This guy serviced his Rolex Submariner 1680 after 29 years. Is that even possible?

[springer]

About three years ago I responded to an ad for a 1975 Datejust that was offered for sale by the original owner. He had all of the original accessories and paperwork which indicated it was sold in 1977. After some discussion, we agreed to a price and off I went. During the course of our conversation, I asked him when it was serviced last and I drew a blank stare from the seller. He asked me what I was refering to and I explained what a service entailed. He said that he had never brought the watch in for any repairs or servicing since it was given to him by his wife. He said that during the past many years, he did not wear the watch daily anymore, but when he did, it ran perfectly. Amazingly enough, the watch was close to 35-years-old when I purchased it and it was still running strong.

This is one watch that I have kept in my collection, and, to this day, it has yet to be serviced.

[l0peter0l]

important to be done

[Yeager]

The nearly unpolished 1680 I just sold the other day had NEVER been serviced until August of this year. 1977-Now. Dalton at ABC did a full service for me after it started to become impossible to wind due to the lubricant hardening.


Now, my wife's 3 year old Datejust I bought from David new those 3 years ago is gaining 5 minutes a week and I am about to send it in for service..

Go Figure......

[kkwn98]

Originally Posted by Riseman Weather

If that is true? Then why such the commotion to get your Rolex watch serviced every year by a lot of people?

Again, as others have asked, where did you hear all this commotion about getting it serviced every year?

[George Ab]

The watch ran dry for probably 15 years, and ran erratic due to low amplitude for a similar time. Fortunately parts are still available as many more then usual would need to be replaced were it to be worn for that period of time. If a watch sits in a drawer it will not wear out if there is no lubrication.

Interesting that we live in a digital age, yet few use computer technology to determine when a watch should be serviced. Most still use the draconian time standard of eight years (still a good standard - just not optimal) developed before timing machines were available. Fifteen to twenty years ago the only way a watchmaker could tell the general health of a watch was if there was lubrication in the bearings and a visual estimate of balance wheel movement. Timing machines which are an acoustic pickup and computer running a program have allowed watchmakers to accurately measure the amplitude (movement of the balance wheel - and general health as it the heart of timing). With that information and a visual examination a competent watchmaker is able to determine if a watch should be serviced or good to go for another year.

[77T]

Originally Posted by Riseman Weather

If that is true? Then why such the commotion to get your Rolex watch serviced every year by a lot of people?

Originally Posted by kkwn98

Again, as others have asked, where did you hear all this commotion about getting it serviced every year?

He can't talk right now..."banned" showing in UID status

[bugawako]

I don't plan on waiting 29 years, but it's good to know!

[Mystro]

My Serti Sub still keeps the same +3 seconds a day as it did when new. Its going on 12 years old with out ever being cracked open. We had this discussion before but....My watch expert says not to service it unless there is a problem or when accuracy starts to slip. FYI ..My Sub has been on a Orbita winder or my wrist so it is always running for the last 12 years. The only time I let it stop was to do its yearly power reserve/mainspring check.

Note my dial is dust free and all my hands line up. What are the odds of that happening if the watch has been opened unnecessarily 3 times?? I am not volunteering my watch for unnecessary exploratory surgery with out a notable reason. I argue that anything that will need to be replaced when the time comes would be replaced under a normal servicing anyway so I am already $1500 ahead.
Let the games begin..

[le_baroudeur]

I swim with my watch, and I consider the fact of swimming, snorkeling in the sea with my mechanical watch as a very exclusive personal pleasure: seeing it moving, partially in water and with blue sky, is delightfull. So, for me, it is the five year rule for those tiny gaskets.
Mistro and others with aging gaskets: how do you wash your precious? Do you put it underwater?

[Mystro]

I wash mine all the time under the tap with diluted dish soap. I just had mine diving this summer and swim with it often. I am very OCD when it comes to a clean watch. Gaskets are fine.
I generally dont dive any deeper than 20 feet. Considering how well these diving watches are made and what they are built to withstand, I am extremely easy on their capabilities.
I have a 20year old Tag quartz that I swim with all the time. (Its my beater watch) I change the batteries on that watch and its gaskets still look new. This poor Tag has spent so many times in the hot tub, steam room, etc... The watch is still in great condition. I always rinse and clean any of my watches after they are in the pool or sea. I am very picky with getting all the chemicals/salt out of the links.



Tag is in the background. The watch has held up surprisingly well.

[le_baroudeur]

Nice sub, thank you for your answers... But you may not play too much with waterproofness: the acrylic crystal gasket can crack over the time...

[matbaj]

rolex watches are tough my 10 year old airking was never serviced and was running
at +2sec a day, i was wearing it everyday doing sports, washing stuff while wearing it i even dropped it once on a wooden floor and nothing happened.

[COBill]

FWIW, my jeweler's recommended service interval is "when you have a problem, bring it in" unless you dive with it.

I suspect even that it just playing it safe, as 300' or 1000' underwater is a bad place to find out the seals have degraded ever so slightly.

[Jagatai]

I picked up a '67 5512 this year. It was winding dry. So I sent it to Bob ridley.

[brownbear]

is it possible? .. Sure...

[Slinkey]

Originally Posted by kanger

My God look at the chamfer on that Sub. Drool.

I noticed the same thing and immediately checked my '08 M SubD. Not even close. That Sub is WAY cool.