Rolex Lubricants

[zocker4711]

Hi Guys

I have search and read here many things about the Rolex Lubricants

But there is no really sorted Answer. Everyone use another Oil or Greese.

So maybe we can sort it a little by the Rolex Numbers?

The Question is which Lubricant can we use as Alternative?

I start with my things that I have sorted so far.

 

Rolex Oil sheet Numbers

1 = Moebius 9010

2 = Moebius 941

3 = PML-163 (HP1000)

4 = MR-1 (Moebius 8200)

5 = MR-2 or KT22

7 = FHMR-3

8 = Moebius 9415

9 = MR-4 (Moebius 9501)

 

PML-163 can replaced with FHMR-3

MR-2 can replaced with FHMR-3

FHMR-3 = Moebius 9501

 

It would be great if someone have some input if the list is so far right? Or what can be used for which Number.

 

[zocker4711]

Any Ideas?

[zocker4711]

No Rolex Guys here ?

 

[Marc]

Zocker,

There are a couple of members on here who have worked on Rolex watches, but I don't think that they had access  to much by way of Rolex branded lubricants. From what I can gather they are not easy to obtain and are rather pricey, so they adopted general good practice and used alternative products. 

I think that the problem with compiling a list of direct equivalent products is finding any technical data from Rolex. Without that it's a matter of guess work, judgement, and experience. As these are all rather subjective, you will find as many different opinions on what is best as there are watchmakers. 

I guess that if you can pull together a selection of opinions from different people then a composite list can be derived using products selected on the basis of best concensus. You may even arrive at a list which is better than the Rolex spec, after all I doubt that Rolex has tested every product out there.

I think that a couple of points worth bearing in mind though are that the differences between brands  (especially the bigger names) are minimal, and that in just about every instance, oiling technique is as important, even more important than product. Get that wrong and the product you use becomes irrelevant. 

 

[Geo]

Excellent advice Marc!

[zocker4711]

Yeah that's true, but it don't answer the Question for the Alternative Lubricants.

That one Watchsmith say these Oil is good and another Watchsmith say the other Oil is better, is normally.

So the list should more be helpful for People that check for the differents.

For Exsample is MR-4 an Oil or Greese 

And Rolex didn't change the Numbers in there sheets over all the Years.

So will be an alternative list very helpful I think

[JohnR725]

Not quite technically correct on Rolex changing the datasheets the problem is you don't get to look at current datasheets they're all on line by account only. So simplistically we don't get to see anything modern and see any of the modern lubrication numbers. Then anyone that is working on Rolex watches doesn't care about an equivalent because if they want to keep their Rolex account they have to use the Rolex lubricants.

http://www.awci.com/wp-content/uploads/ht/August2012.pdf

At the link above is an article on lubricants it explains what the MR-4 and a few others on your list.

Then you list is made up of a mix of things for instance number 3, 941 is an oil specifically for lubricating escapement's number 8 is something interesting it's a grease except on impact it becomes more like an oil it's used for escapement's. At one time 941 was for lower beat watches 9415 was for fast. Knowing that watchmakers are cheap most of the data sheets will say either or. Rolex on the other hand uses RL-2

One of the biggest problems we have of scientifically comparing the various lubricants is we don't get to have a exacting datasheets on lubricants. Most of the time for horological lubrication all we get is viscosity which is not really enough to compare why one is better than another.

Then here's a link to a website that talks about some of the Rolex lubricants

http://hiro.alliancehorlogere.com/en/Under_the_Loupe/Lubrication.html