Checking Out The New Rolex Calibre 3255

Twice as accurate, twice as precise. Rolex continues to refine their movements with ever-advancing mechanical innovations. The new calibre 3255 which debuted at Baselworld this past spring sports fourteen patents, 90% new components (that sounds more revolutionary than evolutionary), and a 50% increase in power reserve – 70 hours – to go along with the 2x improvement in precision.

Much of this increased performance is due to their new Chronergy escapement. Like a shade tree mechanic balancing and blueprinting his Chevy small block V8 forty years ago, Rolex has tuned and optimized the classic Swiss lever escapement to enhance energy efficiency while retaining legendary Rolex reliability. The tuning is so radical that Rolex was able to patent the new escapement.

But wait, there’s more! The 3255’s oscillator is fitted with Rolex’s patented blue Parachrom hairspring. Rolex has used an alloy of niobium and zirconium to make the oscillator assembly insensitive to magnetic fields and variations in temperature, two mortal enemies of timepiece accuracy.

The icing on the cake, so to speak, consists of a combination of a highly efficient gear train lubricated with exclusive synthetic oils, a high capacity mainspring barrel, and a new-generation self-winding rotor assembly.

For now, the 3255 is neatly packaged in the new Day-Date 40, the latest in a long line of Day-Dates. But really, do you think Rolex will keep all this marvelous new technology limited to one calibre? Naw… we don’t either. We’re betting the new tech will spread to new calibres for the Datejust and the Rolex sports watches within the next year or two.

The post Checking Out The New Rolex Calibre 3255 appeared first on Bezel & Barrel written by  Ed Estlow.