~HELP!! Rolex Repaired! Scammed??~

[heidi51591]

~Ladies Rolex Datejust~ I'm new on this site so bear with me and be easy on me because I think I was taken advantage of!!

~The following was done by Eric Martin watch repair EMW.
On 11/09 watch had an overhaul $245 and setting lever repaired $460.

~I never thought the lever was quite right. Well it ended up just falling out 10/11!! Sent back watch to famous Eric Martin watch repair.( Somewhere in between the watch went back because of the lever setting).

~On 10/11 he did another complete overhaul $199. complete barol,main spring & center wheel $240. and a setting lever $260.

~He said my crown was "worn down and not good" and gave a quote for a new one. I refused to pay because something didn't sound right. He said I'll work with you and said I have one "laying around". I had a sick feeling it may not be original so I called to see if the watch shipped and he said it was sent and it was confirmed at that time an aftermarket was put on instead of a crown without a Rolex emblem!!! I flipped out on him!

~He first gives an estimate and says he will work with you--I don't think you ever walk out of there with a regular overhaul. It seems like he will charge you between $700-$800 every time the watch is sent. It sounds the same from others on this site. Unfortunately I just found out about this site, wish I would have known sooner.

~I think I am finished with this guy any suggestions on who I can have a look at this nightmare of a watch? I'm going to demand my original crown back. I have things added on aftermarket (diamond dial) so I can't send it to Rolex.

~ Suggestions?? Demand the crown back,call my credit card for reimbursement. I never authorized the 2nd overhaul.

~Anyone trustworthy in NYC area?? I may even send it back to person who original sold me the watch if he works on watches. It worked like a champ for years after I purchased from him! (Cayce Fugue)

[MonBK]

Enough already.

[heidi51591]

?? I hope you received my previous message regarding where to list my questions on the forum. My first time on ANY forum so please be patient and ignore if you see this post again. Sorry:(
Already have taken a beaten by this thief.. :(

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by heidi51591

?? I hope you received my previous message regarding where to list my questions on the forum. My first time on ANY forum so please be patient and ignore if you see this post again. Sorry:(
Already have taken a beaten by this thief.. :(

I saw it, sorry.

Why don't you contact our own forum watchmaker Rikki?

[heidi51591]

Cheers to you to!! Thanks so much for your understanding.Thanks also for the suggestion on contacting Rikki. This is the type of information I am seeking. Hope you have a beautiful day! :)

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by heidi51591

Cheers to you to!! Thanks so much for your understanding.Thanks also for the suggestion on contacting Rikki. This is the type of information I am seeking. Hope you have a beautiful day! :)

He's a good guy with original Rolex parts and I know he'll make it right.

[heidi51591]

Ok you just settled my heart.. is he in the US??

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by heidi51591

Ok you just settled my heart.. is he in the US??

Yes, he's in the Tampa, Florida area.

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by MonBK

Yes, he's in the Tampa, Florida area.

Here you go: http://www.timecareinc.com/

[heidi51591]

Many,many thanks I am going to take him into serious consideration. :)) There is hope!!

[HERITAGE82]

Originally Posted by heidi51591

Many,many thanks I am going to take him into serious consideration. :)) There is hope!!

With a Rolex there is always hope... no matter how bad the situation....

Good luck and sorry about you dilemma. Also, Rikki is an absolute pleasure to deal with and he will put all of your concerns at ease just give him a call...

[RoyV.]

Heidi,

Rikki did a wonderful job on my Rolex Date which was never serviced since it I got it in 1995 - he'll take care of you .

Sorry to hear of your of your dilemma :(

Give him a call and speak with him.

[heidi51591]

Thanks so much Roy!!

[krone]

Sounds like your stem may have been too long which could cause excessive wear on the crown threads and put pressure on the set lever. Rolex had a bad run of set levers for the 2235. The pin would come out because they were friction fitted, badly, and would work their way loose, I've seen many of these. They can be riveted back in place for $0. Set levers Cost $18 for most models, according to the Nov 2010 Rolex price list, but because Rolex unreasonably restricts parts people are charging 10x that. Same with the crown. I'm sure they quoted you something ridiculous for the crown. Twinlocks cost $22 for steel and $40 for 18k (not monobloc).
These are prices that a repair shop buying directly from Rolex would pay. 100% mark up still does not get near the ballpark a lot of people are paying. But this is normal now that so many part accounts have been cut.

[heidi51591]

WOW Krone!
Sounds like I should have sent the watch to you! You have such an abundance of knowledge in this issue. Ok know I will know what he deal is and I think it wasn't done properly the first time. My model #69173 Datejust.Thank-you so much for reaching out and responding!

[sws999]

I'm quite taken by the flowery language heidi51591 uses. I guess that this may not be your first language, and if so then you have a very good command of it.
Good luck with your quest.
regards
SWS

[Assquatch]

the 69173 uses a 2135 movement. The set lever as well as many other calendar parts were upgraded. As an authorized Rolex watchmaker I change them out free of charge with service. I would demand your money back and take it to an authorized watchmaker.

[Rikki]

Unfortunenately with aftermarket parts any Rolex account holder will not be able to help her out as much as we would all like too,unless the am parts were replaced with original parts. Rikki

[CaveDiver]

Originally Posted by Rikki

Unfortunenately with aftermarket parts any Rolex account holder will not be able to help her out as much as we would all like too,unless the am parts were replaced with original parts. Rikki

Rik, is this really true? Is this a new policy? Is this for all parts even on vintage?
I have read some interesting restrictions Rolex has put on part account holders, however I have seen were part account holders do not meet or enforce the restrictions I have read on some message boards. I have also heard Rolex inspects facilities which would uncover some of the tool requirements that do not meet the minimum requirements (like equipment to test waterproofing to xxx bars/feet/etc). Puzzled I am.. Is there a list of requirements available to the public? Can you share?
Thanks
CD

[Rikki]

Well besides a neat clean well lit with some natural light shop a multitude of hand tools lathe you need a Roxar Natator depth tester capable of 4275 feet you need a Diabloic E vacuum tester, a ceramic hot plate digital, a Bergeon 1 rpm auto winder all of which I have plus lots of other stuff. Rolex tools will be made available for us independants as soon as they are up to production to supply all cw21 watchmakers at the same time. Original contracts with Rolex state I can not sell parts to anyone except as part of a service or installation and watches with aftermarket diamond bezels and stuff no can do. Did you know that no lds t/t watch was sold with a diamond bezel from Rolex only presidentials. I may or may not agree with some of these policies but they are what they are and Rolex allows me to make a good living at what I love to do. Rikki

[CaveDiver]

Originally Posted by Rikki

Well besides a neat clean well lit with some natural light shop a multitude of hand tools lathe you need a Roxar Natator depth tester capable of 4275 feet. Rikki

Thanks Rik, I fully understand abiding by the contract. I just get conflicting information. For example I was told by a Rolex parts account holder that he was offering aftermarket Bakelite bezels as a service for those that want to put aside and store their original for safe keeping. Puzzled I started to ask and was told Rolex was okay with this since they no longer make the part.
I’m no expert, but I do not think this machine does not do 4k feet of pressure testing? Am I wrong?
Thanks Rik


CD

[Rikki]

If that's true it's news to me and the last time I saw one of those was in a museum lol. I do think they were possibly capable of 1 k. Rikki

[krone]

The 2135 did have faults as do most models and was updated. The 3035 and 3135 You can break setting parts by setting the time backward past midnight (to the right/wrong time) and then instant setting the date.

The shop I work in had a part account that included internal parts only. We could not buy bezels or some band parts at all. So we took in lots of watches with after market bezels and dials and could not change them if we wanted to. We provided an alternative, to customers, to being forced to re-purchase these parts.

This part situation is why I will not be a watchmaker for much longer. 13 years experience.
Swatch Group also plays these games, and they are in almost every other brand of watch except the very high end.

As far as pressure testers go, Rolex was OK with our $600 6 bar 200ft tester (Swatch was not). The Natator 125 is listed in some places at over $7000. 1,083ft is the world record for scuba, I think 4275ft might be overkill. This is jewelry after all, not many people actually dive with their Submariners. There are diving watches that can provide all the instrumentation necessary for diving, not simply the time.

If these were cars they would have to sell parts. If you could not buy a wiper or a radiator hose for your car without shipping it to New York or Dallas or Switzerland you would have a problem. Or if a dealer refused to work on you car because you put different rims or a spoiler on it.
Rolex has refused to sell even a spring bar to an authorized dealer I have contact with. Costing the customer shipping to and from Rolex and possibly an earlier servicing just to get a $3 part.

All of this stuff can be, and is, made by the millions for not much money. Independents are being forced into providing inferior service (or out of business) by Rolex.

[CaveDiver]

Originally Posted by krone

Sounds like your stem may have been too long which could cause excessive wear on the crown threads and put pressure on the set lever. Rolex had a bad run of set levers for the 2235. The pin would come out because they were friction fitted, badly, and would work their way loose, I've seen many of these. They can be riveted back in place for $0. Set levers Cost $18 for most models, according to the Nov 2010 Rolex price list, but because Rolex unreasonably restricts parts people are charging 10x that. Same with the crown. I'm sure they quoted you something ridiculous for the crown. Twinlocks cost $22 for steel and $40 for 18k (not monobloc).
These are prices that a repair shop buying directly from Rolex would pay. 100% mark up still does not get near the ballpark a lot of people are paying. But this is normal now that so many part accounts have been cut.

From my understanding Rolex “fixes” price on parts that a watchmaker can charge but is not being enforced.

[skyedog]

Sorry to hear that... Just my 2 cents.... Cheap never good ......