Discussion
Got a call from my brother this morning, he's just back from a short golfing holiday in Spain, where this happened to his Explorer.. He says it fell off a bedside table at night when he put it back down after checking the time. It fell two or three feet, onto a concrete floor. He's asked me to get a quote on the cost of repair. There are shards of the crystal jamming the hands, so don't know if the movement has been damaged too. Surprisingly the case looked untouched.
I took it to my local AD, who will send it off the Rolex UK for an estimate, which will take about 10 weeks. I was told its going to need a full service at approx. £450, plus whatever is needed to repair the damage.
Me, I suspect beer may have been involved too...
On the bright side, I got to try on a few rose gold watches, the Sky Dweller is a big old thing and really heavy in gold. The new 40mm DD in rose gold was as nice in real life as in the pics I've seen, though I doubt I'd ever have reason to wear it. While the pick of the bunch was the choc dial rose gold Daytona, that one could be one for the future, but not at AD rrp..
I took it to my local AD, who will send it off the Rolex UK for an estimate, which will take about 10 weeks. I was told its going to need a full service at approx. £450, plus whatever is needed to repair the damage.
Me, I suspect beer may have been involved too...
On the bright side, I got to try on a few rose gold watches, the Sky Dweller is a big old thing and really heavy in gold. The new 40mm DD in rose gold was as nice in real life as in the pics I've seen, though I doubt I'd ever have reason to wear it. While the pick of the bunch was the choc dial rose gold Daytona, that one could be one for the future, but not at AD rrp..
Might be worth emailing these guys some picutres and see what they say?
http://www.watchdoctors.co.uk/
They come up on here time to time as recommended, i've never used them however.
http://www.watchdoctors.co.uk/
They come up on here time to time as recommended, i've never used them however.
kashn said:
Happened to me too on my Daytona. 
Dropped it while putting it on and fell onto marble floor.
AD has sent it to Rolex and they've quoted £695 to include service and 2 year warranty. Took 6 weeks for quote and been advised upto 10 weeks for repair.
Are Rolex in Switzerland or India? Those turn-round times sound like our offshore software operation! Dropped it while putting it on and fell onto marble floor.
AD has sent it to Rolex and they've quoted £695 to include service and 2 year warranty. Took 6 weeks for quote and been advised upto 10 weeks for repair.
M
Exact same thing happened to my sister's datejust, knocked it off the sink and onto a tiled floor when brushing her teeth.
Cost was circa £1k iirc covered by the house insurance but can back good as new. If you use these things daily (which I believe you should) it's a risk you take I guess. I've given my datejust some stick over the years but luckily nothing that's ever really damaged it (apart from lightly chipping the glass years ago-replaced during its one and only service).
They're tough old things
Cost was circa £1k iirc covered by the house insurance but can back good as new. If you use these things daily (which I believe you should) it's a risk you take I guess. I've given my datejust some stick over the years but luckily nothing that's ever really damaged it (apart from lightly chipping the glass years ago-replaced during its one and only service).
They're tough old things
Far be it for me to say, but I might as well anyway, but the problem is the front crystal protrudes from the protection of the bezel so any drops or knock on the front of the watch are taken by the crystal. Although it has a mohrs hardness of 9 (Aluminum oxide crystal, otherwise known as sapphire) to prevent scratching, it has a very high britality so can only take a few Joules of impact energy before breaking.
If Rolex made the front crystal perfectly flat and recessed it to 0.2mm below the height of the bezel then all impacts would be absorbed through the bezel, which is stainless steel and has very low britality, and you wouldn't get this problem. You'd also get greater visibility through the crystal with less reflection. Case design is as much about protecting what's fragile inside and on the case as it is about style. Here's what I mean:
If Rolex made the front crystal perfectly flat and recessed it to 0.2mm below the height of the bezel then all impacts would be absorbed through the bezel, which is stainless steel and has very low britality, and you wouldn't get this problem. You'd also get greater visibility through the crystal with less reflection. Case design is as much about protecting what's fragile inside and on the case as it is about style. Here's what I mean:
Edited by Lorne on Thursday 23 June 16:06
Lorne said:
Far be it for me to say, but I might as well anyway, but the problem is the front crystal protrudes from the protection of the bezel so any drops or knock on the front of the watch are taken by the crystal. Although it has a mohrs hardness of 9 (Aluminum oxide crystal, otherwise known as sapphire) to prevent scratching, it has a very high britality so can only take a few Joules of impact energy before breaking.
If Rolex made the front crystal perfectly flat and recessed it to 0.2mm below the height of the bezel then all impacts would be absorbed through the bezel, which is stainless steel and has very low britality, and you wouldn't get this problem. You'd also get greater visibility through the crystal with less reflection. Case design is as much about protecting what's fragile inside and on the case as it is about style. Here's what I mean:
Slightly OT but what watch is that? Looks lovely. If Rolex made the front crystal perfectly flat and recessed it to 0.2mm below the height of the bezel then all impacts would be absorbed through the bezel, which is stainless steel and has very low britality, and you wouldn't get this problem. You'd also get greater visibility through the crystal with less reflection. Case design is as much about protecting what's fragile inside and on the case as it is about style. Here's what I mean:
Edited by Lorne on Thursday 23 June 16:06
Supersonic Welly said:
Lorne said:
Far be it for me to say, but I might as well anyway, but the problem is the front crystal protrudes from the protection of the bezel so any drops or knock on the front of the watch are taken by the crystal. Although it has a mohrs hardness of 9 (Aluminum oxide crystal, otherwise known as sapphire) to prevent scratching, it has a very high britality so can only take a few Joules of impact energy before breaking.
If Rolex made the front crystal perfectly flat and recessed it to 0.2mm below the height of the bezel then all impacts would be absorbed through the bezel, which is stainless steel and has very low britality, and you wouldn't get this problem. You'd also get greater visibility through the crystal with less reflection. Case design is as much about protecting what's fragile inside and on the case as it is about style. Here's what I mean:
Slightly OT but what watch is that? Looks lovely. If Rolex made the front crystal perfectly flat and recessed it to 0.2mm below the height of the bezel then all impacts would be absorbed through the bezel, which is stainless steel and has very low britality, and you wouldn't get this problem. You'd also get greater visibility through the crystal with less reflection. Case design is as much about protecting what's fragile inside and on the case as it is about style. Here's what I mean:
Edited by Lorne on Thursday 23 June 16:06
tballs!! I too have the same watch and am so conscious of how easy it is to make that mistake. I have a wooden watch pyramid that i put mine on at night. Personally I would just keep it on my wrist all the time then there is no risk or dropping it.
House insurance will cover it if it is a specified item and covered outside the house (usu. incl 14 days abroad) or possibly holiday insurance although it would have to be a decent policy and nothing tin pot as the sum insured is quite high for a Rolex.
Pip
House insurance will cover it if it is a specified item and covered outside the house (usu. incl 14 days abroad) or possibly holiday insurance although it would have to be a decent policy and nothing tin pot as the sum insured is quite high for a Rolex.
Pip
The watch is insured, but the policy has quite a high excess, though my brother wasn't yet sure of the details when I asked.
He's bought a cheap beater in the meantime, and is saying perhaps its best if I keep it in my safe in the future and he'll only wear it for special occasions. Which isn't what I'd like to see happen, I don't want him to be too precious with it from now on.
He's bought a cheap beater in the meantime, and is saying perhaps its best if I keep it in my safe in the future and he'll only wear it for special occasions. Which isn't what I'd like to see happen, I don't want him to be too precious with it from now on.
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