A fix for CLEAN low VS3135 datewheel

[KJ2020]

Something like this one?

3135-600 Date Seating- fit for Rolex. Very high quality! Perfect compatibility | eBay

3135-600 Date Indicator Seating- fit for Rolex Caliber.

www.ebay.com

I used this vendor

Watch Repair Generic 3135-600 Seating for Date Indicator Replacement for 3135 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Watch Repair Generic 3135-600 Seating for Date Indicator Replacement for 3135 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

His includes the date jumper spring. Also after messaging him about the specific issue, he claimed to have available either a DD (VS) or an SH (VR) part. So I asked for the SH part. If it works, I will order two more for my total of three affected VS3135s.

 

[Chroad]

I used this vendor

Watch Repair Generic 3135-600 Seating for Date Indicator Replacement for 3135 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Watch Repair Generic 3135-600 Seating for Date Indicator Replacement for 3135 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

His includes the date jumper spring. Also after messaging him about the specific issue, he claimed to have available either a DD (VS) or an SH (VR) part. So I asked for the SH part. If it works, I will order two more for my total of three affected VS3135s.

Cool… keep us posted. Looking forward to what you learn.

 

[KJ2020]

I used this vendor

Watch Repair Generic 3135-600 Seating for Date Indicator Replacement for 3135 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Watch Repair Generic 3135-600 Seating for Date Indicator Replacement for 3135 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

His includes the date jumper spring. Also after messaging him about the specific issue, he claimed to have available either a DD (VS) or an SH (VR) part. So I asked for the SH part. If it works, I will order two more for my total of three affected VS3135s.

UPDATE:
Using the SH/VR date plate from the vendor above, I was able to achieve a normally centered DW. But there is a caveat - more on that later.

First let me state that in all the previously posted VS pics and the first two repeated here below (blue dial), the DW used is a Raffles aftermarket. It was changed to that to see if it would fix the stock VS movement / date plate / DW flaw that is the topic of this thread. The change to this known good DW did not fix the flaw.

The replacement SH/VR date plate was installed to the VS3I35. While I was at it, and thinking it would be fine I reinstalled the stock VS DW to the new SH/VR date plate.

Initially I was like Yay it's fixed!

But after rotating through some dates I saw that dates on the other side of the DW were low again, WTF

After examining the VS DW again it appears to me that its bare outer perimeter rim (common to nearly all clone DWs) allows for some looseness of fit within the DW detent. This permits the DW to shift high or low during its rotation depending on which anchor post is tighter or where the wheel is slightly thicker, etc.

So I switched the Raffles aftermarket DW back in and it does not exhibit this issue, all the dates are adequately centered. The Raffles 3135 DW is quite nice, which is why I have it. In fact I bought it for this very movement. It's also painted all the way to the edge, making that last 0.5mm thicker than a rep DW so there is less looseness.

So there it is - it took me BOTH a VR date plate and a different DW to get a complete fix. Pretty sad but we do what we gotta do, right? Nowadays I immediately look at DWs in rep pics with a VS3135 and there are a lot of low sitting dates out there. DD needs to step up its game in this area.

 

[MoD2Franken]

@KJ2020 : following your thread, excellent as always - thank you !

In this context could you pls share your opinion:
1) what in detail makes the Raffles better compared to VS & VR
2) how / with what you painted the Raffles outer edge

 

[KJ2020]

@KJ2020 : following your thread, excellent as always - thank you !

In this context could you pls share your opinion:
1) what in detail makes the Raffles better compared to VS & VR
2) how / with what you painted the Raffles outer edge

It's just a very well printed product. Datewheels are pad printed, a very interesting technology. It requires a stencil called a cliche, through which ink is squished with a flexible ink-soaked pad. The cliches are laser cut so incredibly small details are possible. A clean cliche with good quality ink gives crisp prints but the cliche also has to have the detail (like serifs) to really look great. At least the batch my Raffles DW came from is one of the best I've ever seen. I go as far as to say with one of these there's no need to pay for a gen DW.

The base DW gets painted white first, then the black fonts are added. I did not paint the Raffles DW, it came the way you see it. IDK why most rep clone DWs don't have painted edges or teeth, it seems like it would be a lot easier to just paint the whole DW but it's done by computer with exact placement jigs so probably a cost cutting measure. The extra thickness of the Raffles DW perimeter is probably hundredths of a mm but it's enough to make the difference in this example. The sides of the teeth being painted also can't hurt in providing stability around the date jumper.

 

[heska]

Bumping this thread for a side issue.
I have one of these dreaded VS. Annoying but I have a gen and a Vr datewheel plate around. Unfortunately I ran in another issue: it’s impossible to unscrew the date plate :/ ( where it’s ok with other movement and the same force/screwdriver).
Has anyone ever got the same problem?

 

[Slugger]

My old VSF Yachtmaster’s date has the same problem. I‘ve been pretending it doesn’t bug me but thanks to @KJ2020 and his deep dive (so I don’t have to) I’ve now got another project on my list.

 

[KJ2020]

Bumping this thread for a side issue.
I have one of these dreaded VS. Annoying but I have a gen and a Vr datewheel plate around. Unfortunately I ran in another issue: it’s impossible to unscrew the date plate :/ ( where it’s ok with other movement and the same force/screwdriver).
Has anyone ever got the same problem?

I have had some screws that just wouldn't budge before, never from a date plate though. You could try putting a tiny drop of thick oil on it (HP-1300 / D-5) after removing the DW. The oil shouldn't go anywhere harmful and is easily cleaned away afterward.

If that doesn't loosen it up, the next option would be to drill it out with a micro drill bit in a pin vise. I've done this many times, the screw will eventually disintegrate or get caught tightly enough in the bit to be able to be backed out with it. Just be careful not to bugger up the threads in the movement below. Start the hole in the screw head with a tiny bit, then move up to a larger diameter bit which is still smaller than the screw shank.

 

[heska]

Hi @KJ2020 ! I have a similar issue with a VS (in fact with two VS), but with a gen datewheel (a vintage one. Not an open 6&9 but a serif one that rougly come just after. I find it weird because I didn't had problem with a third VS that I bought at the same time. The only difference is I'm using a newer Datewheel on the third movement. Dates are on the lowish side the first day, and become very low around 10 until 20, then nearly normal around 30. Could my issue be datewheel related, like your VS vs Raffles datewheel?

 

[KJ2020]

Hi @KJ2020 ! I have a similar issue with a VS (in fact with two VS), but with a gen datewheel (a vintage one. Not an open 6&9 but a serif one that rougly come just after. I find it weird because I didn't had problem with a third VS that I bought at the same time. The only difference is I'm using a newer Datewheel on the third movement. Dates are on the lowish side the first day, and become very low around 10 until 20, then nearly normal around 30. Could my issue be datewheel related, like your VS vs Raffles datewheel?

I think the biggest issue causing the VS3135 low dates has to be the date jumper being slightly mis-positioned. This would be a programming error in the template for cutting the date plate.

The other two main calendar parts (finger and corrector) just push the DW forward but the jumper is what fixes it in position. The date plate itself can't be wrongly machined to be rotated clockwise because of the inner screw and the jewel that fits the intermediate date wheel. So that only leaves the jumper being slightly misplaced clockwise on the date plate.

On the one movement where you don't have the issue I can only suggest it's a different batch date plate and the date jumper is positioned correctly. Because if the low date flaw is present it shouldn't matter what DW you use, it's still going to be there.

The outer perimeter of the DW being bare (thin) or inked (thick) will affect its looseness or tightness under the 4 retaining post discs. An older DW may have a thinner perimeter from being made that way or from age /wear so it's looser in the seat. Honestly anymore I would go straight to a VR date plate or just use a VR movement.

 

[heska]

Thanks KJ for your dedication!

I have in my parts drawer all of that. A VR datewheel, a full VR movement, and even a gen date plate. Weirdly enough I had problems fitting the date plate on another VS movement (The one I was taking about there: https://forum.replica-watch.info/th...s3135-datewheel.10992597/page-2#post-11982293 , I finally get a way to remove the VS datewheel). When installed the date wouldn't flip when turning the day a full swing. But it's an used part that I bought something like 7 years ago, and didn't service or lubricated since...
Any way thanks for your helpfull and very detailed help, I will try all of that. And i'll keep this updated! Not soon but as fast as I can.

Best,
SK