This beautiful gents Rolex oyster perpetual date came in recently for a service. It has a gorgeous engineers bezel and the loveliest deep blue dial I’ve ever seen on one of these.

The caseback is typically Rolex meaning it’s completely undecorated.

With the back removed we can see it’s powered by the venerable calibre 3135, an automatic, 28.800bph movement with a Bregeut overcoil hairspring and Glucydur balance.

Once the movement is uncased and turned over you can see that beautiful dial and handset. The hands are lined up here ready for removal.

Underneath the dial are the calendar components which features a date change mechanism that snaps the date over instantly.

With the date ring removed the top plate can now be removed.

You then get a view of the gearing and keyless work. As usual with Rolex the plates are very well finished.

Once the dial side components are stripped the movement can be turned over to start on the motion work. I always remove the rotor and autowind mechanism before removing the movement from the case.

I’ve removed the balance bridge here which gives a view of the two brass screws that are used to adjust the balance end shake, very simple and very useful!

Farther into the strip down the wheel train is now on view.

It wasn’t too long before the movement was ready for cleaning and inspection.

A new mainspring was fitted, even though the amplitude was in the 270’s it’ll be a few more years before this is serviced again so it’s worth doing whilst it was apart.

Assembly starts with the mainspring barrel and centrewheel.

As it progresses the train an bridges are refitted.

The balance bridge is refitted, with the freshly lubricated end jewel and cap ready to install. Rolex uses a Glucydur balance which is a very stable and heavy material, and a Breguet overcoil hairspring which helps with isochronism.

That’s the motion work done, just the calendar side to reassemble now.

It’s ready for the top plate in this shot.

A quick check shows the date changes correctly and the quickset is functioning properly.

The dial and hands are next to be refitted.

The movement can then be recased….

….and the autowind mechanism rebuilt….

….and refitted.

The case was closed up and she’s ready for a few more years. I still can’t get over the beautiful deep blue of the dial, simply gorgeous!