OT: servicing a rolex

[choke]

Originally Posted by Pegoready

Wow, I had no idea, you're out $800 every few years for the privilege of wearing a Rolex? You learn something new everyday...

Well...not really. Rolex, like every other premium watch company, has a recommended service interval. However, many people go for long periods of time without ever servicing their watches and they work fine.

A mechanical watch is a very finely tuned machine and like any machine it needs periodic servicing to keep in top condition. There are 86,400 seconds in a day. Even if a watch gains 30 seconds a day, which is far outside of what most high end watches are regulated at, that means it's 99.96% accurate and few mechanical things stay that accurate with servicing at some point.

[Bentley]

Originally Posted by choke

Well...not really. Rolex, like every other premium watch company, has a recommended service interval. However, many people go for long periods of time without ever servicing their watches and they work fine.

A mechanical watch is a very finely tuned machine and like any machine it needs periodic servicing to keep in top condition. There are 86,400 seconds in a day. Even if a watch gains 30 seconds a day, which is far outside of what most high end watches are regulated at, that means it's 99.96% accurate and few mechanical things stay that accurate with servicing at some point.

I think that the service intervals could be argued but just like bikes, watches need cleaning oiling and adjusting to operate correctly. Also, fixing a watch that has been neglected is almost criminal. You spend 5 to 10K on a watch and have a problem spending a couple of hundred a year to keep it in top operating condition.

Am I a fanatic about the schedule, no, but I would say that a good cleaning, oiling, adjustment every 5 years is a good investment.

Plenty of good watchmakers that can do the service for less, so it’s really just good common sense.

Ray

[dbnm]

Thanks all.

I live in NM and we lost our local Rolex dealer a few years ago and just recently got another. They don't do repair but will facilitate it with another dealer/service center.

It's a 2008 Explorer II. It was my daily watch for 9 years. I got it for my 40th birthday in January 2009. Never had an issue but I figure it's time to have it serviced.

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by Pegoready

Wow, I had no idea, you're out $800 every few years for the privilege of wearing a Rolex? You learn something new everyday...

it aint easy looking rich

[adub]

Originally Posted by cdollarsign

the dealer told me to let him know when my 5 year warranty is almost up on my 2 year old explorer and he would get it serviced under warranty. Banking on that but not sure how 'ethical' it is.

lol!

[kingpin75s]

Originally Posted by dbnm

If you own a Rolex, where do you send it for service?

Join your local chapter of the NAWCC and make some connections. That is the best way to own and maintain if you are not inclined to do the dealer service program.

[Blue Jays]

Originally Posted by Bentley

”...he has done work on my A Lange and IWC...”

The fine folks at Superior Watch Service worked on my beloved IWC.

[Peter P.]

Originally Posted by Pegoready

Wow, I had no idea, you're out $800 every few years for the privilege of wearing a Rolex? You learn something new everyday...

Originally Posted by joosttx

it aint easy looking rich

THAT was funny!

[Ken Robb]

There is a man in San Diego who has been servicing watches for 35 years and gets good reviews. I have an Omega Seamaster Deville that I bought new in 1972. It has been in a drawer for many years but lately I have been wearing it again. It keeps good time gaining a minute over several days. I thought it would be a good idea to see about having it serviced. Without opening the case he quoted $595 basic service plus $400 for parts like mainspring, stem, some part that allows the winding weight to reverse direction, etc.

I'll put this watch back in the drawer and continue wearing my titanium Seiko quartz day/date that keeps perfect time. I can't justify $1,000 for style.

[cdimattio]

I am no expert but have had great personal results with Mark Sirianni. A small town family business. Maybe he does not have much of a web profile but exhaustive experience and a bargain of sorts.

https://www.watchdoctor.biz/rolex-re...SAAEgLvF_D_BwE

[Caballero]

Originally Posted by Pegoready

Wow, I had no idea, you're out $800 every few years for the privilege of wearing a Rolex? You learn something new everyday...

That’s a relative bargain compared to overhauling/servicing an AP / Lange/ Patek et al.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by dbnm

If you own a Rolex, where do you send it for service?

I have a local jewelry store owner that sends it to Rolex NY..This same gent also recommended that I NOT service it every 5 years but when it has a problem..Mine(GMT Master) is now 40 years old this year..I have had it serviced about 4 times but not for about 10 years now and it works perfectly.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Pegoready

Wow, I had no idea, you're out $800 every few years for the privilege of wearing a Rolex? You learn something new everyday...

How much is a tune up for a Lamborghini?

The Murcielago will run you about $2000 for an oil change, $4000 for plugs and the best part $12000 for an E-Gear Clutch. The Gallardo on the other hand is more docile and similar to the Ferrari 360 Modena at just $400 for an oil change, $2000 for plugs and finally about $3500 for an E-Gear clutch.

15,000 mile tune on a Ducati
Here in Portland at the dealer it’s $125 an hour which translates to around $800 for valve check and up to another $400 for adjustment for a max total around $1200.

Gotta pay to play..

[wallymann]

Originally Posted by echelon_john

Jack Alexyon, International Watch Works
https://www.internationalwatchworks.com

fyi...Jack's going thru a rough patch health-wise and struggling with a backlog of work.

[GonaSovereign]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

depends.

how old is the watch and what kind is it? RSC will not service watches over a certain age, so you must go to non OEM service if it's an antique.

Rolex will do "restoration overhauls" of older watches, but they send them back to Switzerland and it's somewhat more expensive than service. I recently had a 1973 Oyster Precision overhauled. The estimate was high, and surprisingly the final bill was lower than quoted. The work is excellent.

At some point they do run out of parts for older models, so if it's really old you might be SOL and need to go non-OEM.