Crystal on 1986 Rolex: Fake or Genuine

[PaulJJ]

I have a 1986 mid size date just. I have always taken it for servicing (albeit irregularly) at Rolex in Bond Street London where I bought it, most recently 5 years ago, and never to any other dealers. I have just given it to the official Rolex service centre in Ho Chi Minh City where I currently reside. They are refusing to service it unless I replace the crystal which, they say, is fake! So either Rolex in Bond Street has cheated me, or the Rolex centre in HCMC is trying to cheat me (or doesn't know what they are doing). Has anyone else had a problem like this? The money for a new crystal will not break the bank, but I am curious to understand what game has or is being played on me. Thanks for any input.

[CTech]

A few more details of the watch and history would help to understand what has happened in the past or what might be happening now, for example:

Did you buy the watch new?
Does it have a sapphire crystal or an acrylic crystal?
Do you have any service receipts showing that a sapphire crystal was replaced (acrylic ones used to be changed free of charge or included in the service cost)?
Will the RSC in HCMC tell you why they think the crystal is wrong?
Will the RSC remove the crystal and give it to you for further examination?
Can you get the watch back from the RSC and get an independent watchmaker to remove the crystal for further examination?

There are any number of scenarios that fit the current circumstances but it would be interesting to know what, if anything, has happened at Rolex, Bond Street prior to the watch being seen in HCMC.

[Dan S]

I guess the OP joined RF to ask this question. Interesting.

Ask yourself, is it really worth making a fuss over having a crystal replaced? You're going to do a big investigation to find out who is "cheating" you over a crystal? A crystal.

Somebody somewhere made a mistake. Big deal.