Im having my GMT C brushed!

[Joe(UK)]

i bought my Ceramic GMT II in january and i fully love the watch. my only issue with it was that i wasn't sure about the PCLs. after some discussion on here i decided to leave the PCLs and see how they got on.

i actually dont mind the PCLs, but 2 things make me want the change,

1) they are one hell of a magnet for scratches and 8 months down the line they are becoming really visible, especially on the clasp. i wear this watch everyday and i dont baby it but still!

2) i still dont get why rolex added PCLs to the GMT anyway? the haven't for the Sub-C the Deepsea or the Explorer. im 25 and i kinda want the GMT to look a little more sporty.

soooo..... my only issue was how to get it done, either do it myself, get someone third party or to take it to an AD to see if they could do it.

i decided that if i was going to 'mess' with a £4.5k watch i should probably get it done by the pros. so i asked my AD for a quote for them to do it.

they have taken the watch in and i should have it back soon with pics to follow!

any pictures of previously brushed GMTs?

thanks

Joe

[dannyjak]

Are you sure Rolex are the ones doing it, Im though this was outside their practices

[Colnago]

It would not surprise me if you get it back from the AD with the centre links all polished and new looking again and not brushed.......I find it hard to believe that they would do the process, it is definitely against Rolex policy.....as far as I know it has to be either a DIY job or an independant watch maker that does it...

[riz day]

I couldn't find an AD that would do it - here are a few pics of mine. PM me if you'd like the details of who I used.

[Joe(UK)]

Originally Posted by riz day

I couldn't find an AD that would do it - here are a few pics of mine. PM me if you'd like the details of who I used.

those pics look great, seriously tho dropped the watch off at Goldsmiths this morning, i believe its going to their own jewelers (they dont have one on site) however there are my AD and i would much rather they do it than either a independent jewelers or do it my self!

[AndyT]

How much are Goldsmiths charging you?

[NTSDK]

A fellow Danish GMTc-owner got his centerlinks brushed at an AD in Copenhagen. Price: DKK 300 ~ USD 50. The AD stated that the process was irreversible.

Thread with pics here: http://www.urforum.dk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12548

[Joe(UK)]

£50! not bad i think

[Rolesor]

Riz yo did a great job!

Even the clasp looks very well done - I've seen the crown come out questionable some times but you nailed it!

[riz day]

Blimey that's good! I spoke to 3 ADs and they all said the same thing - Rolex wouldn't let them doing it was against their agreement to alter a Rolex from it's factory shipping state.

[riz day]

Originally Posted by Rolesor

Riz yo did a great job!

Even the clasp looks very well done - I've seen the crown come out questionable some times but you nailed it!

Not my handy work I'm afraid but I'm happy to recommend the thoroughly nice chap that did it for me

[Joe(UK)]

I was told that they had no problem doing it, only that if i had to send it to Rolex under warranty (or for any other reason) that rolex would insist on polishing the centre links, for a fee. i decided that i could live with this.

[riz day]

Or you could just remove the bracelet and send it back without...can't polish what's not there!

[dkpw]

Good luck with Goldsmiths!

I'm sorry to say they will never, ever get any more business after they did this to my TAG.



They sent the TAG off for a new clasp pin and they managed to break the winding stem and screw the crown down so hard to the case that it was completely inoperable. To be fair to them they did repair and service it after I complained, but I suffered a load of grief and delay over what should have been the most minor of fittings.

The only people that would touch my Rolex, are myself or Rolex.

[Joe(UK)]

Originally Posted by riz day

Or you could just remove the bracelet and send it back without...can't polish what's not there!

True that!

[Joe(UK)]

Originally Posted by dkpw

Good luck with Goldsmiths!

I'm sorry to say they will never, ever get any more business after they did this to my TAG.

The only people that would touch my Rolex, are myself or Rolex.

fair enough, thats really crap what they did to your tag, however they have been exceptional in the past as far as im concerned, so im willing to give them a chance :)

[Colnago]

Yep, I can only agree Joe......Goldsmiths in Darlington used to be an AD years ago, I bought my first two from them 20 something years back....sadly they are not an AD anymore but of course others in the group still are....they have "little man" at the Newcastle branch which isn't that much further North, he is quite brilliant, his turn around time is about half that of Bexley right now......but I have it on good authority that Bexley will be just as quick early next year when they get moved and settled in their new place...

[dkpw]

Originally Posted by Joe(UK)

fair enough, thats really crap what they did to your tag, however they have been exceptional in the past as far as im concerned, so im willing to give them a chance :)

If you have a good local store and you trust them - I hope they do a great job for you. I've touched up my Sub's bracelet using the famous scotchbrite pad technique, but I would be a little nervous doing it for the PCLs on a whole bracelet.

IMHO you're making the right decision. The GMT is a tool watch and should have a brushed braclet.

We all expect pics once it's safely back in your hands.

[rolexsubdate]

Rolex royally F'ed up the GMT with the PCLS .... so don't mess with more... a perfect brushing can not be done at home....

Also, I would be verry reluctant to purchase a brushed one, if you are planning on future sale... ... who knows how many times it was done and how much metal was removed ....

you are doing more harm to your watch than good .... might as well sell it....

[TopNotchChach]

I asked the same thing as well.

Every time i went in to look at subs/gmt/dssd i always said i like the gmt but shiny bracelet is not doing it for me. They always responded, we can get it polished! hhahah

how much is it for an oyster bracelet?

[dkpw]

Originally Posted by TopNotchChach

I asked the same thing as well.

how much is it for an oyster bracelet?

Several thousand dollars.....

Nice BAPE logo BTW.

[Joe(UK)]

Originally Posted by rolexsubdate

Rolex royally F'ed up the GMT with the PCLS .... so don't mess with more... a perfect brushing can not be done at home....

Also, I would be verry reluctant to purchase a brushed one, if you are planning on future sale... ... who knows how many times it was done and how much metal was removed ....

you are doing more harm to your watch than good .... might as well sell it....

yeah im not doing it at home im getting an AD to do it! i doubt much metal will be removed, so im sure little harm will be done to it!

as for selling it, its not in my plans, but im sure many people would like a brushed GMT, if not ill just get it changed back by Rolex, no worries.

[Joe(UK)]

Originally Posted by dkpw

IMHO you're making the right decision. The GMT is a tool watch and should have a brushed braclet.

We all expect pics once it's safely back in your hands.

DAMN STRAIGHT it should! and many many pics are coming the forums way when i get it back!

[petespendthrift]

It does not remove any metal brushing the centre links but would remove some if you ever want to get it back to being polished again.

Mine has also been brushed (by me at home) - it looks so much better and a lot let tatty now. It was really scratched up before - very uneven and swirly, but the end links were still shiny due to being protected by the bezel. It looked a mess so there was little chance of me making it worse.

Since I brushed it, it has been into Rolex UK (for regulation) who told me that they would (at my request) keep and also refinish the brushing on the centre links during the next service. There was absolutely no insistence whatsoever to return it to PCLs - in fact they said they would prefer to not try to high polish the centre links again as they thought it might be difficult to achieve the mirror finish again.

I was hesitant when I spoke to Bexley but was reassured when they said it was my watch to do whatever I pleased with and as long as all parts were standard Rolex ones and the finish was one routinely used by them (so that they were trained to do it), it would be no problem.

Rolex USA may have a different attitude but as far as Rolex UK are concerned, they are not the pedantic ogres that people on the internet so often claim they are.

[Puffy]

Looks better

Does anyone know how much this costs?

[BigWatchFan]

Originally Posted by petespendthrift

Since I brushed it, it has been into Rolex UK (for regulation) who told me that they would (at my request) keep and also refinish the brushing on the centre links during the next service. There was absolutely no insistence whatsoever to return it to PCLs - in fact they said they would prefer to not try to high polish the centre links again as they thought it might be difficult to achieve the mirror finish again.

I was hesitant when I spoke to Bexley but was reassured when they said it was my watch to do whatever I pleased with and as long as all parts were standard Rolex ones and the finish was one routinely used by them (so that they were trained to do it), it would be no problem.

Rolex USA may have a different attitude but as far as Rolex UK are concerned, they are not the pedantic ogres that people on the internet so often claim they are.

Very nice to hear that Rolex UK is so accommodating. Had never heard them spoken of in the same terms as Rolex USA though. I always thought it was just Rolex USA that was so tough to deal with...

[DOUBLE 0 SE7EN]

At Istanbul there is no place to have it brushed...Tonite I am going to Seoul again..maybe I can have it done there...

[DOUBLE 0 SE7EN]

BTW I checked the Danish web page and the job is excellent..

[scl6118]

My local AD with Rolex certified technicians and Rolex equipment has quoted me $60 and has no problem with doing it!

[Maxseven]

I like the PCL's on the new GMT, and I don't understand why people want to change them. It is the true design appliqué of the watch and one shouldn't alter that. Purchase an additional bracelet (used?) or fit a NATO for a more sporty look. Brushing the center links is the same thing as polishing them on the Submariner's bracelet.