Bokey TimeHello everyone, this is Bokey Watch Industry. If you want to buy a Rolex, you may be torn between choosing the 3135 movement and the 3235 movement. After reading this article, I believe you will get the most helpful answer on the entire network.
First of all, let’s take a look at the configuration table of the 3135 movement and the 3235 movement below:
From the configuration table, we can see that the difference between these two movements is not significant. The most obvious upgrade of the 3235 movement compared to the 3135 movement is the improvement in power reserve. The 3135 movement has a 48-hour power reserve, while the 3235 movement has a 70-hour power reserve.
However, observant friends will notice that the number and volume of the mainspring barrels of the 3235 movement have not increased, and the beat rate of the watch has not decreased. So why is the power reserve increased by more than 20 hours?
As we can see in the picture above, the structure and design of the 3135 movement and the 3235 movement are basically identical.
In fact, the secret to the improved power reserve of the 3235 movement lies in thinning and lengthening the mainspring, which allows for increased energy storage. However, this operation has led to two relatively major drawbacks in the 3235 movement.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Rolex 3235 movement?
First, when the 3235 movement is in a low-energy storage state, the daily error of the watch is large, and it is prone to inaccuracy. Because the strength of the mainspring is reduced, when the energy storage is low, the torque released by the mainspring cannot ensure the perfect operation of the movement at a beat rate of 28,800. This is one of the reasons why the 3235 movement tends to run slow. If you wear the watch for a sufficiently long time every day, this problem will not exist, but another problem will follow…
Second, after wearing the 3235 movement for two or three years, the amplitude of the movement will also decrease, which is also a problem caused by the strength of the mainspring. As we all know, lubricating oil has a lifespan. The lubricating oil in a new movement is very smooth, so the release strength of the mainspring can just meet the requirement for the gear train of this movement to run smoothly, and naturally the amplitude of the watch is high. It’s just that the error is not good when the energy storage is low. However, as you wear the watch for a longer time, the lubricating oil will gradually lose the lubricating effect it had when the movement was new. At this time, because the strength of the mainspring itself is low, it will cause the amplitude of the movement to drop. Eventually, the amplitude of the 3235 movement will drop very low after being worn for about two or three years, resulting in inaccurate daily errors.
If you are a seasoned Rolex enthusiast, you will notice that the 3135 movement shows almost no significant changes in amplitude and error even without maintenance for five years. This is because its mainspring has high strength; even if the lubricating oil is not as effective as it was initially, the strength of the mainspring will still drive the movement’s gear train to maintain a high amplitude. However, if the 3235 movement is not maintained for two or three years, the daily error will become increasingly large. Due to its low mainspring strength, it cannot function properly when the lubricating oil’s effectiveness declines. It can recover after maintenance, which is why the 3235 movement is more delicate and less accurate.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Rolex 3135 movement?
So, what are the drawbacks of the 3135 movement? The disadvantage of the 3135 movement lies in its pin-lever automatic rotor. During daily wear, the pin lever will gradually wear out, which is why the 3235 movement switched to using ball bearings. However, I personally don’t quite agree with this change.
As we all know, the rotor, as a semicircular rotating power device, will definitely exert force on its axis. No matter what fancy components you use, there will be wear and tear. Even if you switch back to the most traditional ball bearings, they will still loosen when they should and need to be replaced when necessary. It’s just that ball bearings have a longer service life and produce more noise. This is not a perfect solution, but just another form of compromise. If one really wants to excel, they should adopt a single-screw rotor design like that of Blancpain, which is a high-end solution that best balances noise reduction and durability.
After talking so much, do you feel that the pin-lever rotor of the 3135 movement isn’t really a significant flaw? In fact, I think it’s quite good. It’s really quiet during daily wear. It’s just slightly less durable compared to the pin-type rotor of Omega’s 8900 movement.
If you get regular maintenance once every three years, replace the lubricating oil, and prevent the pin lever and ruby sleeve from dry friction (which would thin the pin lever, cause the rotor to have play, and wear the edge of the movement), then there will be no problem. With proper maintenance, the replacement cycles of the 3135’s pin-lever bearing and the 3235’s ball bearing are actually quite similar. Don’t try to save money on maintenance. After all, isn’t the 3235 movement slowing down also a way of forcing you to get it maintained?
Now that we’ve talked about the movements, let’s finally discuss the reasons for choosing a watch model. If I had to choose, I would prefer a Rolex with the 3135 movement. Because I’m not a novice, I don’t blindly believe the official hype about the 3235 movement’s technological advancements, and I won’t spend more money just for the sake of face among Rolex fans—only to get a watch with a more noticeable crown at the 6 o’clock position on the dial.
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