Did I get a free rolex service ??
Discussion
This time last year my watch told me it needed a service (6 years since the last)
It started keeping poor time (losing 20 seconds a day) and when l shook it gently a very faint clunk sound could be heard (if held up to the ear)
I wasted months contemplating who to send it too and in the end it sat on my desk (unworn for about 6 months)
Eventually my wife gave it in to an authorised rolex dealer and off it went.....
Many weeks later they rang up to say Rolex had inspected the watch and the total cost of service was going to be about one gazillion pounds. They wanted to change the clasp and a few other bits and pieces, basically reversing the 15 years of patina built up.
I told them "no way jose" and to send my watch back.....which they did free of charge, and once more it sat on my desk.
Last week I picked the watch up of my desk, after literally one year of not wearing it, set the time and wore it to work.
Strangely it now keeps brill time, give or take one second fast in 24 hours and the faint clunk sound has gone.
I'm wondering if as part of the inspection they had the back off and couldn't resist putting a little squirt of oil in ??
Cheers
Ps it is a GMT II, Black & Red (well perhaps more like pink after 15 years of sunshine and chlorine swimming pools)
It started keeping poor time (losing 20 seconds a day) and when l shook it gently a very faint clunk sound could be heard (if held up to the ear)
I wasted months contemplating who to send it too and in the end it sat on my desk (unworn for about 6 months)
Eventually my wife gave it in to an authorised rolex dealer and off it went.....
Many weeks later they rang up to say Rolex had inspected the watch and the total cost of service was going to be about one gazillion pounds. They wanted to change the clasp and a few other bits and pieces, basically reversing the 15 years of patina built up.
I told them "no way jose" and to send my watch back.....which they did free of charge, and once more it sat on my desk.
Last week I picked the watch up of my desk, after literally one year of not wearing it, set the time and wore it to work.
Strangely it now keeps brill time, give or take one second fast in 24 hours and the faint clunk sound has gone.
I'm wondering if as part of the inspection they had the back off and couldn't resist putting a little squirt of oil in ??
Cheers
Ps it is a GMT II, Black & Red (well perhaps more like pink after 15 years of sunshine and chlorine swimming pools)
qureshia said:
This time last year my watch told me it needed a service (6 years since the last)
It started keeping poor time (losing 20 seconds a day) and when l shook it gently a very faint clunk sound could be heard (if held up to the ear)
I wasted months contemplating who to send it too and in the end it sat on my desk (unworn for about 6 months)
Eventually my wife gave it in to an authorised rolex dealer and off it went.....
Many weeks later they rang up to say Rolex had inspected the watch and the total cost of service was going to be about one gazillion pounds. They wanted to change the clasp and a few other bits and pieces, basically reversing the 15 years of patina built up.
I told them "no way jose" and to send my watch back.....which they did free of charge, and once more it sat on my desk.
Last week I picked the watch up of my desk, after literally one year of not wearing it, set the time and wore it to work.
Strangely it now keeps brill time, give or take one second fast in 24 hours and the faint clunk sound has gone.
I'm wondering if as part of the inspection they had the back off and couldn't resist putting a little squirt of oil in ??
Cheers
Ps it is a GMT II, Black & Red (well perhaps more like pink after 15 years of sunshine and chlorine swimming pools)
they had probably repaired the watch in anticipation of you saying yes.......anyway......good result It started keeping poor time (losing 20 seconds a day) and when l shook it gently a very faint clunk sound could be heard (if held up to the ear)
I wasted months contemplating who to send it too and in the end it sat on my desk (unworn for about 6 months)
Eventually my wife gave it in to an authorised rolex dealer and off it went.....
Many weeks later they rang up to say Rolex had inspected the watch and the total cost of service was going to be about one gazillion pounds. They wanted to change the clasp and a few other bits and pieces, basically reversing the 15 years of patina built up.
I told them "no way jose" and to send my watch back.....which they did free of charge, and once more it sat on my desk.
Last week I picked the watch up of my desk, after literally one year of not wearing it, set the time and wore it to work.
Strangely it now keeps brill time, give or take one second fast in 24 hours and the faint clunk sound has gone.
I'm wondering if as part of the inspection they had the back off and couldn't resist putting a little squirt of oil in ??
Cheers
Ps it is a GMT II, Black & Red (well perhaps more like pink after 15 years of sunshine and chlorine swimming pools)
Yes, yes you did.
They can be very customer focused for free at times.
I remember having my old Sub serviced through my AD many years ago and it came back with a 1 yr warranty for the work at the time.
A few months later my AD rang and said Rolex had changed their warranty from 1yr to 2yrs and to come and pick up the new warranty papers with the added on year, back in the day before the new fangled warranty cards.
Which was nice
They can be very customer focused for free at times.
I remember having my old Sub serviced through my AD many years ago and it came back with a 1 yr warranty for the work at the time.
A few months later my AD rang and said Rolex had changed their warranty from 1yr to 2yrs and to come and pick up the new warranty papers with the added on year, back in the day before the new fangled warranty cards.
Which was nice
marcelg said:
Going slightly mad, or they sent you a different watch back 
Reminds me of my Breitling Red Arrows limited edition Navitimer. Had loads of problems so it was sent back. When it came back "repaired" the limited edition number on the back was 144 and not the original 67. Having rumbled them I then asked for the correct paperwork for the new watch. Sirry iriots!GC8 said:
Itd be nice to think so, but the 'new' Rolex closed the lost and found register (to the public), so Id be surprised...
There was a reason for that, which was customer focused as it happens.The register was overwhelmed by the number of enquiries from the public, so they decided instead of providing a poor 'too busy' service therefore tainting their reputation it was withdrawn and is now only accessible by an AD.
Therefore reducing the number of calls by introducing an extra step in the process. If you really want to find out, then you still can, through an AD.
bobbybee said:
GC8 said:
Itd be nice to think so, but the 'new' Rolex closed the lost and found register (to the public), so Id be surprised...
There was a reason for that, which was customer focused as it happens.The register was overwhelmed by the number of enquiries from the public, so they decided instead of providing a poor 'too busy' service therefore tainting their reputation it was withdrawn and is now only accessible by an AD.
Therefore reducing the number of calls by introducing an extra step in the process. If you really want to find out, then you still can, through an AD.
It's possible that the error you noticed was being caused by something relatively simple to fix (like a magnetized or sticking/dirty hairspring for example) and simply in the process of investigating the problem removed the biggest cause of the delay you describe. If a clunk was caused by a loose screw, it would be tightened automatically by a watchmaker casing it up. I really doubt that they would service the movement for free, but you can't let your work off your bench if it's literally falling apart!
Edited by glazbagun on Thursday 3rd October 12:29
bobbybee said:
GC8 said:
Itd be nice to think so, but the 'new' Rolex closed the lost and found register (to the public), so Id be surprised...
There was a reason for that, which was customer focused as it happens.The register was overwhelmed by the number of enquiries from the public, so they decided instead of providing a poor 'too busy' service therefore tainting their reputation it was withdrawn and is now only accessible by an AD.
Therefore reducing the number of calls by introducing an extra step in the process. If you really want to find out, then you still can, through an AD.
With regards to their being busy; when I last called in November 2007 I got through easily on both occasions, so I suspect that that was a good reason as much as the actual reason.
GC8 said:
bobbybee said:
GC8 said:
Itd be nice to think so, but the 'new' Rolex closed the lost and found register (to the public), so Id be surprised...
There was a reason for that, which was customer focused as it happens.The register was overwhelmed by the number of enquiries from the public, so they decided instead of providing a poor 'too busy' service therefore tainting their reputation it was withdrawn and is now only accessible by an AD.
Therefore reducing the number of calls by introducing an extra step in the process. If you really want to find out, then you still can, through an AD.
With regards to their being busy; when I last called in November 2007 I got through easily on both occasions, so I suspect that that was a good reason as much as the actual reason.
Yes it was: a list of watches stolen or lost and accessible by police forces, insurers and the general public.
If you were buying a Rolex watch of any age you could ring them up (or fax them, which received a faxed reply) and theyd confirm the model, spec and whether it was recorded with them.
If you were buying a Rolex watch of any age you could ring them up (or fax them, which received a faxed reply) and theyd confirm the model, spec and whether it was recorded with them.
GC8 said:
Yes it was: a list of watches stolen or lost and accessible by police forces, insurers and the general public.
If you were buying a Rolex watch of any age you could ring them up (or fax them, which received a faxed reply) and theyd confirm the model, spec and whether it was recorded with them.
Nice facility. Shame they stopped it. I wonder whether our local AD would play ball if I asked.If you were buying a Rolex watch of any age you could ring them up (or fax them, which received a faxed reply) and theyd confirm the model, spec and whether it was recorded with them.
Perec said:
GC8 said:
Yes it was: a list of watches stolen or lost and accessible by police forces, insurers and the general public.
If you were buying a Rolex watch of any age you could ring them up (or fax them, which received a faxed reply) and theyd confirm the model, spec and whether it was recorded with them.
Nice facility. Shame they stopped it. I wonder whether our local AD would play ball if I asked.If you were buying a Rolex watch of any age you could ring them up (or fax them, which received a faxed reply) and theyd confirm the model, spec and whether it was recorded with them.
But I wonder if you went to St James' street or into a Rolex Boutique would they just do it as a courtesy being Rolex-Direct (for want of a better phrase) than an AD trying to make a quick buck?
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