Rolex WILL fit a discontinued dial into a NEW watch

[Swiss Mad!]

Apologies if this is common knowledge, but I personally did not know this.

It is especially interesting to find out for me as it puts a completely different slant on my decision making regarding the potential purchase of a new watch.

A brief back story.

I made a thread recently (link below) regarding the RG Daytona 116515LN with chocolate dial.

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=814457

My dilema is that although I really love the watch, I'm just not crazy about the current dial with batton hour markers & solid black sub dials.

I actually prefer the previous version with Arabic numbers & gold outline sub dials.

The fact that I can now order the watch & get it at retail AND have the dial I really want is a game changer for me.

If I did go down the route of swapping the dial, there would be a slight extra cost but nothing like the premium I would be paying buying a discontinued watch from a grey dealer or re seller.

I think the extra cost is around £550 GBP for the dial & £250 GBP labour charge - all purchased & sorted through RSC.

A couple of screen shots from London St. James RSC that I received recently whilst making enquiries about the above.

Just thought I'd share this info for the benefit of any other members who were thinking of doing anything similar.

Thanks

[vh2k]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[GreatCircle]

New vs old….

[Wahlberg]

Are you 100 percent sure?

Ask for the Meteorite dial and see what they say.

[Avidcollector]

Interesting if true and available. Do you get original dial back or is it a withheld piece? Assuming original is withheld?

[1665fan]

How much is the baguette dial?

[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by Wahlberg

Are you 100 percent sure?

Ask for the Meteorite dial and see what they say.

100% sure - look at the list of dials they will fit.

The meteorite is on there.

[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by Avidcollector

Interesting if true and available. Do you get original dial back or is it a withheld piece? Assuming original is withheld?

The lady I spoke with explained it's on an exchange basis only, so no unfortunately, they keep your old dial.

[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by 1665fan

How much is the baguette dial?

Sorry I didn't ask about the baguette as im only interested in the chocolate Arabic
dial.

A quick call to your local RSC will confirm though im sure

[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by GreatCircle

New vs old….

Nice

Did you purchase the old dial with the intension of having it fitted at some point?

[fskywalker]

If were you would do the swap with RSC


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[Master_Grogu]

I want a submariner dial in a Daytona now

[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by Master_Grogu

I want a submariner dial in a Daytona now

Haha... that would be worth seeing!

[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by fskywalker

If were you would do the swap with RSC


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Hi

Apologies, not quite sure what your asking?

If its "Is RSC is the only place I would do the dial swap?" then yes it is.

Thanks

Max

[Ricky Rolex]

So the reference stays the same?

In that case we could all swap dials, bezels and what not and it would be quite messy no?

[Yas.2k]

So could I have a white dial put on my ss Daytona I wonder? Interesting

[Furrygoat]

I might try to swap my 116500 to the Blue Arabic racing dial from the two tone…

[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by Ricky Rolex

So the reference stays the same?

In that case we could all swap dials, bezels and what not and it would be quite messy no?

No.

The 116515LN reference is for a rose gold Daytona on Oysterflex but is the same reference for all the dial options in the original email shown at the start of this thread (which are also shown on the Rolex website)

You can't interchange dials & bezels etc from different references.

[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by Yas.2k

So could I have a white dial put on my ss Daytona I wonder? Interesting

Very possibly, as long as they share the same reference number.

[dannyp]

Makes sense, as long as watch reference number hasn’t changed. That brings up another question: Will Rolex for a watch with a future dial that comes out a year or two later?

[992Guy]

Hopeful this is not the case because that would make the new impossible to get Meteorite reference moot IMO.

[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by Furrygoat

I might try to swap my 116500 to the Blue Arabic racing dial from the two tone…

As far as I understand it, you can only swap dials from watches that share the same reference number.

In my case the 116515LN reference covers all the different dial options shown at the start of this thread.

Im not sure of the references of the 2 dials you refer to, but if they are from different watches with different reference numbers then unfortunately I do not think Rolex will swap these dials.

You could always check though.

[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by dannyp

Makes sense, as long as watch reference number hasn’t changed. That brings up another question: Will Rolex for a watch with a future dial that comes out a year or two later?

Well thats exactly the situation in this case.

The Arabic chocolate dial was discontinued in 2019 but they would still be quite willing to fit it to a new watch purchased in 2021.

[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by Tucker_Carlson352

Hopeful this is not the case because that would make the new impossible to get Meteorite reference moot IMO.

Moot? why?

Just because its difficult to source the meteorite dial from an AD, doesn't mean that RSC don't have some in stock does it?

[Wahlberg]

Originally Posted by Swiss Mad!

100% sure - look at the list of dials they will fit.

The meteorite is on there.

That's why I asked.

So I could buy the cheapest and most recent Daytona on OF, ask Rolex for a meteorite dial and make an easy profit. I doubt they would let this happen so easily.

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by Swiss Mad!

Well thats exactly the situation in this case.

The Arabic chocolate dial was discontinued in 2019 but they would still be quite willing to fit it to a new watch purchased in 2021.

I’m asking about the opposite: let’s say I bought an OP blue dial today, then next year a white dial option comes out, will rolled let me swap even though that dial wasn’t yet released when I bought the watch?

[smithsj716]

So what stops us all from merely purchasing a white dial DJ 41 and immediately sending in to swap out for a Wimbledon?


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[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by Wahlberg

That's why I asked.

So I could buy the cheapest and most recent Daytona on OF, ask Rolex for a meteorite dial and make an easy profit. I doubt they would let this happen so easily.

You could buy any Rolex Daytona on Oysterflex at retail & flip it for an easy profit
I don't understand the difference just because its the meteorite dial.

The chocolate dial is just as popular on the secondary market & commanding a hefty mark upon from retail & they are willing to change that.

RSC aren't in the business of judging whether you are a flipper or not, they are merely providing a service to customers.

If you choose to abuse that, same as any customer buying any watch at retail from an AD & flipping it, thats your choice.

My thread is just to inform genuine members of a service offered by Rolex Service Centres that I wasn't previously aware of.

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by smithsj716

So what stops us all from merely purchasing a white dial DJ 41 and immediately sending in to swap out for a Wimbledon?


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I would imagine backlog (likely manufactured to discourage the practice), plus the additional cost (see: MSRP-only thread).

[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by smithsj716

So what stops us all from merely purchasing a white dial DJ 41 and immediately sending in to swap out for a Wimbledon?


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Does the white dial DJ & the Wimbledon have the same reference number?

If so, then nothing I guess