Navigating the Rolex Cal.3186 dual time zone movement for the first time can feel a bit bewildering, espe

Navigating the Rolex Cal.3186 dual time zone movement for the first time can feel a bit bewildering, especially since it eschews the quick-set date feature in favor of an independent hour hand adjustment. Here’s a step-by-step guide to mastering its settings:

Firstly, unlock the waterproof crown by turning it counterclockwise. The crown will pop out slightly, indicating it’s in the first position. In this position, winding the crown clockwise will manually wind the movement.

Next, gently pull the crown to the right to reach the second position. This allows for the independent adjustment of the hour hand. To adjust the date in this movement, rotate the hour hand in full two-circle increments until the date changes. Note, there’s no quick-set date feature.

Pulling the crown all the way out places it in the third position, enabling you to set the time as usual. Interestingly, the second timezone hand moves synchronously.

A handy tip for travelers: Before embarking on your journey across time zones, first set your destination time using the third position. Then, adjust the hour hand to your home time in the second position. This method offers clarity and minimizes confusion.

During a rare visit to the Rolex factory, I had the privilege of interviewing the designer of the Rolex GMT-Master series, a Swiss lady, about the choice to eliminate the quick-set date feature. She explained that deciding between maintaining three crown positions for simplicity and adding a fourth for date adjustment was challenging. Although technically feasible, a fourth position could complicate operation for the user. After careful consideration, the Cal.3186 movement was finalized in its current form, balancing functionality and user-friendliness.