Routine service

[Mike734]

I had my '91 GMT II undergo routine service 3 years ago. Since I bought it in '93, it had been 10 years so I figured it was time. Ben Bridge in Portland did the work for $495. About one month later I picked up the watch and was disappointed to see a finger print on the 24 hour hand. The store manager agreed this was unacceptable and replaced the all the hands. According to the jeweler he replaced the reverser in the automatic module, the set bridge in the setting mechanism and by my request, made the hands line up better on the hour. (It had always been a few minutes off at the top of each hour)

Now 3 years later my watch is making a vibrating noise/feeling when the rotor turns. I can make it happen by trying to swing the rotor by flicking my wrist. Reluctantly I took it in for service. The technician said the reverser have worn excessively and have released some "powder" which causes wear and noise when the rotor moves.

I was ready to hear the damage but was pleasantly surprised to hear the technician say he would fix it for parts only. ($90). When I expressed surprise that the reverser were already worn having been replaced only 3 years prior, he agreed that was wrong and agreed to replace them for free. Since I'm "saving" money, I'm getting a new crystal and bezel (The color had all but disappeared).

My questions: WTF is up with the reverser going bad after 3 years? Do you think the "powder" from the worn reverser had caused permanent damage to the rotor bearing? Do you think he is doing the work for free because it is obvious the previous tech made some blatant mistakes? I'm very happy with the level of service I am now receiving but can't help being a little suspicious that something is not kosher.

[Tools]

Welcome Mike,

It's disappointing to find that some work doesn't last as long as we would like..

You say that BB did the work. I'm curious why it wasn't sent to a Rolex Service Center....

Remember that in all schooling and training....

There are some "A" students and there are some "C" students.... They all get out at the same time, with the same credentials, and begin their practice..on your stuff..

[yachtsales]

Originally Posted by Mike734

I had my '91 GMT II undergo routine service 3 years ago. Since I bought it in '93, it had been 10 years so I figured it was time. Ben Bridge in Portland did the work for $495. About one month later I picked up the watch and was disappointed to see a finger print on the 24 hour hand. The store manager agreed this was unacceptable and replaced the all the hands. According to the jeweler he replaced the reverser in the automatic module, the set bridge in the setting mechanism and by my request, made the hands line up better on the hour. (It had always been a few minutes off at the top of each hour)

Now 3 years later my watch is making a vibrating noise/feeling when the rotor turns. I can make it happen by trying to swing the rotor by flicking my wrist. Reluctantly I took it in for service. The technician said the reverser have worn excessively and have released some "powder" which causes wear and noise when the rotor moves.

I was ready to hear the damage but was pleasantly surprised to hear the technician say he would fix it for parts only. ($90). When I expressed surprise that the reverser were already worn having been replaced only 3 years prior, he agreed that was wrong and agreed to replace them for free. Since I'm "saving" money, I'm getting a new crystal and bezel (The color had all but disappeared).

My questions: WTF is up with the reverser going bad after 3 years? Do you think the "powder" from the worn reverser had caused permanent damage to the rotor bearing? Do you think he is doing the work for free because it is obvious the previous tech made some blatant mistakes? I'm very happy with the level of service I am now receiving but can't help being a little suspicious that something is not kosher.

\
GOSH sorry to hear that! I feel your pain when it comes to a messed up Rolex

[Mike734]

Originally Posted by Tools

Welcome Mike,

You say that BB did the work. I'm curious why it wasn't sent to a Rolex Service Center....

Well because I thought the watchmakers in BB are factory trained and certified. Am I wrong? Even if not, shouldn't they be able to handle a servicing? BTW it is being repaired a different BB right now.

[SPACE-DWELLER]

BB hasn't got the best of reputations, so I'd had taken it to an RSC, as well.

But I guess the lesson's learned, and your GMT II is in good working order now.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by Mike734

Well because I thought the watchmakers in BB are factory trained and certified. Am I wrong? Even if not, shouldn't they be able to handle a servicing? BTW it is being repaired a different BB right now.

Well...True, some AD watchmakers are "factory trained". But that may mean that they have gone through the week course offered by Rolex to ensure they are familiar with the movement etc., nothing more.

Now don't misunderstand.. I think that any good watchmaker can give a Rolex a proper clean, oil, and adjust service without any issues, and this should be done every few years. You went 10 years without a service. It was long past the time that parts were on metal-to-metal contact and some of the parts probably were out of tolerance and should have been replaced.

However, an AD usually sells many brands of watch and also takes whatever a customer brings in, so 90 % of their time may be spent on movements that there is no particular standard they need to work to, they just follow a routine.

If you're going to pay what a factory service costs, I would expect it to be serviced at the factory is all I'm saying.

If the "trained watchmaker" in the back room is doing the work, it shouldn't cost any more than the 75 bucks they charge for a Timex plus parts.

[Vanessa CW21]

The powder they're talking about, is most likely "metal dust" created by the rotor, scraping the metal bridges because the rotor axle was broken. The axle can break with any impact, and has nothing to do with the watch being serviced a day, a month, or a year ago, it just happens!
The reversing wheels at the other hand might have been affected by the metal dust, but than this watch should have been running like this (with the broken axle) for a long time!
My guess is that the previous watchmaker wasn't as "skilled", and this new watchmaker is dealing with the consequences.
Every BB watchmaker has gone to a watchmaking school, which is usually a 2 year WOSTEP program. After that they are trained at the headquarters for whatever time needed to be very knowledgeable about Rolex repairs. And they go to Rolex to receive their in-house training.
Nobody's perfect, and people can make mistakes... the fact that they're taking the proper steps to correct these mistakes proves their integrity and professionalism.

Just my .02!

Vanessa