2836-2 GMT hand not staying synched... can this be fixed?

[TK471]

First, I've read up and I know that the 2836-2 movement was not designed as a GMT. My GMT hand isn't staying synched with the main time -- falls behind a few hours a day. Is this something that can be fixed, or do I just have to learn to live with it. This is the incorrect hand stack version.

I've seen others without this problem, so just wondering.

Thanks in advance,

TK

[By-Tor]

Of course you're aware that the GMT hand takes 24 hours to make a "full circle"? i.e it's twice as slow as the hour hand.

I'm sure you are, but just in case...

[TK471]

Yes, I'm aware. But when I set it to three hours behind the main time, it should stay there, shouldn't it? It starts at 3 hours behind, then falls to 4, etc. This morning, I set it to 3 hours behind, so at noon here, it's 9 am on my GMT. By 2, the GMT hand was telling me that it was 10, so it had lagged to 4.

[Nightstroker]

Here is how I set my GMT....

1. Lets assume that todays date is the 15th....(Which it is)

2. With the crown....set the date on your watch to the 13th....

3. With the crown....now rotate the hour and minute hands untill the date changes to the 14th....

4. Continue to rotate the hour and minute hands untill the time reads 12:00 PM....and leave those hands directly lined up at the 12:00 position

5. Now....adjust the GMT hand to the correct position that corresponds to 12:00 PM....in other words....set the GMT hand to 12 on the bezel....(Which is located at 6:00)

6. Now....pull the crown back out to adjust the hour and minute hand and advance the hands to 12:00 AM....

When you complete step 6....the hour, minute and GMT hand will all be synchronized at 12:00 AM and the date will change to the 15th....

Now you can set the correct time and all is in order....

I have had great success with this method....and the GMT hand on my Rolex GMT rep does not fall behind anymore....

NS

Edited April 15, 2008 by Nightstroker

[By-Tor]

Weird. I've had a few of the correct stack movements, but never had that kind of problem.

The GMT hand might get stuck with the hour hand. Have you tried "rounding" the independent hour hand for a few full circles? Crown on the date set position -> turn anti-clockwise. Then again, round the both hands around the dial and play with them a little. The hand function on the correct stack GMT is a bit so and so... It might help.

PS: I've noticed that changing the local time backwards (minutes & hours) makes the GMT hand go out of sync. You can, however, return it back in sync when you play with the independent hour hand a little. The hands are a bit "wobbly" on my watch, but function perfectly.

@Nightstroker: Good advice, but not for this model. He's talking about the correct hand stack movement (hour hand adjustable) which functions like gen. You can't set the GMT hand independently on that one.

[Nightstroker]

@Nightstroker: Good advice, but not for this model. He's talking about the correct hand stack movement (hour hand adjustable) which functions like gen. You can't set the GMT hand independently on that one.

I was not aware that there was a GMT rep available that had an adjustable hour hand....thought that was genuine only....

Now that you have mentioned it....do you know who sells this watch?

NS

[TK471]

Weird. I've had a few of the correct stack movements, but never had that kind of problem.

The GMT hand might get stuck with the hour hand. Have you tried "rounding" the independent hour hand for a few full circles? Crown on the date set position -> turn anti-clockwise. Then again, round the both hands around the dial and play with them a little. The hand function on the correct stack GMT is a bit so and so... It might help.

PS: I've noticed that changing the local time backwards (minutes & hours) makes the GMT hand go out of sync. You can, however, return it back in sync when you play with the independent hour hand a little. The hands are a bit "wobbly" on my watch, but function perfectly.

@Nightstroker: Good advice, but not for this model. He's talking about the correct hand stack movement (hour hand adjustable) which functions like gen. You can't set the GMT hand independently on that one.

Thanks. This is a BK special, so the main time is keeping pretty spot on. I'll try and wind it around a few times to see if that helps.

[By-Tor]

You said this:

This is NOT the incorrect hand stack version.

Can BK source the correct hand stack version now?

I seriously doubt it, as it's completely out of production. You probably DO have the incorrect hand stack version. That means GMT hand under the hour hand.

If you do, my advice wasn't valid.

[TK471]

Ha, oh yes I do. I meant to type that this is NOT the correct hand stack version. makes a difference, don't it? Jeez, I really ought to proof read these things!

Yeah, it is definitely the incorrect hand stack. Which, again, I've always thought was pretty reliable.

[By-Tor]

I was not aware that there was a GMT rep available that had an adjustable hour hand....thought that was genuine only....

Yes, there is. HERE is one. It functions exactly like the gen, except that the date change follows the GMT hand, not local time.

Now that you have mentioned it....do you know who sells this watch?

Out of production. But the rumor has it that the new ceramic GMT will have a new version of the correct stack movement.

Ha, oh yes I do. I meant to type that this is NOT the correct hand stack version. makes a difference, don't it? Jeez, I really ought to proof read these things!

Yeah, it is definitely the incorrect hand stack. Which, again, I've always thought was pretty reliable.

Yes, they have been very reliable lately. I never had a single problem with those. You just have a bit of bad luck I guess... probably the GMT hand is loose or something?

[TK471]

I guess the question is now that it's established 1) that this is the incorrect hand stack; and 2) I am an idiot, is this something that can be fixed?

[By-Tor]

is this something that can be fixed?

My uneducated guess is that the GMT hand is loose and it's "slipping". I'm not any kind of expert though, I've heard about this problem before... but not with the recent GMT reps.

Everything can be fixed. Is it worth it, that's a different question. Perhaps Ziggy could advice?

[RWG Technical]

If I had to hazard a guess, the GMT hand is too close to the dial and rubbing against it and causing your problem. It's unlikely that the gear is an issue, it either works or it doesn't, teeth don't slip unless they are missing.

RG

[Nightstroker]

I guess the question is now that it's established 1) that this is the incorrect hand stack; and 2) I am an idiot, is this something that can be fixed?

Okay then....so now you can try my advice that is posted above....it worked well for me....

In the past when I had adjusted the GMT hand without adjusting the hour and minute hand the GMT hand would often get left behind after a couple of hours....but after setting the watch using the method I posted above I have never had a problem....

Give it a shot and let us know what happens....

NS

[Nightstroker]

Or not....