Rolex Movement & Calibers

A Rolex movement, or any other watch movement, is the heart of the watch. It's the mechanism that moves the hands and powers any complications, such as a chronograph, annual calendar or a dual time zone. The specific parts of a Rolex movement can vary depending on the model and the complications, but the basic components are similar across most mechanical watches.

Rolex Movement Parts

Here are some of the key parts:

1. Main Spring: This stores the energy that powers the watch. When fully wound, the spring slowly uncoils and releases energy to drive the movement.

2. Gear Train: This is a series of interconnected gears that transfer the energy from the mainspring to the escapement. The gears also control the rotation of the hour, minute, and second hands.

3. Escapement: The escapement takes the energy from the gear train and releases it in controlled, regular amounts. This is what makes the "ticking" sound in a mechanical watch.

4. Balance Wheel: This part swings back and forth at a constant rate, usually 28,800 times an hour in Rolex watches, to control the rate at which the escapement releases energy.

5. Jewels: These are synthetic rubies used as bearings to reduce friction and wear on the moving parts. Rolex movements typically contain between 31 and 39 jewels.

6. Oscillator: It includes the balance wheel and the hairspring, which are responsible for the precision of the watch.

7. Automatic Winding Mechanism: In automatic watches like many Rolex models, this mechanism uses the movement of the wearer's wrist to wind the mainspring.

8. Rotor: Part of the automatic winding mechanism, it is a semi-circular weight that swings around with the movement of the wearer's wrist, winding the mainspring.

9. Pallet Fork: The component of the watch that interacts with the escapement wheel to create the ticking motion.

10. Dial Train: The system of gears that takes the motion from the escapement and translates it to the watch hands.

These are just the main components used in a Rolex movement. A mechanical watch movement can contain hundreds of parts, all working together to keep time. Rolex is known for its precision and quality, and each movement is a testament to the craftsmanship that goes into each watch.

Rolex Movements:

1570 Movement: Rolex's own in-house movement, the 1500 series, developed in 1957​1​.
3035 Movement: The first men's high-beat caliber Rolex made, featuring a quickset function​.
3135 Movement: Forms the basis of most modern Rolex movements, includes an instantaneous date change at midnight. Variations include 3155 (day-date complication), 3130 (no date), 3131 (no date, with anti-magnetic shield), 3132 (no date, with Paraflex anti-shock system), 2235 (smaller with date, 2236 gets an updated hairspring), and 2230 (smaller without date)​.
3255 Movement: Introduced in 2015, doubles the accuracy of +6/-4 secs/day set out by Switzerland's official accuracy testing program, COSC​1​.
3186 Movement: 24-hour GMT movement, the 3187 picks up the Paraflex anti-shock system​
9001 Movement: Most complicated Rolex movement with two time zones and an annual calendar (Sky-Dweller only)​
4130 Movement: No-date chronograph movement (Daytona only)

Rolex Caliber

Caliber 620: First automatic rotor that could wind the movement in both directions, introduced in 1930.
Caliber 1030: Known for its functionality and reliability, debuted in 1950.
Caliber 1040: Debuted in 1954, used in the Rolex Tru-Beat.
Calibers 1036 and 1565: Used in GMT watches for dual time zone display.
Caliber 1600: Introduced in 1964, used in the Rolex Cellini.
Caliber 1575: Introduced in 1965, known for its resilience and precision, used in the Rolex Datejust series among others.
Caliber 3055: Introduced in 1977, debuted the "quickset" feature in the Day-Date.
Caliber 3135: Introduced in 1988, one of Rolex's most famous movements, used in Datejust, Submariner Date, Yacht-Master, and the Sea-Dweller 4000, among others.
Calibers 3155 and 3185: Introduced in 1988, the 3155 introduced the "double quickset" feature in the Day-Date, while 3185 powers the GMT-Master II and Explorer II.
Caliber 2235: Introduced in 1999, mainly used in ladies' watches like the Lady Datejust and Lady Yacht-Master.
Caliber 4130: Introduced in the early 2000s, equipped with an innovative vertical clutch.
Caliber 9001: Introduced in 2012, the most complex Rolex caliber to date.
Calibre 3230: The Calibre 3230 is a self-winding mechanical movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. It was introduced in 2020. This movement incorporates the Chronergy escapement patented by Rolex, which combines high energy efficiency with great dependability. Made of nickel-phosphorus, it is also insensitive to magnetic interference. The Calibre 3230 is equipped with a self-winding module via a Perpetual rotor, offering a power reserve of approximately 70 hours

Rolex Movements & Calibers Over The Years

​Please note: The below information is only dated through 2020 and was inputted to the best of our knowledge. Please contact us may there be any misisng dates, movements or calibers. 

Year	Movement	Mechanism	Jewels	Unique Characteristics	Frequency	Watch Models
1931	620	Automatic	First automatic rotor, small seconds, led to "Perpetual" name addition	18	18,000 bph	Bubble Back
1936	520	Automatic	Small seconds	18	18,000 bph	Not Available
1936	530	Automatic	Sweep seconds	17	18,000 bph	Bubble Back, Ref. 5006
1937	630	Automatic	Sweep seconds	18	18,000 bph	Bubble Back
1940	720	Automatic	Small seconds, chronometer, shock protection	18	18,000 bph	Oyster Perpetual
1941	420	Automatic	Small seconds	18	18,000 bph	Not Available
1945	730	Automatic	Sweep seconds, chronometer, shock protection	18	18,000 bph	Bubble Back
1945	740	Automatic	Chronometer, first wristwatch with a date window and self-winding	18	18,000 bph	Datejust
1950	635	Automatic	Small seconds, shock protection	18	18,000 bph	Not Available
1950	645	Automatic	Sweep seconds, shock protection	18	18,000 bph	Oyster Perpetual 6085
1950	1030	Automatic	First in-house calibre by Rolex, chronometer certification	Not Available	18,000 bph	Submariner, Explorer, Oyster Perpetual
1950	765	Automatic	Automatic rotor, sweep seconds, calendar function	18	18,000 bph	Date
1950	775	Automatic	Chronometer	18	18,000 bph	Pre-Explorer, Explorer
1950	780	Automatic	Day-date function, moon phase, chronograph & calendar features	18	18,000 bph	Triple-Calendar 6062
1952	745	Automatic	Automatic rotor, sweep seconds, calendar function	18	18,000 bph	Date 6039
1953	1120	Automatic	Automatic rotor, sweep seconds, shock protection	17/ 27	19,800 bph	Oyster Perpetual
1954	1040	Automatic	Automatic Rolex movement with the precision of a quartz movement	17	18,800 bph	Tru-Beat
1954	1036	Automatic	Central GMT function	25	18,800 bph	Oyster Perpetual Date, GMT-Master
1954	1055	Automatic	Sweep seconds, shock protection, Day-date function	25	18,800 bph	Day-Date
1955	1130	Automatic	Sweep seconds, shock protection	26	19,800 bph	Oyster Perpetual
1955	1135	Automatic	Sweep seconds, date.picktwist.AI	)

Year	Calibre	Winding	Features	Jewels	Frequency	Models
1955	1055	Automatic	Sweep seconds, shock protection, Day-date function	25	18,800 bph	Day-Date
1955	1130	Automatic	Sweep seconds, shock protection	26	19,800 bph	Oyster Perpetual
1955	1135	Automatic	Sweep seconds, date complication, "Progress Calendar"	26	19,800 bph	Oyster Perpetual Date
1955	1065	Automatic	Sweep seconds, shock protection, date complication, "Instant Calendar"	25	18,800 bph	Oyster Perpetual Date
1955	1080	Automatic	Sweep seconds, shock protection, antimagnetic	25	18,800 bph	Milgauss
1957	1035	Automatic	Sweep seconds, shock protection, date complication, GMT function	25	18,000 bph	Oyster Perpetual Date, GMT-Master
1957	1535	Automatic	Date complication	26	18,000 bph	Air-King Date, Explorer Date
1959	1555	Automatic	Sweep seconds, Breguet overcoil with adjustment screws, day-date function, 42-hour power reserve	25	18,000 bph	Day-Date
1959	1560	Automatic	No date complication, 42-hour power reserve	25	18,000 bph	Oyster Perpetual, Submariner, Explorer
1959	1565	Automatic	GMT function can be adjusted independently of the hour hand	26	18,000 bph	GMT-Master
1963	1520	Automatic	No date complication, 42-hour power reserve	27	19,800 bph	Air-King, Submariner
1963	1580	Automatic	No date complication, antimagnetic, 50 -hour power reserve	28	19,800 bph	Milgauss 1019
1964	1600	Manual	Manual winding	17	19,800 bph	Cellini
1965	1556	Automatic	Automatic, bidirectional rotor winding, day-date function	26	19,800 bph	Cellini
1965	1570	Automatic	No date complication, 42-hour power reserve	26	19,800 bph	Oyster Perpetual, Submariner, Explorer
1965	1575	Automatic	Instantaneous change on date wheel, fixed 24-hour hand, 48-hour power reserve	25	19,800 bph	GMT-Master II, Explorer II
n. a.	1602	Manual	Manual winding, No date complication	20	n. a.	n. a.
1964	1160	Automatic	Sweep seconds, shock protection	26	19,800 bph	Oyster Perpetual
1964	1161	Automatic	No date complication	26	19,800 bph	Oyster Perpetual Date
1968	1525	Automatic	GMT function can be adjusted independently of the hour hand	26	19,800 bph	GMT-Master
1968	1520	Automatic	No date complication, 42-hour power reserve	26	19,800 bph	Oyster Perpetual
1972	1527	Automatic	Sweep seconds, shock protection, day-date function	27	19,800 bph	Day-Date
1972	1525	Automatic	GMT function can be adjusted independently of the hour hand	27	19,800 bph	GMT-Master
1974	1575	Automatic	No date complication, 48-hour power reserve	27	19,800 bph	Oyster Perpetual, Submariner, Explorer
1978	3085	Automatic	GMT function can be adjusted independently of the hour hand, quickset date function	27	28,800 bph	GMT-Master II
1980	3035	Automatic	Date complication, quickset date function, 48-hour power reserve	27	28,800 bph	Oyster Perpetual Date, Datejust
1983	3135	Automatic	Date complication, quickset date function, Parachrom hairspring, Microstella adjustment system	31	28,800 bph	Submariner, Sea-Dweller, Yacht-Master, Datejust II, Explorer II
1988	4030	Automatic	Chronograph complication, Zenith El Primero base movement, 52-hour power reserve	31	28,800 bph	Daytona
2000	4130	Automatic	Chronograph complication, Parachrom hairspring, vertical clutch, 72-hour power reserve	44	28,800 bph	Daytona
2005	9001	Automatic	Dual time zones, annual calendar with Saros system, month display via 12 apertures around the circumference of the dial	40	28,800 bph	Sky-Dweller
2007	4160	Automatic	Regatta countdown timer, chronograph complication	42	28,800 bph	Yacht-Master II
2007	3131	Automatic	No date complication, Parachrom hairspring, antimagnetic	31	28,800 bph	Milgauss, Air-King 40
2008	3156	Automatic	Day-date function, Parachrom hairspring, Paraflex shock protection, chronometer, 48-hour power reserve	31	28,800 bph	Day-Date II
2008	3132	Automatic	No date complication, Parachrom hairspring, Breguet balance spring, Paraflex shock protection, Microstella adjustment system	31	28,800 bph	Oyster Perpetual, Explorer 214270
2011	3187	Automatic	GMT function, antimagnetic Parachrom hairspring, Paraflex shock protection, instantaneous change on date wheel	31	28,800 bph	nur in der Explorer II 216570

Year	Calibre	Winding	Features	Jewels	Frequency	Models
2012	9001	Automatic	Dual time zones, annual calendar with Saros system, month display via 12 apertures around the circumference of the dial	40	28,800 bph	Sky-Dweller
2014	2236	Automatic	Date complication, Syloxi hairspring in silicon, Chronergy escapement, 55-hour power reserve	31	28,800 bph	Yacht-Master, Datejust 31
2015	3255	Automatic	Day-date function, Parachrom hairspring, Chronergy escapement, 70-hour power reserve	31	28,800 bph	Day-Date 40
2016	3235	Automatic	Date complication, Parachrom hairspring, Chronergy escapement, 70-hour power reserve	31	28,800 bph	Datejust 41, Sea-Dweller, Yacht-Master, Pearlmaster 39, Oyster Perpetual Date, Submariner Date
2018	3285	Automatic	GMT function, Parachrom hairspring, Chronergy escapement, 70-hour power reserve	31	28,800 bph	GMT-Master II
2020	3230	Automatic	No date complication, Parachrom hairspring, Chronergy escapement, 70-hour power reserve	31	28,800 bph	Submariner, Oyster Perpetual 41, Oyster Perpetual 36