Anyone have their gold lugs repaired with Zimmerman

[ajh77]

I am going to have my 18238 lugs repaired by Zimmerman Watch Repair. The lugs are too rounded and need some general love.

Has anyone used them for repair and would you recommend?
Do have any lug before and after photos you could post ?


Thank you!

[0nly5iv3Digits]

Haven’t used them personally, but they are one of the best in the country. Better than Rolliworks, and on-par with LAWW as far as I understand.

[Ferdelious]

I follow them on Instagram, their work is exceptional. I wouldn't hesitate to send them any of my watches if they needed laser welding.

[NineMMParabellum]

They have done an amazing job restoring my 3186's 16710 GMT

[77T]

Their IG is an album of amazing work ranging from cases to dials.

Just a recent one done on a very rounded GMT




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[springer]

Originally Posted by 77T

Their IG is an album of amazing work ranging from cases to dials.

Just a recent one done on a very rounded GMT




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Zimmerman (ZWR) can do some very nice work, but the lugs on this watch in your photo are way over-sized and do not appear as they way they should look when originally manufactured by Rolex.

[springer]

I know another member here that wanted his gold lugs on a Day-Date worked on and was told by someone at ZWR that they do not work on the gold cases.

[ajh77]

They do work on gold cases. They gave me a quote already.

[Kingface66]

Originally Posted by 77T

Their IG is an album of amazing work ranging from cases to dials.

Just a recent one done on a very rounded GMT




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Those new lugs look terrible. Yes, they’re neat and tidy and shiny, but they’re cut completely wrong for that era case. I’d have left it alone. At least it had some glimpse of what it originally looked like.

[77T]

I think that lug width is exaggerated by the extreme closeup and wide angle lens. If you look at the opposite one then you'll get an idea of what I mean.

Check their IG to see if you still believe that they aren't the best recutters.


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[springer]

Originally Posted by 77T

I think that lug width is exaggerated by the extreme closeup and wide angle lens. If you look at the opposite one then you'll get an idea of what I mean.

Check their IG to see if you still believe that they aren't the best recutters.


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I have to disagree Paul - sorry.

I've seen a few or those over-size lugs in person - on two or three occasions. The photography of the case in this thread is accurate and depicts them as they look when received back from ZWR. In fairness to ZWR, I've also seen some other ZWR repairs/restorations that appear very nice once the work was completed.

Others here have commented in other threads on the lug size, chamfer size and chamfer tapering that some of the case refinishers are doing to these vintage cases which does not appear original for their particular watch based on the year of manufacture or model style. Anyone considering a case restoration should discuss their expectations with their refinisher before submitting their case to ensure the lugs, chamfers and other details are completed properly based on the manufactured year and model of their watch.

[77T]

Originally Posted by springer

I have to disagree - sorry.

I've seen those exaggerated lugs in person - on two or three occassions. The photography is accurate and depicts them as they look when received back from ZWR. They are exaggerated and over size.

No problem John - I haven't seen the work in real life so accept your judgement.

Would you say from your own observation that they seem to fashion chunky lugs like Rolex did for the fat cased 6 digit models?

I've noticed even Rolex has scaled those back a little bit in recent years.


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[0nly5iv3Digits]

I agree with JP in this case. Lugs are too thick. I don’t see why that can’t be easily rectified. Just keep polishing the case/lug flanks down to factory spec.

[springer]

Originally Posted by ajh77

They do work on gold cases. They gave me a quote already.

That is good news. Previously, he wasn't working on the gold models.

[Incroyable12]

Certain 5-digit Day-Dates also had skinny factory lugs.

[ronricks]

Originally Posted by Incroyable12

Certain 5-digit Day-Dates also had skinny factory lugs.

Correct. The 1978 to 1983ish 18038's had fat lugs from factory. The 1985ish to 1988ish 18038's had thinner lugs almost like fangs.

Certain serials in the 18238 had fatter lugs like X and W while S and T serials had thin fang like lugs. I am not sure what caused all the differences in the 5 digit day dates maybe the cases were made in different factories? But there is a clear pattern and difference for certain models and serials. Lots of different nuances out there for 18038 and 18238 cases.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by ajh77

They do work on gold cases. They gave me a quote already.

Good to know. Let us know if you move forward

[jgottsman11]

Zimmerman is great.

Your last 5 posts over the last 5 months have been about slightly scratched or polished day dates and how to fix them without a single photo example.

Why not just find a mint unpolished/NOS example and be done with it? I'm getting second hand stress

[Incroyable12]

Originally Posted by ronricks

Correct. The 1978 to 1983ish 18038's had fat lugs from factory. The 1985ish to 1988ish 18038's had thinner lugs almost like fangs.

Certain serials in the 18238 had fatter lugs like X and W while S and T serials had thin fang like lugs. I am not sure what caused all the differences in the 5 digit day dates maybe the cases were made in different factories? But there is a clear pattern and difference for certain models and serials. Lots of different nuances out there for 18038 and 18238 cases.

The old 5 digit platinum DDs also had skinny lugs.

[ajh77]

Thank you all for the information. I don’t want to bet a mint dd because Rolex is installing a diamond slate myriad dial in my current watch and it’s costing me a fortune so I want to invest more money into the one I have with Zimmerman so the lugs will at least look a lot better when completed. I am going to move forward with the repair and will post photos when I get it back from them in. Thank you.

[Exceeder]

pretty amazing work

[0nly5iv3Digits]

I'd definitely give them a visit if I was in PA

[MrLemon]

how much is the cost? I have same pcg case, mine is better condition than the "before" picture.
can it cost over 1k ?

[0nly5iv3Digits]

Originally Posted by MrLemon

how much is the cost? I have same pcg case, mine is better condition than the "before" picture.
can it cost over 1k ?

Looks like the range is between 1000-1500 USD for laser welding/refinishing.

[MrLemon]

Originally Posted by 0nly5iv3Digits

Looks like the range is between 1000-1500 USD for laser welding/refinishing.

my goodness, why would anyone spend that kind of price to make their Rolex very sharp

[springer]

$2500 or more with ZWR. Expect at least six months to a year for it to be finished.

[ajh77]

ZWR quoted me far, far, far less than that amount and a turn around time of 4-10 weeks.

[XavierM]

It would be interesting for us to have pictures of the watch in question and the value of this quote.

I’m not a big fan of this new trend of rebuilding cases with a laser, especially when it comes to stainless steel watches but I think I would look for a NOS or at least a really unpolished example, and send some pictures of the result I am looking for to the company I pick for such job.

Good luck with all this !

[springer]

Originally Posted by ajh77

ZWR quoted me far, far, far less than that amount and a turn around time of 4-10 weeks.

Good for you. That was not the case for me or others that have had repairs done by him. Pricing was much more. Of course repair pricing is based on the amount of work done to the watch. Full lug and case restorations are much, much more than what you were quoted by ZWR. And, as far as 4 to 10 week turn-a-rounds, that was never the norm in the past with ZWR. It was four to 10 months, not weeks. Maybe something has changed at ZWR but that would be news to me.

[springer]

Originally Posted by XavierM

It would be interesting for us to have pictures of the watch in question and the value of this quote.

I’m not a big fan of this new trend of rebuilding cases with a laser, especially when it comes to stainless steel watches but I think I would look for a NOS or at least a really unpolished example, and send some pictures of the result I am looking for to the company I pick for such job.

Good luck with all this !

Sorry, but finding vintage NOS Rolex sport models is not realistic at all.

Where are you going to find these NOS vintage GMT 1675s, Submariners, red Sea-Dwellers, Daytonas etc.? Additionally, the odds of finding a very nice, unpolished example of one of these vintage examples are almost slim to none.