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Old 21 December 2018, 06:06 PM   #1
HTIII
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Authorized Service Center not honoring Two Year Service Guarantee

I am the original owner of a Submariner 16610 who recently had the watch serviced in 2017. After the service, I received the card from the AD indicating that the watch has undergone a complete overhaul and was guaranteed for two years from the date of service.

Within a few months of the service, I noticed the watch was running fast (+10-15 seconds a day). I took the watch back to the AD that serviced it and they told me I must have magnetized the watch. They took it into their shop and brought it back 5 minutes later with a warning to keep it away from my cell phone.

In 15 years of owning the watch, I never had an issue like that until it was serviced by this AD. I let it go for over a year but continued to notice the watch running faster and faster. Realizing I was coming's up on the 2 year warranty period, I took the watch to another Rolex AD/Authorized Service Center in Basel. They tested the watch and confirmed it out was way out of spec and pointed out that the amplitude was low. They suggested I return it to the AD that serviced it prior to the warranty expiring.

I took the watch back to the place that had serviced it and explained that the watch has run fast since it was serviced and it has been getting worse. They had me leave the watch and said they would look at it. Yesterday, after three weeks, I stopped in to see if the watch was ready. They said the watch was still taken apart and that they would have to charge me because the watch "had been in an accident" and that a piece on the inside was broken. Due to the German-English language he couldn't describe what was broken. I told him that the watch had not been in any accident and that it was still functioning (albeit fast) when I brought it in.

Long story short, the AD is trying to charge me for the repairs on the watch instead of honoring the Rolex Service Guarantee. Is there any recourse for an AD not honoring a guarantee, especially when the problem stems from faulty service work to begin with? Has anyone else has a similar issue with a service center? This watch has been a tank for the first 15 years of use. I never had a problem until this watch was serviced by this particular AD.
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Old 21 December 2018, 08:40 PM   #2
watchmaker
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Before any recourse can be considered it has to be established what actually is the matter. In situations like this it is always best to get an unbiased technical opinion because - and I mean no offence - you benefit from claiming the watch has not suffered accidental damage and the AD benefits from claiming that it has.

I would instruct them to return the watch to you unrepaired and you send the watch to Rolex directly explaining the circumstances and ask them to provide their opinion. Their opinion will be unbiased and whatever their findings; that is your answer.

If they find the AD to be at fault then the recourse will take care of itself. Their watchmaker will hear from them about it. If they agree with the AD; no recourse required.
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Old 22 December 2018, 06:51 AM   #3
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What's the part that broke and what parts were replaced during the past service?

It's the age old service vs repair question. A service warranty is a guarantee against defects in craftsmanship for service work done not a guarantee that parts will be replaced for free if something we to break in the future. Something breakage is truly unforeseeable.
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Old 22 December 2018, 09:08 AM   #4
116710er
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Ah, this story sounds somewhat familiar.

HTIII, do you know if the AD send it off to an official Rolex Service Center to have it serviced or did they do it in-house (at the AD) or did the AD use someone else to do the service?
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Old 24 December 2018, 03:19 AM   #5
joli160
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You have to sue or pay up.
Don't count on support from Rolex. They do exactly the same as your AD
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Old 1 February 2019, 03:49 PM   #6
Vicc
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FYI they shouldn't do any work without giving you an estimate first and asking you if it would be okay to proceed with the repairs.
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Old 1 February 2019, 04:44 PM   #7
Rocket launcher
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There is a lesson to be learnt here
Look after your watch..
Don't have an accident with it
Then you won't be charged
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Old 1 February 2019, 04:56 PM   #8
Andad
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocket launcher View Post
There is a lesson to be learnt here
Look after your watch..
Don't have an accident with it
Then you won't be charged
Post details of this ‘accident’ Rocketlauncher.

Just so the OP is aware of it.
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Old 1 February 2019, 05:10 PM   #9
Andad
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Quote:
Originally Posted by watchmaker View Post
Before any recourse can be considered it has to be established what actually is the matter. In situations like this it is always best to get an unbiased technical opinion because - and I mean no offence - you benefit from claiming the watch has not suffered accidental damage and the AD benefits from claiming that it has.

I would instruct them to return the watch to you unrepaired and you send the watch to Rolex directly explaining the circumstances and ask them to provide their opinion. Their opinion will be unbiased and whatever their findings; that is your answer.

If they find the AD to be at fault then the recourse will take care of itself. Their watchmaker will hear from them about it. If they agree with the AD; no recourse required.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ROLLiWORKS View Post
What's the part that broke and what parts were replaced during the past service?

It's the age old service vs repair question. A service warranty is a guarantee against defects in craftsmanship for service work done not a guarantee that parts will be replaced for free if something we to break in the future. Something breakage is truly unforeseeable.
A pattern is emerging?

I think back to the issues with the first 3186 movement spring failures when advancing the hours.

This was probably originally attributed to accidental damage?

Now we know it was a part that had been badly designed for the application.

HT, can you give us more details on the parts that have failed or exactly how the accidental damage has been described to you?
If a part inside ‘is broken’ I am surprised the watch is running far less just running fast?
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