Rolex service costs
Discussion
I just send mine to Joe at Anglesey Watch & Clock for much less than £200. He can have difficult getting Rolex parts if you need them but a service is easy enough. He's old school and comes across as a real artisan.
I've had a few Rolex serviced by RSC and on every occasion they've had to go back for regulating and/or other issues. They can sell a nice new watch but looking after it secondhand for silly money and having it for months I'll pass.
I've had a few Rolex serviced by RSC and on every occasion they've had to go back for regulating and/or other issues. They can sell a nice new watch but looking after it secondhand for silly money and having it for months I'll pass.
shep1001 said:
z4RRSchris said:
AP is a joke.
I pondered over the one Dom had for sale recently but was put off by the service cost of just shy of 1k + vat. replacement parts and that too the final bill over 3k for the work it had had done prior to sale.WindyCommon said:
How much should a service for my watch (below) cost? I assume it’ll have to go to a main Rolex dealer.
Whilst I’m here, would anyone like to hazard a guess at the age of the watch? I think I bought it in the early 90’s - does that sound right?
it can go wherever you want it to goWhilst I’m here, would anyone like to hazard a guess at the age of the watch? I think I bought it in the early 90’s - does that sound right?
WindyCommon said:
How much should a service for my watch (below) cost? I assume it’ll have to go to a main Rolex dealer.
Has it stopped working?If it goes to Rolex, it will come back as new.... I'd guess at £800 or so including case polishing.
If you go to an indie, it will come back looking as it does now (if that's what you want) but serviced at half the cost.
If you're planning to sell it, then have Rolex service it.
NDA said:
Has it stopped working?
If it goes to Rolex, it will come back as new.... I'd guess at £800 or so including case polishing.
If you go to an indie, it will come back looking as it does now (if that's what you want) but serviced at half the cost.
If you're planning to sell it, then have Rolex service it.
Polished watches not what anyone buying will want to have happened...If it goes to Rolex, it will come back as new.... I'd guess at £800 or so including case polishing.
If you go to an indie, it will come back looking as it does now (if that's what you want) but serviced at half the cost.
If you're planning to sell it, then have Rolex service it.
Recently wife had hers done, took about 6 weeks, new glass was done and some stuff inside, think it was 6 or 700.
okgo said:
Polished watches not what anyone buying will want to have happened
I’ve heard several reports that Rolex polish the living daylights out of watches went they are sent for service.Is this really true, or is the polishing sympathetic? It’s the main reason that I haven’t serviced my watch!
okgo said:
10 yes. But depends on the life it has led of course.
Thanks jinba & okgo.okgo ,why would you not want a daytona refurbed at rolex AD ?
Also I have put my name down for an Air King ,which they said there may be around 2- 3months wait. They also said they get what they get deliverd so is not set in stone but as the Air King is not as popular it probably will not be in the region of 12 months plus as some of the GMT's etc.
I have not bought from a AD before , I have now decided I would like a Sky Dweller. Can I ask, do you think it would be better to order one after I have bought & paid for the Air King in a few months time or just go back to the Goldsmiths shop & ask to put on the list for the Skydweller alongside the Air King ? I don't want them to think I am a nutcase & messing them around as its obvious I don't know much about the watches but its something I feel like treating myself to, I did ask if I could leave a deposit but they did not want to know .
Thanks for your help.
WindyCommon said:
Thanks. I’m going to take to my local Rolex dealer this afternoon. They’ve suggested £600 for the basic service, consistent with your suggestions.
Just over one month later, the Rolex dealer has come back with a revised figure of £900 for the basic service. £600 if it was a current model, £900 because mine has the Zenith movement.They have also told me that no-one else can service the watch properly because Rolex don't make the parts available to independents.
My spider-senses are telling me that someone is trying it on. I didn't say yes to the service, but have asked for an indication of the work to be done, hours of labour, parts likely to be needed etc. It was fairly clear that even my gentle challenge was something of a shock to the dealer.
One question I have is how service costs have risen over time. Would a basic service on this watch have cost nearly £500 when it was new? Or have service prices been inflated to keep up with used watch values?
I suspect the truth is that they have me over a barrel here.
If you would prefer a second opinion, you can always poddle along to St James Square, and ask the nice people there. They will more than happily quote you for the work, though I suspect it will be broadly in line with the dealer quote. Except if you have ever worn the watch, in which case, you'll get a replacement bracelet price added 
randlemarcus said:
If you would prefer a second opinion, you can always poddle along to St James Square, and ask the nice people there. They will more than happily quote you for the work, though I suspect it will be broadly in line with the dealer quote. Except if you have ever worn the watch, in which case, you'll get a replacement bracelet price added
St James square (head servicing office) is currently closed for a refurb, I phoned them yesterday to get my 2011 ceramic sub serviced- £550 inc vat. I took it to watches of Switzerland on threadneedle st who will send it to Rolex for me (£580). Mine has a small scratch on the crystal so it needs a new one, which is an extra £106.Rolex said 8 weeks turnaround time and WOS said “about six working weeks” whatever that means
Edited by FarmyardPants on Wednesday 8th January 13:32
Richard Rigg, a member on here, has done pretty substantial work on my wife's Omega Constellation and my Cartier Santos.
I'm sure Richard could price it for you and ease the pain.
MightyWatchRepairs@hotmail.com
Really pleased with his work and communication.
He'd tell you if he couldn't do it.
I'm sure Richard could price it for you and ease the pain.
MightyWatchRepairs@hotmail.com
Really pleased with his work and communication.
He'd tell you if he couldn't do it.
The necessary evil that is Servicing can often come as an unwelcome surprise.
Service costs have risen – like most things – over time.
£500ish is what I’d expect for a straightforward service carried out by Rolex themselves on any of their models.
If additional parts/work (beyond those changed as standard) are required it might be more. As noted above, it’s rare that Rolex don’t also try and get you to replace the crystal, bracelet etc. at silly prices, but mostly those are optional and you can disregard.
Most will also charge more to service a Chronograph – they have more parts – than a simple three-hand movement.
I don’t personally know about the price differential between modern movements and the older Zenith-based movement, but again that doesn’t seem that strange a practice.
Most competent Third Party watchmakers could perform a straightforward strip, clean, oil & reassembly of the existing parts and it’ll run well unless there’s a glaring problem – but unless they are Rolex-accredited or have some other ‘grey’ parts supply, they won’t replace anything, or at least not with Rolex OEM parts. At Rolex, they will replace certain parts as standard, within the basic service cost e.g. rotor axle (if applicable) gaskets, mainspring, barrel, reversers and possibly more.
Insurance of the watch – both whilst at an Independent’s premises and in transit to/from them – is also an interesting thing. Surprisingly, not everyone offers full cover.
Polishing to an almost-new state will be included in the price, but it’s optional if you don’t want it (there’s a lot of opinion about this), though you won’t get a lesser price for waiving a polish.
You’ll also get the Rolex 2-year service guarantee – helpful not only in & of itself, but particularly if you intend to later sell the watch (and especially if you don’t happen to possess the original watch papers, given it can act as a certificate of authenticity, to some extent).
Even the green service pouches can be flogged online for £15 or so.
A Rolex-certified independent with a Rolex parts account would probably be a bit cheaper than Rolex themselves – the oft-recommended Duncan at Genesis would be worth a shout, he gets great reviews - and with no lesser a service than Rolex (and arguably more preferable).
Service costs have risen – like most things – over time.
£500ish is what I’d expect for a straightforward service carried out by Rolex themselves on any of their models.
If additional parts/work (beyond those changed as standard) are required it might be more. As noted above, it’s rare that Rolex don’t also try and get you to replace the crystal, bracelet etc. at silly prices, but mostly those are optional and you can disregard.
Most will also charge more to service a Chronograph – they have more parts – than a simple three-hand movement.
I don’t personally know about the price differential between modern movements and the older Zenith-based movement, but again that doesn’t seem that strange a practice.
Most competent Third Party watchmakers could perform a straightforward strip, clean, oil & reassembly of the existing parts and it’ll run well unless there’s a glaring problem – but unless they are Rolex-accredited or have some other ‘grey’ parts supply, they won’t replace anything, or at least not with Rolex OEM parts. At Rolex, they will replace certain parts as standard, within the basic service cost e.g. rotor axle (if applicable) gaskets, mainspring, barrel, reversers and possibly more.
Insurance of the watch – both whilst at an Independent’s premises and in transit to/from them – is also an interesting thing. Surprisingly, not everyone offers full cover.
Polishing to an almost-new state will be included in the price, but it’s optional if you don’t want it (there’s a lot of opinion about this), though you won’t get a lesser price for waiving a polish.
You’ll also get the Rolex 2-year service guarantee – helpful not only in & of itself, but particularly if you intend to later sell the watch (and especially if you don’t happen to possess the original watch papers, given it can act as a certificate of authenticity, to some extent).
Even the green service pouches can be flogged online for £15 or so.
A Rolex-certified independent with a Rolex parts account would probably be a bit cheaper than Rolex themselves – the oft-recommended Duncan at Genesis would be worth a shout, he gets great reviews - and with no lesser a service than Rolex (and arguably more preferable).
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