Rolex 6694 Oysterdate date change issue

[Journeyforce]

Greetings folks,

How are you all? This is my first posting but I have been a member since 2016 (just to read all the great advice and see the pics)

I have 2 Rolex watches. One is a 1995 Sub that I bought in 1995 with some saved up money and a store credit loan (for 12 months) from the local Rolex AD at that time. It is my most treasured watch in my collection. Because I had to work hard to get it.

The other watch(and the one I have an issue with) is a Rolex Oysterdate 6694. I got this at a pawn shop (I have been buying watches for 15 years from) about 11 years ago. It was/is 100% original and was sent to Rolex (by way of the Rolex AD) a few days after I bought it. Rolex did a great job and even know it was not chronometer spec, it kept almost perfect time. It looked great. I have not been wearing it much for the last few years.

I think i wear it about 12 times a year. I have noticed that the date does not change over at all. I don't know when this started to happen as after I relegated the watch to "wearing every once in a while" status, I would simply set and wind it and that was that. Sincethe date is not quickset, it was a pain in the butt to change when the date on the watch was the 12th and the actual date was the 5th.

I took the watch out with the intent to wear it for couple weeks and went to set the date only to discover it was stuck at the 3rd of the month.

As this is not a quick date and there is no chance of the date being set around the time it changes over damage(like on a quick set) i am unsure of how the date wheel broke or what caused it.

I will be sending it out to Rolex for a service in a month or so but i am curious, what could break in a rolex 1225 that would cause the date not to work and is it easily fixable?

Also my crown does not screw all the way down to the case. I see threads exposed when the crown is tight. Is this normal due to the seal?

Thanks for your help

[Ashton_Horologist]

The Rolex 1225 movement uses a very simple pin coming straight up out of the date change wheel to advance the date forward. It is possible that the pin has snapped, but unlikely.

The date disk itself is only really held down by the dial, unlike later movements which secure the wheel by other means. It's possible that the date disk has come out of place, perhaps even the dial has come dislodged.

There are a whole host of possibilities and you will only know the answer once the watch has been inspected by a watchmaker.

It is not normal to see crown tube threads, they should pretty much be hidden by the crown. It could be dirt and grime gumming up the threads or something else. Has the crown always ben like that or is that something that has happened recently?

Ashton

[SunTzu]

I have 6694. Fantastic little watch and a real workhorse. They run like a champ.

It's a very easy movement to service and I would save your money and take it to a trusted, local watchmaker. Rolex will charge you bundle.

I'm sure it's an easy fix with the date wheel. Also, I would prophylactically change the crown tube. I'm sure yours is original and after decades of screwing open and closed, it's due for a change. The cost for an original is de minimis. Even an original crown replacement is cheap. The gasket would get changed at the same time. That's what I did to mine and it opens, closes, and winds beautifully. Nice and sturdy. Ready for decades more of wear.

[Frank80]

It's not unusual for there to be a gap between the case and crown. If the crown contacts the case, you can't be certain that the crown gasket is being compressed.

[Ashton_Horologist]

Originally Posted by Frank80

It's not unusual for there to be a gap between the case and crown. If the crown contacts the case, you can't be certain that the crown gasket is being compressed.

It entirely depends on the size of the 'gap' you are talking about here. The way a crown and tube works means that the amount the crown can screw on the tube is finite. You cannot keep screwing until the crown eventually ends up halfway in the case, as the two are manufactured to work together.

All gaskets are designed to be compressed, as that is what ensure water resistance. Obviously, there is a limit to how much it should be compressed.

[csfischer20]

I just had an issue on my sub having a date stuck. 2 teeth were bent on the date wheel. Doesn’t seem like that’s a far fetch here. It was a super fast fix at Ben Bridge because he had the part. Good luck.

[Journeyforce]

Hello again everybody
Sorry for the delay
Thanks for your replies

I have tried to up load a pic of the watch and the crown but it keeps giving me errors(it must not like the pic)

Anyway pertaining to the gap between the case and crown, there is a small gap and I can see the bottom threads of the crown tube if I look close. The crown does not sit flush against the case.

The crown does screw down tight and does not have an issue unscrewing or screwing down. I always screw it down gently and when screwing it down, turn it as if I am unscrewing the crown while gently pushing down till I feel a click. Then I can screw it down (that click tells me that I am at the start of the threads) I do this to keep from cross threading the crown.

I guess i am used to my Seiko divers when it comes to screwing down the crown were it has to sit flush to be fully screwed down.

I do have a trusted watchmaker who has serviced my Omega and Seiko watches. He is my go to person for repairing my vintage accutron watches. He does have that now elusive parts agreement with Swatch Group for Omega parts. So maybe he can get Rolex parts I will run it by him

I look forward to having this watch serviced and wearing it again as a semi daily

Thanks again

[Journeyforce]

Update

After talking to my watchmaker today about the date issue and service, he said he has worked on many Cal. 1225 over the years. He also said the date wheel is not like a lot of others with teeth on the inner side. This one has gear attached to the center of the date wheel that works in tandem with another gear with a "tab" attached to it. That tab does break off or the gear that is attached to the date wheel looses a tooth and that stops the date changing.

He will not know until he dissembles the watch. He showed me a huge stash of Rolex parts(bought from an estate) still sealed in the Rolex packages. He has all the parts for this.

I left the watch for servicing and adjusting as it has been a long time since the last service.

I mentioned I wanted him to inspect the crown and crown tube. I told him to replace the case back gasket and crown gasket(s)

I told him in the even the crown or crown tube needs replacement to replace them. I am curious are Rolex Crown crowns still available for the 6694? I would be getting both the tube and crown replaced. I have no problem with an aftermarket (Esslinger/Borel) crown/stem and crown tube but if I can snag a OEM one that i would like to do so.

Thanks

[SunTzu]

Originally Posted by Journeyforce

I am curious are Rolex Crown crowns still available for the 6694?

Readily available. Had mine replaced a couple months ago. No problem sourcing it.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by Journeyforce

. . .Anyway pertaining to the gap between the case and crown, there is a small gap and I can see the bottom threads of the crown tube if I look close. The crown does not sit flush against the case.

. . .

The seal is in the top of the crown to seal against the top of the tube. If the crown contacts the case, it stops... then the gasket at the other end cannot seal.

You should always see a gap, although that gap does vary quite a bit.