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Old 18 December 2018, 10:49 AM   #1
TheWatchEnthusiast
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Service question

Hello everyone. I bought a V serial 116520 Daytona purchased 4/09 and a 16610LV M serial purchased 4/10 from the original owner which basically never wore them. They came to me at almost NOS condition. The Watches besides looking brand new, wind and function like they are brand new and they keep excellent time.
The LV runs +3 sec a day and the Daytona -0.5 to +0.5 sec a day. They are both part of a large collection and they will be worn on a large rotation a couple a days a month or so.
Do the lubricants inside dry up even though the watches were not running for years? Do I need to service them do to time even though they weren’t running.
Please excuse my ignorance if this is basic knowledge.
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Old 18 December 2018, 01:21 PM   #2
1WatchDawg
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Having a large collection, one would think that you know the answer. It would be best to have the watches serviced. best of luck!!!!!!!
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Old 18 December 2018, 01:34 PM   #3
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What a coincidence, I also purchased a V serial 116520 and an M series Submariner LB, both also in superb condition.

I also was thinking of getting them both serviced, I did some research here, asked a few opinions from a very knowledgeable WIS, also asked the TS who sold them to me.

I seemed to get an overwhelming response along the lines of, "If it isn't broken, don't get it serviced", or, "Don't get it serviced till it breaks", the watches are working fine like yours, also, I don't know the service history either, so have decided for now not to bother getting them serviced until something actually goes wrong.

On another note, read some horror stories of Rolex service, watches getting scratched, debris or dust left inside, coming back keeping worse time than before, so I guess I'm sticking with, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Having said that, YMMV.....
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Old 18 December 2018, 06:03 PM   #4
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So, a watch is better being serviced every 5 years, however Rolex did an incredible job in the last decades to increase the quality of movements and lubricants so that this 5 year timeframe can now be extended.

I would personally not get it serviced now if it's from 09 and hasn't been worn much, but in the next few years you should think about it. Maybe in 3-4 years from now.

The logic of don't get it serviced til it breaks seems a bit silly to me, would you do that with a car ? Wait til smoke comes out of the engine when you're on the highway ? It will cost much more money to repair once broken rather than keeping it working well.

That's only my view.....

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Old 18 December 2018, 07:15 PM   #5
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I also have an M in both models worn in a large rotation of manufacturers.

I have not considered a service for either at this time.

The analogy between servicing a car and a watch is stretching my imagination.

I give my cars and bikes plenty but not my watches.
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Old 18 December 2018, 07:25 PM   #6
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It is advised to service approximately every 5 years. But it is just that - advice.

Your watch may run for 3, 6, 10, 20 years between a service with no noticeable reduction in performance to the wearer but rest assured the watch is subject to mechanical wear and will always benefit from routine maintenance.

At the end of the day its a personal choice...but if you don't service for 15 years and your watch fills with water while on a diving holiday you know why
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Old 18 December 2018, 07:35 PM   #7
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I can test my watches to 6 Bar at my factory if I think they will need it.

If my watches pass 6 Bar it is way more than I can do.

Just because I don’t have my watches serviced every 5 years doesn’t mean I will let them fill with water.
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Old 18 December 2018, 07:47 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by directioneng View Post
I can test my watches to 6 Bar at my factory if I think they will need it.

If my watches pass 6 Bar it is way more than I can do.

Just because I don’t have my watches serviced every 5 years doesn’t mean I will let them fill with water.
General advice is rarely aimed at people with equipment to test and maintain the product themselves. 'Service roughly every 5 years' is an easier pill to swallow than 'you will of course be requiring a fathometer to the tune of $10k to test your own watch before you take it out in the rain'
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Old 18 December 2018, 08:01 PM   #9
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But to be fair Scott if any watch owner is in doubt about water pressure resistance between services even your Mall repair guy can test to 6 Bar for a few bucks?

Or should I say “should be able”.
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Old 18 December 2018, 08:12 PM   #10
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But to be fair Scott if any watch owner is in doubt about water pressure resistance between services even your Mall repair guy can test to 6 Bar for a few bucks?

Or should I say “should be able”.
This is a good precautionary step to take. One that not enough people actually do IMO.
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Old 18 December 2018, 09:15 PM   #11
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I would also check your insurance to see if getting it serviced in accordance with manufacturers guidelines is a requirement; I know it is for one of my watches.
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Old 18 December 2018, 10:11 PM   #12
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I service when I have an issue and not before. No need to spend money on a watch that is functioning properly. I do have my dive watches pressure tested every year, even before the warranty expires, to make sure I will not have an issue in the water.
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Old 18 December 2018, 10:21 PM   #13
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Rolex service is a bit pricey but the parts that go into the movement are not IMO. I am in the camp of run them till they wont keep good time.
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Old 18 December 2018, 11:45 PM   #14
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Thank you guys. The watches were not worn and I didn’t know if not working was worse than running on a regular basis. Especially the Daytona was not worn from the beginning.
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Old 19 December 2018, 01:13 AM   #15
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I can only guess you bought these with a hold/sell plan. If they’ve never been polished by the original owner, you might forego the RSC until closer to sales time.


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Old 19 December 2018, 10:57 PM   #16
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Service question

77T
The 16610LV is a watch that Is integrated in the rotation already. It is here to stay in the collection as far as I can foresee. It is worn very sparingly but Its not going to be a safe queen.
The Daytona on the other hand is a mixed bag as of now. Most likely the scenario you described. I have an 116500 ceramic Daytona that I enjoy wearing on my rotation already so the 116520 was more of an emotional buy. As of now that will be a safe queen so no service necessary. Both watches are in as new unworn condition but the Daytona is truly a NOS watch. It even has most of the stickers on so I decided not to use for now.
My concern was/is as to what happens to the lubricants in the watch when it is not running for years. Do they get dry leaving the internals unprotected? I don’t want to ruin a perfectly good LV even if I am only enjoying it sparingly.
I understand that it’s not truly an emergency since I use it couple of days a month but I wanted to know what is the proper thing to do.
Thanks again.
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Old 19 December 2018, 11:20 PM   #17
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Definitely no service until something is wrong, ie. keeping bad time, noisy rotor etc.

You will notice some of the symptoms before anything detrimental will happen.
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Old 19 December 2018, 11:23 PM   #18
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As of now the watch winds, clicks, sets and runs perfectly. As a brand new watch.


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Old 22 December 2018, 07:07 AM   #19
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The keyless works is comprised parts that are truly metal parts grinding on other metal parts with only a thin layer of grease preventing them for destroying one another. This grease cannot and should not be applied too liberally.

Including epilame, 8 different oils, greases, solutions are used in a typical Rolex movement covering varying friction, materials, and speeds in which the part moves and rotates. These variables cause them breakdown generally around the 5 years mark +/-. You also have cleaning and rinse solutions, thread lockers, really a good list of supplies that keep your Rolex movement that keeps your Rolex movement in good health.

Truly optimal life on these materials in around 5 years. From there, parts get closer and closer to destroying one another. You get closer to this. The yellow flakes are brass flakes from either a bridge, wheel, etc that has been ground down for lack of proper maintenance at the recommended service interval.

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Old 22 December 2018, 07:35 AM   #20
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The sweep second hand is really 8 micro ticks per sec. Tick-tock. You're hearing parts in action 28,800 ticks per hour, 691,200 times per day, 252,288,000 per year, 1,261,440,000 (1.26B) times during a 5 year period.
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Old 22 December 2018, 11:06 PM   #21
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IMHO the only way to know if the watch needs service is to have your watchmaker open and inspect it. He will be able to tell if oils are not volatilized, check it on a timehrapher, etc. Every watch lives in different conditions of usage, environmental temperature, humidity, etc. All these variables influence the service interval... Also our watches are so superbly designed that they can keep good time even with unadequate lubrication so its up to you if you want to preventively service it to avoid replacing more parts, or wait until timekeeping deteriorates but then more parts may need to be replaced.
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Old 24 December 2018, 05:46 AM   #22
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Thank you all. I truly appreciate the input.
Happy Holidays to all.


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Old 24 December 2018, 06:47 AM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ROLLiWORKS View Post
The keyless works is comprised parts that are truly metal parts grinding on other metal parts with only a thin layer of grease preventing them for destroying one another. This grease cannot and should not be applied too liberally.

Including epilame, 8 different oils, greases, solutions are used in a typical Rolex movement covering varying friction, materials, and speeds in which the part moves and rotates. These variables cause them breakdown generally around the 5 years mark +/-. You also have cleaning and rinse solutions, thread lockers, really a good list of supplies that keep your Rolex movement that keeps your Rolex movement in good health.

Truly optimal life on these materials in around 5 years. From there, parts get closer and closer to destroying one another. You get closer to this. The yellow flakes are brass flakes from either a bridge, wheel, etc that has been ground down for lack of proper maintenance at the recommended service interval.

I have never been able to capture the metal dust like that, awesome photograph man!
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Rolex uses rare elves to polish the platinum. They have a union deal and make like $90 per hour and get time and half on weekends.
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Old 28 December 2018, 09:29 AM   #24
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Thanks.

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I have never been able to capture the metal dust like that, awesome photograph man!
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Old 28 December 2018, 07:11 PM   #25
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Nah too long without a service. Pay me $1000 and I will come and take them off your hands.

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Old 29 December 2018, 01:01 PM   #26
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Thank you guys. The watches were not worn and I didn’t know if not working was worse than running on a regular basis. Especially the Daytona was not worn from the beginning.
You need to take it to a competent watchmaker who will put them on the machine and check to see if amplitude, etc. is within spec (which they probably are considering they are keeping excellent time). Then wear them. The exception is the LV and how much you dive with it. I dive with mine all the time, and after 5 years had it serviced to replace all the seals (since it went to Rolex, they did a complete overhaul). If you don't dive with it you can go 7-10 years between overhauls these days, providing it's keeping good time. From what I've been told, the fact they've been sitting probably is not an issue, but get them checked to make sure.
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Old 6 January 2019, 03:45 AM   #27
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Thank you Nelson.


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