Why would Rolex File off the serial number

[[email protected]]

I have a Rolex Sea Dweller 4000 for the past forty years. It is (was) in perfect condition until it went to Rolex South Africa for a service.

Today I took it in to have valued for insurance and then I was asked what happened to it, it is not authentic.... WHAT?

Yes, Rolex filed off the numbers on the side of the watch! Heaven knows why. They also replaced the back with one that has no markings at all. Is this what Rolex has become? The serial number was 8358076 purchased on 11/02/1986.

I have totally lost all respect for Rolex and would never even mention its name again as well as refrain from wearing this piece of junk.

[Speed]

Umm. You took it to a Rolex service center? Don't think they'd do that.

What did they say when you asked about these issues?

[sutats]

If my calculations are correct, you've had it for 30 years and not 40. The pictures aren't very clear but in any case you should contact the Rolex service centre in the first instance about your experience.

[Danny83]

Where did you buy the watch from?

[Too Old]

Looks like the end links have worn the S/N. quite common.
Was it Rolex who told you it was not authentic or some jeweller?
Looks like you've still got the original case back.

[kirksingleton]

Something doesn't add up here...

[cda555]

Originally Posted by kirksingleton

Something doesn't add up here...

Yeah, 2016-1986 = 30, not 40.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

I have a Rolex Sea Dweller 4000 for the past forty years. It is (was) in perfect condition until it went to Rolex South Africa for a service.

What does the service documentation say about the service performed by the Rolex service center?

[matt968]

The serial number on that part of the case isn't deeply engraved, and the bracelet can wear it off. You can still make out part of the serial number from the photos (076).

They haven't purposely got rid of it during a service.

[zeuloa]

Did you get to keep the original case back?


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[dominic.warren]

I do t think Rolex would file a serial number. I owned a 5513 and the number was hard to read and looked a lot like yours why I don't know but with a loupe the number was found. Good luck and I hope this all get resolved for you.

[Verdi]

Post the service paper pls.

[Masteryacht]

"There's a flaw in the slaw" R. Coltrane

[mfer]

I can see the ending 076 on the case. Can't see the rest because of the glare of the flash.

Your installed case back doesn't seem to be a SD case back. It should have writing on it.

Need better pics, service papers, etc

[Speed]

Helloooooo!

[Yousefsl]

I nearly had heart attack once when I took off the bracelet of a 2006 Submariner that wasn't cleaned in a while and couldn't see the serial number, a quick bath and a brush did the trick.

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[Yousefsl]

The only problem I see here is that they fitted the wing case back, I wouldn't mind too much as it looks like they gave back the old one, it's just a matter of going back to the RSC and telling them to put on the correct case back. Other than that everything looks ok.

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[dmacintyre]

I'm not commenting either way on the OP's specific situation but a couple of years ago Jaeger Le Coultre polished everything off the back of my Reverso when it was in for a service. The watch didn't even need that much of a polish, it only had a few surface hairline marks, and the back didn't even need to be polished. Serial number, reference, water resistance etc all completely gone.

The Swiss manufacture also over polished a treasured vintage watch with an inscription to my grandfather nearly removing it and didn't do the work I specifically sent it back to Switzerland for.

I got a telephone call from the US CEO at the time to apologize and they re-engraved the Reverso but that was it. The engraving looked like an after market addition.

I lost all respect for and confidence in that brand after that.

All I am saying is does happen, even at the upper levels of watchmaking.

[Bo-Dacious]

My watch is only a year old and the model number under the end link is starting to wear.

Did you check the serial number before sending it in? My guess is that the end link wore it off over time.

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by Bo-Dacious

Did you check the serial number before sending it in? My guess is that the end link wore it off over time.

This is really all that needs to be asked and answered.

[Syed117]

As others have said, you can still clearly see the word "steel" and 076 in that horrendous picture.

I'm sure the rest of the numbers are there. Just much shallower.

So they obviously didn't file the number off.

More likely the bracelet has made it harder to read over that amount of time.

[cht]

Where exactly was the service done?

That's endlink rub/wear, its NORMAL.

To the OP, why do you think ROLEX filed off your serial number and not the bracelet end link rubbing/wearing it off over 30 years?

The answer is probably somewhere along the lines of why 1986 to now is 40 years.


Not sure why a submariner caseback was put on, I have my skepticism that this was done at RSC.

[77T]

Some 'splainin' to do methinks.
The photo's don't back up the narrative.
An RSC would not do anything described by the OP...

[kilyung]

Um. Hard to believe that was worked on by RSC.

[MonBK]

I think that the OP is full of it.

[The Libertine]

Originally Posted by MonBK

I think that the OP is full of it.

Yeah, something is a bit off here, I agree.......

[Dirt]

There's a lot that's off.
Right off

[Bo-Dacious]

By his standards I'm 40.

That doesn't sit well with me...

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by Bo-Dacious

By his standards I'm 40.

That doesn't sit well with me...

But did Rolex file off your serial number?

[Bo-Dacious]

Originally Posted by JP Chestnut

But did Rolex file off your serial number?

No one from Rolex has tried.

The SEL's have sure tried, though. It's a masochistic little machine.