Rolex Caliber 3135 Ultimate Guide

The Rolex Caliber 3135 is a movement that is used in a large number of watches from Rolex. In fact, it is so widely used across Rolex’s range that it can be considered a base movement. It is a certified Chronometer with 31 jewels, of course automatic. The rotor that powers this movement is bidirectional.

The Caliber 3135 is adjusted for five positions and temperature. It was first announced by Rolex in 1988, and almost four decades later, the movement is still in production. This really highlights Rolex as a company. The company has developed a caliber that is a true workhorse which has proven to be extremely reliable and durable. As such, Rolex sees little reason to make too many changes to the caliber 3135. After all, why change a winning concept?

Whilst we will see a new generation movement taking over where the 3135 stops, the new generation will very much still be very similar to the 3135, it will just incorporate new technology and improved materials. In fact, this transition has already begun with the caliber 3235, but let’s focus on this movement for now, which has come to become one of Rolex’s most well-known and recognized movements – the Caliber 3135.

The movement has a Parachrom hairspring, which allows greater resistance to shocks and to temperature variations (up to 10 times more resistant to shocks). It displays center seconds, hours, minutes, and date at 3 o’clock. As such, if you see a Rolex watch with a date function, chances are, it is powered by the 3135.

Materials

Unlike what some people think, Rolex movement parts are not made in pure gold or platinum. However, different parts are made in different materials. Rolex movements are primarily made in steel but also incorporate other materials for different parts in the movement due to their characteristics, for example, anti-magnetism, or low friction.

Some materials used inside Rolex movements are:

Stainless steel

Synthetic ruby (for the jewels)

Parachrom hairspring (Crafted from a paramagnetic alloy consisting of niobium and zirconium)

Glucydur (Beryllium + copper).

Rotor coated in Teflon

Microstella screws made in gold

Upgrades and changes

Over the course of its decades-long production, the caliber 3135 has been updated numerous times. These updates have not been made officially, and sometimes, the updates have been so small that even skilled watchmakers struggle to see the difference. However, these updates have not been big enough that Rolex has deemed it suitable to release a brand new movement. Until the new generation 3235, that is.

In Rolex’s constant pursuit of perfection, they have been able to improve the reliability and accuracy with the help of small tweaks and improvements. This has also, of course, contributed to making experts consider the 3135 the most reliable, accurate and robust automatic movement ever made.

Size

The 3135 is 28.5mm in diameter and 6mm in height.

Decoration

It’s no secret, but Rolex is not a company that does decorations of the movements too well. Now, this is not because Rolex does not know how to do it. It’s because they simply don’t care, nor see a reason to do it.

Rolex watches are known to be reliable and durable workhorses that will continue to tick for years and years. Rolex is competing for reliability and accuracy, not finish.

Whilst the 3135 caliber is, by no means ugly, its finish is far from what you will find on the likes of watches from other manufacturers such as Patek Philippe, Omega, Girard Perregaux, and so on.

But after all, bear in mind that Rolex makes no timepiece with a see-through case back, and probably won’t either. This is the spirit of Rolex: sporty, robust and reliable. With that said, Rolex watches are, overall very well-finished, and have strict quality controls.

As a reader once said: ”While I appreciate the craftsmanship going into a beautifully finished movement as much as the next watch enthusiast, no amount of engraving can be a substitute for accuracy and reliability”.

Rolex winding system

The Caliber 3135 is a self-winding (automatic) movement, which means that it is powered by the rotor inside which spins when the watch is subject to movement (such as when wearing the watch).

Rolex calls all its automatic movements perpetual. The two gears that allow the mainspring to be wound in either direction are coated in PTFE (Teflon). This has enabled an improved efficiency, and it is also the reason why the gears have a deep red color.

”The Caliber 3135 is the successor to Rolex Caliber 3035 and the predecessor to the caliber 3235”

Rolex Caliber 3135 power reserve

The Rolex caliber 3135 has a power reserve of approximately 48 hours. The power reserve time varies depending on how you use it.

The 3135 was originally launched as Rolex’s first high-beat movement, as it increased the balance speed from 19,800 BPH to 28,800 BPH. Today, the 28,800 BPH has become standard across Rolex’s collection of calibers. The increased beats also provide more accurate timekeeping as well as helps the movement withstand stress from the outside such as shocks.

The 3135 incorporates Rolex’s Microstella system which means removing the balance screws and replacing them with four timing screws on the inside of the balance rim. Rolex invented the Microstella screws in 1957. Today, they are made of gold.

This allows for keeping the diameter of the wheel large, but without increasing mass. The free-sprung balance wheel used is made from Glucydur – a high-performance alloy made of beryllium and copper. Furthermore, it is used in conjunction with a Breguet overcoil.

An interesting detail to point out is that earlier examples of the 3135 use a Nivarox hairspring, made by a Swatch Group-owned company. But in Rolex’s pursuit of becoming 100% in-house and getting full control over each and every single aspect of its production, Rolex now uses the Parachrom Bleu in all of their watches, which is made up of niobium and zirconium. The hairspring has also been treated with an oxide coating that gives it its distinctive blue coloring

The caliber 3136 does not have Rolex’s new Paraflex shock system, but some of the 3135 family calibers do.

Rolex models using Caliber 3135

The Caliber 3135 has been used extensively across Rolex ranges and in a large number of watches. The 3135 has been used in the Submariner, Sea-Dweller, Deepsea Sea-Dweller, and Datejust.

There is information that the Rolex Datejust II uses the caliber 3135, however, this is not the case. Due to the larger size of the Datejust II, it uses a larger version of 3135 which is named 3136. The new Datejust that replaced the Datejust II, uses the new generation 3135 which is the 3235.

Brand : Rolex

: Rolex Caliber reference : 3135

: 3135 Movement : Automatic

: Automatic Display : Analog

: Analog Jewels : 31

: 31 Vibrations per hour : 28,800 BPH

: 28,800 BPH Power reserve : 48 hours

: 48 hours Diameter : 28,5 mm

: 28,5 mm Functions : Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Date at 3 o’clock

: Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Date at 3 o’clock Manufactured : In-house, Switzerland

: In-house, Switzerland Models using it : Submariner, Sea-Dweller, Deepsea, Yacht-Master, Datejust

: Submariner, Sea-Dweller, Deepsea, Yacht-Master, Datejust Additional info: Certified chronometer

Calibers based on the Rolex 3135:

3136

3175

9001

Rolex Caliber 3135 parts

The Rolex caliber uses 105 different parts, but note that multiple pieces of different parts, such as screws, are used. This means the caliber 3135 consists of closer to 200 parts.

The parts that the Caliber 3135 consists of are:

Main plate

Barrel Bridge

Train wheel bridge

Pallet bridge

Balance guard

Balance bridge

Minute pinion bridge

Winding bridge

Automatic device lower bridge

Automatic device upper bridge

Automatic device module

Winding stem

Winding pinion

Sliding pinion

Crown wheel

Crown wheel core

Core for intermediate crown wheel

Yoke for sliding gear

Setting lever

Spring for setting lever

Jumper for setting lever

Yoke for sliding pinion

Spring for yoke

Spring for balance stop

Setting wheel

Minute wheel

Yoke for setting wheel

Cover mechanism, mounted

Cannon pinion ht. 2.86mm

Hour wheel

Click

Spring for click

Ratchet wheel

Barrel arbor

Barrel with arbor

Mainspring strength standard/mainspring strength weak

Great wheel

Minute pinion with cannon pinion

Third wheel

Second wheel

Escape wheel

Pallet staff

Pallet fork

Balance staff

Balance with breguet hairspring timed

Stud support

Bridge for stud support

Driving wheel for ratchet wheel

Reversing wheel

Inion for oscillating weight

Spring-clip for oscillating weight: 0.18mm, 0.165mm,0.195mm

Bridle for spring-clip

Axle for oscillating weight

Oscillating weight

Date indicator seating

Date jumper

Finger for date

Date wheel, mounted

Yoke for cam

Spring for cam yoke

Intermediate date corrector wheel

Date corrector

Intermediate date wheel

In setting for escape wheel upper/lower

Shock-absorber for balance-upper

Regulating friction for balance bridge

Set of screws

Screw for dial

Screw for case

Screw for: balance guard, balance bridge, winding bridge, automatic device upper bridge, barrel bridge, train wheel bridge (same screw applies for all these areas).

Screw for: bridge of spring clip, bridle for stud holder, click, spring for setting lever, minute pinion bridge, pallet bridge, cover mechanism. (Same screw applies for all these areas).

Regulating nut for balance bridge height adjustment

Screw for: crown wheel, ratchet wheel.

Screw for intermediate crown wheel

Screw for hairspring bridle

Screw for date indicator seating

Screw for date wheel

Tapped foot for pallet bridge

Tapped foot for pallet bridge

yoke stud

Tapped foot for date wheel

Stud for cam yoke spring

Jewel for barrel arbor-upper

Jewel for barrel arbor-lower

Bush for minute pinion-lower

Jewel for great-wheel-upper/lower

In-setting for minute pinion-upper

Jewel for third wheel-upper/lower

Jewel for second wheel-upper

Jewel for pallet fork-upper/lower

Date indicator )silvered or champagne)

Jewel for intermediate date wheel-upper/lower

Jewel for yoke for cam

Jewel for oscillating weight lower

Jewel for oscillating weight upper

Jewel for driving wheel for ratchet wheel-lower

Jewel for driving wheel for ratchet wheel support

Spring for in setting for escape wheel-upper/lower

Roller

Stud for minute wheel

Shock-absorber for balance-lower

In setting for balance-upper/lower

Cap jewel for balance upper/lower

Spring for in.-setting for balance upper/lower

Jewel for: reversing wheel upper/lower, driving wheel for ratchet wheel-upper.

If you are looking for Rolex caliber 3135 parts, please do not hesitate to contact us.