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Old 17 September 2017, 10:32 AM   #1
Coolbob
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1957 DateJust repair

I recently inherited my father's Rolex DateJust and discovered it does not keep time well.

Looking through the records I have, it appears it was sent to Rolex in Switzerland in 2007 and returned without being serviced due to parts unavailability.

Later in 2007 it was sent to a local watch repair where it was serviced and refinished (at a very high cost).

Lastly, it was taken to another local watch repair shop and returned without any service being performed.

Today I brought it to an authorized Rolex repair technician in the hopes he could look at it, but he was only willing to identify it is a 1957 vintage with a 1065 movement and reiterate that Rolex parts are no longer available.

If I wind it and leave it alone it loses a minute or two a day, but if I wear it it loses as much as 10-minutes in 30-minutes time.

I would very much like to have the watch be repaired if possible and I am open to any recommendations the group may have.
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Old 18 September 2017, 02:59 AM   #2
CaveDweller
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RSC won’t touch a 1065, as you have found out – no parts (readily available anyway)

A “local watch repairer” is going say the same thing – it’s not the sort of watch they normally deal with

What you should look for is an “independent watch repairer” who specialises in Rolex – often this means vintage Rolex, because the more modern Rolex are dealt with by the RSC

These “vintage” watchmakers often have their own networks of suppliers, who has what parts etc, with one buying a used 1065 just for parts, who happens to still have the part that your watch needs etc – so it all comes down to “local knowledge” – networking

The first thing you need to do, is to find one of these “vintage Rolex” specialists, who is willing to take the thing apart, and first establish exactly what you need – from that point onwards, the ball is in their court

Given that the watch was recently serviced, you should be fairly lucky – eg there’s unlikely to much wrong with it, just the time keeping, maybe a tweak here and there

I think the main reason for refusal you have experienced so far is that no-one you have approached is willing to take this on – get it to the right person, and you will find it very different

The 1065 in my avatar is running at +10 per day, any watch maker worth his (or her) salt should be able to get yours to do the same - +10 is by no means remarkable, just a comfortable average

So – forget RSC, and forget the “average” watch maker – you need a vintage Rolex specialist who’s not afraid to take this on

I can’t make specific recommendations as I’m 2000 miles away – but hang on in there, they’ll be along shortly ……
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Old 19 September 2017, 11:58 AM   #3
R.W.T.
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I'll take it on.

Email me

RolexWatchTime@att.net

I've got a bit of 10xx material. More than likely it's just dry and gummy if it was done back in 2007.

The main thing is...if it is stiff winding it by hand...don't. :-)

The crown gears are brittle and they break under pressure. The reversers get gummy and stiffen up and then people wind them by hand and teeth break.

Let me know If I can help.

Tommy
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Old 19 September 2017, 02:20 PM   #4
pettai
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Given this is your dad's watch Tommy (RWT) is the only one

at least for me... I wish I had known him 12 years back before I went to RSC beverly hills. My 2bits, good luck!
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Old 20 September 2017, 06:34 AM   #5
motoikkyu
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Mr. Taylor did a phenomenal job on mine, as well. Can't recommend him enough.
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Old 20 September 2017, 07:42 AM   #6
Coolbob
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Tommy, thanks for raising your hand and thanks to pettai and motoikkyu for you endorsements.

I'm currently chasing down a 'local' lead for a specialist. It's a long shot, but I've got to see where the lead takes me.

I'll keep you all posted......
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Old 20 September 2017, 08:01 AM   #7
offrdmania
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OP, please make sure your "local lead" is actually a vintage Rolex specialist and not just a watch maker who says they can do the work. We have seen way too many of these local watch makers destroy a nice vintage piece because their knowledge isnt what they think it is.
The vintage specialists on this forum know how to preserve these vintage pieces correctly and without harm.
Sometimes its better to send out a watch than to have the watch harmed by a local out of convenience.
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Old 23 September 2017, 12:06 PM   #8
Coolbob
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UPDATE - "local lead" turned out to be an aerospace engineer who repairs watches for fun and he lives about 6-miles from my house. He came very highly recommended. I spoke to him on the phone and immediately liked him. He said he would have a look at the watch and only work on it if he felt he could leave it better than he found it and promised to do no harm.

I met him at his house and he gave me a receipt for the watch and said he had nine watches ahead of mine and would give it a look in a week or so.

Three hours later he texted me that his curiosity was killing him so he examined the watch and discovered three loose screws on the rotor. He snugged them up and put the watch on his multifunction timegrapher machine and it was running 279 on amplitude and 0 s/d deviation it's gibberish to me, but he said it was "Not too bad!".

I may have dodged a bullet!
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Old 23 September 2017, 03:08 PM   #9
R.W.T.
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BOY that's sounds like my script! How many times have I told somebody the same thing lol!

I'll get to it after these 7 ... 3 hrs later HEY! Your watch! Curiosity was killing me...it's got this that and the other...I'm gonna go ahead and do it today.

279 amplitude is exemplary for a 10xx movement and 0 seconds...run Forest! It's GOOD!
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Old 23 September 2017, 03:59 PM   #10
tamiya
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I just always get told "screws loose on the nut behind the wrist"

Now you just need a Submarine Technician who moonlights as a watchmaker and get the seals renewed
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Old 3 October 2017, 11:34 PM   #11
Coolbob
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Final Update

I've been out of town and finally was able to pick up my DateJust from the 'repair guy'. I texted him when I got back in town and he said I could pick it up anytime and the bill was $15. I texted him back and told him I think he left off a '0' and he intended to say the bill was $150, nope all he wanted was $15 (I gave him $20).

I asked him about the water resistance of the watch and he said all the seals were in place and looked to be in good condition. He suggested not showering or swimming with the watch, but the occasional splash should present no problems.

I've been wearing the watch for a few days now and it's keeping time perfectly and winding itself, so I'm more than satisfied with the repair.

The watch was originally my grandfathers and he wore it every day, to the office, fishing, on the farm, etc. Then my dad traded Rolexes with my grandfather and dad wore it every day until he passed away. It's kinda rough and my dad took it to a local jeweler when Rolex refused to work on it due to it's vintage. The jeweler overcharged my dad and performed an amateurish restoration on it, so it's probably not of much value, except to me.

Thanks for the great leads on repair options!
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Old 4 October 2017, 10:15 AM   #12
Nikita70
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It's worth something to you, that's all that matters! I'd wear it for the rest of my days.
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Old 4 October 2017, 10:24 AM   #13
offrdmania
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It looks like a nice unmolested piece. Wear it in good health and enjoy it!
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