Comparison on watch service charges in Hong Kong

Richard Mille RM11-Ti ($1.7m) complete service $28,500, 3 months 2019. Pacific Place boutique

Roger Dubuis MuchMore Perpetual Calendar yellow gold ($300,000) Complete service $19,000 (original price was $30,000, but I negotiated with the HK general manager and he gave me a special discount. 3 months 2018.Pacific Place Boutique

Patek Philippe Nautilus White gold 3800/1a ($1.5M) complete service $10,250, 4 months 2020, Peninsular Patek service centre

Vacheron Constantin Tourbillon solid yellow gold watch ($350,000) complete service $32,000 4 months 2020, 1881 Boutique

IWC Pilot Perpetual Calendar 34mm white gold ($320,000) service on time adjustment under warranty, Free of charge, 2019, IFC boutique

Rolex Daytona 16528 yellow gold ($340,000) complete service including spring bar1 pair and complete service $9,970, 3 months, Jardines house 14/F

JLC Reverso rose gold ($200,000) complete service $9000, 3 months 2020. Prince Building Boutique Central.

Hublot King Power ($230,000) complete service, estimated $5,000 under quotation stage, this week. IFC boutique.

Roger Dubuis Diver White gold ($200,000) complete service estimated $15,000 under quotation confirmation, last week. IFC boutique.

Comment on service

I think all carry good quality service, especially Patek Philippe, they are so professional, the staff is so friendly

Rolex is the lowest in price, people commented Rolex is not so good but I think they are having a standard charging scheme and super reasonable

These are all my beloved watches and they all carry good service. I almost forget to give Seiko service  another thumbs up! As even as small amount as HKD$400 of watch bracelet I ordered, they called me and told me where to pay deposit and will advise me when the bracelet will be available. very detail and helpful service.

All currency is HK dollar.

Remarks 

(Bracketed highlighted one is the current estimated value of the watch)

Hong Kong Rolex Service Centre

Jardine House (Chinese: 怡和大廈), formerly known as Connaught Centre (康樂大廈), is an office tower in Hong Kong. The building is located at 1 Connaught Place, Central on Hong Kong Island. ... History[edit]. 1st generation Jardine House. This is Where the current Rolex Service Centre is. This picture was likely take in 1970, where the 14/floor of Jardine House was under construction. The building has been standing there for a Central Landmark with Circular window and I think is the building that uses the main wall as the pillar support of the building, as inside has not many pillars such to maximize the floor space. I have been to Rolex Service center twice in my life time. First time was back in 1981 I bought a solid gold vintage lady manual winding Rolex, and I brought it there for restoration.  Another time was I brought a DD 18039 Salmon with a potential watch lover to see if that is authentic... I have traded 400 Rolex but That was the only one time to use the authentication service.

HK Snob

Repairing your Vintage Rolex at Rolex Service Centre

New Policy set–up over the past ten years had been taken places.

By all means to deny vintage Rolex servicing at Rolex Service Centre.

They seem do not like to take care of their products shipped from the door of Rolex Factory…

In my interpretation Rolex is the Last four of the Top Four Brand in Swiss watch…

My Choice of preferred brand

Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Audmars Piguet and Rolex…. 

Patek Philippe can take care of their products shipped out from the factory back to 1880….

In fact you can send any Patek Philippe watch to them, they will do service for you regarding of price. At least they have Intention to maintain the Satisfactory of the watch that had been passing down through generations, but with exception on enamel dial which Patek Claims they have lost that technique many years ago though I doubt as they still making watch with Enamel dial.  Same For Vacheron Constantin, recently the have recalled some of the old vintage watches form 1930 to 1970 and fully restored and selling it into the market at his HK Boutique. Those are beautiful watches Vacheron Constantin made in that Period of time.

 

I had the first Royal Oak Jumbo 39mm in Solid Gold wit S/N 075. I was offered by the AP manager offering a full service for me… Well, that was the first generation Gerald Genta Design Royal oak made in 1972….Can you see the difference?

 

Whereas Rolex is trying to say there is not such parts anymore to your GMT that you bought in 1984? Not even mention watches from 1972 or 1956.

What is Vintage Rolex VR?

1. Anything  beyond year 1989 would likely classified Vintage in the eyes of Rolex (T<25)
2. Model number Ref of 4 digits such as 6542, 6539, 1675, 1655, 1665, 1016, 1019, 1503, 1501, 1803…
    
   So what shall we do about our Vintage Rolex?
   If you want to take these to repair, they will give you a lots of questions or dump all the responsibility to you such as there is no liability in case the dial, hands and are accidentally cracked, lume fallen out, cracked, you have to agree by signing on papers that Rolex will not shoulder those liability before they consider service your watch.
    
   There are no more parts for you on your vintage watch and if there is only the Replacement Dial or hands to be used whilst the original rare and expensive dial hands will be confiscated.  Replacement dial mean the dial that is available on that Model of Watch but of the latest available version, and or dial that had been reworked or restored as replacement purpose… That your Vintage Rolex value would be depreciated.
    
   
   True case
    
   I had a friend who took his non-vintage Day Date Coral Dial Ref 18038 for services, I don’t know what made him doing this and service what. End result was the coral dial was cracked after the servicing…he came home with a heavy heart and sad for weeks
    
   My Friend was though a lucky guy and after 1 year and a half , Rolex called him that they found a Coral Dial asking him if he liked to install on the watch or nor? Of course he has to say “Yes”, then he paid HK$15,000 for the dial and got a Service paper on this Watch…. Congrats, this isa exceptional rare cases my friend!
    
   
   There is recent a case friend of mind took a Submariner Onyx watch for checking and in fact wanted to get the service paper. Note that this is recent watch X series, (1991), the watch smith says that the watch bezel is not Rolex and said that there is no such watch under that S/N carrying the Onyx….
    
   And the lady called my friend saying that Come to get the “GMT master II, what GMT master II?” That is a Submariner… later they confirmed that S/N is actually been installed with Onyx Dial on the watch. Friend of mine asked me should be proceed to open and take out the dial and check, I told my fiend Don’t do that…. As there is 50% they will break your dial, don’t know why, this always happen on certain expensive watch dial, maybe I am too much spook on the paranoid that someone may make it as purpose…coz they may drooling on the dial.
    
   A watch Submariner 16618 with Onyx dial may be US$50,000, a Submariner with ordinary dial is US$20,000!
    
   My friends Day Date 18038 with Coral is now worth US$60,000, if ordinary Day Date is Just US$10,000!
    
   Next time if you really want to take the watch for Rolex for servicing, Please make sure you will prepared not to see the watch coming back as it was before…. You may be getting a new replacement dial from them.
    
   So what should we do with our VR, bring to some private watch expert to repair, they will exercise with utmost care on your watch. And normally minimum damages would be happened on it.

HK Snob

Frustration on the DeepSea Bracelet.

 

 

I am having Haagen Dazs strawberry ice cream with all my windows closed as I recall today’s experience at RSC Hong Kong, where I met a rarely seen beautiful RSC lady staff when I took my one-month-old Deep Sea D-blue to check again whether the bracelet was too loose. Yes, again.

 

The first time I took it there, the watchmaker there claimed that the bracelet was absolutely normal. When I asked of why the bracelet was so loose, the answer was that they were making new bracelets looser as they had received complaints about bracelets being too tight. Super convincing.

 

So, today, I went there again in an attempt to see what other convincing reasons they had.

 

How loose was (is) my bracelet? Take a look at a Rolex bracelet with hollow links and you will understand. I will not describe the whole experience at RSC in detail. The end result was more than predictable. They insisted that the bracelet was in perfect condition. I requested to have the same 98210 bracelet next to mine for comparison and they did exactly that. The 98210 bracelet they gave me for comparison had a much tighter safety clasp and buckle. In other words, it felt much more solid. It felt very much like the bracelet on my black DS - IT FELT MUCH MORE ROLEX.

 

My bracelets on the 116710, 216570 and 116660 black share the same solid feeling – bracelets with solid links. The magical thing was that the staff there claimed that the bracelet for comparison and my D-blue bracelet felt the same. Great.

 

“Could you please understand that each of our bracelets is different. Some may be loose and some may be tight. Whether it is loose or tight is not our concern when inspecting it. The only thing we look at is whether it closes and opens smoothly.” 

 

The video I was watching when I awaited the inspection of my watch was about precision. ROLEX PRECISION. It was about how each Rolex is seriously tested, serviced and how each one conforms of a unified standard.

 

What can you do when today a company tells you that it has a standard and the next it tells you every bracelet is different? You can only look surprised.

 

But let’s get back to the beautiful lady I met there. The staff lady. Or the lady staff. She was the one whom I went to when I checked in my watch. I like her smile and her hairstyle. She was charming, sweet and must have been well-educated. In contrast, the lady staff who told me the bracelet was perfect looked like a witch.

 

Please pardon my shallowness and inexperience. Is Rolex letting go quality lady staff like they let go their quality? Are you satisfied with a loose bracelet on a 3900m diver?

 

“Your bracelet is all ok.” Once, twice, three times……till the end of the world.

 

Perfect customer service. As solid as a Rolex Deep Sea D-blue.

 

Jason L.

HKWF special Watch Columnist…

 

Do you have Spare part Issue for your Rolex? Look For Classic Watch Repair!

From left: Michael, Shing Hey (Dutch Snob) and the poor HK Snob at Classic Watch Repair

A big Screw for the Submariner Oyster Hatch Lock!

Over 300 Dials

Bezel sealed in Vacuum Pack with RFID

Your choice of Silicone Strap, with Rolex Model Number...

Can you see A Rolex Daytona Arab Blue Dial?

I see a Solid Gold Bracelet for your lady's Date just

If you bump into this shop, you will be amazed how come they have so many parts for your Rolex!?

Crown, Bracelets, Links, buckle, leather straps, dial, crystal, O-ring, tools....

Man, it takes you half day to see all...

Some of the part are for sales, and they are genuine stuff from Rolex! Bezels are sealed with Rolex RFIDs. Who could get this from Rolex,?Ask them...

Some of them are Collector's item...

Go to TST MTR D2 Exit Classic Watch Repair Look for Michael Young.
telelphone no. 21511777




HK Snob

Classic Watch Repair, Hong Kong

Rolex DD bracelet for sale

 Rolex Prince watch movement, note the v-grooved cutting design... sleek and beautiful

 

 

Body Check on my Rolex 18039 by Witschi computerized Time checker

 

 



Classic Watch Repair

Do you feel satisfied about the service of watch repair at the service centre in Hong Kong?

Do you feel good waiting that repair for 9 months whilst actually the watch is sitting idle in the store for 8 months and three weeks?

Are you happy with the bill HK$40,000  for “cleaning “ of your Perpetual Calendar watch?

Have you ever noticed that the watch bottom case is not yet tightened when your $62,000 watch was returned you after an overhaul? Well, luckily you did before your next diving!

Have you argued with the clerk at the Service Centre that they claimed that your watch has no record in the Swiss HQs data bank, but after three months they said, Sorry, they found the record!

Nevertheless, in Japan, you can go to Global Works Co. Ltd.

How About Hong Kong? Well, you can go to "Classical Watch Repair".

They do Watch Repair, Overhaul, restore your worn off bracelet, restore the damaged watch case…

Rework on your dial...etc

It comes with a very reasonable price.

More important is they will not confiscate your original patina dial ($100,000) by replacing you a brand new dial of ($3,000)….

Besides, they have a small corners for some of the vintage watches,  brand new watch dial and bracelet for sale.

More important ism they care about you and your watch…

http://www.classicwatchrepair.com/page9.html

 

Address

Unit A, 11/f, 2 Carnavon Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kwoloon,

Hong Kong

 

Tel 21511777

(MTR Exit D2)

 

HK Snob

Rolex Service Centre Makati, Philippines.

This is Rolex Service Centre in the Philippines.

Pictures were taken by my MI6 007 special agent Jacky Kong, sorry I cannot disclose his real identiy or the

RVC security guard will track him. As it is "Bawal" to take Pictures at Rolex Service Centre even you are sitting at the waiting area~~!

Even in the Rolex AD, you are not supposed to take picture on the Rolex on your wrist.

However Jacky found that he was receiving good courtesy service there.

He bought his watch with scratched bezel there for repair.

Even it is still under warranty, Rolex may have to charge him as Rolex can provide warrany on the movement but not scratches or damages on casing due to accident....beware

Rolex Service Centre in Philippines

G/F Corinthian Plaza
121 Paseo de Roxas
Makati City
Metro Manila
Philippines

Tel: +632 811 3029

Fax: +632 811 3030

Mon-Fri: 9:00am - 5:30pm
Sat: 9:00am - 12:00pm

By Special MI6 Agent Jacky Kong

HK Snob

HK Watch Fever


PS I am starting to talk about every RVC in the major cites, who can support us as a Special MI6 agent?