What to do - fault with pre-owned Sea Dweller
Discussion
Hi all
Grateful for some opinions please.
I bought a pre-owned 2007 Sea Dweller from a reputable dealer in Central London in last May. Within a few weeks, a fault occurred where the watch would stop working when off the wrist within a few hours. It would restart when I start wearing it (thus could be a fault with the battery reserve?) When I returned the watch the dealer took it to their own watch repairer and when I collected it, the dealer couldn't tell me what was wrong and all the watch repairer did was service it again.
Fast forward to now, the fault has reoccurred and I'm not sure what's the best way to proceed.
I'm currently considering:
1) Return it to the dealer and get them to return to their watch repairer, conscious that they will not have access to Rolex's parts etc, and face the risks of the fault not being repaired.
2) Send it to Rolex at my own cost for a fully authorised service and repair.
The watch is under warranty for 2 years (I need to find the T&Cs) but I doubt I can enforce the dealer to send to Rolex themselves at their own costs. I'm aware of the SOGA and wonder whether I could ask for a like-for-like replacement? Is it too premature to seek a refund, as I have only given them one opportunity to fix it? I'm conscious that the value of my watch is also higher now than what I initially paid for it, so I am not too keen on a refund when it would cost an extra grand or so to buy a like-for-like replacement.
I'm currently veering towards sending it off to Rolex at my own costs to get it sorted but was wondering what your views would be in this situation and many of you have far more expertise of such matters.
Much obliged.
Grateful for some opinions please.
I bought a pre-owned 2007 Sea Dweller from a reputable dealer in Central London in last May. Within a few weeks, a fault occurred where the watch would stop working when off the wrist within a few hours. It would restart when I start wearing it (thus could be a fault with the battery reserve?) When I returned the watch the dealer took it to their own watch repairer and when I collected it, the dealer couldn't tell me what was wrong and all the watch repairer did was service it again.
Fast forward to now, the fault has reoccurred and I'm not sure what's the best way to proceed.
I'm currently considering:
1) Return it to the dealer and get them to return to their watch repairer, conscious that they will not have access to Rolex's parts etc, and face the risks of the fault not being repaired.
2) Send it to Rolex at my own cost for a fully authorised service and repair.
The watch is under warranty for 2 years (I need to find the T&Cs) but I doubt I can enforce the dealer to send to Rolex themselves at their own costs. I'm aware of the SOGA and wonder whether I could ask for a like-for-like replacement? Is it too premature to seek a refund, as I have only given them one opportunity to fix it? I'm conscious that the value of my watch is also higher now than what I initially paid for it, so I am not too keen on a refund when it would cost an extra grand or so to buy a like-for-like replacement.
I'm currently veering towards sending it off to Rolex at my own costs to get it sorted but was wondering what your views would be in this situation and many of you have far more expertise of such matters.
Much obliged.
If the watch has a 2 year warranty, that's normally the score if it's been serviced by an accredited Rolex Service Agent, exactly the same as if it were done by Rolex themselves.
As pointed out above, there is no battery in a mechanical watch, so when the spring unwinds, the watch stops. A fully wound Rolex should be good for about 48 hours, give or take a couple, iirc.
If it's stopping within a day or so, then obviously there's something not right, if the watch is indeed fully wound before removing.
Give it a good 30-40 turns, before you take it off, noting the time, and leave it off.
See what time it stops at, checking on it at 24 hours to make sure it's still running.
From that, you'll be able to deduce whether the watch whilst worn, isn't being moved enough to wind the spring up fully (issue with connecting rotor assembly?) or that it's unwinding too quickly/stopping before the spring is completely unwound.
How accurate is the time currently? If you've set it against the computer's time or an online atomic clock website, then a properly regulated one (as it should be once serviced) is -4 – +6 per day. If it's outside that, then that could be indicating something has deteriorated since being serviced.
All of this is good information to go back to the dealer with, so you can't be palmed off with "that's normal, sir".
As pointed out above, there is no battery in a mechanical watch, so when the spring unwinds, the watch stops. A fully wound Rolex should be good for about 48 hours, give or take a couple, iirc.
If it's stopping within a day or so, then obviously there's something not right, if the watch is indeed fully wound before removing.
Give it a good 30-40 turns, before you take it off, noting the time, and leave it off.
See what time it stops at, checking on it at 24 hours to make sure it's still running.
From that, you'll be able to deduce whether the watch whilst worn, isn't being moved enough to wind the spring up fully (issue with connecting rotor assembly?) or that it's unwinding too quickly/stopping before the spring is completely unwound.
How accurate is the time currently? If you've set it against the computer's time or an online atomic clock website, then a properly regulated one (as it should be once serviced) is -4 – +6 per day. If it's outside that, then that could be indicating something has deteriorated since being serviced.
All of this is good information to go back to the dealer with, so you can't be palmed off with "that's normal, sir".
NeMiSiS said:
(thus could be a fault with the battery reserve?)
This watch doesn't have a battery.
You beat me to it. BUT if it does, it's probably a Rolex built in Korea This watch doesn't have a battery.
And if you send it to a Rolex dealer and they keep it, you know it's nicked, then you should be able to claim back from the dealer.
Edited by Vipers on Friday 3rd January 20:59
Vipers said:
You beat me to it. BUT if it does, it's probably a Rolex built in Korea
And if you send it to a Rolex dealer and they keep it, you know it's nicked, then you should be able to claim back from the dealer.
Vipers, you're showing your age. Nowadays those things are made in China And if you send it to a Rolex dealer and they keep it, you know it's nicked, then you should be able to claim back from the dealer.
Edited by Vipers on Friday 3rd January 20:59
MYOB said:
Thanks all. Just a quick question, how do I wind an automatic watch? Sorry if this is a numpty question!
Undo the winding knob until it sort of free wheels. It will then pull out two clicks, the first click is the winding position, then just turn left and right as you do with any watch, this will wind it up.The second click position is to adjust the time.
Tell the dealer you purchased it from that the fault has reoccurred and give them one final opportunity to fix it , but get agreement from them that if the fault reappears within the remaining 16 months warranty then they will pay for it to be fixed by Rolex........to wind the watch manually take it to your local Rolex dealer and ask them to show you......if you overwind it you will break it
I dont own a Sea Dweller, but are you sure that the OP needs to unscrew the crown and then pull it out one click?
On every Rolex that I have owned (and certainly on the one that I am wearing today), I am sure that the movement can be wound as soon as the crown has been unscrewed. Pulling out one click will allow you to change the date (where it has this feature) and the second click will stop the watch (again feature dependent - older watches have neither a quick date nor a hacking feature) and allow you to alter the time. An older watch without a quick date feature will have one pulled out position which may or may not stop the movement whilst you adjust it.
Anyway OP: you unscrew the crown until you can feel the difference and wind it clockwise forty times. You now need to screw the crown back in with care. I press it back towards its seat whilst gently rotating it anti-clockwise, until I feel it move over the beginning of the thread, then carefully turn clockwise until I can feel that it has engaged the thread properly. If youre ham fisted then you risk cross threading and damaging the crown and the tube.
If it lasts around forty hours then it is tip-top. Anything over thirty hours isnt bad. At twenty four hours it needs a service.
On every Rolex that I have owned (and certainly on the one that I am wearing today), I am sure that the movement can be wound as soon as the crown has been unscrewed. Pulling out one click will allow you to change the date (where it has this feature) and the second click will stop the watch (again feature dependent - older watches have neither a quick date nor a hacking feature) and allow you to alter the time. An older watch without a quick date feature will have one pulled out position which may or may not stop the movement whilst you adjust it.
Anyway OP: you unscrew the crown until you can feel the difference and wind it clockwise forty times. You now need to screw the crown back in with care. I press it back towards its seat whilst gently rotating it anti-clockwise, until I feel it move over the beginning of the thread, then carefully turn clockwise until I can feel that it has engaged the thread properly. If youre ham fisted then you risk cross threading and damaging the crown and the tube.
If it lasts around forty hours then it is tip-top. Anything over thirty hours isnt bad. At twenty four hours it needs a service.
Edited by GC8 on Saturday 4th January 17:26
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