Accuracy

[bigmac]

Hello everyone...just joined yesterday.

After a long wait I purchased a SS Sub Date Oct. 2006. The watch is beautiful. The problem is that it does not keep accurate time. I do not wear it much because of having to keep re-setting it to accurate time.

I have read a lot of info on this site that is great including 'watch winding setting, etc.', but is it ever going to be accurate? Time within -4 or +6 minutes/month is not accurate for me. What's the best I can expect?

The next question is regarding a 'watch winder'. Do you folks use them? Is this what I need to keep it 'more accurate'? If so what is a 'good' manufacturer/model? Thanks...

[Tools]

Welcome bm,

A SS Sub is a nice watch and it can be acurate to within a second each day (or possibly better)

It is an automatic time piede so needs to be constantly wound to function within it;s poiwer band.

a tightly wound watch will run slightly slower than a barely wound watch due to friction, parasitic losses, etc., so if you wear it very little and constantly wind and reset it you will not zero in to what it's accuracy really is.

You do sound like a candidate for a good watch winder....This is an item that was fairly rare but can now be found at many places.

I have several Subs and the most accurate (a non COSC non-date) is less than a second fast per day, and the poorest performer is about 3 seconds fast each day..

Here's the trick on accuracy - Consistency.... In other words, if you know that your watch is consistently 2 seconds fast per day, once you set it you know precisely how it will perform.

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Welcome to TRF!

One should never expect an automatic watch to go absolutely spot on. But you can often have the watch regulated to go pretty much bang on, but some days deviations will occur influenced by temperature, degree of activity and position. If you don't wear your Rolex often, the power reserve will drop, and that has an influence on the timekeeping (= degree of activity).

IMHO, winders are CONVINIENT but not really necessary. There are many good winders out there, though, if you want one, and I would recommend the Orbita brand.

[Daniel-san]

As a watchmaker, I always recomend that the watch is set every 14days.. But I never follow my own rule..I know what the time is ;)

[travellingbrit]

My Exp11 is currently 14 secs slow over a 34 day period. I found the accuracy improved considerably after a Month of daily wear from new. I also occasionally give it a few manual winds as I can have days of desk jockeying where Rollie sits watching me hit the keys.

Someone (I think Bo), posted about time fluctuations depending on how your watch is placed (face down/up etc).....

[rogerfromco]

Originally Posted by bigmac

Hello everyone...just joined yesterday.

After a long wait I purchased a SS Sub Date Oct. 2006. The watch is beautiful. The problem is that it does not keep accurate time. I do not wear it much because of having to keep re-setting it to accurate time.

I have read a lot of info on this site that is great including 'watch winding setting, etc.', but is it ever going to be accurate? Time within -4 or +6 minutes/month is not accurate for me. What's the best I can expect?

The next question is regarding a 'watch winder'. Do you folks use them? Is this what I need to keep it 'more accurate'? If so what is a 'good' manufacturer/model? Thanks...

You are right to expect better accuracy from the 16610 or any Rolex for that matter. I just reset my Sea Dweller on Friday and as of this morning, it's only gained 1 second. I wear it daily and leave it face down on the nightstand when sleeping.

Have you worn it over a full 2-3 day period to check the accuracy with heavier usage? If not, that might be a good first step to see if it needs to be regulated or if it's a usage issue.

Assuming it's not a usage issue and you bought it new, I'd take it back to the AD or send it to the RSC to get it regulated under warranty. At 4-6 min / month you are at 8-12 sec / day which is outside the specs. If you aren't the warranty holder, just find a jeweler who regulates watches and have them adjust it for you.

Good luck.

[Daniel-san]

Originally Posted by travellingbrit

My Exp11 is currently 14 secs slow over a 34 day period. I found the accuracy improved considerably after a Month of daily wear from new. I also occasionally give it a few manual winds as I can have days of desk jockeying where Rollie sits watching me hit the keys.

Someone (I think Bo), posted about time fluctuations depending on how your watch is placed (face down/up etc).....

Yes, you are correct. The reason for this is because of the positions of the wheels and the wheelaxles. When the watch is placed with face down/up the escapement will have less resistant in the balanseaxle. Causing the amplitude of the watch to get higher and more stable

[Daniel-san]

Originally Posted by rogerfromco

You are right to expect better accuracy from the 16610 or any Rolex for that matter. I just reset my Sea Dweller on Friday and as of this morning, it's only gained 1 second. I wear it daily and leave it face down on the nightstand when sleeping.

Have you worn it over a full 2-3 day period to check the accuracy with heavier usage? If not, that might be a good first step to see if it needs to be regulated or if it's a usage issue.

Assuming it's not a usage issue and you bought it new, I'd take it back to the AD or send it to the RSC to get it regulated under warranty. At 4-6 min / month you are at 8-12 sec / day which is outside the specs. If you aren't the warranty holder, just find a jeweler who regulates watches and have them adjust it for you.

Good luck.

The watch has to be sent to either a AD or the RSC, beacause you need a special tool to adjust the balancewheel. Non AD, don`t have this tool

[bigmac]

Thanks to all for the info ... for the $ I spent, I expected my SS Sub to be very accurate ... after all it's a Rolex!!!!!

Anyways it's nice to look at on my wrist when I'm on my Harley here in Sunny FL....

Ron

[f16570]

Got my Exp II regulated 4 months ago and since 01/11 my watch is +9 seconds fast so outstanding, I would say.

f

PS
Read Post Acurrist 123

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Originally Posted by travellingbrit

(...)

Someone (I think Bo), posted about time fluctuations depending on how your watch is placed (face down/up etc).....

It's in the FAQ's.

But note that the "Positional Correction" rules more apply to the "old" Rolex movts. than the newer ones that are much better balanced. "Crown down" still is a position, though, that really has an influence on any mechanical movts.

[SSD]

So, how far off is it? If it is out of COSC specs, I'd defnintely consider having it regulated. It is capable of better accuracy even than that. However, the positional regulation seems to work pretty well on mine... Currently + 1/2 to 1 sec/day.