Rolex 1016 Explorer I restoration & service

Rolex 1016 service. This watch arrived at the workshop after spending several months lost outdoors.

This watch arrived needing some TLC. It is actually a good solid watch with just a little intervention it will once again be a very desirable timepiece.

The first thing to do is a good cleaning. We will clean manually using pegwood, followed by a first ultrasonic clean and a final rinse in the ultrasonic.

The watch is remarkably running well. The Oyster case has remained waterproof and protected the inside of the watch well. Here is a pre-service test. This watch has never been serviced since new. The movement is in excellent condition considering this. There is very little wear. It does require attenion before it can be put back into regular use. The winding system requires some attention and the pivots and escapement are very dry.

We strip the movement and it goes in the cleaning machine. Other than the cleaning we carry out no refinishing to the case or bracelet. This type of work would be inappropriate for an important collectors watch like this.

The glass is polished using polywatch and 3 grades of wet & dry. This allows us to improve the look whilst retaining the original glass.

The watch is re-cased and a post service test is carried out. The watch now has a great amplitude, keeps good time, the escapement is set up correctly and the winding system is fully operational again. This screen shot shows the regulation process, we move the mounting point of the hairspring until we have one single line and the watch is in beat.

If you have a similar watch which requires attention please get in touch. Our Rolex servicing costs £395 and the work is covered by a 2 year warranty.

If you'd like to review this service in greater detail it can be seen on our new YouTube channel.