I never thought it would be this difficult....

[Quicksilver]

...to part with my baby for a few months.

My 2003 GMT (new and unworn out of the box last October) is due a service. Although the watch has only seen 6 months of wrist life it is still 7 years old and due a service. I understand that even a watch that's been sitting in a box should still be serviced as the lubricants can dry out. Also, after gaining only half to 1 second a day it's suddenly started gaining 2.5 seconds a day - still good, but it might be a sign that it needs a service.

The bad news - Rolex UK say it will take 12 weeks to service !!!!!!!

Boy, am I going to miss that watch

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

...to part with my baby for a few months.

My 2003 GMT (new and unworn out of the box last October) is due a service. Although the watch has only seen 6 months of wrist life it is still 7 years old and due a service. I understand that even a watch that's been sitting in a box should still be serviced as the lubricants can dry out. Also, after gaining only half to 1 second a day it's suddenly started gaining 2.5 seconds a day - still good, but it might be a sign that it needs a service.

The bad news - Rolex UK say it will take 12 weeks to service !!!!!!!

Boy, am I going to miss that watch

Always tough to let go. Although it's a great reason to own another Oyster for a backup.
Hope the time flies by quickly, David.
dP

[2th Dr]

12 weeks? Man, I'd go crazy!
Hang in there!

[Tools]

Old wives tale... Modern synthetic lubricants will not dry out the way the older fossil fuels used to..........

[Quicksilver]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

Always tough to let go. Although it's a great reason to own another Oyster for a backup.
Hope the time flies by quickly, David.
dP

Thans Dan - but don't put temptation my way

[Quicksilver]

Originally Posted by 2th DR

12 weeks? Man, I'd go crazy!
Hang in there!

Yep - I'm alrady going crazy just thinking about it. I'm going to have to wear my back up watch - a 1987 Longines quartz

[Quicksilver]

Originally Posted by Tools

Old wives tale... Modern synthetic lubricants will not dry out the way the older fossil fuels used to..........

Old wives tales often have some element of truth to them ! Anyway, truth be known, I would feel better getting it serviced.

[DRAWTOOL]

Do yourself a favor (favour?) David, hang on to it until you can aquire an EXP-II. Trust me, It will ease the pain of separation.

[Quicksilver]

Originally Posted by DRAWTOOL

Do yourself a favor (favour?) David, hang on to it until you can aquire an EXP-II. Trust me, It will ease the pain of separation.

I believe you Mikey - the temptation is piling up.

[DRAWTOOL]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

I believe you Mikey - the temptation is piling up.

Let me help you out.....

[Quicksilver]

Originally Posted by DRAWTOOL

Let me help you out.....

Now I see how you got inducted into that Hall of Fame

[DRAWTOOL]

You think that's bad, just let Larry post his pictures of the B & W EXP-IIs and you'll be off to the Rolex Store within minutes!

[Quicksilver]

Originally Posted by DRAWTOOL

You think that's bad, just let Larry post his pictures of the B & W EXP-IIs and you'll be off to the Rolex Store within minutes!

Over to Larry then

[Kokyuryoku]

That's too bad about the 12 weeks, but it'll be back before you know it

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

Although the watch has only seen 6 months of wrist life it is still 7 years old and due a service. I understand that even a watch that's been sitting in a box should still be serviced as the lubricants can dry out. Also, after gaining only half to 1 second a day it's suddenly started gaining 2.5 seconds a day - still good, but it might be a sign that it needs a service.

Hmmm I've been wondering about this ever since the new serial numbers came out. If it really is necessary to service a watch that has been just sitting in a box, then wouldn't that mean that Rolex is setting themselves up for a lot of warranty issues. I mean, some watches may sit in the display case for a few years before being bought and without actually being able to date the watch, how are people going to know when to send it in for a service? I've heard people say that a watch is dated the day it is sold, so a watch bought in 2008 is a 2008 model and therefore shouldn't need a service until at least 2013. So, wouldn't that mean that if you've only used the watch for 6 months and all the time before that it was just sitting, then wouldn't you still have 4.5 years left before a service is needed? Also, I think the sudden gain in seconds can be solved with some simple regulation. 2.5 seconds is still well within COSC .

But I don't know, as I said I'm just thinking. I'm probably talking through a hole in my head

[Denver Dick]

Originally Posted by Tools

Old wives tale... Modern synthetic lubricants will not dry out the way the older fossil fuels used to..........

Unless you plan on going diving with the watch, I would let it go until it was an even 10 years old (about 3 1/2 years in service).

As for the +2.5 seconds, that's comfortably within specs. However, you may want to experiment with different positions when you take it off at night. After servicing at a RSC last November, my 1987 TT DJ settled in to +2 seconds every day when resting at night on the 9 o'clock side with the 3 o'clock up. However, I recently discovered that if I position it at night on the 6 o'clock with the 12 o'clock up, it runs at +1 second per day, which I consider excellent accuracy.

Anyway, it's your watch and money, so it's your decision. Just my

[rkot07]

Originally Posted by DRAWTOOL

Do yourself a favor (favour?) David, hang on to it until you can aquire an EXP-II. Trust me, It will ease the pain of separation.

Yup this is true when my GMTII went in for service I went out and bought myself a Yacht-Master to ease the pain.
Now that I think of it, its kind of like cheating.
But I wouldnt do that to the wifey...

[DRAWTOOL]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

Yep - I'm alrady going crazy just thinking about it. I'm going to have to wear my back up watch - a 1987 quartz Longines

Originally Posted by rkot07

...its kind of like cheating.
But I wouldnt do that to the wifey...

I have been to countries where it is acceptable for a man to have a "companion" during his wifes pregnancy. I can understand a Rolex "companion" but a quartz Longines, well, that's just wrong!

[Matrim604]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

The bad news - Rolex UK say it will take 12 weeks to service !!!!!!!

Boy, am I going to miss that watch

12 weeks?? Wow, I know how you must be feeling. Did they say what the reason for it taking so long is? If it's just backlog, I'd almost be tempted to get it serviced by a good local watch maker and have it back in a couple weeks.

I have a number of watches that will need servicing over the next couple years and i've already started thinking about whether or not I want to send it in to an authorized service center or just use one of the few good watch makers in my area. Seems like anything you send away these days takes 6-8 weeks minimum.

[Cato]

12 weeks? That sounds like an Omega service time!

[Puffy]

David, 12 weeks is worst case scenario - they usually arrive back after 8 weeks

[Quicksilver]

In this case guys, it really is 12 weeks (and possibly even 14). They have a huge backlog. Rolex UK are apparently opening a new service centre which will be up and running in a few months. But even then it will only knock a couple of weeks off the waiting time.

I have thought about using an independent watchmaker but I want to experience this legendary Rolex service (including the delay) about which I have heard so much - also, I will have absolute peace of mind knowing that Rolex have given it a clean bill of health.

[Renoir]

12 weeks, WOW!

I'm with Dan....time for another oyster.

Don't worry, it'll go by fast.

[PanosI]

Ohh..... this is tough

I faced the same problem when i went to RSC Hellas for my 16710 around November 2009. Back then they gave an estimated time of delivery around 7 weeks.

I said no thanks and i left. I tried my luck again in the middle of March. I couldnt believe it when they told me that the watch will be serviced in 2 weeks !!!!!!!!! I left it on 17-3-2010 and i took it back on 31-3-2010 !!!!!!

Maybe you should try something like this yourself. Good Luck

[Quicksilver]

The wait is intolerable.

As I am approaching 10 weeks of the 12 weeks that Rolex quoted for the service of my GMT I though I would give the Service Centre a call to see what progress had been made and if it would be ready over the next few weeks or so.

Sadly, I was told that servicing was now taking 16 weeks so I am unlikely to see my watch before mid-September (it went in on May 10th). The lady I spoke with was courteous and apologetic - but realy, this situation is crazy and should never have been allowed to happen. It reflects poorly on Rolex.

To give Rolex some credit (or credit to their corteous representative with whom I spoke) when I told her that I realy wanted the watch for my holidays on September 24th she said she would mark down the proceeding Friday as a deadline for the work to be completed by, but she could not guarantee it, particularly if their were issues with the watch that needed more detailed work (such as timing issues). Can't imagine this will be a problem as the watch was fine when I left it with them.

[swatty]

Hang in there mate

[Rolesor]

That REALLY sucks David, torn from your wrist so young!

Look at it this way. In a few weeks you'll have her back for a good 5-7 un-interrupted years :)

[Quicksilver]

Thanks guys It's still hard though

[ingoodtime]

Wow, from 12 weeks to 16 weeks. I'd be upset and also going outof my mind. Hard to imagine in this day and age that things like this would take so long. They must have a severe staffing shortage.

[Speed]

Get a spare!

[Quicksilver]

Good news - my Rolex service has been completed and I collected the watch today from the RSC in London. It had been sent to Bexley for it's service - which took 3 months to the day, as they said it would, despite them telling me a couple of weeks ago that it would not be ready until mid-September the earliest.

They have done a great job and fitted a Jubille bracelet and a black bezel (which I wanted to try as a change to the Pepsi - and I like it very much). The Jubilee looks fantastic - but it's not a Super Jubilee (maybe I will get one of those later). I will try and post some pics later.

One thing, I asked them to refurbish my Oyster bracelet for me. When I collected today I asked where my Oyster bracelet was and was told -"Oh, you wanted it returned then?". I said "absolutely" and that I had asked for it to be refurbished. The gentleman told me he would call Bexley and ask them to do this and post the Oyster to me.

Why on earth do Rolex think they can keep my Oyster bracelet? That's my property, bought and paid for and there will come a time when I want to put the Oyster back on for a change. Bizarre! I hope there will not be a problem and Rolex have lost or binned my Oyster! If there is I will be requesting a new replacement.