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Big Joe · 28 April 2010, 12:27 PM

I appreciate what goes into a good service job. I have had a few watches worked on over the years and understand what is involved. I own a stringed instrument shop that does repairs, restorations, and custom builds. We run into the same issues that good watchmakers/ restorers do. Much of our work is redoing something a poor repair person did. It does make the job far more difficult, and often more expensive. I do one thing a bit different. I don't do estimates. When I see the instrument in hand I will go over it carefully and determine what must be done. I then give an exact price. After this many years in the business I better know what it will take for me to do the job. I feel if I am wrong I should be the one to lose, not my customer.

Restoring a stringed instrument can easily be as expensive as doing repair work on a good watch. Many of the instruments we work on are very expensive. It is not unusual for us to work on instruments worth far more than my Rolex.

All that being said, I recently had my Rolex serviced by Rolex in New York. It was returned within the time specified. It was a warranty repair but I received a call about ten days after the watch was sent by me AD and telling me the cost to repair the watch would be $585.00. I reminded them it was a warranty issue (the watch would not keep time...it is a GMT Master II 2 tone).

When I got the watch back it was absolutely filthy and was coated in some kind of compound that was very hard to remove. It also was not cleaned, the watch was not polished, and it had a few more scratches than it did when it was sent to them.

The watch has been back on my arm for 5 days and appears to be running correctly. That is the main issue I wanted addressed. However, when I called Rolex to ask about the condition it was returned they explained the work done inside the watch and was told they did not clean or polish it because it was "too new to polish or clean". I realize it was warranty work, but the watch has been on my arm for nearly two years and was in the store for a few years before that. I love the watch and also my Sub and my wife loves her date just.

It did not make me love my watches or make me want to wear my Rolex cap after being told my watch was "too new" to clean after they worked on it. I also told them it was not only dirty, but was scratched by them. The just ignored the comment and said it was "too new to polish or clean". That was repeated 4 times during the conversation.

I still love my Rolex's, and my GMT is still my favorite, but I cannot say Rolex is my favorite company. If I have to send my watch out again it will certainly NOT be to Rolex. I bought my Rolex's new and from an AD purposely to have the warranty and to know Rolex would take care of the watch for me at any time. I was not prepared for what experience I found with them. I had been contemplating another Rolex, but not anymore. There are plenty of other great companies that make some very interesting watches I could enjoy as much.

I should say I have my 2 Rolex's, my wife has one as well. In addition I have an Omega Seamaster, a Tag Huer Monaco, a Breitling Navitimer World, and a Breitling Chronomat. I recently sold an Omega Ocean Planet, a Tag Huer Aquaracer, and a Maurice LaCroix Moon Phase Chronograph. I also have a few other swiss auto's. I have had excellent service from the other companies and they seem to want to please the customer unlike Rolex.

28 April 2010, 12:27 PM	#98
Big Joe Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Nashville, Tn Watch: Rolex GMTII Posts: 15	I appreciate what goes into a good service job. I have had a few watches worked on over the years and understand what is involved. I own a stringed instrument shop that does repairs, restorations, and custom builds. We run into the same issues that good watchmakers/ restorers do. Much of our work is redoing something a poor repair person did. It does make the job far more difficult, and often more expensive. I do one thing a bit different. I don't do estimates. When I see the instrument in hand I will go over it carefully and determine what must be done. I then give an exact price. After this many years in the business I better know what it will take for me to do the job. I feel if I am wrong I should be the one to lose, not my customer. Restoring a stringed instrument can easily be as expensive as doing repair work on a good watch. Many of the instruments we work on are very expensive. It is not unusual for us to work on instruments worth far more than my Rolex. All that being said, I recently had my Rolex serviced by Rolex in New York. It was returned within the time specified. It was a warranty repair but I received a call about ten days after the watch was sent by me AD and telling me the cost to repair the watch would be $585.00. I reminded them it was a warranty issue (the watch would not keep time...it is a GMT Master II 2 tone). When I got the watch back it was absolutely filthy and was coated in some kind of compound that was very hard to remove. It also was not cleaned, the watch was not polished, and it had a few more scratches than it did when it was sent to them. The watch has been back on my arm for 5 days and appears to be running correctly. That is the main issue I wanted addressed. However, when I called Rolex to ask about the condition it was returned they explained the work done inside the watch and was told they did not clean or polish it because it was "too new to polish or clean". I realize it was warranty work, but the watch has been on my arm for nearly two years and was in the store for a few years before that. I love the watch and also my Sub and my wife loves her date just. It did not make me love my watches or make me want to wear my Rolex cap after being told my watch was "too new" to clean after they worked on it. I also told them it was not only dirty, but was scratched by them. The just ignored the comment and said it was "too new to polish or clean". That was repeated 4 times during the conversation. I still love my Rolex's, and my GMT is still my favorite, but I cannot say Rolex is my favorite company. If I have to send my watch out again it will certainly NOT be to Rolex. I bought my Rolex's new and from an AD purposely to have the warranty and to know Rolex would take care of the watch for me at any time. I was not prepared for what experience I found with them. I had been contemplating another Rolex, but not anymore. There are plenty of other great companies that make some very interesting watches I could enjoy as much. I should say I have my 2 Rolex's, my wife has one as well. In addition I have an Omega Seamaster, a Tag Huer Monaco, a Breitling Navitimer World, and a Breitling Chronomat. I recently sold an Omega Ocean Planet, a Tag Huer Aquaracer, and a Maurice LaCroix Moon Phase Chronograph. I also have a few other swiss auto's. I have had excellent service from the other companies and they seem to want to please the customer unlike Rolex.