Reply With QuoteWelcome to the forum.
I have just moved to Scotland and posted a thread looking for a good watch guy to service Rolex’s. I had a couple of recommendations but they were big shiny watch dealers.
I’m looking for a small very experienced watch guy, anywhere in Uk is fine as I’ll have to ship.
Thanks in advance
Welcome to the forum.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Welcome,
Brendan, Webwatchmaker has serviced a number of my watches including a vintage Explorer. Top service and a great sense of humour to boot.
But why not use Rolexes own servicing? You get an official Rolex two-year guarantee. That adds real value to the watch. I would happily use independent guys, and do, but for Rolex , their own service makes sense. To me anyway.
If the watch is over 10 yrs old the cost might be a factor if the reports of Rolex's new 'vintage' service mark-up are true.Originally Posted by paskinner
I wouldn't because I don't trust them - just my £0.02!
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Simply because they damaged the case back of my 50th birthday Datejust TT whilst unsuccessfully trying to regulate it.
They then refused to put the damage right - which would have cost them the princely sum of a new case back for an £8,000 watch.
This is despite my AD taking my side and having photographic evidence showing the watch condition before being sent to Rolex.
This said, they do still offer one if the best all purpose watches on the market, unfortunately I just don't trust their service anymore which kills the brand for me.
The bright side is that I have now sold off all of my Rolex and appear to be cured of a lifelong addition to the brand - so perhaps they did me (or at least my bank account) a favour :)
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That’s shocking. They mess up your watch then just shrug? Bugger that!
Why didn’t you stick with the brand but use a Rolex accredited independent repairer in future? Seems irrational to me, why fall out with the brand simply because the service centre didn’t cover themselves in glory.
I’ve dealt with Bill Rice a few times, he’s Rolex accredited and he’s good. There are other Rolex accredited indies who have good reputations too.
The whole concept of spending thousands on a mechanical watch that doesn't fulfil its primary function of telling the time as accurately as a quartz alternative costing around 1/1000 the price is not exactly a rational decision for anyone to make!
I am therefore happy to confess to buying watches based upon more of an emotional decision. I suspect that most of us are the same irrespective of if we choose to admit it or not.
Rolex understand this better than many as it helps drive their push into the luxury sector. Here purchases are made on an almost exclusively emotional, as opposed to functional, level.
For example are there really so many divers out there requiring a watch going to 300m plus to create the current shortage of Rolex Submariners - or is it people developing an emotional attachment to the look and history behind one of the iconic dive watches?
As such I buy watches based upon an emotional decision and if the overriding experience of dealing with that brand is negative it kills it for me - after all there are plenty of other great watches out there.
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Last edited by adg31; 9th June 2018 at 12:55.
I find this thread a bit puzzling. I find it hard to believe Rolex would damage a case back and then refuse to do anything, that's not the sort of firm they are; even stranger, the idea that they couldn't properly regulate one of their own watches ....really?
And if an AD had evidence that a case back had been damaged, a call to a Rolex customer service manager would have put an end to that.
As I said, all a bit puzzling. I'd love to hear what Rolex had to say. But, of course, we won't.
Last edited by paskinner; 9th June 2018 at 16:00.
I absolutely agree with you - 100%
However, if you would like to talk to the RSC Service Manager I'm more than happy to PM you the contact details.
RSC had 3 attempts to regulate the watch - my AD even put the watch in test using the Rolex methodology to confirm that it was still not within specification. After the final visit to RSC it came back with the caseback badly scratched.
The refusal to replace the caseback isn't hearsay from my AD but was told to me by the RSC Service Manager.
Ultimately my AD refunded me the cost of the watch saying that it was all that he could offer along with their apologies.
I still have a good relationship with my AD - but not with Rolex.
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I wouldn’t dream of getting any of my Rolexes serviced anywhere but Rolex seems odd to me to even think of going anywhere else
It would be good for this thread to get back on track referring to the OP's request
Maybe I’ve become a dispassionate because I repair watches, but at the end of the day they’re a pile of parts that have been put together and can be taken apart. Having said that, I still have plenty of enthusiasm for watches and I like them to be ‘just right’. I’m still a collector first and repairer second.
I’m the same with my classic car, the end result is greater than the sum of the parts but it’s still a pile of parts screwed together........if it’s done properly the end result gives great pleasure.
Can’t fall out with the car or the watches simply because someone’s done poor work on either, just make sure it doesn’t happen again and for me that means doing the work myself. These things are big boys toys, it’s an emotive decision to buy them, but it pays to be a pragmatist too.
My advice to the OP is to deal with an accredited independent such as Bill Rice (Williamricewatches) rather than Rolex UK. Other may like the warm feeling and feel that ‘ it’s been back to Rolex’ if it goes to RSC, I’m not one of them, I prefer to know that one guy has worked on my watch and his reputation depends on getting it 100% right.
Paul
Last edited by walkerwek1958; 9th June 2018 at 16:32.
As long as its not vintage and/or still in warranty, I'd go with RSC, if vintage either Bill Rice (used him a couple of times, very good) or Duncan at Genesis (again, very good, well he was with an old Speedy) would be a good shout.
Welcome to the forum.
You would have to go a long way to find a better guy than Simon Freese............http://www.simonfreesewatchmakers.com/
Although best known for his work on vintage Omega watches he looks after my Sub and GMT.
Can be busy at times but worth the wait.
Give him a ring and have a chat.
Bill Rice is excellent and he serviced a 5512 before I sold it and several gmt's and he always provided an exemplary service. I would always use him rather that RSC because you can discuss exactly what you want with the person that works on your paj
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