Will Repair/Service Estimates be approx the same?

[Inherited]

My Family's ~30 year old Rolex needs a service and some repair, e.g., will not wind. Some family members want me to get an estimate from one certified Rolex service center, then have the watch shipped back to me, then send it to another certified service center to get another estimate. I am thinking since Rolex highly controls who is certified to provide service, i.e., insuring the repair parts are provided by Rolex, defining exactly what is involved in a service etc., that shopping around for multiple estimate would be a waste of time because each certified service center will provide basically the same estimate for each recommended repair(s) and full service. What is your opinion?

[azguy]

Your "families" what do you share it

Just send it to RCS Dallas and be done with it, you don't sound like a good candidate for an independent.

.....and if you were going to ship it around for multiple estimates it ant't cheap and would quickly outweigh any potential savings from "shopping"

[kromdom]

A CW21-certified watch maker can do the job. Trying calling those near you to get an estimate. Or ship the watch off to a RSC (Rolex Service Center) near you.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by Inherited

My Family's ~30 year old Rolex needs a service and some repair, e.g., will not wind. Some family members want me to get an estimate from one certified Rolex service center, then have the watch shipped back to me, then send it to another certified service center to get another estimate. . . ?

If you are talking about Rolex Service Centers, then, yes. The basic service is 650 bucks, then they add on any needed non-expendables such as crowns/tubes, dials. Most of those will be very close and parts costs identical.

Independents may vary more in that they charge less for labor - you would still pay for needed parts.

As said, by the time you paid for shipping both ways, estimate charges (not all estimates are free), and the like, you will quickly spend more on those costs than the service would cost.

[Inherited]

I am new to all of this so I may have the terminology wrong. I was asking about Stores approved to sell/service Rolex watches that are listed on the Rolex Web Site. There are multiple around where I live, so my family wants to get an estimate from one store, then go to another store for another estimate. In reading other forum Posts I thought Rolex Service Centers are run directly by Rolex and they tend to be a little more expensive then the approved stores. Is my understanding correct? Thanks Everyone

[Tools]

If you are going to Authorized Dealers, not all have a watchmaker on staff. When they do, they charge pretty close to RSC charges.

If you are looking at an independent watchmaker, make sure they are CW21 certified and have a Rolex parts account.

Since you don't say where you are from, it's hard to make any recommendations.

[singe89]

I highly recommend Jewelers on Time in Newport Beach. I trust them to do service on all my rolexes and all have been perfect for a good amount less than RSC and with very quick turnaround time.

[saskmh]

What does the typical $650 service charge include for parts? The service I just had done on my GMT cost 680 plus 250 for "worn parts" plus another few hundred for a crown and tube.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by saskmh

What does the typical $650 service charge include for parts? The service I just had done on my GMT cost 680 plus 250 for "worn parts" plus another few hundred for a crown and tube.

The 650 at the RSC includes most of the movement parts that wear out. It does not include the crown and tube.

[Kevin of Larchmont]

Sounds like the OP's family wants him to do a whole lot of leg work for what should be a simple service.

[masyv6]

Can't go wrong with the Dallas RSC.

[William.L.]

Originally Posted by Tools

The 650 at the RSC includes most of the movement parts that wear out. It does not include the crown and tube.

This is correct. Mines there now (at dallas) add a crown, stem, monobloc and youll be roughly 835 with shipping all in.

[Inherited]

Originally Posted by Tools

If you are going to Authorized Dealers, not all have a watchmaker on staff. When they do, they charge pretty close to RSC charges.

If you are looking at an independent watchmaker, make sure they are CW21 certified and have a Rolex parts account.

Since you don't say where you are from, it's hard to make any recommendations.

I live in the Washington DC area and right now I am getting a Service Estimate from LILJENQUIST & BECKSTEAD an Authorized Rolex Dealer who do have their own authorized service/repair shop.

[tones]

I'm about to get a 1972 GMT-Master serviced and I found my way to this forum while checking about prices.

I live in Switzerland and I checked in with Bucherer (main Rolex dealer) on Zürich's Bahnhofstrasse. The guy said CHF1000 (about $US1012) - but then said, rather ominously, "but could be more...". More? How much more? "Up to CHF2000" he said. Gulp! Why? "Watches of that age need more care." He also said, even more ominously, that there would come a time when Rolex couldn't repair it, because the parts for the old movement would no longer exist. Now that I find scary - I'd assumed that Rolex made watches for eternity.

[faz]

Some ADs use an independent local shop to do their work (at least from what I have seen in my neck of the woods.) If you can find that local shop directly, you can get the same service at a lower cost. However, building a relationship with an AD is a good enough reason to pay the extra and go through them.

[kilyung]

Originally Posted by kromdom

A CW21-certified watch maker can do the job. Trying calling those near you to get an estimate. Or ship the watch off to a RSC (Rolex Service Center) near you.

The caveat being they must have a parts account with Rolex just in case parts need to be replaced.

[kromdom]

Originally Posted by kilyung

The caveat being they must have a parts account with Rolex just in case parts need to be replaced.

correct and I agree. The shop I found local to me only uses factory/original parts and is able to do so because he has an account with Rolex (and other makers)

[japenney]

Originally Posted by kilyung

The caveat being they must have a parts account with Rolex just in case parts need to be replaced.

I heard that Rolex was taking away the parts accounts of some of these watchmakers because they want their inhouse watchmakers to be the only ones who have access to their parts. Anyone know if any truth to this? I have heard of watchmakers "losing their Rolex parts accounts".

[Navy Sailor]

Have you guys been charged extra for replacement of the mainspring?

[Inherited]

Originally Posted by kilyung

The caveat being they must have a parts account with Rolex just in case parts need to be replaced.

So if the Local Service Centre has a parts account with Rolex and listed on the Rolex site as a Service Centre, who holds the 2 year warranty, the Local Service Centre so any warranty repair can only done by them or Rolex themselves?