Expert: Melvin Mills - 10/27/2009

Question
Hi
I am hoping you can help me out with this problem. I recently got a Rolex Oyster Perpetual for my wedding anniversary (bought from one of Rolex's authorized dealers and a very reputable store). I am having a problem with it. I wear it every day but i take it off when i get home from work (at about 6pm) and by the time i wake up the next morning, it has stopped working and I have to re-set the time for it to start working again. It looks like it stops working at about 5am. This happens every day. Is something wrong with my watch? I know you have to keep moving it for it to work, but it's only off for 11 hours and it shuts off. Is it because i don't wear it that long during the day (about 7 hours each day). Can you help? I'd like to know if it's me or if it's the watch that is the issue.
Thanks in advance,
-Susan

Answer
Ms. Susan,

What a wonderful gift! Congratulations.  

It is possible that there is something wrong with the watch.  Although it is not common to
have them broken right out of the box, it could happen in transit.

In good working order, it should have a power reserve well over 24 hours, depending on the model, probably around 36 hours.  

The watch remains wound up by the wearer moving her arm.  This begs the question: How active are you during the day?  It is quite common that as people become more sedentary, they don't move enough to power a self-winding watch.  That might be happening with you.  (it doesn't sound likely, however, because you are still working).

Try this: wind up the watch fully.  If it does not give an indication in the manual, try 40 rotations.  This will not hurt the watch.  You will not feel the watch get to a point where it cannot be wound anymore because the mainspring has a feature that prevents it from becoming overwound.  (this is not something you would want to do daily but for a test it is fine).

Now, set it down on your dresser (or anywhere safe) and leave it there until it stops running.  See how long that takes.  If it takes over 24 hours, you know that you are not being active enough to keep it running.  That is no problem.  Each morning before you put on the watch, wind it 3 times.  Each evening when you take it off, do the same.  That will be enough extra to get it through the ideal time when you are not wearing it.  

If it cannot remain running for 36 hours, there is something wrong.  You would want to take it back to the jeweler where you bought it.  I am sure you know that does not mean 36 hours to the minute.  It is probably better to write 36-ish hours.  Anywhere over 30 hours is fine.  It probably states in the manual what the power reserve is for your particular model.

Kind regards,

Melvin