When to regulate?

[beer nuts]

My datejust 2 is 14 months old. It has always run on the slow side since new. After 40 winds, (which I wind once a month) it losses 4-5 seconds after first 24 hours,then settles down to a loss of an average of 3.5 per day ( average calculated over two weeks) i can live with this. However, should I ask to have it regulated under warranty or leave the swiss air in it? I assume it will run faster as it ages?

Second question, as I wear the watch 24/7, is it good for the main spring to be allowed unwind itself (by not wearing a few days) very so often?

[Lol-x]

Interesting, you have a warranty so you would be entitled to get it regulated free of charge, but on the other hand it is keeping pretty good time...

Seems to be a borderline case to me but I can't say I know for sure.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by beer nuts

My datejust 2 is 14 months old. It has always run on the slow side since new. After 40 winds, (which I wind once a month) it losses 4-5 seconds after first 24 hours,then settles down to a loss of an average of 3.5 per day ( average calculated over two weeks) i can live with this. However, should I ask to have it regulated under warranty or leave the swiss air in it? I assume it will run faster as it ages?

Second question, as I wear the watch 24/7, is it good for the main spring to be allowed unwind itself (by not wearing a few days) very so often?

Myself would prefer a slight gain over running slow but would not bother having it regulated was such a tiny deviation. Remember there are 86400 seconds in a day.And there is no real need to wear the watch 24/7 as long as its worn for around 8 -12 hours a day if fully wound first before starting to wear.At night take it off and rest it flat dial up might gain a second or so.And it will make no difference whatsoever to the mainspring to let it stop as much as you like.

[Tools]

I would have already had it regulated, not because it is bad, but because it doesn't meet my personal expectations for my watches.

Your Rolex is capable of much better timing than that and most watchmakers could do the job in a half hour or so, although a good watchmaker will keep it for a few days and test it under all temperatures and positions for several hours..

There is no magic that will fall out of the watch when you open the back; you should expect a mechanical machine to incur occasional maintenance or adjustment.. it's normal.

No, it won't affect your mainspring to wind down.

[PcarSBA]

Mine (Sky-Dweller) was 4.5 seconds slow and I took it in under warranty. Couldn't be happier with the results. Anywhere from 0.1 to 1 second per day fast depending on wear pattern. And since this was under warranty it was a no-brainer and I got the nice travel pouch when it came back.

[MikeMc]

I would have it regulated, I agree with Tools that it should be fast, slightly. I have two Explorers, a 36mm with a 3130 movement and a 39mm with a 3132. The new one is 30 sec./month fast. The old one is 60 sec./month fast. My watchmaker, co-worker & Rolex trained doesn't want to regulate the 60 second fast one. Both are in good service condition.

[Old Expat Beast]

My new Ranger, bought December 21, was running about six seconds a day fast, so (as I pass by the RSC often) I took it in for regulation after a couple of weeks or so and just got it back today, ten days later. It will be interesting to see how it performs now. Even though it was only a few secs a day fast, they didn't hesitate to take it in (and regulate under warranty).

[Andad]

As has been said -3.5 in within COSC but annoying.

I would wait until it needs a service - why open it just for a few seconds/day.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by directioneng

As has been said -3.5 in within COSC but annoying.

I would wait until it needs a service - why open it just for a few seconds/day.

If it's under warranty, a little free personal TLC from a Rolex tech is nice.

[SearChart]

My watchmaking teacher told me to always try to adjust them to a slight gain as this is indeed less annoying than losing seconds, so I'd get it regulated.

[Andad]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

If it's under warranty, a little free personal TLC from a Rolex tech is nice.

But how many posts have you read on TRF where a simple adjustment on a new Rolex has turned into a nightmare?

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by directioneng

But how many posts have you read on TRF where a simple adjustment on a new Rolex has turned into a nightmare?

Back from RSC? None that I can recall.

[beer nuts]

I have read claims of dust appearing in dials and scratches from opening casebacks after services.

[SearChart]

Originally Posted by beer nuts

I have read claims of dust appearing in dials and scratches from opening casebacks after services.

If the watchmaker is precise and regulating is done in a 'dust free' environment like a watchmakers bench there will be no dust entering the watch.

[handsfull]

Originally Posted by directioneng

But how many posts have you read on TRF where a simple adjustment on a new Rolex has turned into a nightmare?

Originally Posted by beer nuts

I have read claims of dust appearing in dials and scratches from opening casebacks after services.

Under warranty I've had scratches on my caseback (twice), fingerprints on the inside crystal, dust on the dial, and one watch had to be sent back 3 times to finally correct a mainspring issue.


My past experience tells me not to send any watch in under warranty unless I find it's absolutely necessary.

[stray_cat]

Originally Posted by Tools

I would have already had it regulated, not because it is bad, but because it doesn't meet my personal expectations for my watches.

Your Rolex is capable of much better timing than that

+1.

My dad handed me down his 11-13 year old sub around 71, it never left my wrist for 4 years. It's possible I did, but don't remember ever having to unscrew the crown (no date), till it died. I knew I was wearing a legend, and it lived up to it.

[iclick]

Originally Posted by beer nuts

My datejust 2 is 14 months old. It has always run on the slow side since new. After 40 winds, (which I wind once a month) it losses 4-5 seconds after first 24 hours,then settles down to a loss of an average of 3.5 per day ( average calculated over two weeks) i can live with this. However, should I ask to have it regulated under warranty or leave the swiss air in it? I assume it will run faster as it ages?

Before making an internal adjustment, try positioning the watch dial up or down at night, as it might pick up a second or two in either of those positions. My two Rolexes both run the fastest with dial up, but my three Tudors (ETA) are fastest with dial down. I keep all mine except the Daytona within a few seconds of zero variance indefinitely by just checking them before bedtime and positioning them accordingly. The Daytona runs within COSC, is the most consistent and closest in all positions, but also runs fast in all positions--so I can't self-regulate it. Personally, I like being able to do this.

One day when a friend brags that his quartz watch will beat my mechanical marvels in accuracy I'll bet him beer that it won't over a month's time, and I'll likely win the bet. I have a quartz watch that loses 1/2 sec./day, which can beat my mechanicals on any given day, but over a month's time it will have lost 15 sec., and I can beat that with all but the Daytona.

[beer nuts]

Thank you all for your responses. My AD advised that my DJ2 should go in for regulation as still under warranty. RSC reported that I was losing time and would attend to that. Few weeks later it has come back with a 'movement service'. They would not provide any more details or advise why they did a movement sevice instead of regulation.

I said no to the polish they offered me.

It appears to be running fast but will let it settle in and test average over a week.

[Spoonage]

My wife's Ranger is now running at ~ +13sec/day. Fully wound resting dial up checking after 24 hrs against time.gov been like this for the last 4 days. I checked every morning, reset the time and the wind again. I don't know if it's been like this for a while or not (wife doesn't wear it daily) and hasn't told me of any issues but don't know if she would notice since she doesn't really pay attention to the accuracy like I do. Before I send it in for regulation anything that you can think of that I can check at home other than what I'm doing? Don't have a timing device on hand.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by Spoonage

My wife's Ranger is now running at ~ +13sec/day. Fully wound resting dial up checking after 24 hrs against time.gov been like this for the last 4 days. I checked every morning, reset the time and the wind again. I don't know if it's been like this for a while or not (wife doesn't wear it daily) and hasn't told me of any issues but don't know if she would notice since she doesn't really pay attention to the accuracy like I do. Before I send it in for regulation anything that you can think of that I can check at home other than what I'm doing? Don't have a timing device on hand.

Try resting it sideways, crown up. Probably won't make a whole lot of difference though. Maybe down to +10.