Rolex Movements: 3135 & 3235

[JasChCh]

My Tudor Black Bay in-house is like that, basically loses a second per day and gains it back if I place it dial up over night. The result is that it is exactly on time over a period of several months.

My 3235 in my 2018 DSSD is not quite as accurate as yet, although it is improving. It started out at minus 2 s/pd, and it has now settled in at an average of minus 1 s/pd.

That is, of course, quite amazing and I am very happy with it - but the thing that both impresses and slightly irritates me is that I can't seem to influence that 1 second per day loss, no matter what position the watch is in overnight...it's incredibly consistent and position seems to make very little discernible difference.

[ThomasAndy]

I was i great doubt wether to choose a SD43 with the new movement or the SubC with the older one.
I went with the sub as it is way better looking to me and not as thick in the case.
Over the last 5 weeks, i have had absolutely no regrets. That cal. 3135 i as accurate as anything i have ever seen.
+1 sec after 4 weeks. Everyday sitting in the sun, swimming in the ocean and pool. Walking the backcountry in burning heat and back in to the cold ocean.
Just ordered the Hulk to make sure i get one before they upgrade the sub to the new 3235 movement...

[Rolex.c6]

Originally Posted by Portland

I'm not sure how much more accurate it could get. The 3135 in my 116610Ln..

May I ask what app you used here? That is assuming this is an app ofcourse.... It looks very good!
Thanks in advance.

[Portland]

Originally Posted by Rolex.c6

May I ask what app you used here? That is assuming this is an app ofcourse.... It looks very good!

Thanks in advance.

It’s an app called WatchTracker. Love it.

[subtona]

always in favor of additional power reserve and additional water resistance

[jlovda]

Someone here mentioned the Daniels escapement. I did a Google search and found some very interesting articles about the inventor and the mechanism. Is this device used in the new caliper? Is the Omega DeVille a desired vintage watch?

[sheldonsmith]

I have had the 3285 movement / 126710 GMT for two months and it is the most accurate Rolex that I have owned. Perhaps the greatest difference is that there is discernibly no difference between resting at face up, face down, crown up, crown left, crown down, crown right.; no date change issues (unlike the Tudor GMT) at all..

The graph above shows a slight increase of 0.5 second/day...

If you have an opportunity to get a 3235 movement, or wait for an opportunity, I would do that. The 32xx movements really are an improvement in accuracy than the 31xx movements.

-Sheldon

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by sheldonsmith

I have had the 3285 movement / 126710 GMT for two months and it is the most accurate Rolex that I have owned. Perhaps the greatest difference is that there is discernibly no difference between resting at face up, face down, crown up, crown left, crown down, crown right.; no date change issues (unlike the Tudor GMT) at all..

The graph above shows a slight increase of 0.5 second/day...

If you have an opportunity to get a 3235 movement, or wait for an opportunity, I would do that. The 32xx movements really are an improvement in accuracy than the 31xx movements.

-Sheldon

Whilst i can appreciate the excitement over the accuracy of your watch.
I'm not so sure your claim around the accuracy improvement of the new movement is able to be proved conclusively.

After all, as it stands the new in-house accuracy standard of all Rolex watches applies equally to the older technology movements(which outnumber the new ones) as well as the new ones

[lenfried29]

Graph for my DSSD with 3135 movement. I'd say it's pretty accurate

[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by VicLeChic

It's like buying one car with the old engine rather then the brand new revamped one for the same money.

In base Ford Mustangs, I would much rather have the 2017 V6 model instead of the newer 4 cylinder EcoBoost which replaced the V6.

[Andad]

Originally Posted by lenfried29

Graph for my DSSD with 3135 movement. I'd say it's pretty accurate

Wow.

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by subtona

always in favor of additional power reserve and additional water resistance

Additional power reserve has a practical use for a lot of people, but what use could you have for WR greater than the Sub's 300m, unless you're a saturation diver or depth-competition SCUBA diver?

[ThomasAndy]

Originally Posted by sheldonsmith

I have had the 3285 movement / 126710 GMT for two months and it is the most accurate Rolex that I have owned. Perhaps the greatest difference is that there is discernibly no difference between resting at face up, face down, crown up, crown left, crown down, crown right.; no date change issues (unlike the Tudor GMT) at all..

The graph above shows a slight increase of 0.5 second/day...

If you have an opportunity to get a 3235 movement, or wait for an opportunity, I would do that. The 32xx movements really are an improvement in accuracy than the 31xx movements.

-Sheldon

Maybe compared to your own older 31xx movements.
My 3135 in my 2018 SubC is + 1 after almost 5 weeks now!! There is absolutely no reason to wait for a sertain watch to get the newer movement.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by skirsch

I have a question that I would like to ask those of you who pay particular attention and have more knowledge than me related to Rolex Movements. I have a new Submariner (purchased in the last 2 weeks new) that contains the 3135 (latest version) and the Sea Dweller 43 which contains the 3235.

Other than the obvious power reserve difference (3135=48) (3235=70), how do these movements compare in terms of quality and how much of an evolution is there in the new 3235? I know Rolex improves movements that have been in place for a long time so the 3135 have continued to develop.

What are the core differences between them and what will the 3235 offer that is new or improved. From an accuracy standpoint, the Submariner is dead on after a week and the Sea Dweller is 1 second fast after 2 weeks. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks Stephen

besides PR i don't care one bit. If the 3235 didn't exist people would say the 3135 is the best ever... and now what its garbage? If the old movement is great there isnt a whole lot you can do to make it "better". accuracy specs are the same and some of the other differences make no practical difference to almost anyone.

[watchmavan]

Originally Posted by padi56

And how would you know its better the perhaps improvement is the power reserve,but would doubt in other departments will better the cal 3135.

A simple assumption would be that if Rolex updated, the update is better.


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[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by watchmavan

A simple assumption would be that if Rolex updated, the update is better.


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a simple assumption might also be thats what the marketing department wants you to think.

To me it seems like the escapement is related to why there is more PR. Could be wrong. Other than that, the fact its made from nickel-phosphorus, does that even matter?

[watchmavan]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

a simple assumption might also be thats what the marketing department wants you to think.

To me it seems like the escapement is related to why there is more PR. Could be wrong. Other than that, the fact its made from nickel-phosphorus, does that even matter?

Yes. Sorry, I've just come over from the Tudor v Rolex thread where everything Rolex is gold and Tudor is still straw.


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[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by watchmavan

Yes. Sorry, I've just come over from the Tudor v Rolex thread where everything Rolex is gold and Tudor is still straw.


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i like learning about movements, but i really, really doubt 99% of people care. Ive seen people in AD's before asking how often batteries need to be changed. So being familiar with what makes the watch work isnt even a concern to most. Same as with a tudor because it doesnt say Rolex

[watchmavan]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

i like learning about movements, but i really, really doubt 99% of people care. Ive seen people in AD's before asking how often batteries need to be changed. So being familiar with what makes the watch work isnt even a concern to most. Same as with a tudor because it doesnt say Rolex

I'm the opposite. Can't get enough knowledge and development history about every watch I own. It's part of the fascination for me. I think I'd burst out laughing tho if I heard someone ask about batteries for a Rolex they were about to drop some major skins for.


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[padi56]

Originally Posted by jlovda

Someone here mentioned the Daniels escapement. I did a Google search and found some very interesting articles about the inventor and the mechanism. Is this device used in the new caliper? Is the Omega DeVille a desired vintage watch?

Well the George Daniels escapement its been available to the market for 30 plus years George Daniels had attempted to introduce his escapement to the Swiss industry.Omega,Patek,Piguet,Zenith and even Rolex had prototypes in 1986 and 1989. There are many reasons why these companies entertained Daniels and many reasons why they decided to pass on the escapement. It seems to me that in the main it was an issue of expense to retool and develop the escapement for already built series of movements, and that it was an unknown quantity, which was made in one-offs for the connoisseur to try.Now the escapement needed to be oiled correctly to work 100% and many of the watch industry did not follow Daniels instructions to the letter,most did not follow his advice for the VPH (vibrations per hour).Now when Patek decided to try his escapement three wristwatch sized prototypes were made.

These drawings were discussed and Daniels saw one big stumbling block, the proportion of the extra driving wheel. Patek rejected his notion, even in the face of Daniels working,the Patek provided movement prototype.By 1982 his prototype was cased and dialled from the Patek factory. He says he gave the watch daily use for twelve years, when the self winding mechanism failed.Properly form lack of maintenance It was not serviced to test the effectiveness of the escapement over a ten year period. The Daniels escapement functioned perfectly.The Patek analysis was quite critical and the prime fault was in the gears, which Daniels had mentioned at the beginning of the project.


So why is the Daniels escapement not used in many of the high end
watch houses.Well IMO I imagine it may have been as simple as "Not Swiss Made." or may turn out to be too complicated to make on a mass production scale or re-tool machines in-house?.But now Omega for one, plus a few more have made it work to a very high standard indeed.

Now today when you think of the humble wrist watch,basically changing little since John Harrison's days.With tweaks to the basic escapement over 250 years.I wonder what would have happened if Daniels was alive in Harrison's days.Well for me Daniels escapement must be one of the horological breakthroughs of the century.But the mighty Swiss took little notice of his new idea.You must ask yourself why IMHO the main reason not a Swiss idea.But let's remember 30 plus years ago when the Japanese,took on the Swiss,and almost destroyed the complete Swiss watch industry with the heretic quartz.And in many cases Japanese mechanical watches like the Seiko Grand,were equal,and in most cases with much better accuracy, and product finish to equal any of the Swiss main high end brands.

But the mighty Swiss did little in reply,a bit like the once powerful British motor bike industry now gone,now dominated by the Japanese.But the Swiss industry survived but horological speaking has not done a lot over the past 40 odd years.Must admit some of the watches being produced today,are bloody awful and ugly some seems to me have lost the plot completely.With innovations like lets put two or four Toubillons in a wrist watch and other totally IMO unneeded complications, which only the chosen few could ever afford.


Now these complication why, I suppose horological speaking are a watchmakers art,but in real world terms add little to the watch,except perhaps owning something that costs megabucks which is fine for the brag factor.But don't think these types of watches are owned by real true watch enthusiasts.Now with Rolex, I admire Hans a great man who seized every opportunity,every new idea or patent,and acquired it for his firm.Now the name Rolex must be the on top of the pile,but over the many years I have loved all mechanical watches I sometimes ask myself do some wear a watch, or a just the name.


I hope George Daniels escapement will find its way into the Swiss watch industry,and tweaked over the next 200 years IMHO the Daniels escapement horological speaking is far too important to let slip by.