HELP! Dented my 116618LN :(

[hbk75]

Originally Posted by Starbucksboss

I gook a serious fall and did far worse to a gold Yacht Master. Took it too RSC in London when I lived there. They took it in....it looked terrible!
Collected a couple of weeks later....IT LOOKED PERFECT...ABSOLUTELY LOOKING BRAND SPANKING NEW!

Ps...I also dropped a watch. Thought it was OK. Few years layer noticed discoloring on hands. Took in back to Panerai and was advised that athough appeared OK a seal had been compromised. It got fixed ...dont assume anything Id get it checked that was wuite a bang.
Good luck.

you mean your yacht master casing was dented as well? and rsc managed to make it look like new? without evident lose of material from the casing?

[Starbucksboss]

Originally Posted by hbk75

you mean your yacht master casing was dented as well? and rsc managed to make it look like new? without evident lose of material from the casing?

Thats exactly correct.

[hbk75]

Originally Posted by Starbucksboss

Thats exactly correct.

how did they do that? my mechanical engineering knowledge told me that is remotely impossible.

[red98a4ss]

Rik Dietel

http://timecareinc.com/

[BNA/LION]

OUCH! What a bummer! I hope you get it back to they pre-dent look. Best of Luck.

[Dan_lie]

Thanks for everyones time and knowledge, ive been looking at similar repairs and its really put my mind at ease. I had originally thought it wouldn't be repairable.

[blue lion]

It just adds to the watch's character. Don't worry about it.

[Starbucksboss]

Originally Posted by hbk75

how did they do that? my mechanical engineering knowledge told me that is remotely impossible.

No need to be smug or immature including ROLF?

It was repaired back to perfect condition

[tomchicago]

Hey! Hey! You dented my ride! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csuZHyW-iGI

[gwozhog]

Oh man it burns it burns. I hope you get it fixed.

[Jake B]

Originally Posted by hbk75

crystal cost few hundreds to replace. a steel rolex mid case cost USD $3400 to replace.

I'm well aware of the difference in the cost of repairs, Mr. Giggles...and I'm not sure what your point is, or what a steel case has to do with the cost of rice in China. His watch is gold. My point was, you'd need to look through a big gouge on the crystal everytime you check the time, and if you happen to use the watch for diving, it may compromise its integrity. A little dent on the rear of the case, on the other hand is pretty much unnoticeable.when wearing the watch, and does not affect its function in any way.

[tkerrmd]

Sorry to hear that happened and sounds like can be repaired

I have a similar "ding" on my WG sub and after the initial shock, I got more concerned with what the repair involved and finally decided to live with it till a major service

Hope you find peace!

[ec51]

I say leave it until your next service.

I smacked my sub into a door frame and it dented the corner of the lug. At first I didn't want to have my sub polished come service time -- but now, I kind of want to have the lug fixed.

[hbk75]

Originally Posted by Jake B

I'm well aware of the difference in the cost of repairs, Mr. Giggles...and I'm not sure what your point is, or what a steel case has to do with the cost of rice in China. His watch is gold. My point was, you'd need to look through a big gouge on the crystal everytime you check the time, and if you happen to use the watch for diving, it may compromise its integrity. A little dent on the rear of the case, on the other hand is pretty much unnoticeable.when wearing the watch, and does not affect its function in any way.

That sounds like it if a rolex owner buys the watch and treated it like a time machine. But majority of the luxury watch owners don't. Probably they will keep focusing on the dented part of the watch until it gets sorted out. And that will probably take away the fun of owning the watch. I've seen many cases here where a watch case gets repaired and the owner sold it off after collecting it back from repair. Rolex are no longer priced at the tool watch category like they used to be in the 1960-90's.

[Perrinyanna]

Check out michael youngs website in hk. I believe i saw some case restorations in steel in their website but not yet on gold. Maybe you can shoot him an email showing pics.

[LandLawMan]

Originally Posted by Onikage

A decent goldsmith could fill it and repolish but you might have to sacrifice a spare link to get the same colour. Also this would probably upset RSC enough for them not to work on it as it would be seen as a non-authorised case modification. Can't imagine they're happy about laser welding either for steel pieces but it's an alternative to simply polishing it out or replacing the case.. which is probably what RSC would recommend - $$££$$s.

and

"They would not be able to tell if it was done correctly."

Wow, that's a scary thought -- that the RSC might refuse to work on a watch that has a dent in the case. **IS THIS TRUE**? Does anyone have a specific experience with this issue?

and

If Rolex uses high-speed x-ray with optical recognition like the TSA uses, then yes, I would think that they would easily be able to tell that the case has been heated, molded, welded, even just reshaped (because the density of the metal would be different and immediately apparent to high-tech scanners). I wonder if they do in fact use x-ray scanners when watches come in for repairs.

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by LandLawMan

and

"They would not be able to tell if it was done correctly."

Wow, that's a scary thought -- that the RSC might refuse to work on a watch that has a dent in the case. **IS THIS TRUE**? Does anyone have a specific experience with this issue?

and

If Rolex uses high-speed x-ray with optical recognition like the TSA uses, then yes, I would think that they would easily be able to tell that the case has been heated, molded, welded, even just reshaped (because the density of the metal would be different and immediately apparent to high-tech scanners). I wonder if they do in fact use x-ray scanners when watches come in for repairs.

I think they almost certainly don't use anything high tech to detect anything. The RSC is a high speed refinishing operation designed to make lots of money.

[coralfarmer84]

Originally Posted by Jake B

To be perfectly honest, I'd just leave it. It's not like it's a big gouge out of the crystal or anything.

Translation, you damaged one of the most expensive parts of your watch but don't worry it could be worse, you could have damaged one of the cheaper and much easier fixed parts of your watch makes perfect sense to me smh

[Michael M.]

Originally Posted by Starbucksboss

I gook a serious fall and did far worse to a gold Yacht Master. Took it too RSC in London when I lived there. They took it in....it looked terrible!
Collected a couple of weeks later....IT LOOKED PERFECT...ABSOLUTELY LOOKING BRAND SPANKING NEW!

Ps...I also dropped a watch. Thought it was OK. Few years layer noticed discoloring on hands. Took in back to Panerai and was advised that athough appeared OK a seal had been compromised. It got fixed ...dont assume anything Id get it checked that was wuite a bang.
Good luck.

I think an RSC is your best bet before you contact independent guys...they can laserweld as I had a friend here in the US here who bought a 116618 that had a similar dent and the RSC welded and polished it out flawlessly.

[hbk75]

Originally Posted by coralfarmer84

Translation, you damaged one of the most expensive parts of your watch but don't worry it could be worse, you could have damaged one of the cheaper and much easier fixed parts of your watch makes perfect sense to me smh

cost is the main factor why most of us are being sad about. crystal cost 200 bucks to replace but casing cost as much as a new watch.

[coralfarmer84]

Originally Posted by hbk75

cost is the main factor why most of us are being sad about. crystal cost 200 bucks to replace but casing cost as much as a new watch.

That's why I found it hilarious that someone would suggest not worrying because it's not the crystal which apparently would be far worse

[hbk75]

Originally Posted by coralfarmer84

That's why I found it hilarious that someone would suggest not worrying because it's not the crystal which apparently would be far worse

i would not be that sad even if the bracelet was the item being smashed up. even when it cost alot more than the crystal.

[Gaijin]

Originally Posted by hbk75

i would not be that sad even if the bracelet was the item being smashed up. even when it cost alot more than the crystal.

What is funny about any of this.





Good luck to the OP. Whatever you decide to do. Keep us posted.

[hbk75]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

What is funny about any of this.





Good lick to the OP. Whatever you decide to do. Keep us posted.

that means i am ok if the damage happens in other locations except the main casing.

[Dan_lie]

So i was back in the UK recently and went past a watch smith i usually use for random things, Russell Talerman in London. They offer laser welding and after checking out there work i let them repair my 116618 :O I can happily say i am really pleased with the out come! And because i was flying, they managed to get in done in 3 Days...





I didn't even have to give them a spare link as they use their own gold rod, Now i just have to be more careful as i probably shouldn't have it polished again for another 10 years lol.

[Boxcars]

RSC your best bet. Their laser welding and lapping machines are second to none. They'll only do it within service though.

[Jason71]

Congrats Alex. They did a very nice job. I'm sure this has really been bugging you these many months. At least it turned-out perfect

[Lol-x]

Great result, can you share the approximate price they charged.
Well done, worth every penny when you get it brought back to 'as new'

[polarinda]

I had a 14060 once ..dented 3x your size and had it polished even and sold it. Buyer never even questioned.

[regnant]

It looks like new and you can't tell there was a damage before,job nicely executed
Happy wearing