graf-fiti Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 So I've been trying to get acquainted with terminology and movement types, etc, and have seen multiple things about setting the date on a replica Rolex and what not to do. I just order my first rep, a Submariner, and need to know if there is anything special I need to do to set the date? I'm assuming I just wind the time setting screw forward until the date is correct? What's with all this talk about not setting the date between 8pm and midnight? So confused....I know jack crap about automatic watches. Sorry for the dumb question but like I said, this is my first rep, and I don't want to mess something up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Welcome to the board! We're never tough on newbs, that's for the other juvenile boards. We do it better here. Between 8:00 and midnight it's supposed to be jumping ahead to the next date and parts of the movement might be engaged that usually aren't. So during that time just let it click the date forward on its own, get those parts "put away" and then set the date to your heart's content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graf-fiti Posted March 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 thanks. so after that point it's just pull out the [censored] and turn the time forward until the correct date is displayed, correct? it's refreshing to not get attacked for asking beginner questions =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Yup, then if PM rotate the hands around until you pass 12:00 once then set time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graf-fiti Posted March 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 great. i ordered a few watches actually. just want to make sure i cover all precautions before first use.... anything else i should be aware of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Don't vintagize it by tossing it out in the driveway and driving over it... Don't trust water proof claims unless properly testedMake sure all of the bracelet screws are tight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 it's refreshing to not get attacked for asking beginner questions =) Nope that's not gonna happen here. There have been a couple ugly exchanges with newbs that come on here and act like total jerks. Well deserved, says I. But for the average Joe that pops in here and wants to just be part of this great place we call RWG ... welcome! Pull up a chair, crack open a tall one, and do some reading. There's a LOT of knowledge here. Oh and don't listen to the guy about running over a watch in the driveway. Nobody here would ever do something as heinous as that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Don't vintagize it by tossing it out in the driveway and driving over it... Elaboration...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjjoyce1 Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 So I've been trying to get acquainted with terminology and movement types, etc, and have seen multiple things about setting the date on a replica Rolex and what not to do. I just order my first rep, a Submariner, and need to know if there is anything special I need to do to set the date? I'm assuming I just wind the time setting screw forward until the date is correct? What's with all this talk about not setting the date between 8pm and midnight? So confused....I know jack crap about automatic watches. Sorry for the dumb question but like I said, this is my first rep, and I don't want to mess something up. Welcome aboard! All automatic watches with a date and or day function have 3 positions for the stem. The first is the winding position. This is when you just unscrew the crown and it's free from the tube. Pull the crown/stem out to the first click - or second position and you can manually set the date and or day if it has one. Turning the crown clockwise sets the date, counter-clockwise to set the day. All the gizmos that make that happen are on the movement even though the watch may not have a "day" feature. Pull the stem out to the second click - or third position - and you can set the time manually. You can also advance the hands manually past midnight and the date will change too. Now as Nanuq explained as the time approaches midnight - in some movements as early as 9pm - the date change mechanism starts to engage and do it's thing. Technically speaking, the date wheel has teeth on it. Each flick of these teeth advances the date one day. There is a spring which puts a bit of tension on the teeth so a.) it only advances one day at a time, b.) doesn't change freely and c.) puts tension against the mechanism that changes the date at midnight. There is a gear moved by the hour gear called the calendar wheel. It has a foot on it that at midnight will flick the date wheel tooth and change the date. Now imagine a slingshot. As midnight approaches, you start pulling back on the slingshot until at 11:59 you are ready to fire - This is what is happening of sorts with the calendar gear. At midnight that tension is released and the firing of the slingshot changes the date. Unlike a slingshot, though, the calendar gear mechanism is still around the teeth of the date wheel, until about 3am on some movements. So if you try to change the date manually between these times, hopefully you can envision all the tension and mechanisms you are manually overcoming to do it. That's why things can get hurt. Was that clear as mud? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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