Sub self-winding mechanism is failing

[jimcameron]

Older watch bought second, third, fourth ? hand, serviced by an unknown watchmaker?.

Did Bob's give you a detailed description of what was done during the "service"? What parts were replaced?, how it was tested?, results of pressure testing?

I though Bob's says that every watch is "Cleaned and Polished" not exactly serviced.

[miket-nyc]

In case anybody's wondering, I decided to go with Rolex and went back to RSC on Tuesday. This watch is nearly 40 years old and it probably needs more intense service than a normal cleaning. Also it's more accurate than any other watch I have, and I'd like to preserve that.

But there was a curious incident. I asked the receptionists if the approx. $1300 estimate was something I could rely on, or would there be more charges coming. She said I could rely on it unless something unusual happened, which they would tell me about. So I gave them the watch.

A few minutes later she came out again and told me something new: the technician had found a scratch on the cyclops of the crystal so Geneva required a new crystal, which would be I think $100-200 more. I asked to see the scratch and finally found it using a high powered magnifier I keep on my keychain. It was totally invisible otherwise.

I said that requiring the replacement of a sapphire crystal because of a scratch that's invisible to the naked eye is absurd, and they were just trying to puff up the estimate. She said "Geneva protocol" required replacing anything that affected operation of the watch. So I asked them to give me back the watch and I would take it elsewhere (probably Tourneau, which is about a block away from Rolex).

But when I tried to put it back on my NATO strap, I discovered they'd forgotten to give me the spring bars, so I went to the receptionist and asked them for my spring bars back.

She took the watch to the rear again and returned after a while, saying she'd talked to the chief technician, and they had a suggestion in light of the fact that I'd brought the watch in for an estimate just a week earlier and there was no scratch then (or rather, they hadn't noticed the scratch then in my opinion). "Geneva protocol" still required a new crystal, but in light of this fact, they would wave the cost of the crystal. I agreed, though I still think replacing a crystal for an invisible scratch is absurd.

This all suggests that either RSC hates to see one of their watches go to a competitor, or they make such an enormous profit on these repairs that they can afford to eat the cost of a sapphire crystal. (And did the tech really "forget" to give me those spring bars? Or was this just a ploy to let angry customers cool off?)

[jimcameron]

The "cyclops" is glued on, maybe they can just replace it, but not the crystal.

[Harry-57]

Originally Posted by miket-nyc

This all suggests that either RSC hates to see one of their watches go to a competitor, or they make such an enormous profit on these repairs that they can afford to eat the cost of a sapphire crystal.

Or possibly it was a gesture of good will?

[Kevin of Larchmont]

It sounds like you’ve discovered a conspiracy, the enormous profit Rolex makes on their $1300 watch repairs. Two conspiracies actually if you consider the Bob’s Watches debacle.

I smell an impending podcast.