ROLEX SERVICING: The whole movement comes apart?

[RolexDivers]

Hi,

I was curioous about somethnig I heard 20yrs ago but I never bothered to check/ask until now. So here it goes:

When you send your watch to ROLEX for regular servicing, do they diassemble the whole movement into its components, clean each part and then put the entire movement back together?

OR is it just a myth?

thanks,

[MonBK]

That is correct.

[RolexDivers]

Originally Posted by MonBK

That is correct.

You mean the myth part is true or the former part is true? I think you mean the former is true.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

You mean the myth part is true or the former part is true? I think you mean the former is true.

Yes, he does..

[expy2]

Whole thing completely stripped, cleaned and oiled.

[RolexDivers]

Originally Posted by expy2

Whole thing completely stripped, cleaned and oiled.

Oh wow! The mom and pop stores that do servicing, do not do that I think. The expertise to do that just doesn't exist with them ----- so now I am thinking that maybe it is worth it to send it in for servicing because you literally get a brand new watch back in return --- no part untouched.... it might be an overkill but it worth the peace of mind for the next 10-20 years...

[fliphandywork]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

Oh wow! The mom and pop stores that do servicing, do not do that I think. The expertise to do that just doesn't exist with them ----- so now I am thinking that maybe it is worth it to send it in for servicing because you literally get a brand new watch back in return --- no part untouched.... it might be an overkill but it worth the peace of mind for the next 10-20 years...

There are some very knowledgeable watchmakers out there. I use Jack Alexyon at internationalwatchworks.com for mine. After all, the watch only goes back together one way... How difficult can it be!?!?!?

[withthesword]

the whole watch is completely disassembled into all its individual components. worn parts are replaced by brand new ones, and the whole thing is cleaned, oiled, reassembled, and tuned to within cosc accuracy.

my preferred watchmaker then keeps it for an additional 10 days to monitor accuracy over several positions and adjusts where needed before finally calling me and letting me know i can pick it up.

process usually lasts three weeks from dropping it off to picking it up. your mileage may vary.

[withthesword]

that's not necessarily true about mom and pop shops. any good watchmaker will strip and clean every watch movement they come across. so while it may be true that there are some mom and pop shops that don't have a good watchmaker, i wouldn't be so quick to dismiss every mom and pop shop as shoddy. you'd be suprised to find that some of them have some world class watchmakers who are very communicative and knowlegable.

[RolexDivers]

Well I did not mean to insult the mom and pop stores -- my intention was to say that taing the entire movement apart piece by piece and putting it bac together again piece by piece, takes a lot of time and it just might not be cost effective for them to take on a job like that because of time and labor involved....

[crew]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

Well I did not mean to insult the mom and pop stores -- my intention was to say that taing the entire movement apart piece by piece and putting it bac together again piece by piece, takes a lot of time and it just might not be cost effective for them to take on a job like that because of time and labor involved....

The charge for this service is not inexpensive, no matter who does it. It is "cost effective" for the shop. It has to be to stay in business.
With that said, you need to know who you are dealing with and that you are getting the service you are paying for.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

Well I did not mean to insult the mom and pop stores -- my intention was to say that taing the entire movement apart piece by piece and putting it bac together again piece by piece, takes a lot of time and it just might not be cost effective for them to take on a job like that because of time and labor involved....

Well yes we must remember that past avertising told us it take 12 months to make a Rolex Oyster.But as they produced at one time almost a million units a year perhaps its a little hard to believe.But today its takes a average of between 4 to 8 weeks to service one at the RSC.But it takes very much shorter at your independent watchmaker.And in general because the Rolex movement like say the cal 3 series is quite a large size.Plus the way they are built its quite easy to service them.And far easier to service than many other movements out there today.The problem is that Rolex has such a strangle hold on getting parts, but to any good watchmaker the movement well its just a movement. And basically they work the same as any other mechanical movement today.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by RolexDivers

Well I did not mean to insult the mom and pop stores -- my intention was to say that taing the entire movement apart piece by piece and putting it bac together again piece by piece, takes a lot of time and it just might not be cost effective for them to take on a job like that because of time and labor involved....

You are correct.

It is not uncommon for a low-bid shop to only disassemble the movement to it's major assemblies, sonic clean the assemblies, then put it back together again and oil accessible points.

Those who search for a low-ball price usually get this type of cleaning.

However, Rolex, or any Rolex associated shop will completely disassemble the watch or they could lose their parts account and accreditation..

[mrbill2mrbill2]

Read this from TRF member Vanessa.

https://rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=70528

[gwalker]

Any correct service will mean every component is taken apart, inspected, cleaned, replaced if needed, oiled, and then reassembled. A reputable independent watchmaker will preform the same service you get at a RSC. These services aren't just like an oil change in a car. It's time consuming and requires a lot of training and experience. This is why services are $500+. I use RSC because you get a warranty and if there is an issue I know it will be fixed, no questions asked.

[Mickey®]

I've known some indies to take shortcuts...
Hate when I see someone say...."just overhauled....I saw my watch guy open and oil it"

[Brushpup]

I will argue that a good independant will do a better job overhauling your watch than Rolex will. You get someone working on your watch that is a certified Watch Maker working on it the whole process through.

You do not get that at Rolex anymore. They have "Watch Techs" that do all the grunt work of dis-assembly, cleaning, re-assembly, then the watch maker does the final adjusting and calibrations. Just recently, we see a high end Sub come back from RSC Dallas with a flooded case, dust on the dial. This is unacceptable if you ask me. There are watch stores with great watchmakers, and there are some without. I prefer to find a good dedicated independant who is certified and qualified to complete the whole job.

[Paulie 50]

I am going off on a tangent perhaps, but can i just tell you about two of my oldest watches, a Bulova from 1966, and a Seiko from 1973; both watches have been in my desk at home without being manually wound for years, yet two days ago i wound both of them and would you believe they are both keeping perfect time, i wound them again this morning and they are still keeping the same time as my SD. which is worn every day; do you think, that perhaps we bang on too much about servicing? It's only a thought, perhaps you can share yours.

[Cleveland]

Originally Posted by Brushpup

You do not get that at Rolex anymore. They have "Watch Techs" that do all the grunt work of dis-assembly, cleaning, re-assembly, then the watch maker does the final adjusting and calibrations.

can't speak for the USA but this certainly does not happen in the UK.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Brushpup

I will argue that a good independant will do a better job overhauling your watch than Rolex will. You get someone working on your watch that is a certified Watch Maker working on it the whole process through.

You do not get that at Rolex anymore. They have "Watch Techs" that do all the grunt work of dis-assembly, cleaning, re-assembly, then the watch maker does the final adjusting and calibrations. Just recently, we see a high end Sub come back from RSC Dallas with a flooded case, dust on the dial. This is unacceptable if you ask me. There are watch stores with great watchmakers, and there are some without. I prefer to find a good dedicated independant who is certified and qualified to complete the whole job.

Afraid whoever told you that is completely wrong, anyone who works on Rolex watches at the RSC would be perfectly qualified to do the work whatever name you want to call them.And when a movement is fully stripped then re-assembled thats the hard part,but testing and adjusted and regulating with the aid of a machine thats the easy part.