How much does it cost to have a Rolex service for my watch and how often should my Rolex be serviced?
Wearing a Rolex wristwatch offers numerous advantages, but to keep your watch in its best shape, you will need to take proper care of your watches, which includes getting them serviced when necessary.
Rolex recommends servicing their watches at least every ten years.
So, how much does it cost?
Rolex servicing cost is typically around $800, while a complete rebuild can cost you $600 to $1,000 and will vary depending on the type of service required, the Rolex model, and the condition of your timepiece.
So to be more prepared for your Rolex service, read our detailed guide below to learn more about the process.
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How Often Should You Service Your Rolex? 3 Different Scenarios
Every once in a while, all luxury timepieces need servicing to ensure their accuracy, precision, and overall performance.
And regular servicing is our obligation as Rolex owners.
While the official Rolex team’s recommended interval for watch servicing is 10 years, this may vary depending on different conditions, including the age of your luxury watch.
- If your Rolex is new, chances are, there is no need for servicing a Rolex watch yet.
All you need to do is to ensure that your timepiece is in its pristine condition.
But if it’s worn daily and continuously exposed to a not-so-friendly environment, you might consider visiting a Rolex service center if necessary.
- If your Rolex is between 7 to 10 years old, paying a visit to a local Rolex service center for a maintenance check might be beneficial, regardless of whether it’s functioning as expected or not.
- If you have a vintage Rolex (30 years or more), it is much better to ask your local watchmaker or some of the nearest authorized service centers to know when is the appropriate time to service your watch.
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The rule of thumb here is you shouldn’t service a vintage Rolex that’s working fine unless certain components or parts of your timepiece are disabled or do not work anymore.
Rolex Service Cost: Main Factors
The model, type of movement, watch case, and watch condition are all crucial factors in determining Rolex service costs.
Usually, before every service, your trusted independent watchmaker or official Rolex service personnel will tell you the repair estimates or exact price you need to pay after they evaluate the condition of your Rolex watch.
In general, a complete service costs around $600 to $1,000.
But this may also change if you choose to bring your Rolex timepiece to independent watchmakers or a local AD (Authorized Dealer).
Condition
The condition of the watch is the first thing watchmaker looks at upon checking your Rolex piece.
As a general rule, if your watch is relatively new (7 to 10 years old), it is safe to say that its movement runs better than vintage Rolex.
However, if your watch is extensively worn, receives occasional bumps, or is occasionally submerged in water, the service cost might be a lot higher due to the work that must be done and the new Rolex parts needed to recalibrate the watch’s movement.
Besides the inner workings, the case of your watch will also be polished, which can add to the service price, but this is optional.
Moreover, the overall cost will also be affected if you have a vintage piece that requires new replacement parts that are needed to be recreated from scratch.
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Model And Case Material
The model and case material of the watch can also affect the service cost.
Even if your watches have the same movement and are made from genuine Rolex parts, some Rolex models can cost you more than others, and this is because professional Rolex watches need more work in servicing compared to simpler classic timepieces.
For example, Rolex Submariner Date and Rolex Air-King are more expensive than Oyster Perpetual.
Moreover, you must also know that the service price for watches made from precious metals like gold or platinum is higher than models made from stainless steel.
Movement
As we all know, not all Rolexes have the same movement.
Some have simple watch movements, while others have more complicated watch calibers, thus making the service price of these watches different.
And naturally, as the movement becomes more complex, the service cost becomes higher too.
Rolex watches with simple movements include:
- Cellini Time
- Oyster Perpetual
- Explorer
- Air-King
- Submariner
- Milgauss
These watches have a simple three-hand design, indicating only the hours, minutes, and seconds. They are also considered some of the most affordable Rolex watches.
Rolex watches with moderately complex movements include:
- Cellini Date
- Submariner Date
- Sea-Dweller
- Datejust
Besides their practical function of telling time, these watches have other features, such as telling the date of the day.
Rolex watches with more complicated movements include:
- Cellini Dual Time
- GMT-Master II
- Day-Date
- Explorer II
Watches with these movements have two more functions besides practical timekeeping, such as telling the day of the week, another time zone display, and others.
The most complicated Rolex movements are found in:
- Cellini Moonphase
- Cosmograph Daytona
- Sky-Dweller
- Yacht-Master II
These four Rolex lines are the most complicated watches made by the brand.
In fact, the most complex Rolex timepiece is the Sky-Dweller, which features a dual time zone, an instantaneous annual calendar, and more.
The Servicing Process: What Does A Rolex Service Include
Now that we have a general idea of how often we should visit the service centre and how much does it cost to fix or do a full service, it is now the time to answer the question, what does a Rolex servicing consist of?
Assessment Of The Watch
First is the assessment of the watch.
Expert watchmakers carefully examine the Rolex piece before they make repair estimates. After the assessment is done and approved, the watch servicing begins.
Preparation For Servicing
In this stage, the bracelet is detached from the watch’s lugs to access the case and extract the movement.
The movement, case, and bracelet will follow different paths during servicing before the watchmaker reassembles them again at the end of the process.
Dismantling Of Movements
After the movement is completely dismantled, all its components are meticulously examined and tested.
Any parts that no longer meet Rolex’s standard requirements are replaced to ensure the accuracy and precision of the movement.
This process may take time. And the specific model of the Rolex watch can affect the duration of this stage.
Cleaning Components
At this stage, all of the parts of the Rolex watch are sanitized through an ultrasonic bath to ensure its cleanliness and remove all traces of impurities.
Cleaning of watch parts includes the case, sapphire crystal, hands, or even the smallest part of the movement.
Assembly And Lubrication
Once the parts of the Rolex watch are cleaned and dried, the watch movement is reassembled and lubricated using a special oil.
This particular stage is also where the watchmaker performs initial adjustments to improve the accuracy of the caliber.
- Refinishing case and bracelet: The case, bezel, caseback, and bracelet are re-polished or refinished to achieve the aesthetic specifications of the original design of the Rolex watch. These intricate procedures require exceptional care and skills to make the job done.
- Case assembly: After refinishing the case, its parts are reassembled, and new seals are placed. After this, it will undergo waterproof testing.
- Casing of the movement: After the hands and dial are refitted with the movement, all of them are put back into the case once the watchmaker performs strict technical and aesthetic inspections of all these components.
- Precision test: Once the movement is enclosed within the case, the watchmaker re-evaluates its chronometric precision and power reserve, making any final adjustments needed to ensure it aligns with Rolex’s standard.
Waterproofness Test
After ensuring the watch’s precision through specific tests, the next stage is where your timepiece is pressure-tested in a water tank to check its waterproofness.
After this, the bracelet will be reattached to the lugs and watch case.
Final Control
In this last stage, your watch is now prepared for a final inspection, during which the watchmaker ensures that the timepiece is functioning flawlessly and that its aesthetic appearance is good as new.
Soon after this, your Rolex will be ready for release with an international two-year service guarantee.
Where to Service Your Rolex
To get your Rolex watch serviced, you can head to a local independent watchmaker or the official Rolex Service center, the latter of which we strongly recommend.
Rolex Servicing – FAQ
Yes. When your watch is serviced in an official Rolex service center, it will be re-polished to make it look new again.
Yes, an automatic Rolex watch may stop working if you don’t wear it enough or do not manually wind it.
Yes. You can send your Rolex watch for service to the nearest service center for them to inspect, maintain, and repair your watches.
It typically takes 4 to 6 weeks for a Rolex service to be completed.
Rolex Servicing – Conclusion
And that’s it. We’re done!
Those are all the things you need to know about servicing your Rolex watch, from its cost, service intervals, and the procedures done by Rolex watchmakers.
We hope that this guide helps you to learn more about servicing Rolex watches.
Now, you might also want to check some of the best watch repair tool kits that you can use for changing the strap and simple self-maintenance jobs for your Rolex watches.
And if you have questions, comments, and inquiries, feel free to leave a message below!
