Huge dent on Deep Sea… repair options?

[Patekfinder]

I was diving and wearing my couple months old basically brand new 136660 Deep Sea James Cameron… unfortunately at some point coming up on the ladder of the dive boat I hit the watch against some metal bolt on the ladder and it caused this huge dent which is quite deep.

Honestly I’m a little pissed that Rolex uses such soft steel, this should have been a scratch not a deep dent. I’m surrounded by steel in my life, on board, trucks, everywhere, and none of the industrial steel ever dents so easily.

Anyways, polishing will definitely not fix this as it is too deep. I think this would require welding/soldering of extra material to fill the dent and then polish down to make it smooth?

In all likelihood I won’t get this repaired and will wait 5 years until it’s servicing time to see how many other scratches and dents I get.

Any advice appreciated.






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[kieselguhr]

First of many. Like you said. Just leave it be until it’s time to service. There’s nothing worse than spending $500 for a laser welding only to get a scratch/dent/divot again not a week after

[Patekfinder]

Can someone answer why Rolexes dent so easily?

My Seiko Turtle in steel has been thrashed and destroyed while diving against all sorts of metal, ladders, bolts, etc. and it only has some hairline scratches… the steel is so hard it does dent, it does the denting.


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[Tomas Eriksson]

Small nick, I would leave it for service.

[Bxtek]

That does look like a deep ding. I personally would just leave it alone though. Glad to hear that you were using this watch for exactly what it was designed to do.....diving! I would just consider it patina and a part of the history of this watch. Also, a memory of that particular dive. The damage is on the side at least and not as noticeable or in a more irritating spot like the bezel or front of the watch.

Also, for me if I got that repaired....I think I would be more paranoid and more scared to use it each time afterwards. If you left it, we all know more dings, scratches, imperfections will come in the future and I would be totally fine with that!

[Spoonage]

I have one just like that on my Sub. I would just leave it for now and assess at service time if it's still an issue to you.

[nighthawk77]

I don’t think it’s too big or looks too bad but agree you probably won’t be able to polish that out. You could laser weld that and get it looking like new again but I’d just leave until service time and decide then, especially if you plan on using it for more dives and there’s a risk it will get damaged again.

As for the ‘softness’ of the steel compared to your Seiko, I dont think there’s any difference. Whilst there are some advantages of 904L steel used by Rolex compared to the 316L steel of Seiko - such as improved corrosion resistance - the hardness of both is very much the same.

[MRBolton]

Originally Posted by nighthawk77

I don’t think it’s too big or looks too bad but agree you probably won’t be able to polish that out. You could laser weld that and get it looking like new again but I’d just leave until service time and decide then, especially if you plan on using it for more dives and there’s a risk it will get damaged again.

As for the ‘softness’ of the steel compared to your Seiko, I dont think there’s any difference. Whilst there are some advantages of 904L steel used by Rolex compared to the 316L steel of Seiko - such as improved corrosion resistance - the hardness of both is very much the same.

I don't think that Rolex themselves offers laser welding. They'd just offer case replacement or polishing.

[worldofoyster]

Originally Posted by Patekfinder

Can someone answer why Rolexes dent so easily?

My Seiko Turtle in steel has been thrashed and destroyed while diving against all sorts of metal, ladders, bolts, etc. and it only has some hairline scratches… the steel is so hard it does dent, it does the denting.


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The 904L steel is more corrosion resistant, doesn't necessary mean it's harder than other steels

[Ron P]

Rolex does do laserwelding at their major SC’s as far as I know here in Europe.

[nighthawk77]

Originally Posted by MRBolton

I don't think that Rolex themselves offers laser welding. They'd just offer case replacement or polishing.

True, but there are plenty of providers who do - Rolliworks in the US is one I’ve heard several good reports of

[drrd]

Originally Posted by nighthawk77

True, but there are plenty of providers who do - Rolliworks in the US is one I’ve heard several good reports of

You need a RSC to open, close and pressure test a Sea Dweller case. ‘Rolex certified’ watchmakers don’t get that kit from Rolex.

I suppose you could laser weld and polish a case with the movement still in there

OP, I think your plan to live with it for now sounds reasonable.

[brandrea]

I’ll say it depends ,,,, a mark like that might bother me if I couldn’t unsee it, so I’d have it repaired

I’d have to see the watch IRL.

[Notimetodie]

JC is only safe in a submarine.

[Pepperjack]

Originally Posted by MRBolton

I don't think that Rolex themselves offers laser welding. They'd just offer case replacement or polishing.

The NY facility at the very least does laser welding; I believe the PA one does as well. I'm uncertain of the others. If you send the watch to an RSC, just make sure your request for laser repair is clear.

[favx]

That is a small dent in my opinion, you don't have to fix it right away. You can fix it when you want to service your watch.

[Milkshake]

Thick chunky watch it’s going to get banged around doing stuff like that, nothing to do with the steel and everything to do with the person who chose to wear it. If you’re worried about it just wear the less expensive Seiko or try a slimmer Submariner. Laser welding will fix it, as others have said, just a matter of cost.

[1st amg]

Just get it fixed. Be done with it.


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[Kevin of Larchmont]

I mean you wore it diving, presumably you bought it to use it. So keep using it.

[AF_Rob]

I hear you. I put a rough dent on my Sub some years back. At the time, it wasn’t that old either, and its first major scar.

It’s been 10 years and I still haven’t fixed it. See how you feel around service time.


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[CarlOver]

The laser welding before and after photos are remarkable…like it never happened.

[rockysw]

its a small dent. My advice, dont think about it. There will be many more like that. It doesnt hurt the wearing experience or even the market value that much.

[Wcdhtwn]

This is a wildly misleading thread title.

[Mccall86]

That’s a huge dent? I wouldn’t worry about it

[RTG]

Originally Posted by Wcdhtwn

This is a wildly misleading thread title.

Agreed. “find the dent” would have been a good title. Like Where’s Waldo. Took me a while to see the damage.

OP you obviously love the watch and we hate to hurt the things we love. From the image, that is a nothing little dent. I wouldn’t stress about it. Your deepsea will get other scars, and each scratch/dent will have a story… If you don’t like the ladder story (kind of boring), let’s say it was a shark. Tried to bite your arm off but the deepsea saved your life. And you’re brave, so you dove again the next weekend, but not without your trusty deepsea. Always with my deepsea.

I like it.

[Jack T]

Too bad about the dent, but what are you doing taking it diving???

[sambb]

thats not a huge dent in my eyes, very minor in fact. have fun with the timepiece

[HorologyK]

I’d call Mike at Rolliworks. He’s your best option.

[physicist]

I would have a hard time ever worrying about that damage. It can certainly be repaired, though, if necessary.

[stockae92]

what dent? haha

wear it, enjoy it.

btw, that's a story to tell.

"what happened there?"

"Watch vs ladder on a boat. The ladder won."