Rolex cal. 3135 issues

[AndyGSi]

No, they can be between 1.2mm and 1.4mm but will be the same size throughout the strap.

I have no idea what size is required for each strap.

[Jon]

On 3/29/2025 at 8:16 PM, JohnR725 said:

Do not place in the timing machine yet as the watch needs to run a little bit the settle down when it's wound to the maximum the numbers will not be quite right. So typically would wait anywhere from 15 minutes to about an hour. So basically 15 minutes would work well.

On an automatic watch, I always time it at totally full-wind and not wait up to an hour, which I would if it is a manually wound movement, because the movement is going to spend most of its time when worn with the maximum amount of torque in the mainspring, thus being at its fullest wind. If it is a watch movement such as a Rolex 3135, the isochronism that has been designed into the movement makes no real difference if it is timed at full wind or an hour off that, as the rate is going to be pretty much the same even hours off a full wind.

I have found, especially on vintage automatic watches, such as Omega 500 and 700 series autos, that if you fully wind the watch by hand just before the mainspring slips you may see a reading of 260 degrees, for example. Once the auto module and rotor is fitted and you give the rotor a bit of a spin on top of the full wind, so the watch movement is always at its fullest wind, you might be surprised to see a jump of 20 to 30 degrees, bringing it to 280 to 290 degrees, which in my experience is more a real world reading, as the watch is going to remain there more than being just off full wind, even by a few minutes.

I'm not disputing what you are saying about leaving it 15 minutes to an hour before timing it, I'm just giving my experience of working primarily on vintage automatic watches and seeing this idiosyncrasy many times.

In fact, if you fully wind an automatic watch and put it on a timegrapher at full wind and then turn the winding stem to put a bit more torque on the mainspring, you will probably see the same phenomena of the increase of amplitude as I have described.

I have an Omega 751 on my bench at the moment which this is happening to. Full wind gives me 250 amplitude. Full wind with the rotor on and turned gives me 270 degrees 

[JohnR725]

5 hours ago, Jon said:

'm not disputing what you are saying about leaving it 15 minutes to an hour before timing it, I'm just giving my experience of working primarily on vintage automatic watches and seeing this idiosyncrasy many times.

In fact, if you fully wind an automatic watch and put it on a timegrapher at full wind and then turn the winding stem to put a bit more torque on the mainspring, you will probably see the same phenomena of the increase of amplitude as I have described.

I have an Omega 751 on my bench at the moment which this is happening to. Full wind gives me 250 amplitude. Full wind with the rotor on and turned gives me 270 degrees 

if you really want to get nitpicky about this I did have a concern because I can't find that actual specification in any of the Rolex information that I have. so for Rolex your correct there does not appear to be a specification of this.

all I was trying to do was have people have a procedure whenever timing a watch. typically the enthusiastic watchmaker winds up their freshly serviced watch places it dial down on the timing machine is happy with the amplitude hopefully regulates the watch and that's it for timing machine. they never bother to check in any other positions and definitely never checked 24 hours later. This is actually quite common on YouTube one position if they even put it on a timing machine. So all I wanted was a procedure and having a common procedure for both automatic and manual wind seemed like a good thing?

then the procedure of waiting is based upon the specifications I've found for other companies and the fully wound up timing specification does very with the shortest being 15 minutes and the longest was actually several hours but that was a unique escapement or something. In any case let me quote from Omega what they have and no they do not differentiate between automatic and manual watch.

0h Measures to be made between 30 and 90 minutes after fully winding. 24h Measures to be made between 23.5 and 25 hours after fully winding.

then for your 751 a this is the timing specifications for the watch. You notice if you want to be nitpicky I think I was specifying 30 seconds stabilization and 30 seconds measuring and here they have 20 seconds to stabilize and 40 seconds to measure. then as far as amplitude goes all they care about is what it is it 24 hours. Which as you can see varies between the various calibers. with interestingly Omega watches will typically go at least some of them quite low in amplitude and still be acceptable at 24 hours.

6 hours ago, Jon said:

In fact, if you fully wind an automatic watch and put it on a timegrapher at full wind and then turn the winding stem to put a bit more torque on the mainspring, you will probably see the same phenomena of the increase of amplitude as I have described.

with an automatic watch it probably depends upon the breaking grease as to whether you can wind it up to just before it slips. Or whether somebody was enthusiastic with their breaking grease and it doesn't slip on a timely basis.

But what I'm curious about is based on your expertise of the quote above what do you make of the quote I have down below for the current problem someone is having?

23 hours ago, Leonid said:

roughly calculated that each revolution of the crown adds 5-7 seconds, for example, 1 revolution- the clock is in a hurry for 7-10 seconds a day, 2 revolutions are already 15-18, 10 revolutions = 120.40 revolutions 170-190.
If you just shake the watch and wear it on your hand, they are almost in no hurry, but if you wind them manually, they start to rush like this, as described above.
And yes, the amplitude drops below 200 in places .

 

[Jon]

15 hours ago, JohnR725 said:

if you really want to get nitpicky about this I did have a concern because I can't find that actual specification in any of the Rolex information that I have. so for Rolex your correct there does not appear to be a specification of this.

 

15 hours ago, JohnR725 said:

then for your 751 a this is the timing specifications for the watch. You notice if you want to be nitpicky I think I was specifying 30 seconds stabilization and 30 seconds measuring and here they have 20 seconds to stabilize and 40 seconds to measure.

I'm not being 'nitpicky' I just gave my experience of servicing many vintage automatics and I also said 'I'm not disputing what you are saying', but it seems this has ruffled your feathers somewhat, so I shall say no more John

 

22 hours ago, Jon said:

 

 

[JohnR725]

50 minutes ago, Jon said:

I'm not being 'nitpicky' I just gave my experience of servicing many vintage automatics and I also said 'I'm not disputing what you are saying', but it seems this has ruffled your feathers somewhat, so I shall say no more John

Out of curiosity how was I supposed to respond to your comments? As apparently my response has upset you?

Now what does upset me was you didn't help with the question and you are an expert an automatic vintage watches which possibly of 3135 would qualify as? So are you going to help the person with his 3135 problem or not?   After all this is why we're here is to help people is it not?

[Leonid]

It turned out that the clock in all positions , if you do not wind it manually but just shake it, shows an amplitude of 98-105 and goes from -3 to +3 seconds, in different positions it is slightly different , but it looks like this briefly. It 's clear that the watch needs to be opened and watched while I can 't open it .I don't have a key. The balloon couldn't be opened.the key will arrive later.

[VWatchie]

@Leonid, the only way forward is to service and repair your watch. Either take it to someone you trust or do it yourself.

However, you should not try to do it yourself until you have successfully serviced and repaired, let's say, 20 or so less expensive watches (Vostok 24xx movements are amazing for practice). Rolex spare parts can be very expensive and difficult to get by should you lose or accidentally damage or destroy a part. There is, unfortunately, no quick fix!

[Leonid]

Is it possible to wash the dial with water?it has a patina, how to wash it properly?and how to wash the watch mechanism?

[JohnR725]

1 hour ago, Leonid said:

Is it possible to wash the dial with water?

Usually washing painted dials is not a desirable thing to do.

1 hour ago, Leonid said:

and how to wash the watch mechanism?

I assume you mean how do you wash the watch movement?

[VWatchie]

7 minutes ago, JohnR725 said:

I assume you mean how do you wash the watch movement?

I think I can answer that. Yes! In Russian, "movement" is called "mechanism".

@Leonid, if you google "cleaning" on this site you'll find many posts about it. For example, type the following on Google and press enter: site:watchrepairtalk.com cleaning

Happy reading!

[VWatchie]

Super excited to share that yet another Rolex has landed on my bench — this time a Sea-Dweller, ref. 16600, equipped with the trusty calibre 3135, same as the last one I worked on.

It seems to be running smoothly, although I haven't measured it on my TMs (PCTM/Weishi 1900) yet, but the time and date settings are completely dead. My first thought is that the yoke has slipped out of engagement with the sliding pinion. It could also be something else, of course!

Haven’t had a chance to crack it open yet, but I’m itching to take a closer look sometime this week.

Anyone else seen similar issues on the 3135? Would love to hear your thoughts before I dive in! 

Oh, while I'm at it. The lugs are drilled, but it looks like a very tight fit. Before I try it. Can the bracelet be removed w/o pressing from both sides simultaneously? If not, how can or should I go about it?

Edited Monday at 06:36 PM by VWatchie
This watch has a bracelet (not a strap)

[tomh207]

They are just drilled lugs, so poke one side with your pin end of the spring bar tool and you should get enough to misaligne it and if needed do the same to the other side.

 

Tom

[AndyGSi]

If they don't give enough movement individually then just bend a piece of wire or rod so you can depress them together.

[Leonid]

On 4/21/2025 at 5:21 PM, VWatchie said:

 

Oh, while I'm at it. The lugs are drilled, but it looks like a very tight fit. Before I try it. Can the bracelet be removed w/o pressing from both sides simultaneously? If not, how can or should I go about it?

By the way, I opened my watch, looked under a magnifying glass, there is simply no grease, the screws are without traces, the slots are intact.I think it's just a matter of maintenance.there are no rotor marks on the body.
And to remove the strap from yours, just press on the 1st side,and slightly move the strap, then on the other side and it will come off.

[VWatchie]

13 hours ago, Leonid said:

And to remove the strap from yours, just press on the 1st side,and slightly move the strap, then on the other side and it will come off.

Did you try it on a Rolex ref. 16600 specifically?

Congrats on the nice condition of the movement in your watch. Even so, remember to check the rotor play or those marks around the main plate may start to build up.