Omega Aqua Terra
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If you send your Milgauss to a Rolex Service Center and the lume isnât right, theyâll want to replace the deficient parts, definitely.
For Rolex there is almost no such thing as âroutine service.â They review the watch and want to attend to what it needs, which varies from piece to piece.
I would not hesitate to do this with a 10 yr old Milgauss. Itâs not a rare vintage piece where changing out parts diminishes its value significantly. To the contrary, Iâd like it returned to as-new condition.
I would. Not from an âinvestmentâ pov, but it would cease to be my watch. I never really look at return value.
Especially since thereâs no guarantee it will even be replaced with a like for like part (although with a 10y old one I appreciate thatâs probably more of a theoretical issue).
With true vintage pieces, one must look at value. Sending a 50 yr old Submariner to a Rolex Service Center and ending up with replacement hands or a service dial destroys 10âs of thousands of dollars/quid.
The âceases to be my watchâ is a bit of a Triggerâs Broom issue. I can appreciate the sentiment.
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One âmustâ nothing IMO. I personally wouldnât send one in, but I also never look at their resale value. I own watches because I like them. With my vintage pieces originality is part of their appeal (of course also their value, but I tend not to look / think about that).
To each their own, but I find it a shame if people look at value first. It should be a secondary motivation at best.
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Fortunately, the watch is still keeping good time (it consistently gains a minute a week, and has done so from new), so I have no need to send it off for servicing. Brighton has some very good jewellers in The Lanes, so I will take the watch to Caius Shepherd (I kid you not) of Grains Of Gold to check it over for me soon.
I know him pretty well, as he has done work for me, so I will be guided by him if he advises that the watch should go back to Rolex.
Itâs a very odd attitude. I can that some owners want their watch to look like new but if I had a 50 year old Sub I wouldnât let them near it.
Iâd hate to see the Rolex Service team in charge of a museum or an art gallery.
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In my experience, Rolex Authorised Dealers make clear in advance what level of work (including replacing parts) they intend to undertake, so (I hope) that the owner will always know what will happen to his/her watch.
Thatâs precisely why I wouldnât send my watch to Rolex for service - unless I had NO option at all.
On other more watch orientated forums Iâve heard a few horror stories. Sending a beloved heirloom off that was full of character. Only for it to return fully polished etc.
But as you say, hopefully that make it clear what they will do
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It is rather extraordinary how attached many people become to their watches - and I donât exclude myself.
Unfortunately thatâs what Iâll be facing when the time comes. Various parts of the 4130 movement arenât made available to independent service centres, so that is that.
Lovely watch, stands out over the modern Rolexes.
Better get saving!
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Iâd yearned for an old Pepsi GMT for quite a while. Iâd only seen them in photos on the internet, never in a shop. And then I tried one on in Miltonâs, Chester.
I looked at my wife, she looked at me, and we agreed that it didnât look right on my wrist. A lovely looking watch, with real character, but it wasnât to be.
I asked if they had a stainless Daytona with black face that I could try, and they had two. I put the first one on, and my wife said straight away that there was no point trying on anything else.
That was in November 2013 and it was just under list price for a one year old example. Even now, since prices have started to correct themselves, itâs still worth more. Hopefully staying with me til I pop me clogs.
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I believe that the Daytona is one of the most difficult-to-source Rolex watches, and therefore attracts a premium price from collectors desperate to acquire one for their âcollectionâ.
Paul Newman wore one (and he may even have been the inspiration for the model, from his racetrack exploits), and I think that his own watch sold for a massive price not so long ago.
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Yes, I believe THE Newman Daytona went for $18m or so.
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Gracious, I imagine that mine is likely to attract a vast price too!!!
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Agree! Which is why the very standard advice has been NOT to let a Rolex Service Center touch a âvintageâ piece and, instead, to use a well-qualified independent. Fortunately there are many many well-qualified watchmakers in almost all parts of the world who have experience with Rolex watches and know how to access the appropriate replacement parts.
If a 50 yr old Sub needs a dial . . . there are choices the owner needs to make. The problem with using the Rolex Service Center is that they often fail to give the owner a choice; dials get changed with no recourse. It sounds crazy; it IS crazy; but it is what it is.
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