Crown and tube durability.

[Chevelle007]

Due to my work schedule I end up having to wind my watch 1-2 times a week. I don't have a watch winder and I guess doing house work on my off days isn't enough to keep it wound. Will there be any noticeable wear doing this so often?

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[Claven2]

Eventually the crown the tube threads will get loose enough that water resistance is iffy and eventually it will not thread down at all.

If you service it ever 5 to 10 years at a place with a rolex parts account, this won't be an issue. If you get it serviced at places that never replace these wearing parts, then eventually it will be a problem.

[tquieng]

Some of my Rolex crown is getting worn out and it pops out without much turn.

[polaris72]

I would say your joints would have more wear and tear doing housework than occasional Rolex winding. Some just shake the watch few times to get it going rather than wind it. I have watch winders as I regularly rotate my watches.

[Chevelle007]

Perhaps I should get a winder to use on my days off.

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[Crazy Lugs]

Originally Posted by Chevelle007

Perhaps I should get a winder to use on my days off.

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I wouldn’t worry about it. Just don’t force anything. Winders are a controversial subject, but it seems to me opinion is 60/40 against.

The watch will eventually need a service. Any wear can be addressed at that time.

[Bigblu10]

Originally Posted by Chevelle007

Due to my work schedule I end up having to wind my watch 1-2 times a week. I don't have a watch winder and I guess doing house work on my off days isn't enough to keep it wound. Will there be any noticeable wear doing this so often?

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No, it will be fine. They are made to be wound up when necessary.
Those who say otherwise really need to educate themselves.

[c41006]

I really don't think you have much to worry about

[mountainjogger]

Originally Posted by Claven2

Eventually the crown the tube threads will get loose enough that water resistance is iffy and eventually it will not thread down at all.

If you service it ever 5 to 10 years at a place with a rolex parts account, this won't be an issue. If you get it serviced at places that never replace these wearing parts, then eventually it will be a problem.

Agree. Don't skimp or service and you don't have to worry.

[Claven2]

Originally Posted by polaris72

I would say your joints would have more wear and tear doing housework than occasional Rolex winding. Some just shake the watch few times to get it going rather than wind it. I have watch winders as I regularly rotate my watches.

Shaking the watch won't set the time. The issue is not the winding, it's how long you have before the crown tube and crown threads overly wear against one another.

[Claven2]

Originally Posted by Crazy Lugs

Winders are a controversial subject, but it seems to me opinion is 60/40 against.

Not sure of that ratio, and the reasons for "against" aren;t all because of worry - they are more often about whether it's worth the expense.

I see winders as a convenience item, but I'm also not afraid to service my watch every 5 to 8 years as needed. I use RSC, which is also a "controversial subject" because of all the recent fanaticism over "as birthed" and how that affects "value" amongst the small bubble that is Hodinkee readers and other "WIS" communities that don't represent 99% of Rolex owners.

[Chevelle007]

I plan to service at the 5 year mark for both of my newer ones. They're both 1 year old. It sounds like I should be ok.

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[mobster600]

All you really need to do is set the time. The watch will wind itself from use. Set the time, couple winds, done. Don’t sit there and crank away, your adding unnecessary wear.

[SearChart]

They wear, nothing you can do about except not using it... Not too expensive to replace during service though, so nothing to worry about IMO.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Chevelle007

Due to my work schedule I end up having to wind my watch 1-2 times a week. I don't have a watch winder and I guess doing house work on my off days isn't enough to keep it wound. Will there be any noticeable wear doing this so often?

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Well in the real world there were thousands possibly millions of manual wind watches with screw down crowns getting wound up daily for decades, with out problems Rolex included.And things like crown tubes and crowns are just serviceable items, tubes are always replaced at normal routine service, crowns too if showing signs of damage.

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by Chevelle007

Due to my work schedule I end up having to wind my watch 1-2 times a week. I don't have a watch winder and I guess doing house work on my off days isn't enough to keep it wound. Will there be any noticeable wear doing this so often?

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Do you wear your watch all day every day?

I wear mine daily and it has never stopped on me.

Also, watch wonders don’t have to be expensive. I found one at an estate sale for $15 USD.

You can adjust the speed and the direction and all.

[Chevelle007]

Originally Posted by schoolboy

Do you wear your watch all day every day?

I wear mine daily and it has never stopped on me.

Also, watch wonders don’t have to be expensive. I found one at an estate sale for $15 USD.

You can adjust the speed and the direction and all.

I wear it from 9PM until 8am Sunday through Friday morning. It comes off to sleep. By the time I go back to work Sunday nights, the watch always stops. Since I work night shift, the 48 hour power reserve plus whatever extra I get around the house on my days off just isn't enough to get it through to that 9PM point. I think I'll just get a programmable winder to put it on while I'm asleep. That would cut down a lot on having to open the crown. I usually do a 2 week rotation between my 2 OPs and my datejust.

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[Tools]

Originally Posted by Chevelle007

I plan to service at the 5 year mark for both of my newer ones. They're both 1 year old. It sounds like I should be ok.

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You will be more than OK.

Many Rolex watches were wind-up only.. The Daytona didn't get an automatic movement until the Zenith movement in 1988.

You are unlikely to wear out the crown threads any faster than any other part of the movement that is running all the time.

[joli160]

Originally Posted by Chevelle007

I plan to service at the 5 year mark for both of my newer ones. They're both 1 year old. It sounds like I should be ok.

I just had one 20 year old watch serviced for the first time at a RSC and nothing wrong with it. All seals were doing the job.
Another one of mine is even older, running fine and watertight.

Obviously nothing wrong with servicing more frequent but it's not really needed imho

[GovernorsGovernor]

Yes. There will be wear. Does this help?

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by joli160

I just had one 20 year old watch serviced for the first time at a RSC and nothing wrong with it. All seals were doing the job.

Another one of mine is even older, running fine and watertight.



Obviously nothing wrong with servicing more frequent but it's not really needed imho

I was under this impression as well. I guess we’ll see!

[Dr. Robert]

Listen to Padi, Tools & Searchart......

[Chevelle007]

Thanks for the input, guys.

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[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by Chevelle007

I wear it from 9PM until 8am Sunday through Friday morning. It comes off to sleep. By the time I go back to work Sunday nights, the watch always stops. Since I work night shift, the 48 hour power reserve plus whatever extra I get around the house on my days off just isn't enough to get it through to that 9PM point. I think I'll just get a programmable winder to put it on while I'm asleep. That would cut down a lot on having to open the crown. I usually do a 2 week rotation between my 2 OPs and my datejust.

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Oh ok. Yeah I don’t think a winder would hurt as long as the settings are moderate.

I don’t even use my winder, I just kind of have it as part of my watch hobby things lol

But some of the speeds on it are spinning the watch super fast, which might be overkill.

So look into the speeds/settings and it should be fine

[Dirt]

Giving it a wind a couple of times a week won't necessarily be an issue on the Crown and Tube over a planned 5 year service interval. Just avoid cross threading, but I would assume you will be well versed in the process in short order
The internals of the manual winding component of the movement may get a work out though, but you could potentially mitigate that somewhat by only giving it 20 or so turns and let your normal movement do the rest. By your account, the outcome will be the same anyway

[diverdoug]

I would think that wearing the watch during the day at home would keep it wound unless you are very still. Could a need for a lot of movement be indicative of the main spring barrel wearing out?

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by diverdoug

I would think that wearing the watch during the day at home would keep it wound unless you are very still. Could a need for a lot of movement be indicative of the main spring barrel wearing out?

I think the watches are relatively new.
Unless they succumb to the 32xx lurgy and have to be attended to under warranty there's not much chance of them needing any attention within the next few years given his 5 year maintenance plans

[Ron P]

Hi Bas,

Quick question for you: what is the criterium for replacing tube and crown?
I read once, if the crown still captures 270 degrees turn, it is oke, if it is less replace crown and maybe also the tube?
What is your much appreciated opinion?

Br

Ron

[Chevelle007]

Originally Posted by Dirt

I think the watches are relatively new.
Unless they succumb to the 32xx lurgy and have to be attended to under warranty there's not much chance of them needing any attention within the next few years given his 5 year maintenance plans

Luckily mine have the 3130,3132, and 1570. All 48 hour power reserves. The 70 hour power reserve would be great, but I know those movements have some issues. I've ordered a basic programmable watch winder and it should solve my weekend woes. Thanks everyone.

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[SwedeKris]

Originally Posted by Ron P

Hi Bas,

Quick question for you: what is the criterium for replacing tube and crown?
I read once, if the crown still captures 270 degrees turn, it is oke, if it is less replace crown and maybe also the tube?
What is your much appreciated opinion?

Br

Ron

This sounds logical to me, assuming crowns in brand new watches use about 1.2-1.5 turns, this would indicate that roughly half of when new is a good number. I have only unscrewed the crown on my vintage 16014 once when i wound it and set the time and date, but it sure felt like very little. Will measure the angle next time! I own other watches with screw-down crowns and always fret when unscrewing them, one trick i've found is to clean and lube the threads and keep just the right amount of pressure on the crown as you unscrew them to minimise that "pop" when it disengages the last bit of thread.