GMT did not start from shake?

[ocN55]

Hi all!

I wanted to share a little experience I had with my BLNR and was hoping others could shed some light on it.

I haven't worn my BLNR for a couple weeks and went to wear it the other day. I was in a rush in didn't wind the watch and was expecting it to start running by the movement of my wrist. But a few minutes later I noticed that the watch was still dead and wouldn't start running after even taking it off and shaking it a few times. So I just ended up winding it and all seems well...

Should I be concerned? This is my first time not wearing the watch for such an extended period. Usually it has always started back from just being shaken (albeit sometimes even lightly), but this was back when the longest I wouldn't wear the watch was 4-5 days.

Any insights on this would be greatly appreciated!

[AEC]

I doubt you need to be concerned that it required winding via the crown before it started running. My Submariner requires quite a few twists of the crown to start after it has run to a stop.

Don't shake your watch to start it. Rolex watches are robust, but the maker's recommendation is to wind it via the crown in order to start it running.

[Snow-Dweller]

Wind it 40+ times and it will be fine.

[JacksonStone]

Many Rolexes won't start without substantial winding (20 or more turns of the crown), so a simple shake won't do the job, as you discovered. Just wind it fully (40+ turns) and you'll be fine.

[Dsmith1974]

Originally Posted by ocN55

Hi all!



I wanted to share a little experience I had with my BLNR and was hoping others could shed some light on it.



I haven't work my BLNR for a couple weeks and went to wear it the other day. I was in a rush in didn't wind the watch and was expecting it to start running by the movement of my wrist. But a few minutes later I noticed that the watch was still dead and wouldn't start running after even taking it off and shaking it a few times. So I just ended up winding it and all seems well...



Should I be concerned? This is my first time not wearing the watch for such an extended period. Usually it has always started back from just being shaken (albeit sometimes even lightly), but this was back when the longest I wouldn't wear the watch was 4-5 days.



Any insights on this would be greatly appreciated!

Don’t be concerned it’s normal for a mech watch. Good idea to give it 40 winds when flat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ocN55]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Out of curiosity, does anyone think it is detrimental to shake the watch when its dead? I read that one user claimed his watch was damaged this way but not sure how that could happen.

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by ocN55

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Out of curiosity, does anyone think it is detrimental to shake the watch when its dead? I read that one user claimed his watch was damaged this way but not sure how that could happen.

Generally, shocks are to be avoided, although good watches are built to withstand them. But why impart more jolting to the movement than necessary? Besides, shaking is a "lazy" workaround. Essentially, by shaking, you're attempting to impart enough energy to the escapement to try to utilize scant amounts of power remaining in the mainspring, rather than taking the time to wind it. That's why it has worked for you on occasion, but not after the watch sat for a longer period, after the spring was completely drained. However, what you really need to do is wind the watch to give it enough power, and the escapement will start automatically. Treat the watch in accordance with how it was meant to work, and it will treat you better in the long run.

[Dsmith1974]

Originally Posted by ocN55

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Out of curiosity, does anyone think it is detrimental to shake the watch when its dead? I read that one user claimed his watch was damaged this way but not sure how that could happen.

If you shook it like a tin of whipping cream you might. But a gentle side to side of the wrist at 2 Hz is nothing to worry about!

[Dsmith1974]

Originally Posted by Dsmith1974

If you shook it like a tin of whipping cream you might. But a gentle side to side of the wrist at 2 Hz is nothing to worry about!

Although better to wind it manually as stated above.

[ocN55]

Amazing responses everyone, thank you!

I've gotten lazy a couple times and probably tried the "shake to start" a couple more times that I should have haha

Will stick with winding

[lenfried29]

Originally Posted by ocN55

Hi all!

I wanted to share a little experience I had with my BLNR and was hoping others could shed some light on it.

I haven't work my BLNR for a couple weeks and went to wear it the other day. I was in a rush in didn't wind the watch and was expecting it to start running by the movement of my wrist. But a few minutes later I noticed that the watch was still dead and wouldn't start running after even taking it off and shaking it a few times. So I just ended up winding it and all seems well...

Should I be concerned? This is my first time not wearing the watch for such an extended period. Usually it has always started back from just being shaken (albeit sometimes even lightly), but this was back when the longest I wouldn't wear the watch was 4-5 days.

Any insights on this would be greatly appreciated!

I start reading OP post like this:

I wanted to shake a little experience....

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by ocN55

Amazing responses everyone, thank you!

I've gotten lazy a couple times and probably tried the "shake to start" a couple more times that I should have haha

Will stick with winding

Good idea. Besides, if the watch has stopped, you're going to have to take the time to set it anyway. Winding isn't that much more effort, as long as you have already unscrewed the crown.

[Seibei]

Should you be concerned? No, it is a Rolex.

[tyler1980]

ive had mine stop on my wrist when the PR was very low when i put it on. It doesnt start back up on its own. It probably would eventually, like after all day since when winding manually, you need to get a lot of winds in before the second hand starts. With a Patek for example the second hand starts after one wind.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by ocN55

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Out of curiosity, does anyone think it is detrimental to shake the watch when its dead? I read that one user claimed his watch was damaged this way but not sure how that could happen.

If the watch is completely unwound then there is no torque on the gear-train and everything inside the movement is slack.

Whipping it back and forth will rattle the insides like a handful of marbles in a tin can.

Please don't do this, or at least be gentle when you do.

[HogwldFLTR]

Rolex sends out an important reminder with watches following servicing that they may need winding. An unwound watch is an unwound watch...See below:

[Wcdhtwn]

Wind it. You need 40 rotations for a full wind, probably 15 give or take to get the second hand moving. Do get that amount of winding by shaking you’d need to go to Home Depot’s paint department and put it in a paint shaker. Don’t go to Home Depot’s paint department and put it in a paint shaker.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by Tools

Whipping it back and forth will rattle the insides like a handful of marbles in a tin can.

Please don't do this, or at least be gentle when you do.

Whipping it back and forth rattling the insides.
I like that

I suppose that would assume there's enough clearance all around the parts in combination with sheer mass to actually "rattle" the insides.
It's definately a new and interesting theory though

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by Wcdhtwn

Wind it. You need 40 rotations for a full wind, probably 15 give or take to get the second hand moving. Do get that amount of winding by shaking you’d need to go to Home Depot’s paint department and put it in a paint shaker. Don’t go to Home Depot’s paint department and put it in a paint shaker.

Agreed.
This could be problematic.