Will a vintage 6694 keep accurate time?

[chrishendrixson]

Recently got my first Rolex and first vintage watch: a 1966 Oysterdate.

It's running about 1 to 1.5 minutes fast per day. I have it in for service right now.

Is it reasonable to expect the watch to run at just a few seconds +/- per day, after it's been serviced? Or should I lower my expectations with a watch this old?

I've been looking for more information about the 1225 cal movement online and I can't find much.

[AJMarcus]

Congrats. It’s a very solid workhorse movement. A competent independent Rolex watchmaker should get it back in to original specs assuming there’s no major damage or corrosion to the movement. But keep in mind it is a fifty years old plus timepiece and Rolex watches weren’t as accurate as they are presently..

[214270Explorer]

A properly serviced 1966 Rolex Oysterdate will keep great time.
Keep in mind that the way, duration and physical ways your watch is worn will affect the timekeeping. If the overall result is not good for you after service, the movement can be regulated to bring it closer to minimum deviation.
And give it about two months or so after service before you do anything about timing. You need to accumulate some time with it to get an overall view of exactly how it is performing.
My old (not as old as yours) overhauled in 2016 Oysterdate keeps time within 2 seconds per day. When it was new it was 5 seconds, but over time got worse.
I don't know about the movement you have as to what you can expect.
Some users, between their "Average" daily watch-wearing habits and having the watch regulated, can get quite good timekeeping from older pieces.
Sort of having it "fine-tuned" to your particular wearing habits.

[Dan S]

I think you should lower your expectations to the 10-15 seconds range. Maybe you will get lucky, but wear and tear will take its toll.

[Filipão]

You know Rolex used to teach us how to regulate our watches?

Sorry this is not in English, it's from my father's 1955 DJ:

Horizontal dial up = plus a few seconds/day

Vertical crown down = minus a few seconds/day

Vertical crown up = minus even some more seconds/day

[motoikkyu]

My 6694 was serviced in 2017, seems to be in the 8-12 seconds a day range. I know this particular shop could get it down further but feel it would be dishonest to insist, since I don't care that much. I guess my threshold for a serviced vintage is probably 20 seconds max, up or down, especially with manual wind (since I'm going to be opening the crown daily ANYWAY....). That being said, my long-unserviced manual Patek is solidly at 3 seconds.

[Das]

I have 4 and the best one is +4sec per day if worn and kept dial up overnight. My worst is +10sec per day no matter if worn or not, and however it's stored overnight.

[kip595]

I wore a '63 Air King for about 3 months as a daily; it had been fully serviced two years before, and never lost or gained more than 8 secs a day (+8 several times when left stored dial up) - ironically, the only mechanical vintage I owned at the time with better accuracy was a modest 7006 model 17j Seiko - never more than +/-3 sec. Keep in mind, with any vintage watch, YMMV.

[zapokee]

Am I the only one who isn't too worried about accuracy?

If I really need to know the time to the nearest second (which I never do), there are super-accurate digital clocks in every room of the house, and on my phone if I'm outdoors.

I wear vintage watches only to give me a very general idea of the time. And because they're awesome.

[chrishendrixson]

I hear that. If I were primarily concerned with exact-second accuracy I wouldn’t be wearing a mechanical watch, especially one that’s older than I am! Still, I want to be confident in its accuracy, trusting that I don’t need to do any quick math when looking down at it. I think of it as a tool as much or more than as an accessory. An awesome tool, indeed.

[330ci]

Originally Posted by zapokee

Am I the only one who isn't too worried about accuracy?

If I really need to know the time to the nearest second (which I never do), there are super-accurate digital clocks in every room of the house, and on my phone if I'm outdoors.

I wear vintage watches only to give me a very general idea of the time. And because they're awesome.

For me Accuracy is a fun process to regulate. But I don’t care if a watch is off. I just find it enjoyable to see how close I can get it. Generally don’t wear the same watch long enough to notice anymore

The 6694 never had a chronometer rated movement. But I’ve been able to keep my 6426 within cosc just fine, but wouldn’t expect it necessarily as it wasn’t ever guaranteed 40-50 years ago

[R.W.T.]

Some of those balances are superbly poised. The may keep time with the best of the era.

Kind of depends on the watch. It can for sure.

[AJMarcus]

Originally Posted by zapokee

Am I the only one who isn't too worried about accuracy?

If I really need to know the time to the nearest second (which I never do), there are super-accurate digital clocks in every room of the house, and on my phone if I'm outdoors.

I wear vintage watches only to give me a very general idea of the time. And because they're awesome.

Exactly. My sentiments as well.