Rolex, ¿a watch for all the life?

[Antonio]

Hello all,

Regarding one post by Attila, about 'I am surprised that Rolex accepted the watch to repair - I had taken a watch to them and they didn't touch it because it was over 30 years old. Rolex told me they don't guarantee the watch for longer than 30 years.'

and another post by me, with the next text 'O_o

My Datejust is from 1981, 26 years old, 3035 movement, with serial 16030.

That means, that after 5 years, I will be unable to get anymore my watch services at any RSC?'

I ask myself a question. Does really Rolex worth what they sell for, if after some years they will not be serviced anymore by the official service center, and they dont take care of the watches manufactured by them? Should I better go with a brand like Omega, or better something with an ETA 2824-2 like a Tudor, that always will have maintenace, or from Rolex or from any other watchmaker?

Ill throw the question and debate here ;)

Thanks,

Antonio

[txrob779]

Easy to debate. Find a qualified watchsmith and say pffftt the RSC...Problem solved

[timebroker]

You cannot expect a company to be able to keep parts for everything they ever made.
As stated in several other threads they will not take the risk damaging for instance a dial ... you as a customer would sue the heck out of em, well I would anyway

[Antonio]

I know a watchmaker where I live who can repair anything, and is the best for me... but, what will happend if the parts are not available for the RSC, it will be more hard to find for the watchmaker? Also maybe non-original Rolex parts need to be used. The issue is not with the parts, because im sure any RSC have enough parts to fix 3035 movements, but with the age of the calibre. Every 5 years, $500 in maintenace: Thats 2500 in 25 years. Isnt better, for example after 20 years, sell the Sea Dweller, and buy a new Sea Dweller? ;) I know, im bad :p

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Well, I guess that a DJ from 1981 will be able to get serviced by RSC even in 2050. There are/were so many DJ's made, so this is not one of the problematic watches.

[mike]

Antonio your question speaks to why I love the brand, but often have a hard time with the company. I remember a day when buying a Rolex WAS a lifetime investment.
Whether buying as part of a collection or, as in a lot of cases, buying that ONE watch that over the years has become more than just a timepiece to the owner, one should have the reasonable expectation that a company with the history and tradition of Rolex would maintain that watch for as long as possible.
Sadly, the Rolex of today seems to have turned it's back on the very heritage that brought them to the position they enjoy in favor of selling as many new watches as they can.
I do think that while Rolex will eventually curtail support for most of the vintage pieces we see today enough parts exist in the private sector to keep these fine pieces running for a long time yet.
As one noted collector observed "nature abhors a vacuum". There's been a lot of discussion among collectors as to what will happen when the parts well drys up with the thought that someone will step up to make new parts.
This will certainly create a two tier system of valuation as those examples with Rolex documentation and provenance will certainly command more than those without.
I could envision select watchmakers with the right qualifications as being very accepted by the community as the "go to guy(s)" to service some of these older pieces.
Time will tell.....

[Tools]

Interesting puzzle that Rolex has built for us.

As time goes by, Rolex models age, but the movements and parts interchangibility does not differ by as much. They don't want to work on vintage models because they know that, from a collector perspective, an older watch with original parts is more attractive than an old watch. However, they want a serviced watch to appear and function as new when it goes out the door.

A watch owner or Rolex can't have it both ways.

As time goes by, more watches fall into the vintage category.. If the Rolex policy stays the same, in a few years there will be millions of these watches.

Vinage watches are becoming a niche market and one of the fastest growing segments of the watch industry. Eventually even Rolex will have to change it's corporate policy.

Ask this same question in 5 years.

[Downing]

But Larry, if Rolex changes its policy in five years, wouldn't that mean it would then start accepting watches for service that it had previously rejected?

That seems to me to be an unlikely scenario, but I defer as I'm sure you know more about it than me.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by Downing

But Larry, ....
That seems to me to be an unlikely scenario, but I defer as I'm sure you know more about it than me.

No, no, no....I am an ignorant man in such things..

I'm just guessing...

Right now I just don't think they expect anybody except collectors to keep a watch for 30 years.. And very few collectors send their vintage pieces to the RSC for a rebuild..

But times are changing and more people are handing their watches down through generations,..

[BLSampson]

I recently had the San Francisco RSC service my 39 year old GMT 1670. No problem.

[Solo118]

Wouldnt Rolex in Geneva accept the watch for repair no matter of its age?