Rolex Submariner

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I as always fascinated by Rolex Subs and when I finally made some real money bought one. It was OK but I was worried about diving with it so I traded it on a Rolex Sea dweller, thinking that it should at least be waterproof to normal scuba depths. Of course paying that much money for a dive watch that you are afraid to get wet is ridiculous, but I came to realize that the whole "Rolex" thing was not really logical and that in fact they were not particularly great watches IMO.
Cons: OK but not great time keeping- I had another way cheaper watch with a Swiss ETA movement that kept better time.
Easily scratched- I never had watches that scratch so easily on the case and bezel which made me paranoid about wearing them anywhere but a restaurant.
Manually winding the movements sounded like someone shaking a tin can full of rocks, I don't know why but it did.
My Sea Dweller completely and suddenly stopped after two years, the Rolex dealer told me it was because I hadn't had it serviced- absolute BS!
So I sold it and now I am committed to Japanese made medium sized quartz analog watches that are tough, accurate, waterproof and value for money. The one I am wearing now is eight years old, don't know how many dives and never misses a beat!

Only regret! That I sold the last Rolex before the market on them went absolutely nuts and I could have got a lot more for it today.
 
Inside the case??

Rust is usually found in metal areas where salt water stays long and is difficult to wash away with freshwater. Usual areas for older (vintage) dive watches are the case threads (where the case back is screwed to the case, this can compromise the case being waterproof ) or between the lugs (where the strap or the bracelet, called technically the end links meet the case).

Higher quality and higher specification modern stainless (915 instead of 316 steels) have stopped a lot of it, but the point here is just dropping the watch in freshwater or casually washing it after a dive isn't always enough.

A seriously corroded/ pitted caseback thread is definitely a recipe for disaster but I've only seen it in older 1970s watches. Some signs of corrosion can be found in modern watches unless properly serviced and painstakingly washed after few dives.
 
generally its recommended that you service your dive watch once a year if you are diving in salt water.

diving in fresh water, you can probably push that to 5 years or so.

if you dont dive at all you can usually get away with having your watch serviced once every 10 years.
 
generally its recommended that you service your dive watch once a year if you are diving in salt water.

diving in fresh water, you can probably push that to 5 years or so.

if you dont dive at all you can usually get away with having your watch serviced once ever 10 years.


Pretty much agree with you. You definitely need to do a lot LESS servicing than the Brands say, especially with newer (1990s onwards) movement materials and modern lubricants. Maybe once every 10 years is more then enough, I have quality watches untouched for 20 years that run like a charm and don't plan to open them for another 20 years unless they show signs of trouble.

BUT if your watch case is stainless steel AND you're a regular saltwater diver, it makes total sense to have it serviced once a year, make sure there are new gaskets everywhere and the case and caseback stay clean from salt residue in those hard-to-reach areas. You don't need to bring it to the official Service Center though, where you'll be ripped-off by smiling guys in white lab coats, but do bring it to a qualified watchmaker who has access to original parts.

Servicing a watch is pretty much dismounting everything, yes, all the little gears and levers too, cleaning, lubricating and mounting the movement again, replacing all gaskets and cleaning and testing that the case is waterproof after all the tweaking. They'll also polish the case and bracelet to keep it shiny and pristine if you bring it to the official service center (people who like and collect watches never ever polish theirs).

IF you're not comfortable (or don't want to spend the money) to have your midmarket watch (Rolex, Omega et al.) opened and serviced yearly, as a number of us have said in this thread, get yourself a cheap automatic watch for the thrill, or do what most people who know and collect automatic watches do (myself included), dive with a freaking dive computer only and leave your Rollie in the safe or even better, at home.

OT and before someone thinks too far ahead, I'm a vintage Rolex collector, so don't connect my diatribes to not being able to buy one, I own a few .
 
It is not necessary to service a mechanical watch every year, whether diving with it or not. I am not aware of any manufacturer who requires or even recommends this.

What is recommended is that the watch be pressure tested annually. For the record, this is not a big deal. I have my Omega done annually, at no charge.

Again, these are robust watches that do not require babying. I am speaking from experience.
 
It is not necessary to service a mechanical watch every year, whether diving with it or not. I am not aware of any manufacturer who requires or even recommends this.

What is recommended is that the watch be pressure tested annually. For the record, this is not a big deal. I have my Omega done annually, at no charge.

Again, these are robust watches that do not require babying. I am speaking from experience.

My suggestion is a yearly service IF REGULAR diving in salt water, not a couple of diving trips a year. Full movement service definitely NOT needed yearly for modern watches, diving with them or not.

If diving REGULARLY in salt water, yearly I'd do gaskets, painstakingly clean the case and bracelet inside and out (ultrasound), and case pressure testing (this one you point out).

There's people that don't service a watch in 50 years and also say they speak from experience.... :) Hope it's clearer now.

Cheers!
 
Does the laser, saw, pager, magnet, or miniature explosives get refreshed with the bond q service option?
 
generally its recommended that you service your dive watch once a year if you are diving in salt water.

diving in fresh water, you can probably push that to 5 years or so.

if you dont dive at all you can usually get away with having your watch serviced once every 10 years.

I am not one of those who believes in never or seldom servicing a watch. But I have never heard of any such recommendation by a manufacturer. If anybody can show me such a recommendation from a website of a manufacturer, I will stand corrected.

Mine is uncased annually and pressure tested to the equivalent of greater than its max rating of 2000 feet. (Of course, the depths I dive at are piddly next to that.) If there was any water intrusion, it would be obvious to the watch maker.
 
I am not one of those who believes in never or seldom servicing a watch. But I have never heard of any such recommendation by a manufacturer. If anybody can show me such a recommendation from a website of a manufacturer, I will stand corrected.

Mine is uncased annually and pressure tested to the equivalent of greater than its max rating of 2000 feet. (Of course, the depths I dive at are piddly next to that.) If there was any water intrusion, it would be obvious to the watch maker.
I’ve never seen any official statement from any watchmaker...but more general advice I’ve seen from the watch community.


salt water and diving in general is pretty hard on watches, sure they are tough watches and built to take it, but it still takes its toll... and seeing as how seawater intrusion into the case and watch work is just about the worst thing that can happen to a watch....spending a few hundred annually on a service, if only to inspect and replace seals Is cheap insurance on not what is only a $7-12,000 watch, but also a piece of dive equipment

That being said, it’s your money/ watch, I’m not going to try and convince you to change what is obviously working for you. However in a sense, you are essentially having your watches “ serviced” to the extent that you need when you have them pressure tested.

personally I just don’t dive with expensive watches....I use a seiko skx007 and a gshock when I dive/ swim.....they work just fine and I’m not going to be heartbroken if something happens to them.
 
I own a submariner, and used to dive with it. I figured that if the computer pooped out, I would know how long I have been down and when I went back up could count down a safety stop accurately.

That being said, years ago in Bonaire, I saw a barracuda looking at me arm sideways and decided that watch looked too much like a silver spoon lure and have never worn it diving again.

It is a heck of an investment, my wife bought mine years ago (10ish) and it has appreciated greatly. Now it only goes out if I am going to a Christmas party or going to vegas. I like wearing it and a Carolina panthers tee shirt when I gamble for luck.

For what it is worth, I wouldn't get one for diving, nor for keeping accurate time. But if the zombie apocalypse comes, you have a watch that you can shake every day and have it keep ticking. A lot of those other watches eventually run out of battery
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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