Rolex Newbie - Sea Dweller

[marvin]

I had always wanted a Submariner or Sea Dweller and a couple of weeks back while passing through Heathrow airport saw a Seadweller in the Duty Free…. approx 400 pounds cheaper than the retail price. After making an initial enquiry I was told that the watch had just come in that morning and it was the first time in three years that they had a Sea Dweller to sell. As I hadn’t really planned on buying a Rolex that morning I told the saleswomen that I would have a quick think about it, to which she replied that I had better be quick as it would undoubtedly sell that morning. I retreated to the bar to ponder on the purchase and about 45 minutes (and four large gin & tonics) later decided that it was too much of a bargain to miss. By this time my flight was getting close to boarding and along with having no sleep for the previous 24 hrs and with the effect of the G&Ts kicking in, I didn’t really get to ask too many questions about the watch….. Probably not the best way to go about buying a Rolex, but I have to say I love the watch and have no regrets. Still, I have some questions…. Some of which are probably a little silly and over cautious, but bear with me…..

There will be long periods when I will not be wearing the watch….. is a watch winder really recommended and do they really serve a useful purpose? Is there any difference between a cheap and expensive watchwinder regarding their performance in keeping the watch fully wound?

If the watch has not be worn for a period of time and powers down from reading the Rolex FAQ it is recommended that the watch is manually wound…. Why? Will not giving the watch a few gentle shakes and then just wearing it as normal have the same effect??

Is it recommended to wear a Rolex while playing sports and tennis in particular? I am left handed and while not having a particular powerful serve, it must subject the watch to certain amount of shock?

Possibly a stupid question, but is it okay to wear a Sea Dweller in a swimming pool… any chance that the chlorine (or other chemicals?) could damage O-ring?

Another probably over cautious question, but how about wearing a Rolex while lounging on the beach for example in the baking heat… is this going to dry out the lubricants a reduce the period between servicing??

Lastly, how long has the current Sea Dweller been in production in its current form? How often do Rolex change the specs of a particular model and are the changes just cosmetic or to the movement itself?

TIA for any feedback.

Marvin

[Portzed]

Good choice of watch Marvin. Welcome aboard. Swimming pool OK. just rinse off in the shower later. Tennis and virtually any old thing you can subject the human body to is fine as well.no real shock issues. Winder?....just manually wind for 30-40 turns and then the automatic function will take over and keep it wound suitably. When doing the manual wind it will give you the opportunity to reset the date too.

The heat won't give you any issues either.

In terms of the History of this model the movement has been calibre 3135 since the begiining of time 1967, for more detailed info on the family try this link here:- http://www.oysterworld.de/1/index.htm

Here's a shot of mine taken this weekend

Enjoy the Dweller and wear in good health!

[Steven79]

Great choice on the dweller.

dont worry and just wear it. the only thing that can really hurt it is a hard impact or fall to the ground. blood, sweat and tears will never hurt your Rolex.

minor scratches will happen no matter how careful you are, just send it in for a full factory refinishing every few years.

[colemanitis]

Welcome the TRF! As the others have mentioned, a Rolex is a tough watch meant to be worn - don't be afraid to wear it and use it.

You don't need a winder. Just let it hybernate and give it a manual wind when you're ready to wear it again.

Swimming pools aren't going to damage your Rolex at all. Just give it a good rinse in fresh water later in the day and it'll be just fine.

The sun won't damage your watch either. The bezel inserts are known to fade, but only after years of use. These are easily replaced as well.

I believe the SD has recently been discontinued with the new Deep-Sea Sea-Dweller model. I'm not 100% sure on this, but I believe this is correct. The SD will slowly start disapearing from the shelves.

Hope that helps!

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Welcome to TRF!

Congrats on your SD! Please post some pics of it!

As for how to treat a Rolex, here are some points:

Do's:
- Do wash your Rolex periodically - plain soap, soft toothbrush and water will do just fine.
- Do carry out the drying and cleaning process in the safety of your bed - not over bathroom tiles. Murphy is just a handshake away.
- Do try to keep your Rolex away from strong magnetic fields.
- If you lay your watch on the dresser, do keep the dial away from direct sunlight. Over an extended period of time, strong sunlight can fade away the dials.
- At night, do rest your watch on a soft padded cloth on your dresser. Avoid direct contact with another piece of metal or wood.
- If you place your watch flat on its back, dial up, do place a cloth between the caseback and the bracelet.
- Do use Loctite 220 on the bracelet screws so that bracelet does not accidentally come off. There are enough horror stories about people that have lost their watches because of loose screws. Rumor has it that Rolex uses Loctite 220 as well.
- Do make sure that the crown is screwed in at all times.
- Do wear your Rolex as often as possible.
- Do get your Rolex serviced every 5 years. Hopefully from a certified Rolex watchmaker. We can help :)
- Do buy your Rolex from people that actually care about and understand Rolex watches. It's generally a fun hobby that has a tendency to turn into a good investment. Plan on spending your money wisely.
- Do remove your watch before playing Golf, Squash, or Tennis. Your 'Train' may get knocked out of sync.

Don't's:
- Don't use chemicals to clean your Rolex. It doesn't matter how effective the chemicals are in cleaning any other household dirt or grime.
- If you watch has stopped, don't violently shake your watch. Nice and soft swirls, just like swirling a fine red wine in a wine glass, to get the rotor moving will do the trick.
- Don't overtighten the crown. You don't need to. The seal inside the crown has been designed to sit on top of the stem and form a perfect hermetic seal against all natural elements. The more you tighten it, the greater the pressure exerted on the seal which will eventually break with the pressure against the top of the steel stem... eventually losing its efficacy as a waterproof seal.
- Don't worry about scratches on your Rolex. Scratches give it character.
- Don't worry if you should or should not remove the hologram on the caseback. Eventually, it will come off.
- Don't fret about your Rolex gaining or losing 2 seconds every month.
- Don't open up the crown more times than necessary.
- Don't use anything stronger than Loctite 220 to ensure that the bracelet screws stay in place.
- Don't buy your Rolex from fleabay. Plan on spending your money wisely.
- Don't polish the center links on SS watches to make them look like something they are not. It's tacky, please don't do it.
- Don't wear short-sleeve shirts in the middle of winter to show-off your Rolex. You'll catch pneumonia.

(Source).

[Baptistman]

Bo forgot one thing, DO talk to your Dwelly, he will answer you back

[colemanitis]

Originally Posted by Baptistman

Bo forgot one thing, DO talk to your Dwelly, he will answer you back

Jon, it's official, you've really lost your mind.

[Portzed]

Originally Posted by colemanitis

Jon, it's official, you've really lost your mind.

That's just what my Dwelly told me; " 'ere Jonesy, that Jon Bloke, he's loosing it he is"

[Baptistman]

Originally Posted by Portzed

That's just what my Dwelly told me; " 'ere Jonesy, that Jon Bloke, he's loosing it he is"

See See told you

[mdtddd2007]

nice choice...congrats!!!