I'm sad - My GMTIIc and a broken bezel

[16610v]

although the ceramic is very scratch-resistant but it does not cover the platimum numbers. Meaning that the numbers still very easy been scratched.
Anyway, wear with health!

[Zed Homme]

I'm sorry to hear it, I hope they pick up the tab for you.

This whole ceramic vs aluminum debate makes me wonder if there was a similar debate when watchmakers switched from acrylic to sapphire. Just like the ceramic dial, sapphire is much more scratch resistant, but will explode if hit just right....

[t e x]

Originally Posted by 2th DR

Back in the day, I had a few Rados. I actually took one of the extra links I wasn't using and put it to the test. I hit it with a hammer. I torched it with a high temp torch we use in dentistry to melt gold. I took a diamond dental handpiece bur to it. Nothing happened to it. Consider though, the Rado link is much thicker than the Rolex ceramic insert, and with bulk comes strength.

The torture test....pretty cool.

Sorry to hear thw news Vince.

[Green Arrow]

And the bezel itself?

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Dr.Brian

God, don't tell JJ! He'll have a stroke!
Rado > Rolex?

The nurse is just giving me mouth to mouth!!

[rolexdeepsea]

Can someone tell me if the ceramic is place on top of a steel bezel or it made of all ceramic and the steel is placed on the edge of the the cermaic.

If ceramic placed in the steelbezal the surly the bezal is stronger then just ceramic...point is it shouldn't break the easy right!

[buke45]

I would LOVE to se Pics!!!

[mcubed]

Not sure this really is a huge issue, I doubt that the ceramic is more likely than sapphire to break when hit, and we all accept that risk just fine.


Also, from what I understand, the ceramic insert is not THAT expensive, the quotes of thousands for a new one include a new bezel (often on TT models) because the watch got dropped and the bezel got bent. The insert alone, I don't believe is that expensive.

[Casey VP-26]

Originally Posted by mcubed

Not sure this really is a huge issue, I doubt that the ceramic is more likely than sapphire to break when hit, and we all accept that risk just fine.


Also, from what I understand, the ceramic insert is not THAT expensive, the quotes of thousands for a new one include a new bezel (often on TT models) because the watch got dropped and the bezel got bent. The insert alone, I don't believe is that expensive.

I Don't believe ceramic to sapphire is a fair comparison , I dont remember hearing of any shattered sapphire crystal unless it was driven over by a vehicle. As far as cost is for the ceramic insert , the discussions on this forum have been the cost of bezel alone replaced was around $500.00. I know to alot of folks thats not a lot of money, but to myself, THATS A LOT OF MONEY. Hopefully these reports of Chipped and Shattered bezel's will not become a major problem.

[Hooper]

Sorry Bro !! That would make me sick !! I feel for yeah, unfortunately you will probably be on the hook for payment. I think this is going to be a regular occurrence foe ALL ceramic bezels im afraid !

[The Waddler]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

The nurse is just giving me mouth to mouth!!

Stop showing off !!!!

[DRAWTOOL]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

The nurse is just giving me mouth to mouth!!

It's too easy...

[Bullyterrier]

That is bad news, I would be gutted as well.

However I am really surprised that so many here are shocked, it has been said before about the ceramic inserts being scratch resistant but brittle.

Originally Posted by vince211

Am I wrong here - what do you guys think??? p.

Would you take a car back to the dealers if a stone flew up and chipped or cracked your windshield and expected them to sort it free of charge?

[mcubed]

Originally Posted by Casey VP-26

I Don't believe ceramic to sapphire is a fair comparison , I dont remember hearing of any shattered sapphire crystal unless it was driven over by a vehicle. As far as cost is for the ceramic insert , the discussions on this forum have been the cost of bezel alone replaced was around $500.00. I know to alot of folks thats not a lot of money, but to myself, THATS A LOT OF MONEY. Hopefully these reports of Chipped and Shattered bezel's will not become a major problem.

Plenty of sapphire crystals get shattered after low height drops or falls, so it's more common than you might think. As far as cost, yes if the ceramic insert alone costs 500, then that is a lot of money, but I have heard it is closer to 250 or so. Still a lot, but not the same as some of the higher estimates

[Mikefxd]

Cost of being first. Anytime a manufacture changes a product there are usually issues. Cars being the biggest offender. It nice to have the newest model but you may paid the price of being a beta tester.

If Rolex see's this happening a lot they will have to change something or word if get out and sales in those models will drop.

[Gerardus]

Good luck with the repair.

[vince211]

Originally Posted by DS_Obsessed

Do car manufacturers warranty vehicles when you get into an everyday accidents. Under normal circumstances, no. Bumpers crack when hit just right, with just the perfect amount of pressure.

Sorry to hear about the gmt. Bad luck. Maybe rolex will come through. Keep us updated.

Just a question, if you know you can recoup decent money selling a gmtc with a cracked bezel, why so quick to give up on it. Consider getting it fixed and call it bad luck. S&$t happens.

Good points! I guess deep down, I really don't want to get rid of it. I thought if a preloved one in good condition was fetching only $5000, that I would only get $3500 or so for mine with a broken bezel. Also, I am hoping for a repair under warranty at no cost even if the chances are slim.

[vince211]

Originally Posted by TSts

I'd be sad too!

Can you recall if you accidentally hit the watch face, or side, against something hard or is this a case of a 'suddenly shattering ceramic' event?

I hit it at an angle, but can't really recall if it hit the watch face or from the side. The contact was with a pole.

[vince211]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Very sorry to hear about your mishap, Vince. I'm actually quite surprised that the bezel should shatter so easily.

I wish you had a picture for us to have an idea of the extent of the damage.

Anyway, good luck with having it replaced asap.

Cheers - JJ

JJ, Et. al; you guys are right - I should've snapped a pic. The whole point of TRF is to share knowledge and I now realize I missed a chance to do just that by not taking a picture.

I contacted the AD just now, but they've already sent the watch off. I do apologize. The best way to describe it is the bezel cracked and snapped as my wrist hit a pole when I was walking in my warehouse. The contact was not harsh at all, but obviously at the right angle and pressure.

So there is nothing actually missing from the bezel but it popped off. If you hold the bezel and flex it in opposite directions it comes apart at the "10." However, if the bezel is sitting concave on my desk and there is no pressure then the bezel comes together absolutely perfectly at the "10." Visually until you touch the bezel it looks perfect.

There are no chips, no scuff marks, no pieces missing, etc. It literally snapped and I could feel it "spring" off my wrist.

Again, I do apologize for not taking pics. It is flat out a mistake that I didn't do it - no excuses. Sorry TRF.

[TSts]

Originally Posted by vince211

JJ, Et. al; you guys are right - I should've snapped a pic. The whole point of TRF is to share knowledge and I now realize I missed a chance to do just that by not taking a picture.

I contacted the AD just now, but they've already sent the watch off. I do apologize. The best way to describe it is the bezel cracked and snapped as my wrist hit a pole when I was walking in my warehouse. The contact was not harsh at all, but obviously at the right angle and pressure.

So there is nothing actually missing from the bezel but it popped off. If you hold the bezel and flex it in opposite directions it comes apart at the "10." However, if the bezel is sitting concave on my desk and there is no pressure then the bezel comes together absolutely perfectly at the "10." Visually until you touch the bezel it looks perfect.

There are no chips, no scuff marks, no pieces missing, etc. It literally snapped and I could feel it "spring" off my wrist.

Again, I do apologize for not taking pics. It is flat out a mistake that I didn't do it - no excuses. Sorry TRF.

Damn poles just jump right out and get in the way - especially if you're wearing a fine timepiece! Bad luck, sorry.

[jrssv]

That's a good reason why not to buy the new Sub.

[Sose]

Originally Posted by rolexdeepsea

You might can claim with your insurance company if you have it insured.

Do you have it insured?

[Andad]

Originally Posted by swatty

Curious, the ceramic shattered and you didn't strike it against anything ?

On the other I can't believe the brittle bezel shattered with such a light tap (I was in a warehouse and hit my wrist on a pole at apparently Just the right angle and pressure).

[cajunron]

I'm sorry about your watch and hope you have a favorable out come. But if it were me, and I had hit my watch against a (steel?) pole in a warehouse, and the bezel cracked, I wouldn't exactly expect Rolex to fix it under warranty any more than if I had dropped it on a tile floor and shattered the crystal. I'm sorry if our opinions differ, just my. Good luck!

[newmedia]

I own TT GMT2C "Z" serial, I have hit walls, doors, falling down 12 steps of stairs in Mexico while being drunk, it has scratches all over the watch inc on the crystal.
So far the bezel looks great. any thing can be broken if hit on the right spot so far I have not done it yet, on the other hand just pick up "V" serial sub date , I been told this is last model serial for Sub Date., very light compare to newer models.

[vince211]

Originally Posted by rgdejong

I'm sorry about your watch and hope you have a favorable out come. But if it were me, and I had hit my watch against a (steel?) pole in a warehouse, and the bezel cracked, I wouldn't exactly expect Rolex to fix it under warranty any more than if I had dropped it on a tile floor and shattered the crystal. I'm sorry if our opinions differ, just my. Good luck!

No insurance on my watch - will look into it now!


Hi ronnie, thanks for the post. I certainly understand your opinion. Please allow me to retort. I'll take the car analogy from one of the earlier posts - if you buy a car and crack the bumper because you hit something would you expect the manufacturer to fix it free? No I would not.

However, my opinion is that this situation is more like me buying a Range Rover after testing it at the Dealership on their obstacle course. Kind of like buying a tool watch that I am told is robust and to quote the AD when I bought it "I could go diving with it and when I come out of the water just throw the watch on the floor of the boat while I get my wetsuit off." I'm told this Range Rover can literally travel across the Sahara and survive. It can travel up and down mountains in rough terrain, etc, etc eventhough I will never take it offroad. So I take the Range Rover home and after less than a year of ownership and zero abuse to the car I bump into my own garage door at 2 mph in the driveway and the entire bumper falls off. I'd accept cracks in the paint, scuff marks, a dent, chips etc but not the whole assembly falling off from a light tap! Just like I accept desk dive marks on my watch and scratches etc. But the whole bumper falling off a Range Rover would make me question if there is a quality issue or if it was installed with subpar quality parts.

I don't know maybe the analogy works for you maybe it doesn't. Just telling you how I felt when I saw my ceramic bezel laying on the floor. The tap was so light the coworkers that were with me were conviced the watch was fake. Don't care what they think, just pointing out how light the tap was.

-Up.

[wilfreb]

still no pics?
still waiting for them.

[Sose]

Originally Posted by wilfreb

still no pics?
still waiting for them.

There are none! He sent it in before starting the thread.

[Sixxgrand1]

Another reason I went with the EXPII. Truly a take anything-you-can-throw at it Rolex. I hope that you get a fair deal from your AD on the replacement.

[Mikefxd]

I know that just walking around the house I am always bumping my new watch. No marks so far, but the bump on the corner of the granite counter scared to crap out of me. You expect a watch you pay this much money for to stand up to everyday wear and tear which includes the occasional accidental bump on something.