Rolex has always been known for producing high-quality, reliable movements. We only have to glance at the brand’s current roster of movements to see that quality and functionality have been at the forefront of Rolex’s mechanical engineering over the past few decades.
The 3135 movement, launched in 1988, is the workhorse movement behind many models and a solid foundation for building complex functional movements such as second-time zone and day calendar. However, in recent years, the 3135 movement has gradually taken a back seat, and accordingly, the 32xx series has begun to shine. It is reported that the 31xx movement will be entirely replaced by the 32xx series in the next few years and completely withdraw from the stage of history. But a long time ago, before new movements took the stage, Rolex relied on the 15xx series to ensure accurate timekeeping.
Rolex 1575 movement
As far as automatic movements are concerned, Rolex 1575 is outstanding and covers all aspects. It is wearable, robust, elegant, and an excellent timekeeper. Interestingly, after these movements have been completely overhauled and left the Rolex service center, they will be sent to COSC for testing, and they can still maintain a daily error of -2/+2 seconds. This is nothing less than a technical feat for a movement produced in that era.
Rolex Caliber 1575: A Brief History
The 1575 movement came out in the mid-1960s. As a movement, its history is not grand. Rolex produced the 1575 movement because it needed a robust and reliable automatic watch. The 1575 movement has also completed its task.
The 1575 movement is improved from the 1560 movement. On this basis, the 1575 movement increases the vibration frequency to 2.75 Hz and adds a secondhand stop function. The most eye-catching is the addition of 4 hours of power reserve.
Rolex Caliber 1575: Specifications
The 1575 movement has a diameter of 28.2 mm, contains 25 jewels, has a date display function, and is equipped with a hairspring. Since functionality is top of mind for designers, something other than polish is something to write home about. The baseplate displays a speckled pattern, while the bridges feature a lightly-grained finish.
Functionality and ease of repair are the highlights of the 15xx series. The barrel bridge is sturdy but not bulky, and the barrel can be accommodated underneath. The gear train bridge also puts all gear trains under tight protection.
Of particular note is the escapement wheel’s shock-absorbing function. This feature is most commonly used on balance pivots but is unusual for escape wheels. There are also watches from other brands, but they are relatively rare and can only be found on the back and side of the watch, indicating that they are more for “show” than function. In the Rolex 1575 movement, the escape wheel can be seen from both sides of the dial and case back. The escapement wheel pivot is in excellent condition, and the extra protection plays a positive role. Today, most replica Rolex movements have a shock absorber on the escapement wheel.
The balance wheel is equipped with a star-shaped fine-tuning screw. The nut can be turned clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust the balance wheel inertia and watch speed. The 1575 movement uses a card-free balance wheel, so there is no need for an adjustment pin (speed needle). The adjusting pin changes the vibration period by controlling the effective length of the hairspring. This system has certain flaws. If the watch is impacted, the adjusting pin may shift, causing time errors. The card-free balance wheel does not have an adjustment pin and relies on its moment of inertia to achieve adjustment, so there is no such problem. Luxury replica watches.
The oscillating weight is large enough to complete the critical task of winding. The oscillating weight rotates around a central axis (rather than ball bearings) and is held in place by two rubies, reducing friction and improving performance. This design is also found in the Rolex 30xx and 31xx series movements. In addition to the pendulum and escape wheel shock absorbers, the instantaneous calendar function of the 15xx series is also still used by Rolex today.
First, let’s clarify something. Please note that the 1575 movement only has essential time and date display functions; accordingly, the 1575 GMT movement only has the GMT display function. In addition, when disassembling a watch equipped with the 1575 movement, you may find the word “1570” marked on the movement bridge plate. This situation is not necessarily incorrect; it is just something that would have happened in that era.
The date changes at midnight, jumping instantaneously with the help of cams, springs, and jewels. There is a cutout on the cam with embedded gems. When the time reaches midnight, the lever connected to the gemstone jumps into the cam cutout under force, causing the date to change precisely at midnight.
Rolex Caliber 1575: Conclusion
The 1575 movement is the kind of movement that watchmakers favor. This movement is relatively easy to build and repair; it still performs well decades after its production and never gets boring.
The 1575 movement is also a consumer-friendly movement. It has been accurate, stable, and reliable for years after leaving the factory. Caliber 1575 may not be the most elegant or visually appealing movement in history, but it does the job perfectly when it comes to performance.
Series: Day-Date
Case Size: 36mm
Brand: Rolex
Band Width: 20mm
Model: 118238
Gender: Men’s
Engine: Rolex Calibre 2836/2813
Case Thickness: 12mm