Advice on my damaged Deepsea
Advice on my damaged Deepsea
Author
Discussion

Lambchopski

Original Poster:

469 posts

218 months

Monday 13th February 2012
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I'm hoping to get some advice here on what I should do with my damaged Rolex Deepsea.

Basically I fell and put my arm out to stop the fall and in the process damaged the watch and scuffed my wedding ring against a wall frown

The strap has some pretty bad looking marks on the strap at the 12 o clock end. The bezel is damaged at 1-2 o clock. You cant see it unless you have a good look and annoyingly it catches on clothing. The wee stone thing (?!) at 12 o clock has gone.

So what do I do now?

Can anyone tell me what to expect to pay at repair for rolex?

Rough guesstimates I was given are £500 service, £900 strap, £4-500 bezel. Is that anywhere close?

I'm more worried about the time it'll take to send to Rolex and get fixed than the cost issue. Have these time scales sped up since there is a Rolex Service Centre in England?

If I choose to send it back to Rolex can I send it through a dealer?

From what I have read before I dont't think you can buy rolex new parts? So I buy a new strap but dont get the scratched one back? Is this correct?

What would you do in my situation? What would you expect to pay?

Thanks

Chop

Uriel

3,244 posts

282 months

Monday 13th February 2012
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Have you got pictures of it as it is? You don't mention the glass is scratched and impairing the use of it or that the watch isn't keeping time so I'd file/sand down the part that's catching on your clothes just enough to stop that happening and leave it as is. It's a 'tool' watch and can suit some signs of action.

Failing that, stick it on a nato/zulu or rubber diver strap.

No cover for accidental damage on the house contents insurance?

Lambchopski

Original Poster:

469 posts

218 months

Monday 13th February 2012
quotequote all
Uriel said:
Have you got pictures of it as it is? You don't mention the glass is scratched and impairing the use of it or that the watch isn't keeping time so I'd file/sand down the part that's catching on your clothes just enough to stop that happening and leave it as is. It's a 'tool' watch and can suit some signs of action.

Failing that, stick it on a nato/zulu or rubber diver strap.

No cover for accidental damage on the house contents insurance?
I only have 1 pic.


The glass is totally fine and it keeps pretty much exact same time as before. IIRC it loses 3-5 secs a day. It's always been like that and I believe that is normal?

I have considered filing the rough edge. Someone already said I should leave it marked and more 'authentic'.

As for another strap... sorry I cant stand them. I'd rather put my watch in the bin!!!

Yes the watch was/is insured but to be honest I've lost the rag with the company. I'm not going to go in to it here as a I CBA.


I cant help but feel I should be putting the repair money in to my next Rolex!

I need a 1979 1675 GMT if anyone has one...

Gazzab

21,708 posts

313 months

Monday 13th February 2012
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Surely one of the independent places will be able to source parts for you and fix quickly and for less £s?

Uriel

3,244 posts

282 months

Monday 13th February 2012
quotequote all
Yeah, I'd definintely live with that and put the near £2k toward wine/women/song/more toys.

CardShark

4,264 posts

210 months

Monday 13th February 2012
quotequote all
You could try something like a Garryflex block on the bracelet, just use it in the same direction as the OE brushed finish, it won't take out all of the damage by the looks of it but it should tidy it up a bit and is cheap enough to try. As for the bezel and lume pip, Rolex themselves would be the only option.

Dominic H

3,289 posts

263 months

Tuesday 14th February 2012
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Hi OP,

That looks nasty...

A good watchmaker should (if the scratches aren't too deep) be able to re-furb the bracelet. Or at least vastly improve the appearance. The problem you will have is with the bezel. Rolex will not supply any Deepsea parts even to approved watchmakers. So you'll need to return the watch to Rolex UK, you do this via your local Rolex AD. Or you can send straight to Rolex UK, either in St James's Square in London or the new site in Kingshill, West Malling in Kent. As a guide you may be looking at >14 weeks to repair, after you've approved the estimate.

Hope this helps...

D

Adrian W

15,623 posts

259 months

Tuesday 14th February 2012
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I was told recently that Rolex charge £2000 for a Deepsea bezel, and as Dom says it will have to got to them, maybe time to talk to your insurers

LukeBird

17,170 posts

240 months

Tuesday 14th February 2012
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£2k seems outrageous, I thought the GMT2C bezels were around the £500 mark.
Which is still outrageous compared to the old ones at £30.

Lambchopski

Original Poster:

469 posts

218 months

Tuesday 14th February 2012
quotequote all
Dominic H said:
Hi OP,

That looks nasty...

A good watchmaker should (if the scratches aren't too deep) be able to re-furb the bracelet. Or at least vastly improve the appearance. The problem you will have is with the bezel. Rolex will not supply any Deepsea parts even to approved watchmakers. So you'll need to return the watch to Rolex UK, you do this via your local Rolex AD. Or you can send straight to Rolex UK, either in St James's Square in London or the new site in Kingshill, West Malling in Kent. As a guide you may be looking at >14 weeks to repair, after you've approved the estimate.

Hope this helps...

D
I was hoping you'd see this Dom. I secretly hoped you might also see the bit about the 1979 watch I want but then you'll go and find one and I'll have to buy it! biggrin

So Rolex would supply another watchmaker with parts for other models? frown

14 weeks is a long wait to be without my watch. I'm emmigrating later in the year too so it's not very convenient.

Do you think Rolex would give me a straight answer if I called and asked for the parts prices? Or will they only entertain that when they see the watch?

For example if I kept the strap and sent off the watch head only I could get a price to replace the whole strap. I'd love to compare this to the cost of replacing the damaged strap!

If they could tell me the cost of a complete bezel over the phone then it'd be easier to make my decision.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Chop

Adrian W

15,623 posts

259 months

Tuesday 14th February 2012
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I heard there is a new bloke running Rolex GB, he has implemented a load of new polocies, like not selling spares, including bracelets and not changing faces, he's also giving the AD's a hard time regarding inventory.

Lambchopski

Original Poster:

469 posts

218 months

Tuesday 14th February 2012
quotequote all
Adrian W said:
I heard there is a new bloke running Rolex GB, he has implemented a load of new polocies, like not selling spares, including bracelets and not changing faces, he's also giving the AD's a hard time regarding inventory.
So is this different from around the world?


I asked my wife to take more pics. These might show the bezel damage a bit better.



MarsellusWallace

1,180 posts

232 months

Tuesday 14th February 2012
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This is always something I am frightened of especially when I wear my watches when I go out on a heavy drinking session.

If it was me I'd probably send the watch back to Rolex and let them give you a free estimate for repair.If it was reasonable I'd let them fix the watch,bear the financial pain,and then put it out of my mind and continue to enjoy the watch.

My yachtmaster had some pretty deep scratches on it when I bought it and they polished out when the watch was serviced.Let someone knowledgeable have a look at it-you may be supprised what they can do.


thesyn

540 posts

212 months

Tuesday 14th February 2012
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I would just wear it once you get over the initial upset of the damage. I mean how much worse can it get?

GC8

19,910 posts

221 months

Friday 24th February 2012
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NeMiSiS said:
The damaged links are actually replacable, you can not see any screws or fixing as you can in the lower removable links but they do come out.

They are presses together via a knurled pin and blind hole.

The bezel and Pip will be an issue, although the ceramic insert looks intact.

A guy I know lost one of those and had to claim on his insurance, he was fishing and it fell into the sea after he whacked it on the side of the boat. coffee
I know a fellow who got into a scuffle outside a bar and lost one...

Zingari

947 posts

204 months

Friday 24th February 2012
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The bracelet should refurb by a competent specialist. The 'ball' I would suggest is replaced by Rolex and should not be too costly. If someone cannot work their magic on the bezel I would leave it given the ceramic insert is OK.

Take it in to a Rolex Service Centre/Authorsied Dealer for an appraisal. Personally I wouldn't bother with a service - they can advise when it's in.

I knackered the flip lock on my Subby bracelet (fell over whilst jogging) and it cost me £150 for a new clasp which supports the fact that bracelets can be supplied in parts. Repaired in the UK by Rolex and without a service even though 15yrs since the last one!

Edited by Zingari on Friday 24th February 17:29

longone

252 posts

271 months

Saturday 25th February 2012
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Hello. Thought I'd give my views, hope it helps in some way. I bought a green Sub for my 50th last March and it's been worn every day since, dropped in a bucket of cement (once accidently), worn while rowing (often), and is knocked and scratched to death. Admittedly not as bad as yours but would still need a lot of polishing to be back to new. To start with I was quite upset as it gained the marks but now really dont care! As someone said earlier it's a tool.
I think there's two atitudes with these watches; 1. keep for best and wear with great care, or 2. sod-it and use as it's intended, and accept even clothing will craze the super polish.
If the same happened to mine I hope I'd laugh and carry on, it's just like using a high end car, imperfections will appear.
Colin.

GC8

19,910 posts

221 months

Saturday 25th February 2012
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There is a third, I think: keep in a safe with B&P, and never wear it lest the sticker starts to mark. Then try to sell it on TZ for as much, if not more, than you bought it for including euphamisms such as 'I have to let this go', 'grail incoming' and 'not getting enough wrist-time' etc. if the advert.

355spiderguy

1,476 posts

202 months

Sunday 1st April 2012
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well.....what did you end up doing with the deepsea?!

Thunderstruck80

108 posts

182 months

Sunday 1st April 2012
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GC8 said:
There is a third, I think: keep in a safe with B&P, and never wear it lest the sticker starts to mark. Then try to sell it on TZ for as much, if not more, than you bought it for including euphamisms such as 'I have to let this go', 'grail incoming' and 'not getting enough wrist-time' etc. if the advert.
Lol