It’s become a bit of a trope at this point: someone posts a picture of an old beat-up Rolex online, asks a group of watch nerds what to do to maintain it, and a chorus of comments says “Whatever you do, don’t send it to Rolex; they’ll replace everything!” I always chime in to say that Rolex Service Centers are actually perfectly friendly to vintage watches–they provide itemized work orders before they start, and they won’t polish the watch if you ask them not to. They do good work, and they’ll service any vintage Rolex they have parts for–but parts for watches from the 1960’s and earlier are becoming scarcer and scarcer. Based on a letter we’ve seen from Rolex Canada, though, Rolex is planning to improve their ability to service older Rolexes by 2026. Here’s what we know.
What’s Changing About Rolex Service?
Based on the letter shown above, Rolex plans to make more of their older watches serviceable by 2026. I assume they’re improving their ability to fabricate extinct parts on an as-needed basis, but you can draw your own conclusions from this quote:
Your watch belongs to a special category of watches that require a specialized service that we are unable to perform at this time. We anticipate the service to become available within the next two years, at which time the watch can be reassessed.
Rolex Canada After Sales Service, 4/4/2024
For context, the watch in question was a simple 1960’s Oysterdate…so we’re not talking about some rare Rolex like an obscure chronograph or something. It’s about as basic as a Rolex gets. I can only assume that “special category” really means “very old.” Although Rolex already can service almost any watch, that ability is limited to their exclusive Restoration Atelier in Geneva. Usually when most old watches turn up at Rolex Service Centers, if it needs a part they don’t have, it’s game over. Hopefully that’s changing.
What’s the Age Cutoff for a Rolex to be Serviced at RSC?
As it stands now, basically, watches older than 1965ish are iffy when it comes to Rolex service. Watches with 1500 caliber movements seem to be the oldest ones Rolex Service Centers will work on, and even those might be rejected depending on what parts they need.
What is the Rolex Restoration Atelier?
The Rolex Restoration Atelier, formerly known as the Heritage Department, has been operating since at least 2009. They restore exceptional watches like rare Submariners and GMT’s, and they’ll even fabricate parts if they have to. Somewhat controversially, they even once made a new red-triangle service bezel insert for an old Sub. Vintage purists may think of it as “muddying the waters” but I think it’s pretty cool that Rolex can restore just about anything.
The problem is, the price. Some Restoration Atelier bills can easily reach into the five-figure range! You wouldn’t send them a basic 5500 Air-King model to work on, for example, because the service would cost more than the watch is worth–and it probably wouldn’t be “special” enough for them to even work on anyway. They just don’t have the manpower at the Atelier in Geneva to fix up every beaten-up old Rolex in the world. Beefing up the ability for regular Rolex Service Centers to handle older pieces would be a welcome development.
Why is Rolex Doing This?
Rolex catches a lot of flak for their vintage servicing, and most of it is undeserved. Let me drill down on the “they’ll replace everything” trope for a minute: Rolex used to replace lots of parts, like the dial and hands, without notice. But that was like 20+ years ago–when customers wanted their watches to look brand new and the word “unpolished” hadn’t even been invented yet. Giving away brand new service parts free of charge wasn’t some nefarious master plan; Rolex was just giving customers what they wanted. Today, customer tastes have changed. People largely want to keep their watches original, and Rolex understands that. I mean, they’re not morons.
I suspect that Rolex is very aware that “don’t send vintage to Rolex” has (in my opinion, wrongly) become conventional wisdom for watch nerds, and they want to put that to bed once and for all. Plus, if Rolex wants to move upscale (which it seems like they do), they probably don’t want people to have the impression that Rolexes only last 60 years and can’t be passed onto the “next generation” like, say, a Patek Philippe can. This news from Rolex Canada seems like a big step in the right direction for Rolex service, and I look forward to sending in some old beaten-up pieces in 2026.
More on Rolex:
What is the Price of a Rolex Daytona in 2024?
Platinum Rolex Watch Prices: A Collector’s Guide
Slate OmbrĂ© Dial for Rolex Day-Date 40 Unveiled for the ’24 Oscars
2024 Off-Catalog Rolex Models Revealed Via Swiss Design Patents
A Complete Guide to Purple Rolex Dials
