Rolex in a house fire.

[RocKicks614]

So this is my first post and is gonna be a long one. On 11/10/2018 my family sustained a house fire that we lost 95% of our belongings and due to unforeseen circumstances there was no insurance coverage. I had purchased a 126283RBR that was less than 6 months old and was badly compromised. I saved up for long time to make my first and as of today, only Rolex purchase. It has been in New York since April at their authorized repair shop after I sent so many emails and finally a got a response agreeing to attempt to repair it and thus far there has been some tremendous progress but there is still an issue where gold fused on a link and a couple of the diamonds on the bezel are discolored. My repair rep seems to have little to no knowledge of Rolex and it’s like she is just trying to sell me on new pieces for the watch as opposed to offering a reasonably economic repair. She has huge lapses in communication, especially when I am asking questions that are more than legitimate and reasonable, but instantly communicates when she is trying to get me to spend money and on top of it all my AD shrugged me off and made me feel like once the sale was done so we’re they. I’m a single father still struggling today to put my kids and mine lives back together and had hoped to pass the watch down to my son one day and just want to see if there are any options. Also I was curious as if the hidden clasp jubilee fits on this watch. Thank you for taking the time to read this and any advice you have to offer.

[Ticknaway]

Get it back and send it to the RSC in Dallas

[kieselguhr]

Umm. My friend, it must really be frustrating to go through what you are going through. I cannot imagine. You mention being a single father and struggling to put your life and that of your kids back together. I would focus on that and save this project for another time. That is my honest advise.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by Ticknaway

Get it back and send it to the RSC in Dallas

Insofar as you're not getting satisfaction from your current repair facility, RSC or maybe some other well known and respected repair facilitiy seems to be the best choice.

LA Watchworks has a good reputation and I've had some watch serviced by them and they have another one in the process of being serviced.

Your needs are far beyond a simple full-service, so RSC may be the only rational choice.

[edgware14]

Can you wear it with the 'fused links'?
It seems like everything has been fixed otherwise, a few discoloured diamonds wouldn't bother me, surely that's a great part of the watches history now?

[No SUBctitute]

Your watch looks great! Why can't you just wear it as is? The discolored diamonds are part of your story. Does the bracelet function okay with that fusing?

[gunhose]

I agree if you can just wear it as is. It tells a story plus it still look good.

[THC]

Originally Posted by kieselguhr

Umm. My friend, it must really be frustrating to go through what you are going through. I cannot imagine. You mention being a single father and struggling to put your life and that of your kids back together. I would focus on that and save this project for another time. That is my honest advise.

X2 ... the watch is far down the priority scale, unless you are selling it for emergency funds, then I get that for sure, given your situation.. next wishes OP

[jimcameron]

Originally Posted by RocKicks614

I’m a single father still struggling today to put my kids and mine lives back together ....

Best of luck.

[RocKicks614]

I appreciate everyone’s kind words thus far. In regards to if the fused links have compromised the movement, I have not been given a straight forward answer. I am still on the fence to keep or sell. I have got the kids all they need and we do have a place so I just want to clarify I didn’t put responsibilities on the back burner for this project. Also I have 3 brand new links but from my research that is the link that attaches to the head of the watch so they wouldn’t be able to be used in place of the fused area. Can anyone enlighten me on this?

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by RocKicks614

I appreciate everyone’s kind words thus far. In regards to if the fused links have compromised the movement, I have not been given a straight forward answer. I am still on the fence to keep or sell. I have got the kids all they need and we do have a place so I just want to clarify I didn’t put responsibilities on the back burner for this project. Also I have 3 brand new links but from my research that is the link that attaches to the head of the watch so they wouldn’t be able to be used in place of the fused area. Can anyone enlighten me on this?

That's correct, the fused link is a fixed link so cannot be swapped out.

Someone like Mike at Rolliworks (do a search on here) would absolutely be able to fix the fused link and replace the discoloured stones for you. I have no personal experience but have seen his work on here.

https://www.rolliworks.com/

Best of luck

[schoolboy]

I’m sorry to hear this, my childhood home burned down a couple of months ago. It’s a hard thing to go through.

If the kids are all set, I would try sending the watch to Dallas as was suggested above.

Though I am not sure if they would replace the stones, because sometimes it seems like they mostly replace whole parts, like replacing the bezel instead.

If that doesn’t work out, then try an independent like Rolliworks or LAWW

I’m pretty sure they can fix the fused link issue

But seriously tho, wearing it like that, if possible, would be kinda neat too

[kieselguhr]

Originally Posted by RocKicks614

I am still on the fence to keep or sell. I have got the kids all they need and we do have a place so I just want to clarify I didn’t put responsibilities on the back burner for this project.

Glad to hear it

Had I been in a watch restoration situation such as yourself, I would probably be working with RolliWorks in the Bay Area, or LAWW in SoCal. RSC does a great job for regular interval service and polishing but have quoted me absurd prices to restore a prince date with very ambiguous descriptions of work to be done.

[nnigel46]

Amazing story god bless you and your entire family

[Seibei]

Send it to RSC, get a quote and go from there.

[RocKicks614]

Originally Posted by Seibei

Send it to RSC, get a quote and go from there.

It currently sits in a RSC in NYC.

[RocKicks614]

Also I will tell the full story about the watch soon since this is a watch forum and it will blow your minds.

[justin81]

So sorry to hear this, especially as a fellow Ohioan.
My 2 cents, if RSC can make it functional, I’d leave the discoloration as part of its and your story.

[Chaching]

A watch is immaterial... focus on your life and kids and forget the watch for now just my advice. Hope things work out.

[77T]

In my opinion, get it back in your hands and wear it for a while before choosing another step. The repair costs are being covered by insurance, right?

Then you can go through your options in discussions here and with people like Rolliworks who can suggest options.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[RocKicks614]

Originally Posted by 77T

In my opinion, get it back in your hands and wear it for a while before choosing another step. The repair costs are being covered by insurance, right?

Then you can go through your options in discussions here and with people like Rolliworks who can suggest options.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Sadly none of my belongings were covered as I mentioned in the initial post due to the utmost negligence by my insurance agent, who was a close friend at the time.

[RocKicks614]

Originally Posted by 77T

In my opinion, get it back in your hands and wear it for a while before choosing another step. The repair costs are being covered by insurance, right?

Then you can go through your options in discussions here and with people like Rolliworks who can suggest options.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Sadly none of my belongings were covered as I mentioned in the initial post due to the utmost negligence by my insurance agent, who was a close friend at the time.

[Seibei]

Originally Posted by RocKicks614

My repair rep seems to have little to no knowledge of Rolex and it’s like she is just trying to sell me on new pieces for the watch as opposed to offering a reasonably economic repair. She has huge lapses in communication, especially when I am asking questions that are more than legitimate and reasonable, but instantly communicates when she is trying to get me to spend money and on top of it all my AD shrugged me off and made me feel like once the sale was done so we’re they.

Originally Posted by RocKicks614

It currently sits in a RSC in NYC.

So you are saying that the NYC RSC keeps trying to sell you watches?

[acfcheung]

Sorry to hear what happened. I would just wear it like that if the fuses link doesnt affect the movement. Still a very good looking watch and now with a badass story behind it

Sent from my SM-N9750 using Tapatalk

[RocKicks614]

Originally Posted by Seibei

So you are saying that the NYC RSC keeps trying to sell you watches?

My apologies for not being more clear. I’m referring to not offering a service to replace the 6 diamonds or where the link is fused. She keeps reverting back to a new bezel and entire bracelet. This has been a very long and disheartening experience with her to say the least. In the beginning customer relations gave me high hopes when they responded to my email where I put my whole story out there and I tried to go back to them directly last week and the next email I received was from her yesterday and she denied me to talk to any form of management in the RSC.

[Seibei]

Originally Posted by RocKicks614

My apologies for not being more clear. I’m referring to not offering a service to replace the 6 diamonds or where the link is fused. She keeps reverting back to a new bezel and entire bracelet. This has been a very long and disheartening experience with her to say the least. In the beginning customer relations gave me high hopes when they responded to my email where I put my whole story out there and I tried to go back to them directly last week and the next email I received was from her yesterday and she denied me to talk to any form of management in the RSC.

Many thanks, understood. That is typical of RSC, they prefer to sell you new whole replacement parts rather than repairing used parts. I suppose you should ask for your watch back and ask a trusted independent repairer to have a look at it. The best of luck to you.

[rushca01]

I’m sorry that you are going through this. Close friend or not I would be filing an E&O claim against your agent if you say it was negligence on his part.....

[Wk33outlaw]

Originally Posted by rushca01

I’m sorry that you are going through this. Close friend or not I would be filing an E&O claim against your agent if you say it was negligence on his part.....

Absolutely I would. This is BS by any agent friend or not.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[No SUBctitute]

Ref the 6 comments below, what are your thoughts on wearing as is? It looks like the bracelet should function okay.

Originally Posted by acfcheung

Sorry to hear what happened. I would just wear it like that if the fuses link doesnt affect the movement. Still a very good looking watch and now with a badass story behind it

Originally Posted by justin81

So sorry to hear this, especially as a fellow Ohioan.
My 2 cents, if RSC can make it functional, I’d leave the discoloration as part of its and your story.

Originally Posted by schoolboy

But seriously tho, wearing it like that, if possible, would be kinda neat too

Originally Posted by gunhose

I agree if you can just wear it as is. It tells a story plus it still look good.

Originally Posted by No SUBctitute

Your watch looks great! Why can't you just wear it as is? The discolored diamonds are part of your story. Does the bracelet function okay with that fusing?

Originally Posted by edgware14

Can you wear it with the 'fused links'?
It seems like everything has been fixed otherwise, a few discoloured diamonds wouldn't bother me, surely that's a great part of the watches history now?