I get them serviced every 3-4 years, but it is easy for me to do so. I can get the service done much cheaper than most, but if they are US customers, shipping can add up back and forth.
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Is that from Rolex USA that price? In Switzerland it is about half that price.
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I own a number of watches, but I prefer my Rolex watches over the others as far as wrist time goes. My Sub is extremely versatile with a nato strap, rubber strap and oyster bracelet.

I wear my '73 1655 Explorer II for special occasions. A gift from my dad for graduating. (long before the price skyrocketed :-)) He paid 900 dollars for it in 1981, the year I was born.


And for what it's worth, I don't see Rolex as being a high end timepiece company. (L&S, AP, PP, etc) I see them as a world class marketing firm, who has always stuck by classic, timeless designs when other companies have shifted. (speaking to Omega discontinuing the sword hand Seamaster, and jumbo case sizes, etc)

It's not a status symbol to me. It's a watch. 80% of the time it's tucked under my sleeve in case I need to know what time it is. Let us not forget that 2 ct. diamond engagement rings, tennis bracelets, large gold and platinum rings that people wear on a daily basis. Are they pretentious as well? At very least my jewelry serves a purpose.
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It is my opinion that Rolex is a more "mature" watch. We, in the younger generations, cant really appreciate the status a Rolex used to convey.

I love the look of Tags and Breit. That being said, if you want a watch that will be in style 30 years from now, and one that you could pass down to your son or grand son, I would go for the Rolex.

My uncle has one that he purchased 30 years ago and wears it every day. It still looks brand new.

He told me a story once about going out on a fishing charter with this guy from Texas. The guy said to him, (in southern drawl)
"Hey Jerry, what time you got?"
Jerry- "10:45"
Texan-"funny, your Rolex got the same time as my Timex :-):-):-)"
Jerry- "yeah, but when was the last time your Timex got you laid?"
laughter stopped
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:-)

Mine is over 16 years old and still looks new.
In fact, a few weeks ago, Customs made me turn over my wrist and take it off as they didn't believe I hadn't just bought it and didn't declare it.
Once or twice a week, I clean it with soap and water and it shines like the day it was first polished.
Sometimes I just shower with it and accomplish the same.
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I had heard it Rolex USA does the service that it is a complete overhaul...and will run about $1000+
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A standard maintenance at RSC in Dallas costs between 300-400 dollars. Often times this is an internal service/cleaning, bracelet polish, and case polish.

Assuming something is obviously broken, other charges may be added to the bill. The watch always comes back looking as it did day one though, which is pretty cool. My sub is a '91 and has never been serviced. Still easily within COSC specs as well. (gains about a minute per month)
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On point.
Mine cost me over $600 a few years ago as I chose to replace the hands.
Normal service is in fact in that $300 to $400.
While they recommend it every five years, bs to that. Mine went out after ten. My wife's is now going on 14 and runs just fine so why mess with it?
What does suck is it takes nearly a month to get it back.
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I don't think any case or bracelet polish at that price would include disassembly of each part then polished/brushed. They use that eraser tool to buff out scratches as they see them or a wheel and do the whole watch which is not ideal. Most highend watches have a combo of brushed and polished surfaces that need diffferent methods.

When we service watches, they are adjusted to 7 positions and we'll send the ticker tape with the watch too. How are you measuring your accuracy? One minute a month on an unserviced watch like that does not sound correct. My cousin's old apartment was 100 meters from COSC head quarters. There's always a few nice cars parked out front.

I have serious doubts with how much they really disassemble the movements at a place like RSC. I am not calling them out, but I know the labor it takes to disassemble a whole movement, clean the parts, fix what may've broke, assemble the watch, test & adjust, then re-test and adjust. Then again, we charge less than $300, but we can't take on too much business and have no overhead. Our watchsmith has his own clients, mostly LVHM, Swatch, and Richemont when they can't fix their own models or ran out parts and new ones have to be made from scratch.
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It was just shy of $400 6 years ago for me for just the service part.
The rest was for replacement parts.
They too dismantle it totally. I know this from a friend of mine worked at the Rolex facility on Madison Ave, where they all go.
Watch came back as new. They polished the brushed and the shiny part also.
They remove all components, clean, change seal on crown, etc.
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The oils alone cost the watch repair guy up to $300 a vile and there up to five different oils used depending on the model.

Each Rolex part is hand made versus machine poured except for the bands.

A basic service fee without waterproofing is between $300-$400.

Also check the repairman's Rolex certification, or American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute (AWCI) cert if they don't have at least one of these walk-away.
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Moses,

I'm well aware you're a WIS, so I'll refrain from arguing with you about RSC's service. My watch gains roughly 2.something seconds a day which by my standards is well within COSC specs. (Average daily rate: -4/+6)

As far as I'm aware, RSC will always open the case, inspect and regulate the movement, and will contact you regarding any absolutely necessary service to internal components. I declined having a newer super luminova dial and hands changed on mine. (as my tritium is long gone)

They do an excellent, and I mean absolutely outstanding job on the bracelet and case. So much so, that I would never hesitate to send my Sub back to them. My 1655 on the other hand is not repairable my RSC. It would have to go to Switzerland from what I've been told, and replacement parts would hurt the value of the watch.
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Totally agree.
Well worth the trouble of sending to NY via certified mail.
I personally will only send to them.
Not everyday I can buy a $7-8K watch. So when service needed, I go straight to the source.
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I think the back has to come off the measure accuracy, but I could be wrong... I thought I saw a machine that could measure the vibrations with case back on it.

We are not really in the watch repair business (not sure what WIS stands for). Many of the shops we use to build components are the same shops that build parts for many high end watch manufacturers. Just about everyone in Biel is in the watch manufacturing business in some capacity.

I know the watches after they have been brushed/polished look like new. Just saying there's different levels of refinishing and few need a total disassembly of bracelet. Just think of disassembling every link and pin in your bracelet. Securing each link under microscope and hand filing or buffing... Much different that using the scratch eraser tool (which I suggest to anyone to fix a scratch on their own watch). We do a lot of assembly under microscope.

I had super luminova or tritium (the one I have now is green) done to my IWC last September. It was painted on hands & 15 minute markers. It would take a long time to paint each number and not worth it. The mortar used to mix the luminova glows in the dark from so many applications!

I've seen him put 8+ hours labor into fabricating one sprocket! Talk about expensive
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We are getting a Submariner that a client wants PVD coated black. I think it will look awesome. We are leaving the case back plain as well as the bezel. We may PVD coat the swing mass.

Do you think the crown should be PVD coated too? I am on the fense about that. I think the contrast with the bezel will make it look cool.
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Rolex Service Center will often times pull a part and replace it with a new one (at your discretion ofcourse) and keep the old part for refurbish purposes.

And WIS (watch idiot savant) :-) :-)
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I hear you on that. Before I was involved with this kind of stuff in Switzerland, I sent my watches to the US official repair places. I get sketched out still when I mail watches to CH or am expecting them from there. Luckily we ship a lot of machined parts and I can just slip the watch box in along with those parts.

Sometimes we can watched overhauled in just a day's notice, but we are lower on the totem pole than the big guys when they need our watchsmith's service.
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Factoid: Only three sprockets are needed to create a watch
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Moses,

For your reading pleasure. This article completely sums up the type of service that has come to be expected from Rolex.

http://www.rolexreferencepage.com/service.html

I'm almost 100% certain that bracelet was disassembled and either replacement links were included or the links were completely overhauled. Unfortunately there are no before pictures but check out the price tag on the regulation (as well as second trip back to them not even a week later for a closer look at the movement)
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Longines is a brand I haven't seen mentioned, I'd check them out too
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