Rolex WILL NOT change Dial or Hands

[ezgoer]

Hi All, I'm a newbie. I've been eyeing a Daytona Steel or WG 116509 (black face, red hands) for sometime. Friends who are watch fans suggested I join this site so here I am. Fantastic amount of info here. Kudos to the experts who bring great info for everyone. Planned on purchasing a Daytona (black face, red hands) and have dial replaced with White Gold so I would end up with a Panda Dial with red hands. I was all lined up to purchase one from this site and when I called Rolex Dallas to inspect, service (if needed) and replace the dial, they said they won't swap dials or hands. Sounds like they would replace like for like parts but not swap components between models. In my reading this forum, it sounded like many of you have done these swaps (dials and hands) from an AD so that the warranty continues to be valid. I did not expect Rolex to decline my request. Would appreciate any clarification, AND if you could point me in the right direction so an AD can help me out. I'm in SF area. I prefer not to risk voiding the warranty for something like this. THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE.

[droptopman]

Hi and welcome to the forum. I am sure others with more experience will post. I have seen SS Daytona's with the WG dials but I assumed that the owner had a private watch smith change out the dial.

[KZZN]

Hi,

As I understand it (based on Rolex and AD's in the UK, anyway), you can get a replacement dial if and only if it is an officially-available option for your exact model of Rolex.

So, for example: if I wanted a new dial for an all-stainless Datejust, I could have anything that was in the master dial catalogue as an option for a 116200. However, I couldn't for instance ask for a champagne dial: that request would be refused, since that's only an option on yellow Rolesor and yellow gold Datejusts. Similarly, if I had for instance a yellow gold Day-Date I couldn't ask for a pink Roman dial, since that would only be an option for an Everose gold Day-Date.

What that boils down to for the sports models is your options are very limited, since they usually only have one or two dial choices per model, and that's that. So you couldn't ever request the white gold dial on the stainless Daytona for example: that would be rejected, since it's not an officially-available part for the stainless Daytona.

I'm sure if it's different in the USA someone local will chime in with the details, but certainly from my own experience, that's what it comes down to: if it's listed for your exact model number as an option in the master dial catalogue you can have it, otherwise you can't.

[Timesurfer]

Agreed...

Others with more knowledge will chime in but thats about right... For anything other than that you need to procure the part and have it installed "outside" network... With all that entails...

[Tools]

Rolex will never change hands or dials unless they were available for the model you are requesting the change to. It's always been that way.

Legitimate AD's won't usually do the work either, nor will they source the parts for you.

You need to find the parts and find a watchmaker to do the work - you will not have a valid warranty when you are done because you will have third party "non-authorized" work done.

[Touring]

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=462703

[rdragon]

But if it's already changed and out of warranty, will they at least service it if you are paying for it?

[bobabreath]

I will also add that Rolex will not change dials on sports models. I have a YG GMTIIc 116718 with green dial and asked RSC about changing to the black dial. They said "No".

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by rdragon

But if it's already changed and out of warranty, will they at least service it if you are paying for it?

They will service it, but they will give you back the watch with correct new parts, charge you for those, and keep whatever they remove.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by rdragon

But if it's already changed and out of warranty, will they at least service it if you are paying for it?

Rolex will not touch it unless you pay them to return it to original specifications.

[rdragon]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

They will service it, but they will give you back the watch with correct new parts, charge you for those, and keep whatever they remove.

Originally Posted by GradyPhilpott

Rolex will not touch it unless you pay them to return it to original specifications.

Ok, thanks for the information.

[Hodog16]

I would not go through with the hassle of changing dials and hands unless you can find a Rolex certified watchmaker to service it. In that instance they will likely be okay to swap the dials for you as well

The unofficial RSC on SF will work on modified watches, so they will likely be willing to swap in that case. You can source parts from sellers on TRF.

[crowncollection]

they will not do it

[T. Ferguson]

Originally Posted by Tools

Rolex will never change hands or dials unless they were available for the model you are requesting the change to. It's always been that way.

Legitimate AD's won't usually do the work either, nor will they source the parts for you.

You need to find the parts and find a watchmaker to do the work - you will not have a valid warranty when you are done because you will have third party "non-authorized" work done.

Wow, can you imagine all the stainless steel "Smurfs" if Rolex was letting customers do parts exchanges willy-nilly?

Larry, will Rolex even perform a paid service on a watch with unauthorized parts on it, without the owner agreeing to it being brought back to "original"?My understanding is a no.

[Onikage]

This is a relatively harmless mod so long as you return the watch to its default configuration if you ever send it to Rolex. Despite the overall response of horror on this thread. It's probably bye bye warranty once you start opening the case though.

[Hodog16]

Yes the warranty will be void if the watch was opened for something like this. However, if you return things to spec before sending it in, it should be fine as I'm not sure how the RSC would know if it was opened or not--there's no seal right?!?

Like I said, what I would do is find a Rolex watchmaker locally who is willing to play ball and do it there. They can also service the watch and do warranty work I imagine should you need it. Would not mess with the RSC with a modified watch at all.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by rdragon

But if it's already changed and out of warranty, will they at least service it if you are paying for it?

People are giving you bad information..

They do not "change it back" and charge you for it.. If you bought the parts, and they are not aftermarket, Rolex will service the watch.

They will make a note of it on the estimate and tell you exactly what they will or will not do. You have to agree to any work done or parts changed..

[rdragon]

Originally Posted by Tools

People are giving you bad information..

They do not "change it back" and charge you for it.. If you bought the parts, and they are not aftermarket, Rolex will service the watch.

They will make a note of it on the estimate and tell you exactly what they will or will not do. You have to agree to any work done or parts changed..

That's really great news. Just to be clear, so as in the example, if you have a OEM WG Daytona dial in a SS Daytona, they will still service it?

[amg master]

Honolulu time co can do it. They posted a ss daytona with the slate dial on there instagram. Give him a follow! @Honolulutimeco

[T. Ferguson]

Originally Posted by Tools

People are giving you bad information..

They do not "change it back" and charge you for it.. If you bought the parts, and they are not aftermarket, Rolex will service the watch.

They will make a note of it on the estimate and tell you exactly what they will or will not do. You have to agree to any work done or parts changed..

That answers my question, thanks!

[Lordofrolex]

I recommend you not do this for many reason but if you have to you can always go to a watch maker or watch brokers who self used watches. They can get you a custom dial or source you an authentic dial.

[brettpaul]

Exactly what I did...wore the WG for a couple of months but felt conscious about banging/scratching the watch. Flipped it and got a Panda kit with genuine Rolex parts for my SS Daytona!

You can have it done by any Rolex certified technician and it's easy to swap back.

[zama]

I wish Bentley would do this with cars, imagine somebody taking in a pimped up Continental and when they got it back it had been returned to all original parts........

If you can buy real parts an independent will do it but most of us recommend you keep them standard as buyers will want it that way.

[Sammym]

I did the exact same with mine, I got a specialist to do it because Rolex would not

[fskywalker]

As said by others just manage the swap by an independent watchmaker. You can always save the original parts and have your watchmaker swap back before sending the watch in for warranty if there is warranty left on the watch at the time of the issue.

[AK797]

I don't think there are universal hard rules here, I've heard of dials being swapped but old ones being confiscated and also being returned, and of flat out refusals even on the same models, seems it depends on the day and place.

[ap1]

Originally Posted by bobabreath

I will also add that Rolex will not change dials on sports models. I have a YG GMTIIc 116718 with green dial and asked RSC about changing to the black dial. They said "No".

wuuuuut, greens the best

[jrs146]

Slightly older Gold Daytonas seem to sell used for very reasonable prices. Maybe it's worth saving up a bit more and just going for the real deal. I get what you're trying to do but personally, I'd feel odd having a dial in my watch that is specific for a gold model knowing it's SS. Plus, you're going to have to factor in the cost of the dial and hands swap. Any further service won't be able to go through RSC. Just seems like too much of a pain to me.

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by Tools

People are giving you bad information..

They do not "change it back" and charge you for it.. If you bought the parts, and they are not aftermarket, Rolex will service the watch.

They will make a note of it on the estimate and tell you exactly what they will or will not do. You have to agree to any work done or parts changed..

exactly.

not sure why so many think rolex won't do a service on a modded watch done with genuine rolex parts.

who makes up this stuff?

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by Chewbacca

not sure why so many think rolex won't do a service on a modded watch done with genuine rolex parts.

People think that because they've read it upteen dozen times on watch forums, including this one.