Rolex Service Canada I call BS: Strange question about SPRING BARS for Day Date...

[Porsche-ah]

I'm pretty sure that all same size Day Dates 36mm, 40mm and 41 respectively use the exact same spring bars (Stainless ones)

Please correct me if I'm wrong...

Long story short Rolex Canada screwed up my watch by switching out one of my Tritum hands (Hour hand) to Luminova because they must have damaged it during service... Suffice to say they didn't
disclose this to me when I got it back and I noticed one glowing hand after playing outside in the sun with my daughter.



Anyhow brought it back and they told me they would replace all the hands to match in a few business days. I'm not a vintage kinda guy so that was all fine and good with me.

5 (FIVE!) weeks later! After no call backs and the run around they tell me it took so long because there was an issue with the 12 o'clock spring bar. They don't see Platinum day dates very often so they don't have stock and had to special order form Geneva! Hence the 5 week turnaround time... I call complete total BS. How do you not have stock of such a common part? I have rolex spring bars at home I could have given to them! Or just give me back the watch I'll put the bracelet on myself.

And I quote "If we kept stock all the parts for all the watches we would have a tower of them"
So yeah if they kept stock of itsy bitsy tiny spring bars they would burst from overstock...

What do you guys think?

[watchmaker]

Doesn’t sound impossible to me. Not everywhere has every part for every watch at every time. Stock runs out, even in Switzerland. There is shipping and customs to account for, as well as delays stemming from the fact that yours is not the only watch they are repairing.

Not what you will want to hear, but my advice is relax. It’s only a few weeks.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Porsche-ah

I'm pretty sure that all same size Day Dates 36mm, 40mm and 41 respectively use the exact same spring bars (Stainless ones)

Please correct me if I'm wrong...

Long story short Rolex Canada screwed up my watch by switching out one of my Tritum hands (Hour hand) to Luminova because they must have damaged it during service... Suffice to say they didn't
disclose this to me when I got it back and I noticed one glowing hand after playing outside in the sun with my daughter.



Anyhow brought it back and they told me they would replace all the hands to match in a few business days. I'm not a vintage kinda guy so that was all fine and good with me.

5 (FIVE!) weeks later! After no call backs and the run around they tell me it took so long because there was an issue with the 12 o'clock spring bar. They don't see Platinum day dates very often so they don't have stock and had to special order form Geneva! Hence the 5 week turnaround time... I call complete total BS. How do you not have stock of such a common part? I have rolex spring bars at home I could have given to them! Or just give me back the watch I'll put the bracelet on myself.

And I quote "If we kept stock all the parts for all the watches we would have a tower of them"
So yeah if they kept stock of itsy bitsy tiny spring bars they would burst from overstock...

What do you guys think?

On the solid DD platinum watches the spring-bars will be platinum, on gold DD 18Ct gold. So not itsy bitsy like you put it and especially the platinum ones unlikely to be many kept in stock.

[iheartrolexx]

i think op is a bit overreacting. it's possible

[SearChart]

Originally Posted by padi56

On the solid DD platinum watches the spring-bars will be platinum, on gold DD 18Ct gold. So not itsy bitsy like you put it and especially the platinum ones unlikely to be many kept in stock.

No Peter, the solid platinum watches have WG springbars.

[SearChart]

Originally Posted by iheartrolexx

i think op is a bit overreacting. it's possible

On the springbar issue, yes, but the hand would piss me off as well.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by SearChart

No Peter, the solid platinum watches have WG springbars.

Well I new they would not be SS, but still made from a precious metal, suppose Platinum would be more costly to produce, as far less platinum watches are sold compared with gold.

[pepsiretail]

The surprise hand replacement would bother me, better to tell you upon pick up. After that, yes, perhaps you could benefit from a Snickers?

[F1polesitter]

Originally Posted by SearChart

No Peter, the solid platinum watches have WG springbars.

Learn something new everyday.

But isn't 18kt gold softer than SS and therefore render the spring bars less secure?

Not that I've heard any stories of DD bracelet disconnecting, but just curious.

[subtona]

Misplaced frustration,

The delay for returning the watch because the correct part was unavailable is plausible

The coverup for damaging the hour hand and then replacing without telling the OP ...is inexcusable and imho something to rant about.

[Richard Carver]

What Peter said about PM springbars is correct. I like the one glowing hand. :) It's your watch, it has a story to tell, you were playing with your daughter when you noticed it. :)

I would smile every time I saw it but I'm a 'vintage kind of guy' and enjoy such things. It's just a watch. :)

[Porsche-ah]

Hi all thanks for the responses. Didn't know the spring bar was WG or PT. Learn something new everyday.

I just gave the short story... There is a lot more to it.
They originally told me a few days and it has turned into 5 weeks. They only told me today that it was a spring bar issue. For the last 4.5 weeks it was we'll call you back with no call backs. Or there is a timing issue... But today they told me it wasn't a timing issue it was the spring bar... Never got a straight answer I was always chasing them instead of them calling me back. The customer service part is what upsets me.

2 weeks ago they said it was ready to go and they would call me to pick it up after the weekend. Week later it's a timing issue. This week it's sorry it wasn't a timing issue it was a spring bar.

They could have told me from the start it was the spring bar and it'll take a few weeks vs a few business days. IDK I'm just glad I'm getting the watch back today.

I'm not as mad as you all think I am hahaha. I just want RSC to improve their communication and customer service.

[Porsche-ah]

Originally Posted by watchmaker

Doesn’t sound impossible to me. Not everywhere has every part for every watch at every time. Stock runs out, even in Switzerland. There is shipping and customs to account for, as well as delays stemming from the fact that yours is not the only watch they are repairing.

Not what you will want to hear, but my advice is relax. It’s only a few weeks.

I would be totally fine if they communicated this to me from the start. Not on the day I pick up the watch. I've spoken to them 4 times and this was never communicated to me.
Because they screwed up my serciving they told me they would expedite the service right away ahead of all (Since I already paid in full) and have it back to me in a few days.

[Gibby88]

Your springbars are the same material as the watch head so the lug holes do not get excessive wear. If you put stainless instead of gold the holes would erode away and get larger as the SS is harder. Assume it’s the same for platinum.

[SearChart]

Originally Posted by F1polesitter

Learn something new everyday.

But isn't 18kt gold softer than SS and therefore render the spring bars less secure?

Not that I've heard any stories of DD bracelet disconnecting, but just curious.

Yes but that difference in strength is negligible.

On platinum watches the tube (also tubes for daytona pushers), bracelet screws, springbars and pusher screws on the inside are all made of WG.

On YG watches and RG watches the tubes and springbars are made of YG.

[SearChart]

Originally Posted by Gibby88

Your springbars are the same material as the watch head so the lug holes do not get excessive wear. If you put stainless instead of gold the holes would erode away and get larger as the SS is harder. Assume it’s the same for platinum.

This is incorrect. Do not post your assumptions as facts, thank you.

[miamiclay]

I understood that the DD spring bars are steel (for strength) plated with gold (so the harder steel will not “waller out” the lug holes). But if that’s wrong, I’m happy to learn ...

[WatchLurv]

Rolex feels like they dont need to tell you anything, nor do you deserve an explanation. No one has been able to tell them anything except for what they tell themselves.

[F1polesitter]

Originally Posted by SearChart

Yes but that difference in strength is negligible.

On platinum watches the tube (also tubes for daytona pushers), bracelet screws, springbars and pusher screws on the inside are all made of WG.

On YG watches and RG watches the tubes and springbars are made of YG.

Awesome. Thanks for the explanation Bas.

[SearChart]

Backing up my post.

[sigguy]

Great info Bas; always appreciate reading your contributions.

[Flybak]

Bas, thanks a lot for the insights!