Rolex and Handgun Shooting

John Joseph · Jun 21, 2020

While a passenger on an ageing airliner somewhere in the third world I struck up a conversation with the only other American on the flight, a State Dept employee, about high end watches.
"The thing about having a gold watch," he told me," is that it's worth some serious money if you have to pawn it."

Mosin77 · Jun 21, 2020

HiDive said:
I understand where you are coming from but, there is a lot wrong here and this is not really a watch forum so I will not write a paper on diving watches here. Let me just say that I have been a professional commercial diver since getting my Associates degree in Marine diving technology in the early 1970's I have worked around the country and in South America on offshore oil platforms of various types and have Saturation Diving experience in up to 200 meters; as well as construction of piers and work in and around nuclear power plants. I have owned Rolex and other high end watches since the early 1970's and have since earned a degree in engineering with extra studies in fluid dynamics, presenting papers to the ASME on that subject. I still work as a diver today supervising divers at my company here in Hawaii. I doubt if many 30 meter rated watches will function at 30 meters even brand new. Rolex watches are each tested to well past the depth that they are rated for and can function at their rated depth when they are in good condition. Any device that is not in good shape can fail to do it's intended function if not properly maintained. Moving your arm through the water does not generate any significant or measurable extra pressure or strain on the seals of a watch. Your average Rolex is rated to 330 feet and most can do that although it is not recommended for non-divers models. I have taken my GMT master to over 100 feet without any hesitation, while modern Submariners are rated to 1000 feet and will go there and beyond, the Seadweller is rated to 4000 feet and the Deepsea is rated to 12800. Each of them is tested to past their respective rated depths and will go there if needed. Rolex even constructed a special Deepsea model that has been to the deepest spot in the oceans; the Mariannas trench at 35814 feet deep. Omega has also made a watch that went there. Both were advertising stunts but also extreme engineering feats in their own rights. The deepest that a man in diving gear that is not atmospheric has bee is around 1550 feet. There are probably less than a couple of hundred divers in the world that are qualified in saturation diving to near that depth today. I could go on for a couple of pages but this is it.

I was simplifying a little bit, because I think it’s important for people to know not to take those ratings at face value. Rolex uses very elaborate equipment to simulate the pressure at a given depth and test their watches for leakage. However, not every watch with a given rating, from every high-end maker, is so-treated. And just because it left the factory a certain way doesn’t mean it will still be as water resistant after a few years, or after a tuneup from the local watchmaker, official or no. (I have seen 10 year old dive watches whose crystal gaskets literally crumbled to dust at the touch. I doubt they’d withstand a dip in the bathtub, still less 50 fathoms.)

That said, a Rolex rep explained the physics to us in that way once (forces when swimming) so I apologize if that’s bad science. I do know that many thousands of “divers watches” require service every year after their owners get them full of seawater. They are what they are, and, like a gun, don’t do well when not dealt with according to their design.

They’re well made timepieces but being fundamentally delicate mechanisms, they domt thrive on abuse, whether it be water or shock and vibration. They’re engineered to be resistant to these things, but not necessarily impervious. (Golf seems to regularly do in high end watches too.)

HiDive · Jun 21, 2020

As a professional Diver I had Rolex watches serviced on average every 5 to 6 years and never had an issue. I have over 10,000 hours in the water or under pressure. Never had a watch fail from diving other than a 50 meter rated citizen but I should not have taken it to 100 feet. I have been diving more hours and at deeper depths than at least 99.9% of people with dive watches. I have owned probably 40 + mechanical watches from various makers from Seiko to Girard Perregaux. Zero failures due to water intrusion. I have had a couple need repair because I crashed on my bike with them on, so I don't wear a watch while biking any longer. Every other activity is no problem. And yeah the Rolex Rep was wrong. I had a collegue run some numbers on the best way that we could figure any hydrodynamic force on a watch seal and it was nominal; my experience bears that out.

Paul7 · Jun 21, 2020

John Joseph said:
While a passenger on an ageing airliner somewhere in the third world I struck up a conversation with the only other American on the flight, a State Dept employee, about high end watches.
"The thing about having a gold watch," he told me," is that it's worth some serious money if you have to pawn it."

Gold or not, a Rolex can always get you money anywhere in the world if you need it.

HPJeep · Jun 23, 2020

A friend wore his Rolex while racing motorcycles. The hands fell off due to the vibration. Don't know which model it was or the age of his watch. This happened back in the early 1990s.

Speedo66 · Jun 23, 2020

I wore my Sub while using a Hilti concrete breaker and had no problems. Might be the individual watch.

Overall, Rolex's are one tough watch.

Arkansas Paul · Jun 23, 2020

Paul7 said:
Gold or not, a Rolex can always get you money anywhere in the world if you need it.

I forget where I read it but I have heard the stainless Rolexs actually hold their value more than the gold ones.
Don't know how true that is, but I remember being surprised to hear it.
I'm talking about the percentage of the purchase price you can get back a few years down the road.

HiDive · Jun 23, 2020

Arkansas Paul said:
I forget where I read it but I have heard the stainless Rolexs actually hold their value more than the gold ones.
Don't know how true that is, but I remember being surprised to hear it.
I'm talking about the percentage of the purchase price you can get back a few years down the road.

This is quite true depending on the model. If you try to go buy a stainless Submariner, GMT Master, Seadweller and maybe one or two others they will be very hard to find as they usually put you on a waiting list to get one. Once your watch is available you may be able to resell it for significantly more than you paid for it. There are resellers (grey market) dealers on the internet right now selling the GMT Master like this one for $17495 where a buyer at an authorized dealer will pay $9700. I could have easily resold mine in new condition and made at least $5000 on the spot. I could still sell it for a $3000 to $4000 profit after a year or so of use. If the model were discontinued or significantly changed the value would go up and continue to increase even faster. The gold and platinum models are significantly more expensive to start with and not as popular. They may increase over a longer period of time but never at the rate of the most popular stainless sport models.

Speedo66 · Jun 24, 2020

Rolex sport watches, as mentioned, are more difficult to find than the dressier models. Perhaps people feel the dress models require, yes, you be more dressed up, while the sport watches can be worn any time.

crazydice · Jun 24, 2020

I used to wear my sea dweller to the range without any problems ( shooting 9mm , .40s&w , .45acp , .357 magnum and even .44 and .50ae back in the day )

The last couple of years i wear a apple watch except for special occassions where i wear my precious

I was not too fond of certain people noticing the watch and making remarks.

splattergun · Jun 24, 2020

Koroner said:
People still wear watches?

Thats sooooo twentieth century. The wrist watch was invented for WWI fighter pilots who couldn't hassle with a pocket watch without endangering their lives.

fixed it for ya
It's a lot quicker and simpler than dragging out my phone just to check the time. There is a reason wrist watches quickly replaced pocket watches. To be fair, I have a few pocket watches, too. I prefer them to using my phone as a timepiece as well. They have a lot more style and class.

Koroner · Jun 24, 2020

Actually I think Tiffany made the first wristwatch in 1908.
I doubt that in the middle of a dogfight a pilot cares what time it is.

HiDive · Jun 25, 2020

Speedo66 said:
Rolex sport watches, as mentioned, are more difficult to find than the dressier models. Perhaps people feel the dress models require, yes, you be more dressed up, while the sport watches can be worn any time.

The Divers in general just fit my needs better and although I used to have a two tone (18K Gold and Stainless) GMTII Master I just did not like it that much. I ended up trading for a Rolex Deepsea. The solid Gold models are just too flashy for my taste and not as functional. My wife still has a two tone Ladies Datejust.

splattergun · Jun 25, 2020

Koroner said:
Actually I think Tiffany made the first wristwatch in 1908.
I doubt that in the middle of a dogfight a pilot cares what time it is.

Yes, Mr. Tiffany made the 1st wrist watch at the request of his friend, a pilot. At that time, aerial navigation was Dead Reckoning, requiring a good timepiece if you wanted any kind of accuracy. Aerial bombing strikes also had to be carefully timed with ground assaults. A quick glance at the wrist is a lot safer than fumbling around with a pocket watch when keeping your head on a swivel was the difference between life or death.

hemiram · Jul 2, 2020

I got one of those blue faced Seiko watches that look a lot like a Rolex for Christmas when I was 14. A friend of mine got a punching bag and I went over there and punched away at if, and I really wailed on it, and the mainspring broke and away went the Seiko for a few weeks for warranty repair. I put it away and didn't wear it for a long time, and I put it on one day, and was throwing the ball for my dog, and I guess I threw too hard and broke it again. I still have it, like 50 years later, but never got it fixed.

Speedo66 · Jul 2, 2020

hemiram said:
I got one of those blue faced Seiko watches that look a lot like a Rolex for Christmas when I was 14. A friend of mine got a punching bag and I went over there and punched away at if, and I really wailed on it, and the mainspring broke and away went the Seiko for a few weeks for warranty repair. I put it away and didn't wear it for a long time, and I put it on one day, and was throwing the ball for my dog, and I guess I threw too hard and broke it again. I still have it, like 50 years later, but never got it fixed.

Curious about your watch. Unable to PM you, could you PM me? Thanks

JDR · Jul 2, 2020

Paul7: said:
[I've seen Larry Vickers and others shooting I've seen Larry Vickers and others shooting on TV wearing a Rolex.on TV wearing a Rolex./QUOTE]

I like LV, I have his WC Vickers Elite sights on my G17 and G19, and I’ve seen videos where he and Ken Hackathorn are wearing their Rolies while shooting. I keep mine at home and wear the Seiko or the Swatch at the range.

S&W620 · Jul 2, 2020

I wear my Omega PO shooting all the time, no issues at all.

Like guns, people worry far more than they should about watches breaking than actually enjoying their purchases.

If something happens, I’ll have it repaired. Guns, watches, whatever. I don’t buy nice, well made stuff to sit on a shelf.

S&W620 · Jul 2, 2020

As far as Rolex specifically, if you can afford the watch you can afford to have it serviced in the rare instance it’s needed.

hemiram · Jul 4, 2020

Speedo66 said:
Curious about your watch. Unable to PM you, could you PM me? Thanks

I can't seem to PM you either but it's like this, but slightly different. It got put into a box when I moved in '17, and I have no idea where it is exactly, but it's here someplace..Mine doesn't say "Solar" on it, and the blue is probably a bit lighter, but it's pretty close. It's an automatic winder.

MaxP · Jul 4, 2020

Paul7 said:
If anybody here owns a Rolex, do you shoot with it, or with any other high end mechanical watch? Was wondering if the recoil shock would harm anything. I've seen Larry Vickers and others shooting on TV wearing a Rolex.

I posted this on the Rolex forum but some snowflake moderator took it down.

Not a Rolex, but my Omega Speedmaster has endured a truckload of heavy recoiling revolver loads. I can’t imagine your Rolex won’t do the same.

TonyAngel · Jul 4, 2020

I didn't know what was going on at the time, but it appears that I killed a Rolex Explorer and a Tag Carrera by wearing them while shooting. Well, they weren't dead, but did require surgery. Oddly, my relatively "inexpensive" Muhle Glashutte S.A.R. has been impervious to whatever I've thrown at it. It's my favorite watch. I just wish the straps didn't wear out so quickly.

John Armstrong · Jul 4, 2020

I have a Rolex submariner, I’ve only shot it with 300 win. Magnums, and 7mm rem mag... I’m wanting to buy a hand gun (hence why I’m in this forum), if you are afraid and are just plinking , just take it off and put it in your pocket. I got mine for graduating UNC Chapel Hill. ($4,500) the same exact watch today is over $10,000.... blows my mind (my mom wanted to buy me something special cause UNC is the 5th best public school in USA and has a state law saying 82% of the student body must be from NC.), plus my family doesn’t have any heirlooms so I wanted to be able to pass it on to my future son/daughter. Just play it safe and leave it at home, truck/car, or pocket ;-)

Speedo66 · Jul 4, 2020

hemiram said:
I can't seem to PM you either but it's like this, but slightly different. It got put into a box when I moved in '17, and I have no idea where it is exactly, but it's here someplace..Mine doesn't say "Solar" on it, and the blue is probably a bit lighter, but it's pretty close. It's an automatic winder.

Thanks for posting that!

Curious what model yours is. If you happen to come across it, be interested to know if a Seiko 6139-6005. It would be stamped on the back if it is.

Old Dog · Jul 6, 2020

I have absolutely nothing further of value to add to this thread, but I sure do like looking at pics of nice watches (thanks, HiDive, and were you ever a Navy diver? Had a buddy back in the day when we spent time out at Alfa Docks who was then getting in Rolex watches); also, we now know that guns and watches go together just as well as guns and knives and mac and cheese ...

Rolex and Handgun Shooting

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