If you buy grey market and then need service?

[njlam]

Can you send the watch directly to Rolex or do you have to go thru an AD?

I am getting weary of waiting for a Batman GMT2 from an AD and the grey prices are starting to look reasonable. Just want to make sure I know of any/all short comings of not buying via AD...

[skipstar]

You can send directly to RSC, the warranty follows the watch not the original buyer. Also if it is not warranty work you can still send it to RSC directly and avoid the middle man, in fact most people prefer this method.

[ltmgeller]

RSC will do it

[hutch300]

Nothing to worry about.

[Scholar]

Originally Posted by skipstar

You can send directly to RSC, the warranty follows the watch not the original buyer. Also if it is not warranty work you can still send it to RSC directly and avoid the middle man, in fact most people prefer this method.

I think OP is asking if RSC will do warranty work in the absence of a warranty card.

I can understand that concern with the 32 series.

[ducatiti]

Originally Posted by skipstar

You can send directly to RSC, the warranty follows the watch not the original buyer. Also if it is not warranty work you can still send it to RSC directly and avoid the middle man, in fact most people prefer this method.

So an official Rolex boutique who only sells Rolex is still considered a middleman or they send it to RSC as well?

[kopi-c]

Originally Posted by ducatiti

So an official Rolex boutique who only sells Rolex is still considered a middleman or they send it to RSC as well?

Yeah if not mistaken, all the Rolex boutique & AD are middleman here in Singapore. They would collect your watch if you don't prefer to go directly to RSC in Singapore.

[Moondoggy]

Some interesting threads on this topic about RSC not touching the watch if they suspect it's been opened by a third party evident by seals etc.

[joli160]

Don’t worry. The RSC will fix your watch, with or without warranty.

Quite often Rolex denies warranty any way. Rolex warranty is therefor highly overrated.
Worst case you need to pay 7 or 8 hundred for a full service.
Very cheap so no biggie.

[amh]

OP is not asking about a warranty card.

Anyway, either way will work with the Grey watch. Rolex doesn't care, they already made their money during the first sale. You're now the 3rd buyer.

[Calatrava r]

Why ask an AD you did not buy the watch from to send it in for service for you?

The warranty follows the watch, so just send it straight to RSC yourself. Plus, you get the added benefit of being able to talk directly to RSC about any issues with your watch.

[Jim_GMT]

My BLNR came from a grey dealer in 2014 and I had it serviced at Rolex in 2020 through my local AD who sent it off for me. It's not an issue.

[VictorGMT]

Originally Posted by Moondoggy

Some interesting threads on this topic about RSC not touching the watch if they suspect it's been opened by a third party evident by seals etc.

I suppose if there were vice-grip or screwdriver marks on the casebook they could suspect it had been opened, without touching it. Otherwise it would be quite a trick.

[Calatrava r]

Originally Posted by ducatiti

So an official Rolex boutique who only sells Rolex is still considered a middleman or they send it to RSC as well?

I would think they are middlemen in the US as the Boutiques are owned by third party ADs, notably, Geary's and Wempe.

[chrissimons]

Originally Posted by skipstar

You can send directly to RSC, the warranty follows the watch not the original buyer. Also if it is not warranty work you can still send it to RSC directly and avoid the middle man, in fact most people prefer this method.

Does this work for Tudor too?

[WatchGuy1966]

Originally Posted by njlam

Can you send the watch directly to Rolex or do you have to go thru an AD?

I am getting weary of waiting for a Batman GMT2 from an AD and the grey prices are starting to look reasonable. Just want to make sure I know of any/all short comings of not buying via AD...

Off topic, but you have a very nice collection.... Well rounded. and Well done.

[skipstar]

Originally Posted by chrissimons

Does this work for Tudor too?

No sure about Tudor.

[skipstar]

Originally Posted by ducatiti

So an official Rolex boutique who only sells Rolex is still considered a middleman or they send it to RSC as well?

Not necessarily true. My AD in NH has an actual Rolex service technician that works in the boutique and will do Rolex work on your watch. You can actually watch him work on the watches through a large window into his work station.

[skipstar]

Originally Posted by Scholar

I think OP is asking if RSC will do warranty work in the absence of a warranty card.

I can understand that concern with the 32 series.

I don’t believe that is what he is asking, he never mentions the warranty card. Again the warranty follows the watch not the owner.

[bluestreak]

Don’t some grey dealers withhold the warranty card? And doesn’t the watch need to have been sold to a end user and the warranty card activated for the warranty to be valid?

Technically if you don’t have the card, Rolex can deny warranty work. Not sure what would happen if you brought in a watch that didn’t have it, but was sold in last five years.

And if the watches are truly being “sold out the back door” as everyone here claims and they weren’t activated as sold, Rolex can deny warranty work.

So the only way to know for sure is if you have a warranty card dated in the past 5 years. Otherwise all bets are off.

If you don’t mind paying, then Rolex will service any watch that’s authentic and not stolen.
And you can send directly to Rolex yourself. If you drop off at AD they are liable for anything that happens in transit, but if I’m not mistaken you have to send it insured to Rolex ( but I’m not sure on that).

[kopi-c]

Originally Posted by chrissimons

Does this work for Tudor too?

Yes would work.

[chrissimons]

Originally Posted by kopi-c

Yes would work.

Thanks :-)

[brandrea]

Rolex will service the watch.

You’ll find out if it’s genuine at the same time which is to say if you’re buying gray, make sure you buy the seller

[17noir]

This might be something that is relevant to RSC in HK. I've had personal experience with this a couple of years ago when I got my watch from grey dealer and brought it to RSC to "check for accuracy" aka to see if everything is legit. They come back to me saying the caseback has been opened so they void their 5 year warranty. Of course if you pay, you can get it serviced. They have definitely use this excuse quite frequently nowadays to combat the grey dealers. You need to bring them the AD receipt, and everything to prove to them you are the original owner so they honor the warranty. Really ridiculous if you think about it.

[SCUBA Scott]

Originally Posted by 17noir

They come back to me saying the caseback has been opened so they void their 5 year warranty.

I'm glad this is illegal in the US. The Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act has been federal law since 1975. In short, if a manufacturer wants to void a warranty due to service or products not provided by the manufacturer they must either make service and products from the manufacturer free or prove that the failure under warranty was directly caused by third party service or product.

[Taipan]

You'll be right with your warranty and RSC