Sub 1680 broken, would you trust anyone but a Rolex authorized watchmaker?

[Headshrinker]

I was winding my Sub when I heard and felt something break inside the case. It has been about eight years or so since its last service and my niece’s husband is a watchmaker for a company that employs five master watchmakers that have experience with Patek, Rolex, etc. Do I let his company fix the watch or do I go with Rolex. I ask because he has shown me some of the vintage Pateks that he has worked on and he seems very dedicated to his craft. Advice or comments? Remember, this is my first Rolex, more than forty years ago...

[Dr. Robert]

I use an independent watchmaker who is very good, So far so good!

[RHIII]

Personally I have a couple of watchmaker friends I will trust with anything from a Timex to a Patek — to me it’s all about individual comfort and rapport. They use all original parts and certify everything they do.

If I didn’t know them — I probably wouldn’t. That’s just me. Just my .02


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[joli160]

I would go with a vintage 1680 to LAWW and nowhere else

[shaunylw]

Only if they have a Rolex parts account.


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[mattty]

Either or. Do whatever you feel happier with but I do t see it making any difference eitherway
Work standards will be similar imo.

[blowfish89]

I would find a local independent watchmaker who is very good. That is the only way you can get it done for a good price with very quick turnaround with no risk of deprecating the watch’s value.

[Bigblu10]

Originally Posted by Headshrinker

I was winding my Sub when I heard and felt something break inside the case. It has been about eight years or so since its last service and my niece’s husband is a watchmaker for a company that employs five master watchmakers that have experience with Patek, Rolex, etc. Do I let his company fix the watch or do I go with Rolex. I ask because he has shown me some of the vintage Pateks that he has worked on and he seems very dedicated to his craft. Advice or comments? Remember, this is my first Rolex, more than forty years ago...

Would not go with RSC with an old watch. Go with an Indy CW21 with a parts account so you retain the original dial, hands etc. You have (Rik) Time Care in Florida and Jewelers on Time in California. Also LAWW. I would personally go with any of the 3.

[strafer_kid]

Would be interested to hear what actually broke - I always thought these could not be over wound?

[Dan S]

Independent watchmakers with a Rolex parts account are a dying breed, but they do exist. I'm lucky to have one that is local, but as mentioned above, there are various places where you can send your watch that are generally more sympathetic to vintage collectors than a RSC.

[Tools]

Your nieces husband and co-workers may be great guys, but are they CW21 certified? Do they have a Rolex parts account?

Will they completely disassemble the watch, check all parts, and replace those out of tolerance with genuine Rolex parts? or do they just break the watch down to major components and sonic-clean as many cheaper shops to?

Nothing wrong with an independent, but you gotta know what you're getting.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by strafer_kid

Would be interested to hear what actually broke - I always thought these could not be over wound?

They cannot be "overwound" because the mainspring will rotate within the barrel after it is fully wound.

That doesn't mean that the mainspring cannot break from age or defect.