Need advice on nasty ding - laser welding etc

[swiss_seth]

Dropped my Sub on to the bathroom tile floor. I blame low blood sugar combined with natural stupidity.

Does this look like a job laser welding can repair? Also, does anyone have a rough estimate what the cost may be?

Thanks for any help!

[joli160]

Some RSC’s do laser welding and I would ask them first.
If not LAWW can fix that .
Perhaps a service is required as well

[swiss_seth]

Originally Posted by joli160

Some RSC’s do laser welding and I would ask them first.
If not LAWW can fix that .
Perhaps a service is required as well

I’m checking to see how its running now. Was about -.5 a day Ugh


This isn’t my first time. I left a Omega Seamaster Chronograph on my car and pulled out of a parking spot after a long day at work, same area had a dent and didn’t do anything to the movement and it was fine. I just lightly filed that off and polished it. This dent is a bit more intense. I am amazed it didn’t crash the movement. This was a 6 foot fall. :(

[Chewbacca]

Unfortunate.

You may not like this but I’d leave it alone and keep an eye on the movement performance. A unique birthmark or scar could come in handy in the future.

[JSolution]

Although I’ve never used them there’s a company In USA called rolliworks of whom many people have shared their work here on this forum and they can make a watch that’s been run over by a tractor look brand new. Yet to hear anything negative from them whatsoever personally.

[swiss_seth]

Originally Posted by Chewbacca

Unfortunate.

You may not like this but I’d leave it alone and keep an eye on the movement performance. A unique birthmark or scar could come in handy in the future.

Yeah

I’m living with it for now. It’s out of my eyesight when looking at the time lol

[Henrimontgomery]

I agree this is annoying indeed. First reflex would be to go to RSC and ask them. They will be happy to repair the case and enforce a full service, might end up around 1k or more.

If you chose to do this, rest assured you’ll drop the watch the day you receive it.

[swiss_seth]

Originally Posted by Henrimontgomery

I agree this is annoying indeed. First reflex would be to go to RSC and ask them. They will be happy to repair the case and enforce a full service, might end up around 1k or more.

If you chose to do this, rest assured you’ll drop the watch the day you receive it.

Yep exactly

[Trek360]

Sorry about the injury. The first one is always painful. I had a nasty gouge on my RG CHNR thru an unknown mechanism. All the case material was still present and the AD watchmaker was able to laser weld it good as new. There was no charge but it was under warranty. A few months later next gouge left a small fleck of lost case material and the watchmaker said unable to laser weld that. It’s hard to tell from your pics. Take it into your AD watchmaker if they have one and see what they say.

Personally I wouldn’t send it in to RSC or pay more for cosmetic restoration at this point. More war wounds may follow and you can address them all down the line if really bothers you. But all up to you in the end.

[rolexest]

When I got my first watch I was so careful to keep it pristine. But now I love that they have distinguishable markings. I actually use them to make sure the watch I'm grabbing is actually mine if I ever take it off. Nanny ain't swapping my watch and getting away with it... I know exactly what scratches to look for lol

[Kevin of Larchmont]

Wear it like it is if it runs well. It’s still a Rolex.

[Tools]

Ouch... It only hurts for a little while.

Chasing every ding and knock can drive you crazy and is seldom a sound value decision.

It's always a personal decision if you want to undertake the complete disassembly and reconstruction of your watch for a knock that could happen over and over. If it seriously affects your enjoyment, or deters you from wearing it any more, have it fixed. I probably would not. It is likely that during a full service refinish, or a good case refinish, they will square up the edges enough that it would be almost invisible except under very close scrutiny.

[TimeAZ]

I think you should just hold off and get it fixed when you send it off for service down the line. The fewer times you send it out, the better.

Of course, easy to say this when it's not my own watch.

One thing I'll say about Omega... despite my general dislike of their design language and overall aesthetic, they are truly robust. I dropped a ceramic Seamaster professional diver at a distance of about 5 feet on a hardware floor. Not a single scratch, ding, not even a microscopic blemish. Didn't even lose a beat on the movement and it still kept perfect time. An absolute tank.

[jimcameron]

Leave it be.

[MJZRolex]

Ouch!, that's a heck of a ding. My first impulse would be to get it fixed, but perhaps you live with until it is time for a service and do it all.

[bradyb]

I generally respond to posts like this with "looks great, enjoy!", but this is a tough one and I don't think I could let it go. Sorry.

[swiss_seth]

Originally Posted by TimeAZ

I think you should just hold off and get it fixed when you send it off for service down the line. The fewer times you send it out, the better.

Of course, easy to say this when it's not my own watch.

One thing I'll say about Omega... despite my general dislike of their design language and overall aesthetic, they are truly robust. I dropped a ceramic Seamaster professional diver at a distance of about 5 feet on a hardware floor. Not a single scratch, ding, not even a microscopic blemish. Didn't even lose a beat on the movement and it still kept perfect time. An absolute tank.

Yeah All in the steel. 904L is beautiful and has a great luster/high corrosion resistance etc but it’s a soft metal IMO I think my Omega was 316L which was noticeably harder/resilient but had a dullness. This metal is too soft for me to work with. If I grind down and square off/smooth out it will look horrible.

I have messed up enough to learn my limitations.


I am going to track the movement. If it stays the same at -.5 seconds per day I will be amazed because it hit HARD!

I took the back off and checked the rotor. Rotor axle pin seems okay. I cant tell if the jewel is cracked but I doubt it.

Everything looks to be okay so far. This is why I need a timegrapher…

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by joli160

Some RSC’s do laser welding and I would ask them first.
If not LAWW can fix that .
Perhaps a service is required as well

Good advise

[RustyW]

They have both worked on multiple watches for me (Rolex and Panerai in both instances). Both jobs included some minor laser welding.

I was pleased with the results both times and would use either again.

Good Luck!

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by Trek360

Sorry about the injury. The first one is always painful. I had a nasty gouge on my RG CHNR thru an unknown mechanism. All the case material was still present and the AD watchmaker was able to laser weld it good as new. There was no charge but it was under warranty. A few months later next gouge left a small fleck of lost case material and the watchmaker said unable to laser weld that. It’s hard to tell from your pics. Take it into your AD watchmaker if they have one and see what they say.

Personally I wouldn’t send it in to RSC or pay more for cosmetic restoration at this point. More war wounds may follow and you can address them all down the line if really bothers you. But all up to you in the end.

War wounds are war wounds.
Some may be worse than others unless one is Douglas Bader

[2loaded]

Ugh...hate these posts. Sorry friend.
Wait until there's a few more until surgery is needed.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by swiss_seth

I’m checking to see how its running now. Was about -.5 a day Ugh


This isn’t my first time. I left a Omega Seamaster Chronograph on my car and pulled out of a parking spot after a long day at work, same area had a dent and didn’t do anything to the movement and it was fine. I just lightly filed that off and polished it. This dent is a bit more intense. I am amazed it didn’t crash the movement. This was a 6 foot fall. :(

I dropped one of my Rolex watches onto a concrete w/shop floor from about 4 feet.
I watched it hit on one corner then bounce a bit and skid across the floor about 1.5 feet.

A badly bent over lug, bent and scratched hands, a chipped and cracked Crystal and some scuffing and scratches on the bracelet. To top it all off, it was back from the RSC after the full spa treatment a couple of weeks earlier.
It was seemingly running fine but I hacked the movement as a precaution, then sent it straight back into the RSC for a repeat performance but with a higher bill.
According to RSC, there was no movement damage and it came back running exactly as it was prior.
I believe I got a little lucky with that aspect of it
A fall onto a hard surface from a reasonable height can yield varying results as it's a real lottery

[walkman2727]

Let me tell you my story, for those who recommended you for LAWW, I had bigger dent on the same lug for my sea dweller, I personally dropped off at LAWW, was quoted for $350,by the guy at front desk named Edivi , one month later, he called and told me "technician " re quoted for $500, they will need another month for the work. I refused and want my watch back, but was told the work had started... So I had no choice but let them finish. One month later, at pick up , Edivi had to addd $50 on top of my bill for "pressure test".... So $550 may be your final price and trusted me they do good work but 85% same as the other 3 lugs, never expect 100%.

[NachoNeal]

Ouch. Hopefully this is one of those dents that bugs you now and not later.
Personally, I'd live with it a while to see if you just can un-see it.

[HogwldFLTR]

I think I'd go the laser weld route and get if taken care of. Be more careful in the future.

[bmrk]

Truly sorry about that but i will keep wearing it like that if i were in your shoes

[swiss_seth]

So update --


funny thing is I am not as bothered about the dent a I am by the accuracy. This Sub is 2010 G series and was running -.5 sec a day. After the drop which was about 10 hours ago and re-zeroing the time its now at +2 seconds over that time period.

What kills me is this "was" the most accurate Rolex I have had to date. It really makes me sad. I was going to get it serviced in the summer but it looks like I am moving that date up. I will see what my local authorized dealers in house watchmaker says about the dent, luckily they are also an authorized service center. I may get the laser work done first then have it serviced. I think RollieWorks or LAWW more than RSC for this kind of thing. I like the idea of a shop that does a lot of that type of work.


I will update this post when everything happens to help other members in the future when this happens.

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by swiss_seth

Dropped my Sub on to the bathroom tile floor. I blame low blood sugar combined with natural stupidity.

Does this look like a job laser welding can repair? Also, does anyone have a rough estimate what the cost may be?

Thanks for any help!

Originally Posted by JSolution

Although I’ve never used them there’s a company In USA called rolliworks of whom many people have shared their work here on this forum and they can make a watch that’s been run over by a tractor look brand new. Yet to hear anything negative from them whatsoever personally.

+1 for Mike / Rolliworks. They did a president bracelet retrofit for me last year and their work is awesome. Mike has posted some pictures on the forum on laser welding on Rolex sport models so am pretty sure can fix that for the OP

[joli160]

Originally Posted by swiss_seth

So update --

It really I think RollieWorks or LAWW more than RSC for this kind of thing. I like the idea of a shop that does a lot of that type of work.

And the watchmakers at the RSC are just hanging around
Hope it all works out and looking forward on the end result pictures

[Sisyphus]

Originally Posted by joli160

And the watchmakers at the RSC are just hanging around
Hope it all works out and looking forward on the end result pictures

Idem. Got the same issue with an IWC and happy to see end results (may finally bring me over the line to do it myself)