Still Having Problems with DJ 31mm

[Paul7]

My wife's 2018 DJ 31mm regularly goes dead in the morning despite her wearing it all day and me winding it 40 turns. So much for the 40 hour power reserve. Anybody else see this problem on a newer watch and is it a difficult fix?

That makes me 0 for 1 with buying new Rolexes.

Meanwhile, my Steinhart Ocean One has no problems running, ridiculous.

[Jack T]

My wife has the newer model, purchased in June 2019, new movement, new lugs, not sure if we have the same model, but have not experienced any problems. Good luck.

[AJV_36]

If all stated is accurate. When able I’d send it in to service. It’s under warranty still if bought new in 2018 and completely agree it’s unacceptable. Most on here will say well she must not be moving it enough and sitting at a desk just wind etc. I have a new subc and between my job and this lockdown have been more inactive then every in my life and mine hasn’t died once when leaving it overnight and no winding for months for me


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[Paul7]

Originally Posted by AJV_36

If all stated is accurate. When able I’d send it in to service. It’s under warranty still if bought new in 2018 and completely agree it’s unacceptable. Most on here will say well she must not be moving it enough and sitting at a desk just wind etc. I have a new subc and between my job and this lockdown have been more inactive then every in my life and mine hasn’t died once when leaving it overnight and no winding for months for me


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It is under warranty and I agree the amount of movement should be irrelevant, if it is worn daily it should have a 40 hour power reserve and this should never happen, as advertised. Very aggravating when you try to do something nice for the wife and she ends up with a useless expensive piece of junk.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by Paul7

It is under warranty and I agree the amount of movement should be irrelevant, if it is worn daily it should have a 40 hour power reserve and this should never happen, as advertised. Very aggravating when you try to do something nice for the wife and she ends up with a useless expensive piece of junk.

No, wearing it does not wind it - there is no magic here.

It is the activity/movement of the wrist that winds it. If you are relaxing on a Tropical Island, reading books while wearing your watch all the time, it will stop, right on your wrist.

If it is worn too loose, like a bangle bracelet, it will not wind either.

[Paul7]

Originally Posted by Tools

No, wearing it does not wind it - there is no magic here.

I sort of thought that's what automatic movement meant.

It is the activity/movement of the wrist that winds it. If you are relaxing on a Tropical Island, reading books while wearing your watch all the time, it will stop, right on your wrist.

Very hard to believe, have others had this happen? Rolex does not advertise their watches as only functioning with certain lifestyles. My dad wore his 1985 DJ until the end of his life in a nursing home at 98 and never had this happen.

If it is worn too loose, like a bangle bracelet, it will not wind either.

OK, that's something I can try, it does need to be tightened on her.

[Tools]

[QUOTE=Paul7;10635386]I sort of thought that's what automatic movement meant.
No, that is not what automatic means. There is a weighted rotor inside that swings as the wrist is moved, automatically winding it.
If there is no movement to swing the weight, it will not wind.


Very hard to believe, have others had this happen? Rolex does not advertise their watches as only functioning with certain lifestyles. My dad wore his 1985 DJ until the end of his life in a nursing home at 98 and never had this happen.
They have never advertised that all you need to do is strap the watch on and it will do anything.


OK, that's something I can try, it does need to be tightened on her.
This is one possibility. Another is to simply wind it once a week to give it enough power to last when it is off the wrist

If a person is not very active, they may be winding the watch enough to keep it running, but not enough to wind it so that it has the 40 hours of advertised power.

An "automatic" watch will only have as much power in it as you physically put into it by activity, or by physically winding it. It will always wind down to only the amount of power you put into it. If you are not moving your wrist, it is the same as if it was sitting on the dresser - zero input.

[Paul7]

[QUOTE=Tools;10635439]

Originally Posted by Paul7

I sort of thought that's what automatic movement meant.
No, that is not what automatic means. There is a weighted rotor inside that swings as the wrist is moved, automatically winding it.
If there is no movement to swing the weight, it will not wind.


Very hard to believe, have others had this happen? Rolex does not advertise their watches as only functioning with certain lifestyles. My dad wore his 1985 DJ until the end of his life in a nursing home at 98 and never had this happen.
They have never advertised that all you need to do is strap the watch on and it will do anything.

I'm not asking it to do 'anything', just function like my Steinhart and DJ do, I never have to wind them.

OK, that's something I can try, it does need to be tightened on her.
This is one possibility. Another is to simply wind it once a week to give it enough power to last when it is off the wrist

If a person is not very active, they may be winding the watch enough to keep it running, but not enough to wind it so that it has the 40 hours of advertised power.

An "automatic" watch will only have as much power in it as you physically put into it by activity, or by physically winding it. It will always wind down to only the amount of power you put into it. If you are not moving your wrist, it is the same as if it was sitting on the dresser - zero input.

I have to disagree, neither my inherited 1985 DJ nor my Steinhart Ocean One have had this happen, and having a home office I'm probably more sedentary than my wife who is a homemaker maintaining a good size house and yard and chasing several pets. What exactly does a 40 hour power reserve mean? It is impossible for a living human being to not move their wrist as you put it.

[ZeGerman11]

Here’s a free and easy experiment you can do since both you and your wife are at home - switch watches for a few days or a week. You wear her DJ and she can wear your Steinhart. I assume they have similar power reserve, 40-50 hrs?

If the DJ works fine on your wrist and the Steinhart stops on hers then you have your answer. She’s not moving enough to wind the watch. If the DJ still stops on your wrist, then either send it in under warranty or sell it and buy her a Steinhart (just some friendly humor).

[Paul7]

Originally Posted by ZeGerman11

Here’s a free and easy experiment you can do since both you and your wife are at home - switch watches for a few days or a week. You wear her DJ and she can wear your Steinhart. I assume they have similar power reserve, 40-50 hrs?

If the DJ works fine on your wrist and the Steinhart stops on hers then you have your answer. She’s not moving enough to wind the watch. If the DJ still stops on your wrist, then either send it in under warranty or sell it and buy her a Steinhart (just some friendly humor).

I think you mean well, but I'm not going to waste my time. I'm sitting at my computer and she's right now cleaning the kitchen. I told her the theory here that she isn't moving enough and she just laughed. Again, my dad never had this problem living til 98 in a nursing home with his 30 year old DJ.

PS: Have had better luck with my Steinhart, sorry.

[NachoNeal]

Originally Posted by ZeGerman11

Here’s a free and easy experiment you can do since both you and your wife are at home - switch watches for a few days or a week. You wear her DJ and she can wear your Steinhart. I assume they have similar power reserve, 40-50 hrs?

If the DJ works fine on your wrist and the Steinhart stops on hers then you have your answer. She’s not moving enough to wind the watch. If the DJ still stops on your wrist, then either send it in under warranty or sell it and buy her a Steinhart (just some friendly humor).

Good idea.

[Rado63]

If you had a winder you can see if it improves the time keeping, but if you wind it and wear it should go and not stop. It sounds like a service issue.

[Jack T]

I find it hard to believe that an average adult woman isn't moving enough to keep a watch wound. Drinking coffee, combing hair, buttoning a sweater, come on folks!!!

[Dirt]

[QUOTE=Paul7;10635486]

Originally Posted by Tools

I'm not asking it to do 'anything', just function like my Steinhart and DJ do, I never have to wind them.



I have to disagree, neither my inherited 1985 DJ nor my Steinhart Ocean One have had this happen, and having a home office I'm probably more sedentary than my wife who is a homemaker maintaining a good size house and yard and chasing several pets. What exactly does a 40 hour power reserve mean? It is impossible for a living human being to not move their wrist as you put it.

Ok, so now we are getting somewhere as you are revealing something about your wife's activity level which we never got around to in your last thread.
It's borderline inconceivablle to me but not entirely implausible, but it's possible your wife is more active that most. This could've caused more wear and tear than most people would normally have, as a result it may simply need a service within the 2 years
Just so you are aware. The particular type of movement in your wife's watch is one of the best Rolex has made.

A lot of people report decades of trouble free use out of their automatic Rolex watches.
I personally only ever get around 5-5.5 years before my watch starts playing up exactly as you report your wife's watch does. This applies equally to any brand of automatic watch i've ever owned. So much for the Rolex 10 year service interval

In summary, I assume your wife's watch may simply need a service.
If it's under warranty then there is no problem.
Perhaps you just need to send it into Rolex
Rolex will sort it out

Lots of things can happen to a watch.
It's even possible it's had a bit of a knock and something's gone wrong with the automatic winding mechanism and it's not working as well as it should.
There are lots of different scenarios we could explore but until Rolex has had a look at it. It's really just speculation.
That's life.
Please report back with how you get on with it

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by Jack T

I find it hard to believe that an average adult woman isn't moving enough to keep a watch wound. Drinking coffee, combing hair, buttoning a sweater, come on folks!!!

From the description, his wife seems to be quite active

I suspect the watch has had a knock and they've been a little unlucky.
It also sounds like it's worn lose which may increase the risk factor, and it's possible it may have had a knock and she wouldn't even be aware of it in that case.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by ZeGerman11

Here’s a free and easy experiment you can do since both you and your wife are at home - switch watches for a few days or a week. You wear her DJ and she can wear your Steinhart. I assume they have similar power reserve, 40-50 hrs?

If the DJ works fine on your wrist and the Steinhart stops on hers then you have your answer. She’s not moving enough to wind the watch. If the DJ still stops on your wrist, then either send it in under warranty or sell it and buy her a Steinhart (just some friendly humor).

The DJ31 may not fit him though

[ZeGerman11]

Originally Posted by Paul7

I think you mean well, but I'm not going to waste my time. I'm sitting at my computer and she's right now cleaning the kitchen. I told her the theory here that she isn't moving enough and she just laughed. Again, my dad never had this problem living til 98 in a nursing home with his 30 year old DJ.

PS: Have had better luck with my Steinhart, sorry.

Not sure how my experiment is a waste of time. Depending on the results it could be quite enlightening, and it could also save you a potentially unnecessary trip to RSC. Now that would, quite literally, be a waste of time.

Good luck.

[ZeGerman11]

Originally Posted by Dirt

The DJ31 may not fit him though

It may not. My experience with ladies DateJusts is basically zero. Wear it with the clasp open?

[Yachtbuoy]

If you've tried winding it and it still doesn't hold power for very long, then just take it in for a service.

Is it still within Rolex's timekeeping specs?

[Paul7]

Originally Posted by Yachtbuoy

If you've tried winding it and it still doesn't hold power for very long, then just take it in for a service.

Is it still within Rolex's timekeeping specs?

Can't complain about the time, I haven't measured it but seems to be good.

It was bought from Jomas Shop, but still within their two year warranty. Thanks for all the input. It's a beautiful watch, I just look forward to getting it running right.

While I'm on the subject, does anyone know how to tighten the bracelet of a 2018 DJ 31 short of taking out a link? Does that have to be done by a jeweler?

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by Paul7

Can't complain about the time, I haven't measured it but seems to be good.

It was bought from Jomas Shop, but still within their two year warranty. Thanks for all the input. It's a beautiful watch, I just look forward to getting it running right.

While I'm on the subject, does anyone know how to tighten the bracelet of a 2018 DJ 31 short of taking out a link? Does that have to be done by a jeweler?

Take it to a Rolex dealer to have the watch sized correctly.
Believe me when I tell you it can be fraught with danger to not have it done by people who are best trained to carry out this task with the proper tools.
In summary, a jeweller may botch the job and damage the links and or screws.

[Paul7]

Originally Posted by Dirt

Take it to a Rolex dealer to have the watch sized correctly.
Believe me when I tell you it can be fraught with danger to not have it done by people who are best trained to carry out this task with the proper tools.
In summary, a jeweller may botch the job and damage the links and or screws.

Thanks, will take that into consideration.

I timed the watch the last day, and it's running at +1 spd, not bad!

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by Paul7

Thanks, will take that into consideration.

I timed the watch the last day, and it's running at +1 spd, not bad!

Excellent.
Can't complain about that