Like London busses – this the the 2nd out of 3 Rolex watches with the 3135 movement in my workshop this month. That’s the power of Google – as soon as I do the first one, my ranking for that particular calibre goes up, and so on. Not that I mind; I love the 3135. It’s simply a great movement, and beautifully executed.
This one was sent in by Nici, who must be the dream wife of every watch enthusiast! She arranged everything, and sent in her husband’s watch for a service. That’s got to be love…
The watch hardly moves, and stops regularly, even when fully wound. So something has to be wrong…
As I used to work as a car mechanic, I recognise these marks straight away – they are little pieces of metal emitted when MIG welding, and I used to have these on my glasses 😉 Not sure you should wear a Rolex when welding, but the watch apparently can take it.
No lack of dirt on the case as well.
That will need a bit of cleaning as well 😉
The usual dirt under the bezel.
First look at the lovely bottom plate after removing the dial and hands.
The auto winder assembly. The detail of the execution is stunning.
The top plate without the auto winder.
The great wheel (the one driven by the barrel, and the only wheel still in place) doesn’t want to come out, and there is a reason for that.
I don’t want to force anything, so I remove everything else before trying to get the great wheel out.
Again, everything beautifully made.
The date changer lever has a bit of corrosion on it and will need some cleaning up.
The great wheel after pushing it out of the jewel. The bottom pivot is damaged, and had a lot of almost crystallised lubricant on it, which had turned extremely hard, and had worn down the pivot. A new wheel is in order.Off into the cleaning machine.
I start off by applying a thin layer of braking grease to the barrel.
Then the new mainspring goes in.
The barrel bridge in place, and the balance jewels put back in and oiled.
The new great wheel turns freely, and I can continue to put the movement back together.
Gear train and pallet fork back in place.
I drop the balance in, and the movement starts beating.
After correcting the beat error, it’s still a bit fast, and I will adjust that after having let the movement beat for a couple of days.
And the dial and hands are put back on.
Charles from Watch Glass Cutting has replaced the crystal and polished the case and bracelet.
And adjust the beat rate to +3s/day in dial down position, which is about as close as I can get to +-0s/day average in all positions.
The new gasket gets some silicone grease.
And the watch is back together.
Charles did a great job polishing, and all the welding marks are gone.Looking great again.
These watches ‘were’ tool watches, not luxury investment pieces. Like most kids I wanted a sub because James Bond wore one, but it was when I was in hospital the guy in the next bed to me showed me his beat up sub – he worked on a building site and wore it every day.
I wore my plexi sub every day, went swimming, worked on the car etc. Then as I noticed the value go up I wore it less and less. Today I wear a 6309 vintage diver, Damasko and Sinn. I wonder if I will start thinking twice about wearing these as beaters?
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Hi
I luckily found this site. Great to read and see the procedures and your documentation of both your great work. How much time do you need to service a Rolex Day Date 1803? I’m picking up a Rolex Day Date Oysterquartz 19018 from an auction in London. Do you service Rolex Oysterquartz?
Sorry, we don’t do quartz watches.
Best regards,
Christian
Hi Christian,
I can never properly oiled the reversing wheels, which can lead to rough hand (manual) winding feel. Do you have any advise on that.
Many thanks!
Hi Peter,
I epilame treat the whole reverser wheel, and then oil the arbor on which the inner wheel sits. The click itself in the outer wheel is ever so lightly oiled – you don’t want any seepage onto the inner wheel, as it will gum it up in the long term and prevent it from working.
Thanks Christian. 9010 for the reversing wheels?
As for the pivots, do I use a thicker oil?
9010 as well – these are relatively fast moving parts.
Thanks Christian.
That mechanism is simply stunning. Interesting that the balance bridge screws down on both sides, rather than just one as on most watches.
The submariner is a very nice piece, personally I would love an early GMT-Master II (Same case I believe) but a black one, not a Pepsi or Coke bezelled one. I simply cannot force myself to buy a Rolex (yet, as I am too young and not far enough in my career, if you know what I mean). I have come to the decision that I will gladly wear one if it is given to me as a gift (hopefully my future employers are also WatchGuy followers!).
As ever, an excellent write-up with gorgeous pictures.
Thanks Christian.
Stunning watch and one that would be on most collectors wish list I reckon!
Welding in a 4k watch is an interesting decision! 🙂 I don’t even wear any of my £300 Rado’s in foot clinics coz of the nail dust! 😉
I know, but then I have seen mechanics wearing Speedmasters and sewage treatment work operators wearing Breitlings… I guess the thinking is that it they are good enough to go in to space or down to the Marianas trench they will probably survive the experience 🙂
I know I’ve seen that to Cirrus. I don’t get it but I have seen it! 🙂 😉
Blue and gold is lovely combo… do we know when this dates from?
I assume it has been serviced since the factory, but that the wrong grade of grease was used on the great wheel… or would even the correct grease crystallise under some circumstances?
I can’t even see the wrong lubricant crystallising that way. Heat could do that, or a reaction of the oil with fumes, e.g. from welding 😉