they keep fantastic time... why does that even matter if you're going to have to set the time manually once a week? They might as well keep horrible time, since you're constantly setting the time.

So I'm just wondering how the fellow members deal with this. Do most of you wear yours daily? Subjecting them to elements of "wear and tear" but never have to wind them? Or do you wear them weekly, monthly, or even more sparingly, and have to wind and set them each time you put them on?

I planned to wear mine weekly... and initially I'll be proud and excited to have it on... and I'll enjoy the "experience" of setting it. But I don't see myself setting or winding it once or twice a week. All my other watches have dates... and it usually takes me at least a week (sometimes two) into the new month before I get around to changing the date on them! I can see myself wearing this $12,000 watch and not even having the right time on it! Or I may rarely wear it because I know it'll have to be set. I see people refer to their watches as "safe queens" and that's not what I want for something I'll be spending this much on. If I drop this money, its to use it. So now I'm thinking, I may not even bother.

Looking forward to your feedback!

[Robtayham]

Honestly, I don’t know what you’re talking about.

I’ve worn my 1984 DJ ever since I bought it new in 1984.

Have never, ever, wound it.

There have been maybe 5 times where I couldn’t wear it, and it eventually stopped. I reset the time and date and started wearing it. Even then, never wound it.

[smym18]

[G@tor B@it]

Originally Posted by Robtayham

Honestly, I don’t know what you’re talking about.

I’ve worn my 1984 DJ ever since I bought it new in 1984.

Have never, ever, wound it.

There have been maybe 5 times where I couldn’t wear it, and it eventually stopped. I reset the time and date and started wearing it. Even then, never wound it.

Hoping I'm just confused!

[macrowatch]

Old school technology with classical design.

No battery changes.

No charging at night like an Apple Watch. No worries about the watch dying without a source of power while on long haul flights.

Every technology has a trade off, and sometimes old school is better in some regards, like a paper book vs mobile phone with kindle app.

[kieselguhr]

Yes OP. Many of us Rolex and watch aficionados in general have an affinity for mechanical watches that require the mainspring (power reserve)to be wound for it to run. This either occurs via manual winding, or automatic winding as we wear them. Some watches do not have rotors (oscillating weight that rotates and winds the mainspring) and therefore are manually wound every few days to keep running. It is a joy for many of us to do so. For some of us with collections of mechanical watches, should the next watch wish to wear be completely dead, we simply have to wind the crown and set the time.

Note that there are mechanical watches out there that can go into a “hibernation mode” when not in use such as the A Lang & Sohne 31 if you find the simple act of winding a watch too much of a hassle.

[Dahl]

No problem. Put it on and dont think about winding it. Mine keeps perfect time but... yes if I leave it on the dresser for days I might have to wind the crown. I really dont se the problem. I believe mine has a 70-hour power reserve - and I use it as my daily.

[mjrchabot]

Rolex doesn’t create a mechanical watch so you can enjoy the winding “experience” - that has to be the silliest thing I’ve ever read.

Any mechanical watch is going to eventually run out of power (ie. energy created by the mainspring). Your typical cal. 3135/3130 has a 48hr power reserve, which is pretty much the minimum expectation these days. I typically rote my watches every 1-2 weeks so yeah, it’s going to stop running. All you need to do is give it about 15-20 turns of the crown, set time, and off you go.

For what it’s worth, I also have a Citizen ecodrive, radio controlled watch and was amazed that the thing sat with a dead battery for 8 years or more and after 1 hr in the sun, reacquired signal and set to exact time. Pretty sweet technology..


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[Robtayham]

Originally Posted by G@tor B@it

Hoping I'm just confused!

It might be due to my wearing habits.

To your other point, the date will always have times when it has to be reset - some months don’t have 31 days, etc.

[dtwer]

That’s why you buy the Rolex with the new movements, which have 70 hrs power reserve.

I wear my DJ41 every day and it never requires winding. There are times I take it off during weekends; the watch is still running accurately by Monday.

[JayB]

Originally Posted by G@tor B@it

2. Buying one only to impress people (yep, and probably not the only one)!

Your money, your choice but I know someone who was looking at a Rolex for the very same reason, imho a prime candidate for a mugging.

Oh and yes you’ll need to set and wind it if you don’t wear if for a period of time

[joli160]

Since you buy it to impress others no need to wind it at all, just strap it on the wrist and pull your sleeves up

[clb521]

Originally Posted by mjrchabot

Rolex doesn’t create a mechanical watch so you can enjoy the winding “experience” - that has to be the silliest thing I’ve ever read.

Any mechanical watch is going to eventually run out of power (ie. energy created by the mainspring). Your typical cal. 3135/3130 has a 48hr power reserve, which is pretty much the minimum expectation these days. I typically rote my watches every 1-2 weeks so yeah, it’s going to stop running. All you need to do is give it about 15-20 turns of the crown, set time, and off you go.

For what it’s worth, I also have a Citizen ecodrive, radio controlled watch and was amazed that the thing sat with a dead battery for 8 years or more and after 1 hr in the sun, reacquired signal and set to exact time. Pretty sweet technology..


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Careful with saying your only winding it 15-20 turns. When I said that I got blasted for not winding it properly. LOL.

[dnpina]

OP. Buy an Apple watch and be done with it.

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[Boaters]

If you have to wind it your not wearing it. I wind my watches once in a while just because I like too ... LOL

[Seibei]

Originally Posted by G@tor B@it

I planned to wear mine weekly... and initially I'll be proud and excited to have it on... and I'll enjoy the "experience" of setting it. But I don't see myself setting or winding it once or twice a week. All my other watches have dates... and it usually takes me at least a week (sometimes two) into the new month before I get around to changing the date on them! I can see myself wearing this $12,000 watch and not even having the right time on it! Or I may rarely wear it because I know it'll have to be set. I see people refer to their watches as "safe queens" and that's not what I want for something I'll be spending this much on. If I drop this money, its to use it. So now I'm thinking, I may not even bother.

Looking forward to your feedback!

My feedback? You are not a Rolex person and you should not have a Rolex watch. I wear my Rolex all day every day and it needs to be set once every 3 or 4 months. No winding needed and no date change, it does not have a date (my phone has that). I have better things to do than setting dates on all my watches.

In one word you claim that owning a Rolex is a hassle and in the next you admit to spend time setting dates on all your watches. Which is it, do you want an easy life, or do you want endless hassle? I think you need to make your mind up. If you want an easy life, just get a Rolex with no date and wear it every day, simple as that.

[904VT]

Lol no this is the first of your 18 posts I’ve read in the entire month you’ve been posting. Lol welcome to the forums though


Btw winding did it go out decades ago

[Dsmith1974]

Just leave it on your wrist and forget about it. Maybe an automatic winder would be for you but I’d rather set it once per rotation


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[Easy E]

I think more people will notice you if you put that money towards an expensive car.

[Bigblu10]

OP, you really sound like a Rolex is not for you. You just want a watch that has Rolex on the dial for some odd reason. These are mechanical watches. Powered by a coiled up spring which needs an initial winding to get everything moving. Either you wear it daily to move the winding rotor to keep it wound or wear it sparingly and have to eventually wind it when it stops. This whole "best watch in the world" description you have and the weird expectation that a Rolex should never have to be wound and the time and date set is a bizarre mind set that I have never read here before.

[Zakalwe]

A couple of drawbacks to wearing a Rolex to impress:

1) Most people won’t notice.
2) A decent proportion of those that do will assume you’re a tosser.

[Burlington]

I would suggest buying an automated winder and getting something in yellow gold.

The watch will stand out more and the winder will ensure you never need to unscrew the crown.

Sorted !

[Brian Page]

Originally Posted by Zakalwe

A couple of drawbacks to wearing a Rolex to impress:

1) Most people won’t notice.
2) A decent proportion of those that do will assume you’re a tosser.

Clap clap

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[Bigblu10]

Originally Posted by Zakalwe

A couple of drawbacks to wearing a Rolex to impress:

1) Most people won’t notice.
2) A decent proportion of those that do will assume you’re a tosser.

3) If a thief notices your watch, expect to have it taken off your wrist either willingly or by force. Be careful what you wish for, when it comes to garnering "attention".

[Roddypeepa]

Originally Posted by G@tor B@it

All:



For anyone who hasn't read one of my posts yet, the confessions:



1. Knew nothing about Rolex besides the name until a couple months ago.

2. Buying one only to impress people (yep, and probably not the only one)!

a. At least for that silly reason, I can afford it.



My goal is to buy by April, when I turn 40, as it's to be a gift to myself. So I've spent the past couple months learning and researching. I actually made a trip to meet DavidSW this past Thursday, and plan to do business with him.



So in my research, I've seen mentions of winding. I don't own any watches you have to wind... and though winding went out the window decades ago. And of course if there ever was a watch you still had to wind, surely it wouldn't be a new model of the finest watch in the world?!?! But then I see ads with mentions of "power reserve." I started to realize you might actually have to wind a Rolex. Of course when I went to DavidSW and met Nina, she confirmed.... yep, after 2 days a 11613 is going to stop running.



So if I don't wear this thing everyday, its going to stop, have to be wound, and have to be set? I just don't understand why Rolex still makes watches this way. I have 2 Citizen Ecodrives... and they don't have to be touched! The only reason I can come up with... is that winding these watches are part of the "experience." You're suppossed to love winding it and setting it once, maybe twice a week. But then think about this.... if these are the finest time pieces money can buy (just work with me here...) and they keep fantastic time... why does that even matter if you're going to have to set the time manually once a week? They might as well keep horrible time, since you're constantly setting the time.



So I'm just wondering how the fellow members deal with this. Do most of you wear yours daily? Subjecting them to elements of "wear and tear" but never have to wind them? Or do you wear them weekly, monthly, or even more sparingly, and have to wind and set them each time you put them on?



I planned to wear mine weekly... and initially I'll be proud and excited to have it on... and I'll enjoy the "experience" of setting it. But I don't see myself setting or winding it once or twice a week. All my other watches have dates... and it usually takes me at least a week (sometimes two) into the new month before I get around to changing the date on them! I can see myself wearing this $12,000 watch and not even having the right time on it! Or I may rarely wear it because I know it'll have to be set. I see people refer to their watches as "safe queens" and that's not what I want for something I'll be spending this much on. If I drop this money, its to use it. So now I'm thinking, I may not even bother.



Looking forward to your feedback!

This is utter toss from from start to finish


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[Rori]

3) many people will think it's a fake as fakes are everywhere and on every wrist now.
But back to the winding thing, yes, we wound them if they stop or even of not, I really enjoy doing it. This is the magic of that tiny mechanical machine that sits on the wrist called a mechanical Watch.
Enjoy your Rolex because the first one that is gonna be impressed with it is gonna be you :-)

Originally Posted by Zakalwe

A couple of drawbacks to wearing a Rolex to impress:

1) Most people won’t notice.
2) A decent proportion of those that do will assume you’re a tosser.

[mjrchabot]

Originally Posted by clb521

Careful with saying your only winding it 15-20 turns. When I said that I got blasted for not winding it properly. LOL.

Lol... a full wind is more 40-50 turns. Even the AD told me on the way out that you only need to give 15-20 turns to get it going and then wearing it will charge up the rest. You don’t need a full wind if you intend to wear it for the day.


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[Dr.Stu]

Or, just buy a nice winder like an Orbita (or similar) single and put it on the winder on your bed stand if you are only going to wear it sporadically. Will still let you enjoy looking at the watch every day & won't have to reset it but for months with <31 days.

[Robtayham]

Originally Posted by Rori

3) many people will think it's a fake as fakes are everywhere and on every wrist now.
But back to the winding thing, yes, we wound them if they stop or even of not, I really enjoy doing it. This is the magic of that tiny mechanical machine that sits on the wrist called a mechanical Watch.
Enjoy your Rolex because the first one that is gonna be impressed with it is gonna be you :-)

I’m still perplexed.

Why are you winding it?

When my DJ or DD stops due to lack of wear, by the time I’ve finished resetting the time, date, and day, it’s ticking.

So when I say, I never wind them, I’m really not winding them. Not sure I even know how. Setting date or day, yes. Winding it, no.

[Patton250]

Well OP I’m impressed this group has an absolutely assassinated you by now. After reading your initial post I would’ve bet a lot of money that that was going to happen. Mostly for wearing a Rolex to impress comment. Although most here, like myself, I’m sure absolutely love the mechanical aspect of these timepieces. I guess the rest will chime in later.

If you don’t love the mechanical aspect of these watches I doubt very seriously you’ll like any of the high-end offerings that many of the worlds top watch companies offer. Actually Rolex is one of the more affordable brands in the luxury timepiece market.