Have you ever been disappointed by a Rolex?

[Etschell]

I have not. But wondering how for those who have and if it changed.

[HauteHorlogerie]

No, never with Rolex or Omega or AP. However, honestly with Patek I've had issues.. my first aquanaut clasp was always hard to close, it would pop open a lot unless you really took your time closing it. All my nautilus clasps were crap... my 5980/1A clasp still comes loose.. the little stamped steel just hangs free so I squeezed it with my vampliers hahaha (I know I know but I've had it forever and it's beat to crap and it's meant to be worn). Also on other base calibers my date has stuck on both my 5711 and 5167R.... and on my 5164A tiffany honestly the pushers to change the second time zone feels cheap..... like it's Patek... oh and lastly the rotor noise... honestly I love Patek but they don't feel all that well made.....

[enjoythemusic]

New Sub ND was +7 a day, sent to RSC and is now +1.

[JPMickB83]

In general, Rolex has always exceeded my expectations. I have five modern references and they’re all quite spectacular. My four main annoyances are:

1) There isn’t a definitive click/pop/notch/bump/whatever when pulling my BLNR crown into the second position when adjusting the hour hand. I’ve had other, cheaper watches where it felt much more apparent that you were in position two (note: position 0 = crown screwed in, 1 = winding, 2 = independent hour hand/date setting, 3 = hacking seconds/ full time setting). The best way I can describe the feeling is that it’s a bit mushy or sloppy.

2) I wish all Rolex crowns were designed to point straight up when fully screwed down. It would look better and be a visual cue that the crown was locked down.

3) All of my Rolexes with dates switch over at about five minutes after midnight. Rolex makes such a big deal about the date switch happening at midnight, but I’ve read this is rarely the case (and certainly hasn’t been my experience)

4) My new Two-Tone Submariner has more play than I thought it would in the bezel. I’ve read that this is due to the new ball bearing system, but it was still a bit surprising.

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by HauteHorlogerie

No, never with Rolex or Omega or AP. However, honestly with Patek I've had issues.. my first aquanaut clasp was always hard to close, it would pop open a lot unless you really took your time closing it. All my nautilus clasps were crap... my 5980/1A clasp still comes loose.. the little stamped steel just hangs free so I squeezed it with my vampliers hahaha (I know I know but I've had it forever and it's beat to crap and it's meant to be worn). Also on other base calibers my date has stuck on both my 5711 and 5167R.... and on my 5164A tiffany honestly the pushers to change the second time zone feels cheap..... like it's Patek... oh and lastly the rotor noise... honestly I love Patek but they don't feel all that well made.....

That’s crazy, as someone new to watches I assumed Patek would be at least as solid as Rolex

Thanks for sharing!

[Harry-57]

Hard to believe though it is in this mad age, there was a time when I could walk into an AD and buy a 16610LV they had in the window. Which is what I did in the early 00s. Well, I got as far as walking in and trying it on. I loved the watch, the finish, the quality, but I couldn’t believe how flimsy and insubstantial the bracelet was. And the diving extension was a joke for the asking price. Since the bracelet is essentially what you wear, I couldn’t get used to how flimsy it felt, and I didn’t think I would grow used to it. I passed.

The 116610LV cured it. I didn’t like the dial until I met one for real. But the whole appearance of the watch, the wider lugs, the maxi dial and above all the solid bracelet/glidelock, gave it the kind of substance, heft and depth of engineering that I was disappointed not to see in the Kermit. It has not cured me of my desire to one day own a pre ceramic Coke or Pepsi GMT, but when I need a reason not to go vintage I remember how flimsy the Kermit seemed to me. So far this has succeeded in keeping the money in my pocket. So far….

[Rashid.bk]

I've had about five different Rolex and all ran like champs. My new 126660 D-Blue is running about 4 seconds slow a day. It just started when the weather warmed up. Definitely disappointed, a Deepsea is not the type of watch you want any joe blow opening up.

[VicLeChic]

Originally Posted by Etschell

I have not. But wondering how for those who have and if it changed.

By a Rolex, never. By Rolex, yes, no biggie.
The product is everything I want and value in a watch

[FTX I]

Originally Posted by HauteHorlogerie

No, never with Rolex or Omega or AP. However, honestly with Patek I've had issues.. my first aquanaut clasp was always hard to close, it would pop open a lot unless you really took your time closing it. All my nautilus clasps were crap... my 5980/1A clasp still comes loose.. the little stamped steel just hangs free so I squeezed it with my vampliers hahaha (I know I know but I've had it forever and it's beat to crap and it's meant to be worn). Also on other base calibers my date has stuck on both my 5711 and 5167R.... and on my 5164A tiffany honestly the pushers to change the second time zone feels cheap..... like it's Patek... oh and lastly the rotor noise... honestly I love Patek but they don't feel all that well made.....

Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[2001jesper]

Not performance wise but presence. Had been looking to potentially add an explorer, and came by one randomly at an AD in Istanbul. Did absolutely nothing for me


... On to the next one

[kieselguhr]

Originally Posted by JPMickB83

3) All of my Rolexes with dates switch over at about five minutes after midnight. Rolex makes such a big deal about the date switch happening at midnight, but I’ve read this is rarely the case (and certainly hasn’t been my experience)

Odd. I have a 1601 that’s almost twice my age and every time I wear it and hear a click I know for sure it’s midnight. I have a preference for no date subs in modern models though and can’t compare.




AOW

[brandrea]

As far as quality and time keeping goes, never.

The only disappointment I’ve had is with my own poor decision making. I’ve found it took a lot of trial and error to get the ones I truly love.

[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by schoolboy

That’s crazy, as someone new to watches I assumed Patek would be at least as solid as Rolex

Thanks for sharing!

To add to his post... Was a Patek collector for decades. Quality has greatly diminished compared to 10 years ago and earlier imho. Service times have become far too lengthy too. Patek had a great reputation for many decades, they were the best! Those days are gone. Sold all but one Patek and now enjoying Rolex.

F.P. Journe and other independents, plus perhaps ALS, are now amongst the top-tier. jmho

[Macnavara]

Bit disappointed with new pepsi...bezel not sharp enough to grip....plenty of movement in bezel too and the racket from the rotor sounds like junk

[Jostack]

Yes, but I may have had unrealistic expectations. Before buying my first (DJ41), I didn’t go deep here in the forums to find what kinds of little issues there may be. All I ever heard was ‘Rolex does not let a watch out the door unless it is perfect’. Either that is simply not true, or my idea of ‘perfect’ is different from Rolex.

The date change happens from 5 to 10 minutes after midnight, the handful of times I checked it. That in and of itself isn’t a big deal, but not ‘perfect’. I’m pretty happy with the date change mechanism that allows me to change it without regard for the position of the hour hand. That is a much bigger positive than the timing of the date change being a negative.

I also fully expected it to keep at least as good of time as my Tudor BBB. Comparatively it is all over the place, on wrist, varying from +0.7spd to +6.0spd, more often running on the fast end of that range. And there is no overnight resting position that repeatably allows me to compensate for the on wrist performance. Resting position timing also varies from day to day, as much as on wrist performance. The Tudor on the other hand runs -0.5 to -1.0spd, and overnight crown up brings it right back in line. Maybe I got lucky there...

Disappointing and frustrating, but I hold out hope that a trip to an RSC will remedy the timing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JPMickB83]

The midnight click is somewhat simple to fix (from my understanding), but my guess is the cost/benefit tradeoff just isn’t there during the initial assembly. The watchmaker has to install the hands manually, so they perhaps back off the movement a little after the date clicks to give themselves a small margin of error. Better to have a date switch after midnight than before.

[Matteo E]

Originally Posted by Macnavara

Bit disappointed with new pepsi...bezel not sharp enough to grip....plenty of movement in bezel too and the racket from the rotor sounds like junk

Odd, I would address with Rolex. Mine has no movement in bezel and I certainly have never even heard the rotor.

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

To add to his post... Was a Patek collector for decades. Quality has greatly diminished compared to 10 years ago and earlier imho. Service times have become far too lengthy too. Patek had a great reputation for many decades, they were the best! Those days are gone. Sold all but one Patek and now enjoying Rolex.



F.P. Journe and other independents, plus perhaps ALS, are now amongst the top-tier. jmho

Thanks for the comment. I wasn’t planning on buying a Patek anyway, but in a way I kinda am a fan, because of reviews I’ve seen and pictures and what not.

But it’s interesting to see that maybe it’s not what people say it is.

[fluffybunny]

Pre-ceramic Submariner with triangle and pearl misaligned to 12 o'clock.

[sillo]

Originally Posted by fluffybunny

Pre-ceramic Submariner with triangle and pearl misaligned to 12 o'clock.

That's extremely easy to fix.

My only disappointment is that they're getting so expensive.

[_speedmaster_]

Never had any issues with any of my or my wife’s Rolexes. Bulletproof movement and construction from my experience.

To add to the commentary on Patek. Although I’ve never owned one, I was actually surprised by how far behind the 5712 felt in terms of perceived quality when compared to say, a 116710 or an AP15400, especially the bracelet.

[doramas]

Originally Posted by Etschell

I have not. But wondering how for those who have and if it changed.

You have over 12,000 messages and you don't have a Rolex on a Rolex Forum. You have a lot of merit.

[JPMickB83]

Originally Posted by Matteo E

Odd, I would address with Rolex. Mine has no movement in bezel and I certainly have never even heard the rotor.

Same: my GMT Bezel is rock solid and I can’t hear the rotor on any of my Rolexes.

Might be time to pop the caseback off that bad boy and verify it’s the real deal. I hope for your sake it is.

[MrTito]

I managed to pre order the original Deepsea. Completely head over heels with the marketing pics and envisaged a larger Seadweller. When I eventually got it (and Rolex had raised the price before I even got one of the first here in the UK) it was stunning BUT I barely wore it in three years of owning. I stand by the view that the bracelet was too thin and the watch rode too high on the wrist. An amazing watch, beautifully finished but only practical for a very small group of people.

Otherwise, despite always viewing Rolex as a posers brand, I only appreciated the perfection of the construction once I started owning them.

[Oldfellow]

Originally Posted by doramas

You have over 12,000 messages and you don't have a Rolex on a Rolex Forum. You have a lot of merit.

I think you should have another look at the original post.
Then maybe apologize.

[VicLeChic]

Originally Posted by schoolboy

That’s crazy, I assumed Patek would be at least as solid as Rolex

Thanks for sharing!

x2

[Etschell]

Originally Posted by doramas

You have over 12,000 messages and you don't have a Rolex on a Rolex Forum. You have a lot of merit.

I have two rolex.

[Dirt]

The Kermit i had was a real disapointment.
Overall the watch was fine except the lume on the Maxi-dial/hands was rather so so.
As I expected better Lume performance, i moved it on after I picked up a Rolex with Chromalite.

My later Rolex watches have Chromalite and am very happy as opposed to the Superluminova.

[doramas]

Originally Posted by Etschell

I have two rolex.

Oh, I'm sorry. I misunderstood you

[Etschell]

Originally Posted by doramas

Oh, I'm sorry. I misunderstood you

No prob