Hi - I promised a mate I would research some potential repairers for his Air King Date - not exactly sure what's wrong with it but I think he dropped it and something in the movement has come loose.
Can anyone recommend a repairer based on that fairly awful description of what's wrong?!
Cheers
Meaty
It all depends on what exactly is wrong, could be a few things, if it's labour only, most watches could fix it, if it's parts needed then that's different, Rolex don't supply parts to the trade unfortunately ... I expect there are generic parts available though, again, depending on whats wrong, I would send it to someone, an independent like Steve Burrage to assess first...
Suggest he needs an AR they will have a Rolex parts account. Could send to RSC though in my experience I would only use them for a service rather than repairs
Nice simple movement , loads of parts available for these watches
Might well be something simple like a broken rotor , get an estimate first.
Doing one at the moment , its before rolex got all complicated.
Thanks guys.
I`d advise him to send it to an accredited (independent) Rolex repairer.
I won`t work on Rolexes because I can`t get parts.
Paul
There is Duncan (genesis watchmaking) or Steve Hale or Russell talerman are all independent repairers, just google those names.
I never understand when watchmakers tell me they don't work on Rolex because they can't get parts.
Cousins have most of the movements parts for the modern calibres and it really isn't hard to find the other parts. The only part I have had to source from a friend who is accredited was a part for the new style ceramic bezel. This is out of maybe 400 services on Rolex.
And to the person above who said 'before Rolex got complicated', to which calibres do you refer?
None of them are complicated, unusual or different to most other high end Swiss watches, other than dealing with axle changes
Although this is a very quick easy job.
I`ve just checked availability of Rolex 3135 parts on Cousins website. Some parts are still available but the majority aren`t.
Some generic parts are available but most Rolex owners wouldn`t be happy knowing generic parts had been used.
Generic mainsprings are a good example; I`ve no experience with generic Rolex mainpsrings but today I spent a frustrating couple of hours putting a vintage Omega ca 600 back together with a generic mainspring. Amplitude with a generic spring = 240°; after much headscratching and looking for problems I swapped it for a genuine Omega and it goes up to 265°........I rest my case! Same thing happened with a 565 automatic, low amplitude using generic springs.
I`ve no issue with generic O-rings and caseback seals, or generic glasses, but I'm less happy with movement parts, especially mainsprings.
Each to their own; some folks may be happy to work on Rolexes, but not me. I don`t have the contacts to supply me with parts.
Paul
I have had a Rolex with generic mainspring sent to Rolex, they didn't notice.
The reasons you get an amplitude difference on older movements is cousins giving the closest size not the exact one, they can't and don't stock everything so they allow strength differences. Rolex is popular enough to get the right size. Its easy to get over 300 with a 3135.
As for parts not available, again they are very easily found outside of cousins just mostly not in this country. I get most of mine from the USA and they come in the little sealed Rolex boxes with the microchip.
Plus look at the parts available on cousins 9 times out of 10 these are the ones you need. They don't stock the things that tend not to break.
Fair comment, there are ways and means of getting Rolex stuff.
As for mainsprings, some of Cousins' listings are wrong....I`ve found out the hard way! However, I`ve had springs that are exactly the same dimensions but still don`t give the amplitude; I can only assume that the metal's different, which seems unlikely.
Paul
The 3135 uses a parachrome spring does it not?, I didn't think cousins sold these?
We are talking mainsprings here not hairsprings.
Ah, my mistake Dom.Originally Posted by dom_
Whereabouts are you based in Brighton?, pm if you want.
I am above the marina.
Regards
Mike
I live in haywards heath, but I work for TimeRestoration in Hove.
I will pop in when passing to say hello!
I guessed we had a true horologist in our midst
Paul
Hello.
Just signed up so that I could enquire about the exact same thing. I too have an Air King date that needs attention. Like a klutz I dropped it so it needs repairing & servicing. Does anyone know of a repairer in the Diss/Bury St Edmunds area that uses genuine parts? if not who of the above recommendations are the best?
Thanks
AK
Michlmayr in Norwich? A bit further afield, but not too far. It would be exactly their thing, I would think.
John
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