First Rolex experience , Was i wrong expecting perfection to be perfect ?

[Sunny Arizona]

Originally Posted by Alcan

Do yourself a favour and put away your loupe.

Yes, this. #firstworldproblems

[RollieRoll]

You could go to RSC and demand replacement ...also i don't think the photos show that there is anything wrong with the cyclops....you have to take several other pics and make sure that u are perfectly aligned with the watch to ensure that the pic is not misleading

Also you are going to have just enjoy the watch once these issues are resolved .... The cyclops seems fine. Do you have a RSC nearby? Can you walk in? Many RSC watchmasters obsess over these things so I think they will be inclined to help you out.

[M.a.x.]

I had a inexpensive Orient automatic repaired from a local jeweler and then noticed a small speck of dust or something stuck on the surface of and in the middle of the dial between the 8 and center. Really only I can see it but every time I look at the watch that’s the only thing I see. So I feel your frustration.

[rbox]

I don’t know the degree to which these are handmade, but when I see a slight imperfection it just reminds me, or maybe I just dream, about the parts being carefully assembled by an (imperfect) human. I will admit that I inspected and picked over my first Rolex, but I’ve found since then that other factors are more important. I think of it like any other high end handmade product, the imperfections are part of the charm. The perfection of a Rolex is the whole product, the performance, the comfort and longevity.

[Jim Smyth]

Rolex is a mass produced watch. Good in many respects and most of the time they do great work. Everyone has a different level of expectations. Best thing to do is enjoy the watch and put the jewelers loupe away.

[Polarbears]

I think the kind of perfect you are looking for would be achieved by robotics and it would be one stale lifeless piece.

[MARGARITATIME]

My Bezel doesn't click perfectly at 12'oclock. I was disappointed and after a few days figured I would either send it in to be fixed or deal with it until service time. Still on fence. Now I need to buy another Rolex so I can wear one if I choose to send it in. My piece of crap Invicta lines up perfectly with zero flaws on the whole watch ($150). Manager in the QC department needs to get fired. What is the point of QC if so many slip by not perfect. If there is a problem find a solution and change your process. Mistakes happen, but ignoring them is not a solution. I would be out of a job if I had that mentality. Also the crown doesn't line up vertical - mine is sideways (don't care because I do not see it). With the amount of watches Rolex makes they should have the process ironed out by now. For the money they charge they really should be perfect IMHO. Guess I have high standards.

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by agentsmith350

Do others think the cyclops is crooked or is it just me ?

I wouldn't like to travel back to the AD only for them to say there is no issue.

Im wondering how best to approach it if I do want it sorted, with the photo of the mark on the gold they can no longer deny it is there , but will probably say it is normal , the tech guy in store told me how they are hand polished and what im seeing may just be where it is not quiet level.

The cyclops again I would expect them to say it is within spec , would I likley have more luck waiting and going into RSC next time im near london ?

Yes it’s crooked. That and your marker flaw are unacceptable on a £10k watch.

(Although I’d probably live with the marker flaw).

[Bigblu10]

Originally Posted by agentsmith350

the rehaut is fine, that first pic was an example of the common issue with the other watches i looked at before buying this one.

Yup the loupe guys comments arnt paying attention , ive posted 2 or 3 times that these two things i am worried about , the mark on the gold and cyclops where visible from inspecting the watch with my eyes , the photos i have posted are simple mobile phone pictures show here.

If these warrant pushing to get them fixed , how do you think best to go about it ? The AD said they couldnt see the mark on the gold at the time.

If you can see it with bare eyes, how can the AD not see it especially if they use a jewelers loupe?

[agentsmith350]

Originally Posted by Bigblu10

If you can see it with bare eyes, how can the AD not see it especially if they use a jewelers loupe?

You can see it on that photo I have posted that was taken on just my mobile phone , so i wonder that also

[bharat]

Cool photos, were these generated using a microscope? Agree with the earlier posts regarding the fact that nothing is perfect and anything viewed with large enough resolution will expose imperfection.

Originally Posted by thomaswentworth

If the OP really wants to drive himself crazy, he should look at it under 90x microscope magnification.

Perfection to the normal human eye is much different than perfection under intense magnification.

Rolex has very good quality control. Certainly, human error could come into play, but with enough magnification, that watch will have many molecules and atoms that aren't aligned perfectly so as to create a pleasing appearance to the viewer peering through the microscope.

Huge macro photos really create a different perspective from what the watch actually is.

[springbar]

Originally Posted by agentsmith350

the rehaut is fine, that first pic was an example of the common issue with the other watches i looked at before buying this one.

Yup the loupe guys comments arnt paying attention , ive posted 2 or 3 times that these two things i am worried about , the mark on the gold and cyclops where visible from inspecting the watch with my eyes , the photos i have posted are simple mobile phone pictures show here.

If these warrant pushing to get them fixed , how do you think best to go about it ? The AD said they couldnt see the mark on the gold at the time.

It's hard to judge the mark from those pictures.

The cyclops can be lined up by removing and re-seating the crystal.

It's bugging you. I would just have it sent back to a Rolex service center as a warranty claim. In the USA you can do that directly; I don't know if you're made to go through your AD in the UK.

[Vaxe]

Perfection is not possible on any mechanical item, if the flaw doesn’t interfere with function I’d learn to live with it - dust, hairs inside dial, hands with rough edges - can all be replaced at service under warranty. misaligned rehault probably not.

Missing spots of AR coating or bad rotor - seen these and sent them back.

[upsidedownbelt]

Originally Posted by pepperam

I'm stunned at the replies to this..

I'd expect perfection from a 10k watch, I don't think many can afford to throw money around for a luxury piece and find flaws?

What about imperfections you can't see, inside etc.

I'd have that back to Rolex in a heartbeat..

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Thinking that spending $10k on a watch is a lot is subjective. I would think most of the population would say that spending $1k on a watch is a lot and a $1k watch should not have flaws. You may disagree.

[lowmandfl]

I had an interesting experience that gave me some perspective a few years back. The watch, not a Rolex, had a small particle under the crystal. It was small, but visible under close inspection (not so much at arm's length).

I didn't need a loupe to see it, but if I handed you the watch I doubt you would have noticed it without me telling you it was there. It bothered me enough to send it in. At over $5k, it wasn't acceptable in my opinion, and the AD was very cool about helping out.

The first time I sent it in, the issue was not resolved. The speck was just in a different spot, but still present under the sapphire. I had to send it back a second time. The second time it came back with no speck, but had a smudge under the crystal. Again, the smudge wasn't really visible most of the time but I could see it.

Ultimately I decided not to send it in a third time and just kept the watch and wore it. I kept the watch for a while and ended up trading it in at the same AD (who was aware of the issue).

The point of the story is that I'm not really sure what was worse, the original speck or the smudge. Could I have sent it back a third time? Yeah probably, but at that point it would have been another month or more and ultimately might have been worse off the third time. I'm sure I could have raised a huge stink and gone that route for a replacement, but I didn't see the need.

No watch is "perfect" but some just have larger or more visible flaws than others. You need to decide what you can or can't live with. It'll take time to fix it, so you'll be without the watch, and it's always possible another issue comes up from the service.

[mmmmp]

Originally Posted by Alcan

Do yourself a favour and put away your loupe.

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

If you go looking for trouble, or in this case imperfection, you find it.

As above, put the loupe down and enjoy your fine timepiece. Remember, there are many people that would be thrilled to own a Rolex. Rolex watches are not cheap, but they're not *that* expensive considering what you get. Life is too short to worry about stuff like this.

No offense intended, just my opinion.

Best,
Mark

Sent from my SGH-I547C using Tapatalk

[Bladeshot]

The issues are clearly bugging you and I would have the AD send to RSC or I’d send directly to RSC. The mark on the surround should be polished and the cyclops aligned. Just note that as some others have said, sometimes other issues are created correcting known issues. Send a letter along with it asking that they be sure the rehaut is perfectly aligned, the pearl on bezel is aligned, cyclops, etc. Make clear your expectations and ask for extra consideration so (hopefully) you only have to send in once. Some of my Rolex have issues and I can overlook them. Some things bother me more than others. Get yours fixed, carefully inspect upon return, and enjoy!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SeaAndSky]

Originally Posted by Devildog

The op has a right to expect a perfect dial

There’s no such thing as a perfect dial. Or perfect anything. But there is the never ending pursuit of perfection that some work towards. I believe Rolex to be such a company and one of many reasons I’m so fond of their watches.

OP, you’re never going to find a perfect watch. Never. If these small details bother you and you can’t accept them then you’re better off spending your money on other things.

[Jim Smyth]

Originally Posted by MARGARITATIME

My Bezel doesn't click perfectly at 12'oclock. I was disappointed and after a few days figured I would either send it in to be fixed or deal with it until service time. Still on fence. Now I need to buy another Rolex so I can wear one if I choose to send it in. My piece of crap Invicta lines up perfectly with zero flaws on the whole watch ($150). Manager in the QC department needs to get fired. What is the point of QC if so many slip by not perfect. If there is a problem find a solution and change your process. Mistakes happen, but ignoring them is not a solution. I would be out of a job if I had that mentality. Also the crown doesn't line up vertical - mine is sideways (don't care because I do not see it). With the amount of watches Rolex makes they should have the process ironed out by now. For the money they charge they really should be perfect IMHO. Guess I have high standards.

Replace Rolex for Comcast and you get the idea...........

****WARNING STRONG LANGUAGE FOR THOSE EASILY OFFENDED****

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMcny_pixDw&t=17s

[agentsmith350]

Originally Posted by mmmmp

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

If you go looking for trouble, or in this case imperfection, you find it.

As above, put the loupe down and enjoy your fine timepiece. Remember, there are many people that would be thrilled to own a Rolex. Rolex watches are not cheap, but they're not *that* expensive considering what you get. Life is too short to worry about stuff like this.

No offense intended, just my opinion.

Best,
Mark

Sent from my SGH-I547C using Tapatalk

I didnt need any loupe to see this. I looked at the engraving and spotted the small mark on the gold at 12 marker , and then the next day looked at the date and noticed the cyclops was just a hair off.

My post isnt about whether to look for faults or not , its about these two specific things I have noticed on my watch and what to do about them. If the answer is that it is acceptable then il take that on board. But im getting a little tired of people acting like I have got out maginfication glasses and sat nit picking, please dont take that the wrong way. Im very appreciative of every comment i just wanted to clear that point up.

[Rags]

Oy another one with a loupe.

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by SeaAndSky

There’s no such thing as a perfect dial. Or perfect anything. But there is the never ending pursuit of perfection that some work towards. I believe Rolex to be such a company and one of many reasons I’m so fond of their watches.

OP, you’re never going to find a perfect watch. Never. If these small details bother you and you can’t accept them then you’re better off spending your money on other things.

I agree, however Rolex advertise “perfection” and therefore the consumer has a right to expect it

[Cato]

If these odds and ends are driving you crazy, what are you going to do when you get your first few scratches?

Rolexes are man made things. I think there's a special beauty in that. Those little "imperfections" are what makes them unique.




Dude, go have a tall glass of lager and enjoy your watch!

[BLM2]

I agree with above. "Throw away your loupe." Just curious, do you go over your new car with a 10x loupe? If you cannot see the imperfection with the naked eye, do not worry about it. If you want perfection under a 10x loupe, try the inside of an apple watch.
Lee

[Craigdwh]

Return it, clearly not for you.

Stick with $100 watches if they are perfect.

[Old Expat Beast]

Anyone mention Grand Seiko yet?

[Juantxo]

Japanese master craftsmen say that perfection is imperfection. If you don’t have any tolerance for disappointment, then don’t buy a much more expensive Patek Philippe. Or a handmade anything.

[gsteve]

never use a bright light in a few years , youll regret that too

[Steerpike999]

Originally Posted by abozz

If Rolex has disgraced you, do not try another brand because you would cry. Rolex is for me the best watch in the world. Enjoy it!

Too True, put a loupe on some of the more "expensive" brands and you will freak out. There again, no-one wears a loupe in day to day life. Jeebus, my eyesight is getting to the point that i am happy just to be able to tell the time.

Enjoy your watch, its gorgeous.

[Mrcoach32]

Originally Posted by RollieRoll

I would NOT use force on the uni bezel to spin it clockwise.

When you say use Force to spin it counterclockwise, it doesn't need any Force to spin counterclockwise. Do you mean Force down on the bezel while you spin it in the direction it's intended to spend?

Yes, I meant clockwise. Sorry for the mistake. I tried what the Rolex watchmaker suggested and it worked. I didn't wrench on it, but just a slight amount of pressure to get the click pin set in.