AD charging me to take link out

[upsidedownbelt]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

that is making a big assumption. A huge number of people are using them for their services with no intention of buying, now or ever. They cant earn their business anyway. These days there tends to be AD people and non AD people. Nothing wrong with either but it is what it is.

No way i give away free stuff in my business no mater what product im selling when most of the people won't return the favor and buy something. Existing customers, fine.

It happens at best buy too. People go in, waste the salesman time and try all the TV's, get some demonstrations, and go home and order it on amazon.

Not saying that they shouldn’t charge, but it is a good gesture.

[T01]

All depends on the AD. Though they should never charge if you're purchasing.

[Syed117]

I've seen this question posed countless times on the forum and it always seems weird.

You buy a watch from somewhere, gray dealer, online, whatever. Then you walk into a place where you didn't buy it and expect them to perform a service for you for free?

I just don't understand the mentality behind it and cant relate to someone who does something like that.

Pay thousands for a watch. Make a forum post about $20 to adjust the bracelet...

[fnfiveseven]

Removing links is an extremely easy thing you could do with the correct tools which are fairly cheap anyway.
As a watch enthusiast, I think its handy to know how to do this yourself as IMO its one of the fun things of owning a nice watch.

Just like when you have an interest in cars. I remember taking off the exhaust myself to start off, removing brake pads, spark plugs etc. All not very hard to do.
But if you prefer just to look at them, by all means who am I to judge? :)

I also think the AD should be charging you if you did not buy it from them in the first place. :)

[joli160]

Originally Posted by brandrea

I’d expect to pay if I didn’t buy the watch at the store.

Absolutely

[MonsterSS]

I have had some dealers want to charge me too if I didnt get the watch there... Not a biggie, and dont mind throwing them a couple bucks to fix something for me - as long as they do it right and dont scratch the sh*t out of my watch ;)

[fiendfx]

Originally Posted by Yodel

Hi guys, my local AD (who I didn’t buy my watch from) is wanting to charge me to remove a link from my GMT bracelet. Is this normal or shall I go elsewhere? Would you take this to any old jeweller or want it to be a Rolex AD?
Thanks

I got my bracelet sized without charge.

[JLM3]

Getting it done for free by the Ad is a nice gesture ...expecting them to do a service for you for free is bad form on your part .

[Beckster]

Lots of different opinions here. I guess that's to be expected.

OP if you're in London city itself just go to RSC St James to get it done. Or just pop into any of the dozens ADs in the city. I'm sure you'll find one willing to do it without charge.

[Fleetlord]

Originally Posted by Syed117

I've seen this question posed countless times on the forum and it always seems weird.

You buy a watch from somewhere, gray dealer, online, whatever. Then you walk into a place where you didn't buy it and expect them to perform a service for you for free?

I just don't understand the mentality behind it and cant relate to someone who does something like that.

Pay thousands for a watch. Make a forum post about $20 to adjust the bracelet...

It is mindbogglingly ridiculous.

Yes drive all over town begging an AD to size your $XXXX Rolex for free until you find one that will do it.


If they don't, spend more time posting to a Rolex forum about what to do....

Does not compute. Does not compute.

[Nairn1980]

Very fair to charge I would say.

[RJRJRJ]

Originally Posted by Fleetlord

It is mindbogglingly ridiculous.

Yes drive all over town begging an AD to size your $XXXX Rolex for free until you find one that will do it.


If they don't, spend more time posting to a Rolex forum about what to do....

Does not compute. Does not compute.

I can't imagine saying "no thanks" and walking out after being quoted $20.

[Euge]

Try to do it yourself!!! It’s fun, easy and you’ll learn to do more stuff.........


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[jb335]

I’ve never gone to a Rolex AD that I haven’t purchased from and asked for a sizing. I have at two different AP ADs. First AP AD charged me $30 and second one did it for free (twice actually). I have to admit, I was slightly annoyed at the AD that charged and thought that was a short sighted business decision. Conversely, I felt very appreciative of the second AD that did the sizing complimentary (twice!) and thought to myself I would rather buy from them in the future.

I wouldn’t say anything to an AD that charged in this situation, nor would I refuse and walk out, but I would make a mental note of it and keep it in mind in my future purchase decisions.


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[gaoxing84]

it's always free in Singapore, as long you walk in with a legit rolex, as a rolex AD, they're expected to have the service done for free

[Likestheshiny]

While many ADs will do things like this for free in the hopes that you will return to them to buy a watch at some point, it is absolutely not an obligation. There is no "I have a Rolex, so any store that sells Rolexes needs to give me free assistance" thing going on here.

[Jack T]

Originally Posted by Rogdogg

I have only ever had it done at the AD where I bought my watches so they have never charged me.

Same here

[sensui]

Originally Posted by Syed117

I've seen this question posed countless times on the forum and it always seems weird.

You buy a watch from somewhere, gray dealer, online, whatever. Then you walk into a place where you didn't buy it and expect them to perform a service for you for free?

I just don't understand the mentality behind it and cant relate to someone who does something like that.

Pay thousands for a watch. Make a forum post about $20 to adjust the bracelet...

One word. Entitlement.

Gone are the days where teaching a man to fish feeds him for life...this generation just wants to be spoonfed whenever possible.

[upsidedownbelt]

Originally Posted by jb335

I’ve never gone to a Rolex AD that I haven’t purchased from and asked for a sizing. I have at two different AP ADs. First AP AD charged me $30 and second one did it for free (twice actually). I have to admit, I was slightly annoyed at the AD that charged and thought that was a short sighted business decision. Conversely, I felt very appreciative of the second AD that did the sizing complimentary (twice!) and thought to myself I would rather buy from them in the future.

I wouldn’t say anything to an AD that charged in this situation, nor would I refuse and walk out, but I would make a mental note of it and keep it in mind in my future purchase decisions.


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Yep, exactly.

[smym18]

I work in a jewelry store (though we are not an AD) and we charge $10 to size watches that weren't purchased from us. There's no charge if the watch is from us. I think that's fair.

[Rokoru]

I got some dust particles on the dial and under the cristal of my Kermit. I took it to my AD and to have it cleaned and he didnt charge anything. He also told me the movement was in good condition and it didn´t need a service. Really happy with this kind of service.

[kwingy]

Like others have said, a good quality screw driver and you do can this job in 2 minutes. If your watch is pre-owned chances are there will be no loctite and the screws will come out so easily.
You would be mad to pay someone to do this. There are so many youtube videos that teach you how to do it. I learnt how to remove a GMT Bezel through youtube.

[faz]

Pay the AD to resize your bracelet.

Also find a local watch maker that you can trust (search your Yelp site), and take your watch to them for these types of maintenance, and build a relationship with them. You never know, perhaps someday you will need them to do some other work for you.

When I took the pre-owned Datejust that was a gift to a family member in Toronto/Canada, and took him with me to an AD to resize the bracelet, and was asked $35 for the service, I didn't think it was out of ordinary. They are going to do something for me, a passer by, and they need to make something. Not necessarily for their time (it takes them all of 5 minutes), but to get enough reserve income in so they can cover from that one time that something goes wrong and they need to pay out of pocket to fix something that broke/got scratched during the process.

[Torque Time]

Holy Smokes! You spend $8K+ on a watch and pench a $20 bill for adjusting the bracelet. Seriously? Is this a principle issue?
The most expensive life lesson I learned is “You get what you pay for”...
Break a Benjamin for the link removal and spend the change on your significant other!

[77T]

To those getting hot under the collar - the OP simply asked for advice because the AD was going to charge him. He never complained...

Originally Posted by Yodel

Hi guys, my local AD (who I didn’t buy my watch from) is wanting to charge me to remove a link from my GMT bracelet. Is this normal or shall I go elsewhere? Would you take this to any old jeweller or want it to be a Rolex AD?

Thanks

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[MonsterSS]

Originally Posted by smym18

I work in a jewelry store (though we are not an AD) and we charge $10 to size watches that weren't purchased from us. There's no charge if the watch is from us. I think that's fair.

[josephvman]

If I were an AD I wouldn't do it for anyone who didn't buy a watch from me, especially if I didn't have a certified watchmaker on staff. It isn't worth the $20-30 dollars to risk damaging the watch for someone who didn't even buy it from you. We've seen plenty of threads around here by guys crying that the dealer owes them a new watch because a bracelet screw got slightly mucked up during a bracelet change.

[dogzapper223]

Gentlemen and Ladies,

Just my opinion as an ancient and VERY happily retired AD .... An AD should NEVER charge you for sizing a Rolex bracelet, whether you bought your Rolex from them or not.

Honestly, you never know when you might need that client as times go on.

And, even though in recent times, the AD has the client seeking, bleeding and weeping for product, future conditions might easily change.

You never know when you'll need a friend ... and you never know when a friend will remember you. Call it karma, but good deeds will always reward the just and the honest.

YMMV, but that's the honest truth.

God's Blessings,

Steve

[HogwldFLTR]

I've used two ADs; one charged me once and let me donate $15 to a cause they were supporting another time. Other times there were no charges. The local Jeweler charges the same $15. The other one who I bought the Sky D from doesn't charge me. $15 seems to be the going rate, here.

[Andad]

Originally Posted by Torque Time

Holy Smokes! You spend $8K+ on a watch and pench a $20 bill for adjusting the bracelet. Seriously? Is this a principle issue?
The most expensive life lesson I learned is “You get what you pay for”...
Break a Benjamin for the link removal and spend the change on your significant other!

But then we also have many members who have very nice watch collections and are happy to access all the available information on TRF but can't throw in a few bucks to help with the running of the Forum.

Now some want free watch services.