Grail Watch Reference

A Reference Library for Watches from Grail Watch

Rolex 3000

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Cal. 3000 is a simple time-only automatic movement in the Rolex 3000 family and was produced from 1989 through 2001. It was replaced by Cal. 3130.

It is a 28,800 A/h 12.5 ligne movement with bi-directional automatic winding and chronometer certification. The movement is 28.5 mm in diameter and 6.3 mm thick, with 27 jewels. It has a power reserve of 48 hours.

Notably, Cal. 3000 was the last Rolex movement to not feature a Breguet overcoil for the hairspring. Despite the choice of a flat hairspring, Cal. 3000 achieved Chronometer certification, with accuracy of +4/-6 seconds per day.

Cal. 3000 first appeared in 1989 in the Air King (Ref. 14000) and Explorer (Ref. 14270). The Air King was updated in 2000 as Ref. 14000M with the newer Cal. 3130, and the Explorer was updated the next year as Ref. 114270 with the same movement. The “transitional” time-only Submariner (Ref. 14060) also used this movement from 1990 through 2001, and it too received the new Cal. 3130 for 2002 as Ref. 14060M. It was also used in the Oyster Perpetual throughout the 1990s.

  • Rolex Air King (1989-2000), Ref. 14000, 14010
  • Rolex Submariner (1990-2002), Ref. 14060
  • Rolex Oyster Perpetual, Ref. 14200, 14203, 14208, 14233, 14236
  • Rolex Explorer (1989-2000), Ref. 14270

The movement can be manually wound with the crown in position 1. Rotate the crown clockwise to wind the mainspring.

The time is set with the crown in second position (pulled all the way out). Rotate the crown counter-clockwise to advance the minute and hour hands and clockwise to turn them backward.

3000 Family3100 FamilyParachrom FamilyChronergy Family
1977-20011988-20102005-present2015-present
Time Only300031303132
Milgauss3131
Datejust303531353135
3136		3235
Day-Date3055315531563255
GMT307531753187
GMT II3085318531863285

Rolex 3000 Family

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Rolex developed the Cal. 3000 family in the 1970s just as quartz movements were taking over the market. It was designed to replace the Cal. 1500 family of movements and was developed alongside the Oysterquartz Cal. 5000 family. The Cal. 3000 movements represented a new standard for movement design and production in the 1970s and are respected today for their durability and simplicity.

These movements operate at 28,800 A/h and measure 12.5 ligne (28.5 mm) in diameter. They feature bi-directional automatic winding and most are chronometer certified. The movement are 5.8 to 6.3 mm thick, with 27 jewels. They have a power reserve of 48 to 50 hours.

Most movements in this family use a free-sprung Breguet overcoil and all have a hairspring glued to the balance stud. They all also feature Microstella regulation on the balance. Notably, Cal. 3000 was the last Rolex movement to not feature a Breguet overcoil for the hairspring. Despite the choice of a flat hairspring, Cal. 3000 achieved Chronometer certification, with accuracy of +4/-6 seconds per day.

Setting the time on the Cal. 3000 family of movements is “backward” from usual expectations, with the crown rotated counter-clockwise to advance the hour and minute hands. This was changed in the follow-on Cal. 3100 movements

The Cal. 3000 family began in 1977 with Cal. 3035, famously used in the Rolex Datejust and Submariner models, and was phased out in favor of the Cal. 3100 family beginning in the 1980s. But Cal. 3000, introduced in 1989, lasted in production through 2001.

1500 Family1520 Family1560 Chronometer1570 Family3000 Family
Time Only15301520156015703000
Milgauss1580M
Datejust15351525156515753035
Day-Date155515563055
GMT1565GMT1575GMT3075
GMT II3085
3000 Family3100 FamilyParachrom FamilyChronergy Family
1977-20011988-20102005-present2015-present
Time Only300031303132
Milgauss3131
Datejust303531353135
3136		3235
Day-Date3055315531563255
GMT307531753187
GMT II3085318531863285

ETA 2688

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Cal. 2688 is part of ETA’s regular “Mecaline” line. It was introduced in 1981 and produced through 2001.

ETA produced a variety of movements in the 2600 family since the 1970s. This includes both automatic and hand-winding variants, 7.75 and 8.75 ligne sizes, and 21,600 A/h and 28,800 A/h versions. In the table below, 8.75 ligne movements are denoted with an asterisk and currently-produced movements in bold.

Hand
21600		Hand
28800		Auto
21600		Auto
28800
Base2640266026502670
Date2641
2691*		266126512671
2681*
Day/Date264826682658
2688*		2678
Date
Moon Phase		2675
2685*