Pie Pan Dial Service at AD

[Mirek]

Picking up my Daytona from the Rolex of BH service center and really want to drop off my vintage Day-date.

Would an AD be able to (or even want to) service an old (painted Buckley) dial Date Just ? It has an old pie pan dial and I can see rust forming on the edge, the case is OK but I want the whole thing brought up to spec.

Would they just decline to service ?
Would the refurbish dial or would they replace it ?

I just my vintage Royal Oak serviced in Switzerland and they swapped the entire movement and crown without blinking an eye.

Thanks for any insight.

[Dan S]

Day-date or Date Just? You mention both. And it's not clear if you are asking about the RSC or service at an AD.

Assuming you are talking about the RSC, why don't you ask them yourself? People are increasingly reporting that Rolex is unwilling to service 1970s calibers in the US and sometimes want to send them to Switzerland.

They are always happy to replace old dials/hands with new luminova service replacements. You are in the minority in wanting that, however. Most collectors want to keep the original parts to retain value.

[Mirek]

Sorry. It is a Date just. My bad !

I meant my local Rolex Service center here in Beverly Hills.
I definitely want to keep my dial !


I will find out when I scoop up my Daytona but I am guessing there is no way they will service it or have any appetite to do so. I am sure they are not in the business of hand refurbished dials they stopped making 30 years ago or whatever, that fit in cases they stopped making.

Difference between AP and Rolex I suppose.

[TuRo]

If any tarnish or rust you wanted removing they RSC would decline and replace a Buckley as it's hand applied painted numerals, with a later Roman style Luminova version (as all Buckley's Tritium and illegal to sell since 2009 (though Rolex dropped it in 2000 of course) - Panerai had the last dispensation on their PAM 285 - 2500 MTR diver watch btw - but actually used Luminova in the end despite a T Swiss T dial).
One for the Independent Watchmaker your Buckley for certain if you want to keep it Buckley - ps blimey John Buckley got lucky how it stuck... coining this truly unloved piece at the time in his name as just a little game with his mate years back and in the process adding 25% to their value within 2 years !

[Mirek]

Yes it is funny I had it for such a long time and there was literally zero information about the dial until “Buckley” started to take off about 10 years back or so. Love it.