Need to replace dial of Rolex 1500 or 1501

[jmaior]

Hi

Im looking for a new dial for a Rolex 1500 or 1501. I want a black or dark blue with white markers.


Oyster perpetual date
model 1500 or 1501

Apreciate any message that may help me to find it.

[Watchbreath]

Have you contacted Rolex?

[jmaior]

Have you contacted Rolex?

Yes, I did. They are asking me 1500 usd for a new dial and to change it.They must be crazy.

[GinGinD]

If you're in the US, you can try Bob Ridley in Arlington, TX at www.watchmakers.com . He can probably help you for significantly less. He's Rolex certified and has a parts account.
Jeannie

[Kawika]

Yes, I did. They are asking me 1500 usd for a new dial and to change it.They must be crazy.

Rolex isn't crazy...you're not telling the whole story. Rolex USA won't replace a dial as a stand alone service...they insist it be part of a total service. Because I've switched dials on Date models before, I'm guessing that the charge is made up of a full service for somewhere in the vicinity of $600 and then probably an assortment of parts such as new hands, tube and crown and a dial plus shipping make up the rest of the charge.

You're talking about a watch that is now out of manufacture for about 25 years and I think you're lucky Rolex even has replacement dials for the 15XX movement series and that they're willing to give it a full service.

Your only major alternative is to self source a dial for that older movement. Ebay is a good source...just make sure you're getting a dial for a non quickset model...the dials aren't interchangable with dials for the 30XX movement series. And if you search long and hard enough, you might also find a seller in Asia that also has the older dials. Or, you could find a watchmaker local to you who is willing to send out your dial for a refinish to whatever color you'd like. Forget about a 'modern' style with filled in lume markers...Rolex has them only for the modern series of movements..the best you can hope for is a stick dial with solid metal sticks and a lume dot at the end. I've used a quality refinisher and the better craftsmen turn out work that you'd never know was a refinish job...after all, they're just stripping the dial and repainting it and then stenciling in the logo and appropriate text before reapplying the markers and lume dots.

The Mr. Ridley referred to can make an old watch look new...but I'd bet that he's not able to source a replacement dial from Rolex. He does very fine work, but even the highly thought of Mr. Ridley can't get what Rolex won't sell him.