Vintage Rolex service help!

Hi,

Firstly, this is hardly a vintage Rolex. The 3035 caliber has been manufactured in the millions.

Secondly, what you don't say is "who" serviced this watch? Was it RSC?

Thirdly, when was the watch serviced? Sometimes it takes a little while for the watch to settle in after a service.

Cheers,

My 29-year old Date-Just with the 3035 movement is consistent at -.5 to -1 second per day in wear. I haven’t bothered with the acid test by rating it in each of the six positions as you have done. But I am certain it would rate within about 2 to 3 seconds per day, fastest to slowest, if I was to test it rigorously as you have done with yours. Is the watch repair shop capable of bringing out the best in potentially highly accurate watch such as yours? It doesn’t take a “watchmaker” to take a watch to pieces, and put it together again so that it runs. But it does take a watchmaker to do the job properly, and to get the best performance out of it. I suggest it needs to go back, or possibly take it to a shop who has the proven capability to get better performance out of it.

Thanks,

Your results are acceptable but my experience with RSC service and modern, post plexi Rolex, is that they almost always bring the movement to within COSC standards. In the end, for me, and that's just me, the most important thing is how well it keeps time on my wrist. I hate slow watches beyond 5-6 seconds. Older watches that are fast 1-10 secs per day is just fine. My criteria..

For others, some develop a rash if their mechanical watch doesn't keep quartz accuracy. If you bring a Rolex to an independent, you have to cut your losses. If this watch runs 9 seconds fast per day on your wrist, it isn't the end of the world.

Cheers,

In the 29 years I have owned this Date-Just, it has been serviced 4 times. Three times at about a five year normal maintenance schedule, and once when the mainspring broke. I am the only one who has ever serviced it. Long term, it is the best mechanical timekeeper I have ever owned. I could regulate it for a slight gain rather than a slight loss, but it only gets worn for maybe two months out of a year. I seldom am late for anything important, so why bother? (Crummy file photo.)

The positional variation and beat error seem quite good, so maybe you should just have the watchmaker adjust the average rate slightly.

As long as the amplitudes are good, this appears to need some regulation. As it stands now the average rate is well outside Rolex specifications.