A drop of Loctite threadlocker will save your Rolex from dropping!

This is an accident to get scratches on another friend's beloved GMT Master II,

Since this is new, I suggested him to bring to RSC for FREE Polishing!

 Loctite 242 threadlocker

Have you noticed that your Rolex watch pin for locking up the links were added a drop of threadlocker?

That tiny drop of threadlocker could save your expensive Rolex from loosening and or drop out!

Today my colleague's new GMT Master Black blue was dropped,  luckily onto the carpet!

Simply the Korean Rolex shop staff did not put any threadlocker onto the pin when he bought his watch at Seoul Airport.

In Hong Kong, there are shops don't apply Loctite onto your Rolex. There are also Rolex AD to put Loctite after bracelet lenght adjustment.

I would recommend you to use as the Threadlocker is not adhesive, it prevents pins or screws being loosened. It will not corrode the gold pins or stainless steel pin of your Rolex bracelet. Same for Roger Dubuis, the shop manager at PP helped me to add Loctite too to ensure the massive watch case won't be separated from the leather strap due to loosened gold pin!

Next time, remind your Rolex shop to do it after bracelet length adjustment.

I listen to Aus Pron Star's advice to apply Loctite 242 is it is would not seized on all fine screw Rolex bracelet pin.

As for my big Roger Dubuis, I used Loctite 262 which is a stronger threadlocker as the pin is much thicker and would be unscrewed without difficulties.

 

HK Snob

How to Start using your Rolex Watch after Purchase?

Friends of mine came to me asking why is Rolex is not running after he has bought it from Rolex AD!

By Rolex Suggestion

When watch has been stopped fully for more than two days.

It will be necessary to manually wind your newly purchased watch before wearing in order to fully charge the movement and to guarantee that it will run properly.

Unscrew the crown to the winding position and turn the crown clockwise approximately 40 times. Don’t forget to screw the crown back in tightly before wearing.

It applies not just Rolex, but other mechanical Movement Auto Watches.

HK Snob
Watch Fever

What's Wrong with my Rolex!?

What defects you have seen over the years.

Rolex and you are proud of the Reliability and quality of the Swiss greatest watch, however there are s still some of the naught boys that has discipline issues....

There are a lot of defects we have seen over the years, these are some of them.

The Whole movement has been forced to rotated 90- degrees such that the Rolex Corona is at Three O’clock side after sever drops of the Rolex on the concrete floor. (Repair by replaced the crown pin and movement lock up screw).

The second hand touches the minutes hand and cause the watch to stop- Severe Shock impaired on the watch. (Replace the second hand, or re-install the loosed second hand)

The watch is simply inaccurate- The watch was magnetized under strong magnetic flux. (could be demagnetized with a special watch demagnetizer)

The Watch does not change date at mid night. (Replace some of the mechanical parts or spring at the date disk.)

The watch gains like 3 minutes a day – the spring coil stuck together or the coil was deformed.

(Change the coil spring assembly, or clean off the lubricant accidentally fall on the spring and re-install it again)

The Hour Indicator drops out- As show on one of the Famous Fung Shui master in Hong Kong on his new Yacht master. Change a new dial or simple fix a new hour indicator on the dial)

The Screw crown thread was badly worn out- caused by improper way to screw up the crown. (change the crown pin and crown slot as it’s crew thread may be worn off already)

The Crown was broken- some new Rolex users does not know that we need to unscrew the crown before we can adjust the watch, they use Plier to turn and adjust the crown that causes damage breakage – I heard the client talked to Rolex people about this some 25 years ago at Rolex Service Centre. (Change new Crown)

Watch vapors could be seen under the crystal. (leakage due to improper use of wrong o-ring diameter, old ring worn off, clean the movement, replace with new o-ring and gasket, add some silicon grease before tighten up the cover. Check under pressure flask for water proof)

Dial is found micro crack. The most heart-burnt defect that happened on your beloved REF1803 Stella Red Dial! (No way to be repaired, only be replaced only if Rolex has spare, but I think they will charge you HKD$30,000 a piece!)

It stops not long later after I pick up from the shelf that the watch has been left untouched for months (we should manual winding up min. 20 times before put it on your wrist for auto winding to gain its power to run the watch, it applies to all Auto-winding watch, not just Rolex) It the watch still cannot run more than 40 hours after wearing for 8 hour, you may need to send to Rolex Service Centre to have a health Check or cleaning)

The Rolex starts to slow for more than 7 seconds a day. (time to clean the Rolex at RSC)

HK Snob

How to prevent your Expensive Watch being Scratched!?

                A BWM being scratched by some one at BMW Boutique  I saw Last Week

                                                            A badly scratched Oyster Bracelet

Wear an Old torn Jean, why not wear an old scratched watch?

When I was young I used not to wear brand new shoes as classmate will find a way an excuse to step on them, especially the White Sport shoes (白飯魚) we used to painted it white by “White Rabbit Paint”.

Stonewashed jean

Jean manufacturer uses Laser to burn the jean create some random worn-out pattern on it, put them into an industrial washing machine and stonewash put in the washers with tennis ball sized pumice stones. The pumice stones are lightweight and have a sandpaper-like surface, as the fabric tumbles through the wash, the pumice stones scrape away some of the dyed surface threads, allowing the lighter colored threads to show through. That is ways to make the jean look old and worn off.

So How about your watch I think no one need a Stonewashed Watch, I am sure. If you want, you can follow the same method to handle your jean.

Why one is so cautious not to make any scratches on your watch?

Do you like your expensive watch to have scuffs and Scratches!?

People do:

1.       Stick on the Buckle of Rolex with 3M Transparent tape, many people does.

2.       Put a transparent Nitto transparent tape on the Crystal

3.       There was product that like the Face Mask of the Kando to put onto the Watch to stop impact and scratches from Casio in the 80s.

4.       Dragon Shield WIPE-ON ARMOR Nano Liquid Screen Protector (2 ml) it is abrasive proof but the goods is discontinued.

5.       Casio Protrek PRW-2000Y Screen Protector 34mm

I believe no one likes, and as a matter of fact many people does not wear it because so afraid of being be SCARCTHED buy some other people…

So most of people does not like watch being scratched, some of them keep them in the dark cold safe. But I think we can use it everyday, with some of the prevention we can avoid serious scratches or dents, which is un-repairable, thin hair line scratches can always be polished and removed in the Watch Service Centre.

Since Rolex watch glass is Sapphire which is very hard and scratches resistive, only the case is prone to be scratched.

People say my watch look like new even after many year of usage. Simply I care about it and Pay attention on it.

Don’t

Rub, clean with tissues paper, Shirt as it is embedded with tiny abrasive particle that would scratched your polished watch.

Blow off the sand on your watch after going to beach water it under lukewarm water and soap before it is cleaned by cloth, or he sand particle will scratch your watch and leaving permanent scars.

But a Sheep skin at about HKD$180 that is being used for watch cleaning. It could be washed clean, dry and re-use… the best for cleaning your watch.

Don't Drop your hand with the Expensive watch moving in the MTR, I used to put my wrist with my watch placed in front of my belly. Sometimes I cover the watch with my Right Palm.

Don’t close the door of the car using your left hand, friend of mine had a thin Concord of about 2mm thick banned by the door of the Taxi and the watch was bent!

If possible use your hand holding the handle of the MTR or train as it is safe when the watch it is up.

Beware backpacker’s backpack which can easily chip away 5 micron or more of gold from your watch surface when it was swung and hit on your watch purposely or unintentionally.

HK Snob

How to Maintain Your Valuable Watches

Watch is a time piece and as the same time an accessory, to reflect our taste, personality, style and that is more or less like the shoe of a Japanese, whereby we can tell how is his society status…
A good leather shoes require maintenance, as for your watch that is more or less your identification, Icon, or trade mark of you…
In order to keep your watch running smoothly, accurately quietly.. Reliably; you have to pay some attention to the maintenance…
Well, some one told me watch does not need maintenance at all as they are made of scratch proof material, they are water proof., and shock proof by the intrinsic Incabloc or whatever design of shock absorbent mechanism…
Well that may be wrong as we have to pay attention on preventive maintenance in order to prolong the life and to reduce any damages of the watch.
This is my experience on watch maintenance.
Watch Winder
Many people told me that the watch has to be in operation condition perpetually, as the mechansim will be smooth when they are using frequently. Well, as for a Mechanical watch, the life time, the wearing of the spindle, bearing are directly proportional to the length of active state of the watch. I do not suggest to keep the watch in moving condition all the time by means of the Auto watch winder... as more it runs, more it wears more and more the lubricant will be tend to be thickened and dried out.. And the watch will go SLOW after certain period of time.
Even if you have a watch that you do not want to use for a period of time, you should take it out and let it run on the Auto Watch Winder for a couple of days. This will ensure the lubricant is in Liquidous condition , rather than in Solidified condition.
A Proper watch winder is a good tool to keep an automatic watch in running condition, as it has in a programme to move the rotor in Clockwise and then anticlockwise direction. It would not exert too much pressure on the rotary s it utilize the Gravity attraction to keep the rotor moving, some people does like to SWING the watch by hand vigorously. That may exert too much pressure on the tiny bearings around the rotator and that don’t do well to the watch at all. Beside, a proper watch winder should be magnetic leak proof...

Accuracy monitoring for proper lubrication condition
I had an AP which I bout it 25 years ago, it is so precise and accurate, it gains a few second a week. And after so may years it still gains a few second a week. That is an indication on the viscosity of the lubrication., as time goes by, the lubrication oil inside the watch will tend to dry out and that will create extra friction to the wheels and gears. The Watch will go SLOW... So a new watch should be adjusted a bit gain few seconds every day. It will go slower very two to three year hence we can estimate that this watch will lose time after another 5 years. That mean the lubrication oil is becoming thicker, the friction is becoming higher. And the micro metal wear off debris is accumulating.. It is time for you to send it to the watch service centre for Proper Overhaul. Back to my AP I have never put it to the AP service centre as it is still very accurate... still. Normally we recommend sending your watch to the Service centre every 5 to 7 year for inspection and or overhaul.
Regular cleaning
The Rolex hand book advises you to use soap and Luke warm water to clean your watch say every month as
The watch will tend to accumulate a lot of dirt, dust, sweat, skin tissues, fibre, germs...etc at the pins; lock, shoulder area., It is advise to first lock up the watch tighter crown and use Luke warm water and soap to leather., then rinse it under running water.. The dry it in some kind of soft cotton cloth. Normal I clean my Rolex every three days as I Sweat a lot. Do not use strong detergent, dish cleaner, alcohol, Acetone, or anything corrosive to clean your watch, only mild soap is allowed.

Waterproof and water resistant.
Do not think that your deep-Sea is absolute water tight., well, all depends on the condition of the o-ring on the crystal and the bottom cover plate.. We suggest that every time your have dived with your submariner. Try to use tap water to rinse the blime and salty mineral on your watch As even stainless steel can react with the salt. It will have some corrision on your case and gold. Send your water to the service centre for water proof check every two years if you are frequently diver, I normally send it to the service centre every 5 years.

Magnetization
Do not place your watch near by a loudspeaker, your hand phone bag as it has strong magnetic to hold the flapper, Unless your watch is Rolex Milgraus or IWC Engineer II, they are built to resist strong magnetic field interference, or your watch will be affected and will affect oats accuracy. Once if you find your watch is magnetized, go to the watch smith for demagnetization. It take a few second to do the job, following by an accuracy checker to take measurement on the time keep capability.

Lost of Lustre
The Gold will tend to lose its luster on curtain people skin as it normal will react with the secretion from your body, it will be passivated and lose the shining luster… There is a kind of jewellery cloth (Silbo Polishing cloth for jewelry) that can retain the shinnny lustre of the watch… Do not use abrasive Brasso, or some people use tooth paste to clean your watch tooth paste has some tiny abrasive substance can damage the gold watch.

Inspection on your watch every month
Check the pins, tiny screw lock on the strap very month as it tend to get loosed, if that happened your watch may drop accidentally, that will be total loss. Try to put some Screw Loctite or a tiny drop of AA fast glue at the screw thread of your screw to prevent it to get loosened. AA fast glue can be dissolved by Debonder in case you want to loose the screw and it will not cause any damages on the screw threads.

Protect your watch
I had a Rolex Crystal being crashed by a thick and heavy Stainless watch somewhere while I was walking..
I have seen also a Role Date Day crystal was being cracked when that botched man hits his with on the MTR exit gate. Immediately send to Rolex Centre for Inspection and repair.

Floggy Crystal
When your watch enter a warmer room from a outside, if you can see the crystal is frosted. That is 100% indicated that the watch is leaking and water vapor could enter the watch. You should immediately take it to the service centre for checking as if water is the watch’s enemy.

Heat
If you leave your watch at high temperature or nearby an oven or under hot sun for prolong time, the lubrication oil may be forced to dry out.. Although the Lubication oil was animal oil (whale) it will also be able to dry under high temperature it will shorten the time for your next Overhaul.

Shock proof
Only a few watch in the world can last for strong impact such as your watch is on your right hand while you are playing Golf,, The impact of the Golf club on the Golf will transmit the vibration onto the watch, that is not good to the watch… Note that most of the player is wearing on the left hand while he uses his right hand for golf!

Last but not least, try to take care on your time piece as this is an master piece of the Swiss watch master. If you take care of it properly, a good Swiss mechanical watch should work perfectly for a few hundred years!
HK Snob