Rolex wouldn't service my watch

[MonkeyMagic]

I own a Rolex DD that is over 25 years. I took it to Rolex Service Center in my country last year and they refuse to service my watch, unless I purchase a new Diamond dial. The cost of the Dial alone was $3700

Needless to say, I took it to a local watchmaker that was qualify and they did a spectular job on my DD.

This is what the watch look like before service.


These are photos after the service.







Just make sure you find a top watchmaker to service your watch

[GJ]

Actually I know a excellent watchmaker..

The man worked more then 30 years for a well known company in Bienne.

If you need a great watchmaker with years of experience, just PM me..

[ohlins]

great work by your watchmaker.!!.....how much was the fee in the end..?

[Freddo_in_Oz]

G'day from Oz,
I'd like to help but I think I'm a teeny bit too far away...

It appears that Rolex have the same dictatorial attitude the whole world over.

About 5 years ago I had a good client come in with one of her elderly relations in tow.
The older lady had a nice Rolex (very similar to Dr Millar's wifes). She had taken it to the Rolex service centre in Sydney to be serviced. Her eyesight was very poor and some years previously she had a watchmaker carefully overpaint the steel hands black, as she could not read the time with the limited contrast from steel hands against a white dial. After the blacking of the hands she could see them much more clearly.

So... Rolex told her that they would not even quote on the service unless they replaced the hands with original steel ones (for some stupid amount of money).

She had explained the reason behind the hand mods, and that if they changed them back to steel she would have a Rolex she could not read and would not be able to use.

Results of careful and patient explanations by owner... as she told me, "it was like trying to nail jelly to the ceiling".
She ended up in tears, as her husband had given her the watch and he had since passed away (as had the watchmaker who had done a first class paint job on the hands).

The outcome... they couldn't have cared less.
That was the way they would do it, and tough t's if she couldn't read her watch again. They even chastised her for taking it to a "non Rolex watchmaker".

So, of course I did a very straightforward service, kept the black hands and she was a happy camper again.

It staggers me that anyone would be so bloody minded as to the consequences of "following company policy".

Their loss. I picked up a number of A1 clients as a result (all by her recommendations). She lived a long way from my business, as did those who she sent to me.

John (aka Freddo)

[GJ]

Nice story John..

[MonkeyMagic]

great work by your watchmaker.!!.....how much was the fee in the end..?

The fee of the complete service + a new WG crown cost about $650. It is a price I could live with

[William R.]

there is a guy in florida that comes highly recommended. www.watchrestoration.com. good luck. i have a vintage red sub. that rolex won't touch.

[derleicaman]

Sutter is a legend in Chicago for Rolex repair. I believe he is in the Pittsfield building in the Loop.

[Zonehunter]

It is corp policies like these that make you do a double take and ask why am I about to spend 5k on a watch that will be useless in 30 years? Useless from a Rolex standpoint concerning their service.

I just got a 2004 Explorer. I love it. But these issues concern me to no end.

[Flyingdoctor]

Guys,

thanks for all the replies. I got the watch back from the AD on Saturday and Tom hooked me up with a watchmaker in Texas. I'll be sending it off to him this week.

I must admit to having serious thoughts about keeping my SD. The thing is, by the time it's 30 years old I'll probably be dead so won't be much of a problem for me Just disappointing really as I always thought a Rolex is kind of like a family Heirloom. I guess I was wrong.

Pete