GMT-IIc erratic

[sarjoo]

Dear folks, I wanted to get your thoughts on what might be the cause of this strange behaviour I am seeing with my GMT Master II of late.

The watch is about 2.5 years old and I have owned it from new, and has never had any other issues. It is worn daily, so there is no question of the power reserve being low. I have noticed it speeding up a lot recently, and by that I mean its not unusual for it to gain 30 seconds in a day, and then no gain at all the next day, and then another erratic jump the day after. There's no apparent fixed gain per day, some days it might not gain anything.

If this was steady gains I'd understand but the fact that it is fairly unpredictable puzzles me. Fresh example, this morning I reset the watch to my phone, to the exact second. Some 7 hours later the watch is now 10 seconds fast. The last reset I had done was about 3 days ago, and over the 3 day period it seemed to have gained a full minute. Some days it might not gain any time as stated earlier.

When I first started noticing this gaining, I took it to a local AD and had them check it over, on a "heart beat" machine and they said it was perfect, one of the most accurate he had ever seen in fact he said. Then I had them demagnetise it for sanity's sake, and if anything that actually made it much worse lol

So, before I go down what seems to be the only remaining course of action (which is to take it to the RSC for them to regulate and/or service it) is there anything you guys can think of that might cause this erratic jumping forward?

I was kinda keen on avoiding a service so soon, only been 2.5 years from new, but seems its heading that way?

Thanks for reading!

[Snow-Dweller]

I would try asking somebody else to demagnetise it again....

[StarryNights]

Do you use an iPad by any chance? They have really powerful magnets on one side.

[sarjoo]

Originally Posted by Snow-Dweller

I would try asking somebody else to demagnetise it again....

Not a bad idea, though I do recall at the time a lot of ADs saying they didn't have the equipment to do it and to go to the RSC!

[Snow-Dweller]

Originally Posted by sarjoo

Not a bad idea, though I do recall at the time a lot of ADs saying they didn't have the equipment to do it and to go to the RSC!

Any half-way decent watchmaker will have a demagnetiser. It doesn't need to be a Rolex AD.

[sarjoo]

Originally Posted by StarryNights

Do you use an iPad by any chance? They have really powerful magnets on one side.

Have got an iPad/Kindle Fire, don't use them much tbh. Can an iPhone 6 plus do the same u think? Though having said that I always had the phone and this is only a recent issue.

[breitlings]

Shouldnt it be under warranty? Just get it fixed at rsc

[sensui]

I'd look at getting the watch serviced being that erratic assuming it's not magnetized.

[sarjoo]

Originally Posted by breitlings

Shouldnt it be under warranty? Just get it fixed at rsc

I will double check the exact date on my warranty card, I think I am probably under warranty, just about. The watches used to come with a 3 year warranty didn't they right before it got bumped up to 5 years?

[IT Nerd]

Sounds magnetized to me

[Tools]

Sounds like your phone is getting it's time off different towers.

[amh]

Originally Posted by Tools

Sounds like your phone is getting it's time off different towers.

Indeed.

Try comparing against a static source over a few days, like a PC in your office.

Site:
time.is

[sarjoo]

Originally Posted by Tools

Sounds like your phone is getting it's time off different towers.

I was kinda hoping this was fairly reliable as I am using an app which supposedly adjusts from various sources and gives an accurate time, who knows though?!

I'll try against my PC though as a second measure :)

EDIT: Just compared phone ad PC and they're actually in exact agreement to the second. I've reset my watch to the PC and will keep an eye on it for another few days.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by sarjoo

Dear folks, I wanted to get your thoughts on what might be the cause of this strange behaviour I am seeing with my GMT Master II of late.

The watch is about 2.5 years old and I have owned it from new, and has never had any other issues. It is worn daily, so there is no question of the power reserve being low. I have noticed it speeding up a lot recently, and by that I mean its not unusual for it to gain 30 seconds in a day, and then no gain at all the next day, and then another erratic jump the day after. There's no apparent fixed gain per day, some days it might not gain anything.

If this was steady gains I'd understand but the fact that it is fairly unpredictable puzzles me. Fresh example, this morning I reset the watch to my phone, to the exact second. Some 7 hours later the watch is now 10 seconds fast. The last reset I had done was about 3 days ago, and over the 3 day period it seemed to have gained a full minute. Some days it might not gain any time as stated earlier.

When I first started noticing this gaining, I took it to a local AD and had them check it over, on a "heart beat" machine and they said it was perfect, one of the most accurate he had ever seen in fact he said. Then I had them demagnetise it for sanity's sake, and if anything that actually made it much worse lol

So, before I go down what seems to be the only remaining course of action (which is to take it to the RSC for them to regulate and/or service it) is there anything you guys can think of that might cause this erratic jumping forward?

I was kinda keen on avoiding a service so soon, only been 2.5 years from new, but seems its heading that way?

Thanks for reading!

As its mainly the hairspring thats affected when any watch gets magnetised and seeing according to Rolex the parachrom is not affected by magnets then its doubtful its magnetised.But there are other parts that could get magnetised but unlikely.Now myself think it could be down to your [CCTS] constant checking time syndrome,and as you have movement checked on a timing machine.And results were like you state perfect then watch does not need regulation,plus if it was magnetised in any way, the result on the timing machine would show that straight away.

[sarjoo]

Originally Posted by padi56

As its mainly the hairspring thats affected when any watch gets magnetised and seeing according to Rolex the parachrom is not affected by magnets then its doubtful its magnetised.But there are other parts that could get magnetised but unlikely.Now myself think it could be down to your [CCTS] constant checking time syndrome,and as you have movement checked on a timing machine.And results were like you state perfect then watch does not need regulation,plus if it was magnetised in any way, the result on the timing machine would show that straight away.

CCTS lol...I like that :) I'd agree except a minute and a half fast in 1-2 days is extreme even for me with my condition lol!

[sarjoo]

Quick update.

I had the watched checked by the RSC under warranty, and in the week they had the watch they changed one part I am told and then monitored it and were happy with it. It got collected and has been working very well ever since, hardly any gain at all now. So clearly something had gone wrong with it, no idea what, just glad I got it sorted.

[Londonboy]

For future reference use Time.is

It will tell you the exact time of any location AND tell you how precise your PC, Tablet, smart phone etc is compared to that time, which will then give you a better understanding of what your watch is actually doing

My office PC is currently 3.7 seconds behind US EST for example