What does a service on a Rolex include?

[watchmakeral]

This is a post that I also posted on another thread on the avg cost of a service. First I must say that from what I read Ms. Vanessa knows her craft and does a quality job. Here it is.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Alan, I am a watchmaker, and this is my first post on the forum. This thread caught my attention enough for me to want to give it my input as well. I work with Michael (Horologier) at watchrestoration.com. We work under Ernest Tope CMW21. Mr. Tope is one of a handful of watchmakers with the CMW21 (21st Century Certified Master Watchmaker) certification and one of the most highly skilled watchmakers I have ever met. Michael and I are lucky to have the privilege of working with him.
To answer the original posting (remember the original posting), the average price of a Rolex service on a modern Rolex is roughly about $350 give or take a hundred bucks. This is for the average jewelry store and not Rolex or a Rolex dealership and assumes that the watch does not need any parts other than gaskets and a mainspring. I believe Rolex is about $700 and they replace the crown and tube as part of the service. I know of watchmakers who will service a Rolex for as little as $75 but I would never recommend them. I know what it takes to do the job properly. Of course, there are a number of issues that affect the price.
Does the watchmaker use genuine Rolex parts or generic ones? Genuine parts cost more and are restricted. Rolex tries very hard to ensure that they make their parts available only to competent watchmakers. Rolex has sent letters to their parts accounts stating that as of the end of the year only AWCI certified watchmakers with the necessary equipment will be eligible for a Rolex parts account.
This brings us to the next issue. Is the watchmaker competent? Like any other profession, not all watchmakers are equal. If the watchmaker is AWCI certified that certification implies a certain skill level. There are many competent watchmakers who are not certified but there are many more uncertified watchmakers who are mediocre or worse. We spend a lot of our time correcting previous slipshod work. Some attorneys charge $100 an hour and some charge $1000 an hour. If you are negotiating a hundred million dollar transaction which one would you chose?
Many times a watchmaker can get away with shoddy work and the customer may never know. He may leave dings and scratches all over the movement and most customers never see the movement at all let alone inside the movement when it is dismantled. The watch works fine but the dings and scratches have devalued it and the owner never knows until the next person to work on it tells them so.
Another issue is what the criteria is used for replacing a marginal part. As an example, I have seen many watches with corrosion inside due to moisture. Often I see a corroded oscillating weight that will function properly but looks just awful. Depending on the customer’s expectations I either brush the corrosion off or I replace the part. Would you be willing to pay the extra cost to replace it? Watch manufacturers will not give you a choice; they will replace the part and charge accordingly. We here will also replace the part because we want to produce work we can be proud of. When someone else looks at our work we want it to be seen as first rate.
Accuracy is a big factor. Accuracy can be a matter of diminishing returns. Theoretically, the longer I work on timing a watch, the more accurate I can make it. It costs a lot more to get a race car to go from a ten second machine to a 9.5 second machine than it does to take it from 12 seconds to 11 seconds. Some watches have better capabilities than others but the theory still holds. Once a watch has been cleaned and oiled and any mechanical issues have been resolved, the watch is adjusted and tested. Sometimes the watch is adjusted and tested many times before it is released. This often accounts for the long amount of time needed to service the watch. We like to test the watch for at least a week of good timekeeping before we release it. Often we will put the watch in timing and after a few days of unsatisfactory timekeeping make an adjustment and start the timing process again. We will often repeat this process several times before we are satisfied. What level of accuracy do you expect from the $150 job vs. the $600 job?
Overhead is another factor. State of the art equipment has become very expensive and manufacturers are insisting on some very expensive equipment before they will open a parts account. A major store in a major mall pays a very high rent and manufacturers need to pay for their large facilities and for the executive salaries and bonuses. Fortunately we don’t have that situation; the money you spend on your watch goes only to the time we spend on it.
Watchmaking is a difficult profession. It takes a long time to become adept at this profession and like any other profession we deserve to make a decent living. In addition good watchmakers are few in number and the law of supply and demand applies. I don’t know of any watchmakers that are getting rich servicing watches. If anyone knows of one I would love to know their formula for success. Considering the time, effort and cost of being a good watchmaker, we are one of the most underpaid and underappreciated professions I know of.
On estimates there are 2 ways to do it. We can charge for the estimate and stick to the price, or we can give a free estimate and call later when we come across a problem and alter the price accordingly. Many times I have taken my car into a repair shop and was quoted a price only to receive a phone call later telling me that the repairman found a problem he had not accounted for and that the price of the repair would be considerably more. The same goes for contractors repairing homes and other buildings. Cost overruns are common even with new construction.
Since we mostly work on older watches we come across hidden problems often, usually from the folks that worked on it before us. Experience has taught us that completely disassembling the watch and charging for the estimate is the only way to go.
We are on this forum because we love our watches. If you love your watch, why would you be more concerned with the price of the repair than the quality of the repair? The bitterness of a poor repair is remembered long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten.
Long Live The Mechanical Watch!

[Runnin' Rebel]

Wow, what a post..I've had my gmt since 2001, and had it serviced 2 times, right now its getting serviced the 2nd time, they want it for 4 weeks, I was wondering why, now I know. I WISH THEY WOULD GIVE ME A LOANER

[walds11]

Did you give it to an RSC or and independent watchmaker? I dropped mine off for an overhaul on Monday. It should take about 2-3 weeks. SS Sub Date Y serial, papers dated 11/2003 and due for an overhaul.

Originally Posted by JAGERVEGAS

Wow, what a post..I've had my gmt since 2001, and had it serviced 2 times, right now its getting serviced the 2nd time, they want it for 4 weeks, I was wondering why, now I know. I WISH THEY WOULD GIVE ME A LOANER

[mt666tm]

Good read. My Sub is due for a service, and I've always had questions as to what gets done. This will make it easier to pay the bill. Thanks!

[armoredsaint]

excellent write-up Vanessa, sorry if this has been addressed but my AD said it will take 8 weeks for the process and they do it all in-house. Is it common for it to be that long?

BTW, the service will be on a women's datejust ~1990 in mint condition and cost about $590 they quoted.

[crimsondonkey]

Great thread, very insightful and most reassuring.

[chester1]

Vanessa, Thanks for the excellent information! As as result I sent in my old GMT 16750 purchased back in '87 in for service. Anxiously awaiting it's return from it's $1,500 spa visit later this month. New plexi crystal, bezel insert, hands and dial being done. I suspect it will be like getting it back like new. Can't wait!!!!

[MURRAY]

So I'll repeat a question that I don't think was answered...If your aren't putting a watch through it's paces...and you aren't beating up the appearance.....how often is it really required to be serviced..

If it sits in a safe deposit box or something and is rarely ever used...wouldn't servicing it every 10, or 20 years be satisfactory?

Not advocating 'bucking the system' but would like to better understand the rationale for a 5 year incremental service profile...it would appear to me that usage should dictate the time of service...and not time itself....?

[Tools]

Rolex does not say "every 5 years"... they say that they recommend, "depending on usage about every 5 years". Two very different statements.

Vanessa has even said that Rolex is leaning more towards 8 years with the newer movements, oils, and technology..

[Vanessa CW21]

Originally Posted by MURRAY

If it sits in a safe deposit box or something and is rarely ever used...wouldn't servicing it every 10, or 20 years be satisfactory?

Honestly, in this case I recommend a service sooner!

Think about it: If you have a car sitting in a garage for two years, would you drive it cold turkey for who knows how many miles? Wouldn't you change the oil first and probably give it a fresh battery?

I'm not in favor of watchwinders, but I do recommend for a watch to be wound 40 times once a month to keep the oils evenly distributed. Hope this answers your question! (and I apologize for the late reply, I have been absent for a while)

[ChetCa]

Originally Posted by Vanessa

I'm not in favor of watchwinders, but I do recommend for a watch to be wound 40 times once a month to keep the oils evenly distributed. Hope this answers your question! (and I apologize for the late reply, I have been absent for a while)

Sorry if it's a stupid question, but I really don't know
Do you mean I wound it 40 times(turn the dial knob 40 times)? Then next month I wound 40 times again?
I hardly wear my watch, may be 5 times a year.

[tecchnocat]

Originally Posted by MURRAY

So I'll repeat a question that I don't think was answered...If your aren't putting a watch through it's paces...and you aren't beating up the appearance.....how often is it really required to be serviced..

If it sits in a safe deposit box or something and is rarely ever used...wouldn't servicing it every 10, or 20 years be satisfactory?

Not advocating 'bucking the system' but would like to better understand the rationale for a 5 year incremental service profile...it would appear to me that usage should dictate the time of service...and not time itself....?

I bought my Submariner new in 1982 and it has had it's third service last year. I am not sure what has been replaced inside other than a new bezel, crystal, crown and tube. and a link replacement in the strap. Other than losing 5 minutes a month which it has done since new I have had no issues as it has never missed a beat from a reliability point of view. It is a great watch.

[MURRAY]

Thanks Larry!

[bewithabob]

Vanessa thank you for sharing all of this incredible information (including the time that you allowed yourself time to have a cup of cofee in this process). I have long been impressed my the fine mechanical workings of my Rolex timepieces, and it astounds me to hear complaints about service requirements and costs when considering the technical precision, training, skills and talent required to bring these finely tuned instruments back to their original factory and COSC specifications and the benefits of we receive from highly trained experts like yourself who bring the case, bezel, hands, dial, crystal and bracelets back to their original sparkling new luster and beauty.

Oddly, the cosmetic impact of scratches on the case from the millions of human wrist movements receive fare more attention from the average person, which I am sure pales by comparison to the effects of the the 28,800 vph inside the case.

Think about the- 28,800 vph x 24 hours per day x 365 days per year x 5 years between services. Assuming the watch is use constantly, that translates to accurately measuring
1,264,440,000 beats -
157,680,000 seconds or
2,628,000 minutes or
43,800 hours or
1,825 days

In addition consider the number of times the crown and stem require unwinding for fine adjustment by the end user, and rewinding the parachrome spring. How many cycles can any human perform with such precision and accuracy?

[erolorhun]

Interesting and enlightening

[rollypolly]

wow, that is amazing... so the rule of thumb is every 5 years for service?

[cdelgado1982]

wow greattt info.. maybe u can help me with my watch,..

[Big Joe]

I appreciate what goes into a good service job. I have had a few watches worked on over the years and understand what is involved. I own a stringed instrument shop that does repairs, restorations, and custom builds. We run into the same issues that good watchmakers/ restorers do. Much of our work is redoing something a poor repair person did. It does make the job far more difficult, and often more expensive. I do one thing a bit different. I don't do estimates. When I see the instrument in hand I will go over it carefully and determine what must be done. I then give an exact price. After this many years in the business I better know what it will take for me to do the job. I feel if I am wrong I should be the one to lose, not my customer.

Restoring a stringed instrument can easily be as expensive as doing repair work on a good watch. Many of the instruments we work on are very expensive. It is not unusual for us to work on instruments worth far more than my Rolex.

All that being said, I recently had my Rolex serviced by Rolex in New York. It was returned within the time specified. It was a warranty repair but I received a call about ten days after the watch was sent by me AD and telling me the cost to repair the watch would be $585.00. I reminded them it was a warranty issue (the watch would not keep time...it is a GMT Master II 2 tone).

When I got the watch back it was absolutely filthy and was coated in some kind of compound that was very hard to remove. It also was not cleaned, the watch was not polished, and it had a few more scratches than it did when it was sent to them.

The watch has been back on my arm for 5 days and appears to be running correctly. That is the main issue I wanted addressed. However, when I called Rolex to ask about the condition it was returned they explained the work done inside the watch and was told they did not clean or polish it because it was "too new to polish or clean". I realize it was warranty work, but the watch has been on my arm for nearly two years and was in the store for a few years before that. I love the watch and also my Sub and my wife loves her date just.

It did not make me love my watches or make me want to wear my Rolex cap after being told my watch was "too new" to clean after they worked on it. I also told them it was not only dirty, but was scratched by them. The just ignored the comment and said it was "too new to polish or clean". That was repeated 4 times during the conversation.

I still love my Rolex's, and my GMT is still my favorite, but I cannot say Rolex is my favorite company. If I have to send my watch out again it will certainly NOT be to Rolex. I bought my Rolex's new and from an AD purposely to have the warranty and to know Rolex would take care of the watch for me at any time. I was not prepared for what experience I found with them. I had been contemplating another Rolex, but not anymore. There are plenty of other great companies that make some very interesting watches I could enjoy as much.

I should say I have my 2 Rolex's, my wife has one as well. In addition I have an Omega Seamaster, a Tag Huer Monaco, a Breitling Navitimer World, and a Breitling Chronomat. I recently sold an Omega Ocean Planet, a Tag Huer Aquaracer, and a Maurice LaCroix Moon Phase Chronograph. I also have a few other swiss auto's. I have had excellent service from the other companies and they seem to want to please the customer unlike Rolex.

[Rotorhead]

Thanks for sharing Vanessa, Great technical writeup on something I always wanted to know more about.

[pradeep]

Thanks Vanessa. Thats super info!

[Mikefxd]

This is good information for a new owner.

[kj19]

Vanessa, why are you not in favor of watch winders? Do you believe they do more harm than good?

[Nashville cat]

Wow....I knew it was involved --but you have a lot of patience..

[Rolex tom]

I've had mine serviced 40 plus times and maybe you should charge more as I've seen it rise from £20 to £300 it will rise again. Great post and thanks for the extra info

[Manx]

Very interesting Vanessa, thanks for sharing.

-M-

[DCgator]

Great, informative and well articulated information. Many thanks, Vanessa.

[ingoodtime]

Originally Posted by Rolex tom

I've had mine serviced 40 plus times and maybe you should charge more as I've seen it rise from £20 to £300 it will rise again. Great post and thanks for the extra info

Tom...really???? 40 plus times? Let's see...once every 5 Years.....so at 20 years old, that's 4 times, so 40 years is 8 times, 60 years is 12 times, 80 years is 16 times....man, you have a really crappy watch!

[rolex rob]

great info on a rolex service do you change seals on the winding crown as well' regards rob

[simon B]

Vanessa
I agree with the mainspring change, I too change during a service "now" Had a omega moonwatch #321 back after 11months and 2 weeks. the mainspring change on these requires the complete movement to be stripped so effectively a full service again. why take the risk of a return for the cost of the spring,rolex has a better policy than some others.
Simon B

[chstoft]

So I guess it is possible to use your watch too less?