Help me understand dial swaps and Rolex parts accounts
 

I'm aware of the dial swap rules when it comes to RSC. Dial must have been available for your watch the year it was produced. RSC will swap dials but keep the old one, etc.

Curious about tying to do dial swaps at independent watchmakers with Rolex parts accounts.

I would love to add a second dial eventually to my Datejust 41 and have it swapped out. But I want to be able to keep my existing dial. Also I would really like to add the newly announced blue motif dial which was not available on my watch which was purchased last year.

Can an independent just order a replacement dial from Rolex? Can they install it for me without keeping my current dial? If not are there any other ways of sourcing replacement dials?

Thanks :cheers:

If it's a hot dial like than I do not think Rolex will do it. Independent no chance.

Generally, if an independent wants to keep their parts account, they will follow the rules as Rolex has laid out.

They would need the model and serial to request a new dial, so that becomes a hurdle.

Some will put in any dial that you have if it is authentic, but you have to source it. Others may have a way to game the process.

If Rolex gives them a dial, exchange, it needs to go back. If it is an outright purchase then you can keep the old dial,

OK, thank you. If an independent were to request a dial that WAS available at the time I purchased the watch (like a standard black dial) would there be any hurdle for them to request and buy it without an exchange.

Sounds like if I want to add the motif dial I would have to source it elsewhere. Guessing ebay or chrono are really the only options for this?

Purchased a Milgauss Z Blue Dial from a reputable 3rd party watchmaker/dealer in Miami, and had my Black GV dial replaced by a local independent watchmaker in Boston. I was in and out of the watchmaker in less that 30min with a beautiful new dial!

On a datejust, is it any dial available at time of purchase or does it have to match exactly? For example, a 126234 with white Roman dial would not have lumed hands. Can you switch dial and hands through RSC since it’s same reference or no because of the hands?

I believe RSC always changes out the hands during a dial replacement and if the new dial is lumed they will install lumed hands at no extra cost.

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So you’re saying I could do as follows:

I currently have a blue Roman dial 116234 with white gold hands because of the white gold numerals. If I want to switch to the blue lume stick dial will they allow that since hands need to change from gold to lume?


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As far as I understand, yes. From what I read they always change out the hands when they do a dial change and yes they will match the lumed hands to the lumed dial. And the hands on both are white gold, it's just that some have lume and others don't.

I was having a conversation about this today with a friend. So if someone has the 126719BLRO blue dial and wants the meteorite dial, they could swap? Both are currently offered… what about the YG Daytona with a black dial swapping to the green? Seems like people would be doing this all the time if Rolex offered this.

Just think of how many OP owners would be sending their OP's to an RSC to swap in a Tiffany blue dial.

They discontinued those now so people won't be able to do that.

There definitely are restrictions but RSC seems to be fine with DJ dial swaps as long as the dial is available and was available for that specific model.

No idea if they do anything for a 126719blro as the dials change the price (MSRP). No idea if that changes things.

Definitely not Rolex would not swap any meteorite dial to a original non meteorite dial.

Rolex will not swap the in demand meteorite or green anniversary dial

To get your AD/RSC to do a dial swap, is a service required even if its a relatively new watch?

No. I swapped a dial on my DJ when it was about 2 months old. No service required.

As for independents with parts accounts, my watchmaker, who claims to be one of about 30 independents left in the US with with a parts account says that he cannot get dials or bracelets.

No wonder. Remember how many dials and hands were available in the FS section over here five years ago? Almost all of them in factory unopened blister packaging. Those guys probably have spoiled it.