New SD faulty

[Baptistman]

I decided to unveil my new SD yesterday in all its glory. Started to take of protective plastic. Eventually got to the crown side and peeling of the last bit of plastic a mark revealed itself. Strange I thought, it was positioned on the left side of the crown guard, where it starts to bevel. Thought to myself, must be a bit of dust, so I got a compressed air duster used for computers, but it did not go.

So I got my magnifier and I nearly dropped the watch. A hole was in the case itself, almost perfect in circumferance. It seemed quite deep, but nevertheless, not a scratch or a scuff, just a hole in the case.

I rang the store straight away, they told me to bring it back asap.
So had to trapse back to the store a little anxious to say the least. When I got to the store, I explained the situation again, they looked at the watch under a loupe, had a look at the protective plastic (which I had kept) their mouths dropped, they had never seen anything like this before. They suggested it was an imperfection in the metal rather than a tool mark or slip.

Very apologetic and fortunatly for me, they had just had a new SD arrive in store which they offered to me. Quite frankly I was releaved, they gift wrapped it for me. Hastle free. but here's the thing, apart from the fault, the writing on the new watches dial was far whiter and clearer than on the faulty one, even the manager commented on it.

Whats going on at Rolex.

Sorry about photo quality, taken with mobile phone

[SPACE-DWELLER]

I am glad you got a new SD, Jon!

It's incredible just how bad Rolex QC is sometimes!

[seantk]

Any photos of the hole in the SD case?

I question the QC also. I sent my new SD to RSC 2 weeks ago because of streaking in the dial

Sean

[sherwin]

wow... makes you wonder what is exactly going on there at Rolex

[topcat30093]

Originally Posted by SPACE-DWELLER

I am glad you got a new SD, Jon!

It's incredible just how bad Rolex QC is sometimes!

X2

[erdiesel]

Was the previous one an M series? I assume the new one is an M series..........

[Terry Newton]

Wow. That's awful. Maybe they believe that because they are Rolex they don't have to look at the quality. Unimaginable and disappointing with all the hype about how great the watches are.

I'm glad you were able to get a new one so quickly.

Terry Newton

[Robb]

Sorry to hear Jon... Im glad you got a new one!!!!

[blackrhino12]

I wonder what the depth rating is with a hole in the case?

[steel4me]

ROLEX is about 70% hype ....way overpriced ....

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Originally Posted by steel4me

ROLEX is about 70% hype ....way overpriced ....

I see this thread reaching page 7 now!

[dramsey]

Funny...in the Rolex special edition of WatchTime a year or two back, they had an article mentioning how Rolex rejected a 10-ton load of steel from a supplier because an impurity caused an 8-micron scratch in a polished case!

[seantk]

Originally Posted by blackrhino12

I wonder what the depth rating is with a hole in the case?

It is now rated for bath tub diving

Seriously as long as the hole did not penetrate inside the movement it probably would not be an issue. But if I were deep diving I would have it pressure tested. Fortunately, they gave him a new one

Seam

[Gurmot]

This is tough luck for you Jon but at least your AD took responsibility and gave you a new (and better?) watch.

I'll bet that this sort of thing has always happened and it doesn't necessarily mean Rolex QC is any worse. The big difference here is the power and reach of modern communication to the extent that WE all know about this within hours of it happening.

The good news is that all this new and intense pressure SHOULD result in an eventual improvement. I'm sure Rolex will take this very seriously.

Just MHO.

Cheers - Simon

[Baptistman]

It was an M serial as the new one is. They were very anxious to get it back to Rolex asap.

They looked through the loup but could not determine how deep the hole was.

not good enough though is it, and I wonder if the protective plastics are put on by machine or by hand. Machine I should imagine.

How many of us take watches and leave the seals on when we buy. So seals are no guarantee

[JJ Irani]

Sorry to hear about your dilemma, Jon.....but like I always say.....you should do THIS BEFORE plonking down a single cent on the counter!!

[Baptistman]

I agree, JJ but through the plastics it could not be seen.

[ZROLEX]

Spoooooooooky story with good ending!
Glad everything worked out good for you, too bad Rollie can send wathces with flaws like these to AD's

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Baptistman

I agree, JJ but through the plastics it could not be seen.

Hmmmm....this one's a first for me. I wish you could have taken a good macro shot of that hole, Jon.

JJ

[Baptistman]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Hmmmm....this one's a first for me. I wish you could have taken a good macro shot of that hole, Jon.

JJ

So do I, tried with the mobile, no good. Digi cameras dead at the mo.

[wanasub]

Between the excellent initial service and this follow-up story, your ad sounds fantastic. You'll have to let them know they're getting praise from around the world!! Jonathan

[Whiskey]

The metal blocks are made by pouring molten-metal into a cast. Should there be a variance in the temperature while that metal was poured, it would create an air-pocket/s in the castings.

Depending on how the machine at Rolex cut-out the cases, it's quite possible that in this case, the case was cut right smack through the middle of that air-pocket.

This wasn't the only case affected I bet. Depending on how big the casting was and how many cases can be made from that casting, there will be a few others coming back to Rolex.

I'm assuming there is a casting number on the inside of the case which would link this case and others to that particlular cast. Rolex will take down that number and maybe recall all those watches that haven't been sold yet.

I don't know what they'll due to the ones already bought though.

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Whiskey

The metal blocks are made by pouring molten-metal into a cast. Should there be a variance in the temperature while that metal was poured, it would create an air-pocket/s in the castings.

Depending on how the machine at Rolex cut-out the cases, it's quite possible that in this case, the case was cut right smack through the middle of that air-pocket.

This wasn't the only case affected I bet. Depending on how big the casting was and how many cases can be made from that casting, there will be a few others coming back to Rolex.

I'm assuming there is a casting number on the inside of the case which would link this case and others to that particlular cast. Rolex will take down that number and maybe recall all those watches that haven't been sold yet.

I don't know what they'll due to the ones already bought though.

That is some bloody good and very interesting information, pal. Many thanks!!!

[Baptistman]

Well the AD said no way could they polish it otherwise it would be the thinnest oyster around. They guessed it would be discarded.

When I first looked I thought it was some fluff. under the loupe it was exactly like a pin had been pushed into the case.

The AD has been great. I won't be using anyone else.

But how on earth did it get passed QC. i do wonder if they only check a certain amount of watches in any one batch, rather than scutinizing every one

Whiskeys explanation makes sense.

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Baptistman

Well the AD said no way could they polish it otherwise it would be the thinnest oyster around. They guessed it would be discarded.

When I first looked I thought it was some fluff. under the loupe it was exactly like a pin had been pushed into the case.

The AD has been great. I won't be using anyone else.

But how on earth did it get passed QC. i do wonder if they only check a certain amount of watches in any one batch, rather than scutinizing every one

Whiskeys explanation makes sense.

QC at Rolex really sucks on quite a few occasions, especially with the dials and the printing thereon. Gotta check out the dial with the loupe every damn time you are about to buy a Rolex.

JJ

[Baptistman]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

QC at Rolex really sucks on quite a few occasions, especially with the dials and the printing thereon. Gotta check out the dial with the loupe every damn time you are about to buy a Rolex.

JJ

Thats one thing I did do, borrowed their loupe to look at the dial and the rest of the case on the new one. Peeled of plastics and looked at the case and bracelet through the loupe to.

If as whiskey says, it is a cast problem. Might be worth TRFers doing the same for the time being.

[Whiskey]

Originally Posted by Baptistman

Well the AD said no way could they polish it otherwise it would be the thinnest oyster around. They guessed it would be discarded.

When I first looked I thought it was some fluff. under the loupe it was exactly like a pin had been pushed into the case.

The AD has been great. I won't be using anyone else.

But how on earth did it get passed QC. i do wonder if they only check a certain amount of watches in any one batch, rather than scutinizing every one

Whiskeys explanation makes sense.

My theory about Rolex QC is an extention on my casting theory.

Rolex QC probably takes a good look at one of the watches from that "Batch" of castings, scrutinizes that, and should it pass...................ship out ALL of the watches.

They most likely pulled out one watch from the batch, it measured up, and out all the rest of them went.

I don't believe QC today is like it was before. Not enough man-power to look all these things over on every single watch they make.

PP on the other hand would have caught an error like this big time. In fact, with their stringent controls, they probably would have melted down the ENTIRE watch (movement and all), and started from scratch.

Rolex will just get this watch back, transfer the movement and bracelet over to a new case, and send this back out for resale.

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Whiskey

Rolex will just get this watch back, transfer the movement and bracelet over to a new case, and send this back out for resale.

That's exactly what I was thinking too!!

[Baptistman]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

That's exactly what I was thinking too!!

x3

[DSJ]

Excellent AD service though!