Another Rolex-will-not-service-my-watch-unless rant.

[doyall]

DJ36 (16203) "L" serial # purchased in 1992 through an AD and assembled to my specifications (dial, bezel, bracelet - no spec made as to hands), presumably by Rolex. Only service done was either by or through the same AD from which it was purchased. Sent to RSC due to lack of timely availability of parts by the same AD's in-house service dept. Rolex reports back it will have to have the hands replaced as the original are not "correct" for the model. WTF, Rolex assembled it that way. Only difference the manager can tell is the hands to be installed have no lume whereas the original hands had lume and original dial has no lume.

This is a bit much.

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by doyall

DJ36 (16203) "L" serial # purchased in 1992 through an AD and assembled to my specifications (dial, bezel, bracelet - no spec made as to hands), presumably by Rolex. Only service done was either by or through the same AD from which it was purchased. Sent to RSC due to lack of timely availability of parts by the same AD's in-house service dept. Rolex reports back it will have to have the hands replaced as the original are not "correct" for the model. WTF, Rolex assembled it that way. Only difference the manager can tell is the hands to be installed have no lume whereas the original hands had lume and original dial has no lume.

This is a bit much.

Oh, it's even stupider than you're imagining: It's not that the dial doesn't have lume, it's that the dial isn't marked to indicate a lumed watch. Plenty of dials back then had lume on the hands but not dial (like many Roman dials). However, the dial still said "T" somewhere at the bottom (either "T Swiss T" or "T<25"), indicating lume somewhere (even if just the hands).

Can your AD watchmaker remove the hands prior to service and then reinstall after? Yes, you'll be paying for an extra set, but better than not having the watch running.

[doyall]

That is ridiculous.

Talked to manager at AD who said they would be bound by Rolex protocol, so no go on them servicing with originally installed hands. If AD had just kept it and waited on parts I doubt they would even have known.

[dannyp]

I’m wondering if your AD did a dial swap for you back in the 90s when purchased? Much more lax then about switching dials, bezel inserts, bracelets, etc and basically converting a watch on hand into the customer’s desired spec. In this case, seems that maybe the original dial was a different color?

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by dannyp

I’m wondering if your AD did a dial swap for you back in the 90s when purchased? Much more lax then about switching dials, bezel inserts, bracelets, etc and basically converting a watch on hand into the customer’s desired spec. In this case, seems that maybe the original dial was a different color?

That makes sense


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[doyall]

Originally Posted by dannyp

I’m wondering if your AD did a dial swap for you back in the 90s when purchased? Much more lax then about switching dials, bezel inserts, bracelets, etc and basically converting a watch on hand into the customer’s desired spec. In this case, seems that maybe the original dial was a different color?

Manager said an in-house swap was unlikely and with the records from this now closed store are no longer available there was no way to tell.

The model number designation suggests the watch was produced with the color dial I purchased it with.

In any case I will get the watch back refurbished with only an $89 unnecessary (IMO) charge.

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by doyall

Manager said an in-house swap was unlikely and with the records from this now closed store are no longer available there was no way to tell.

The model number designation suggests the watch was produced with the color dial I purchased it with.

In any case I will get the watch back refurbished with only an $89 unnecessary (IMO) charge.

If you don't care about the hands remaining lumed, then it's just a question of minor financial annoyance. However, the mystery is no less interesting. Is there anything on the paperwork suggesting dial color or configuration beyond the watch being a TT YG DJ36?

It's all but certain that the watch was available with the color dial you have, and that a dial swap was done simply because that configuration wasn't in-store or readily available from Rolex USA at the time.

What seems to have happened is that the original hands, with lume, were left on the watch despite the dial having neither lumed markers nor the lume designation at 6:00.