Going to my local Rolex AD is not usually a good experiance and I was reminded last week why.
I needed a couple of "old " spring bars (24x2x1.2), I rang them and they said they had them. Into the shop I go (Perth city , Western Australia ). On arrival the pleasant lady hasnt a clue, fortunately the young man I had spoken to comes back from lunch, he eventually finds 2 spring bars. I cough up $30 , the man/boy says they are genuine Rolex !

Conversation ensues and I ask him about a couple of new bracelets , I mention they are for a Gilt 5513 and a 1665 DRSD, he can find no reference to these watches. I then ask if I can order them.
NO, we have to see the watches first. I say ok I can bring them in for you to sight, he then tells me they will be sent to Melbourne 2500k's away to ascertain their suitability for the bracelets to be fitted !!
I said that I was not happy with $80k of my watches in the post. My rejoinder was, as you are an AD, cannot you verify the watches, answer no, apparently Rolex do not trust their own AD's !
So this was not going to happen.

So my question is has anyone used a Uncle Seiko BOR bracelet and fettled the end links to fit Rolex cases ?
If so which US bracelet and associated end links did you use ?
I did ask Uncle Seiko , they did not know.

I can almost feel the purists squirming but if Rolex don't want my money I will solve it myself.
Thanks in advance for anyone brave enough to reply.

 

A few days ago on one of Forstner's Instagram posts (re their replica rivet bracelet) someone requested a rivet bracelet for the vintage Tudor sub (which will have the same case as a similar era Rolex Sub). Forstner replied that they currently had their flat link speedy bracelet on a Tudor Sub. That made me think that any speedy end links should also fit a Sub case. I tried with my 633 end links, but they're very tight on my old 145.022 case and were too tight to fit my Tudor sub case without more force than I wanted to apply. A little filing down and they may have fit, but I wasn't willing to do it.
Could be worth looking into.

 

A few weeks back (near wife’s birthday) I stopped by an Omega AD wearing my SS 321B, and decided while I was there to have the sizing tweaked.

The watch went into the back where the “watchmaker” was, and came back resized but with the salesperson gently asking whether I was certain it was a genuine Omega.

This AD hadn’t seen or, apparently, heard of the SS 321.

As I was being questioned and trying on the resized watch, the bracelet unfastened at the pin improperly fastened and fell the 12” to the padded jewelers platter.

These ADs are built for the average customer.

 

This reminds me of a funny experience I had here in Los Angeles. I was in a jewellery shop which is a respected local AD for Rolex, Omega, Tag, etc. I needed a Rolex watch bracelet adjusted and I was wearing a Speedmaster Speediorite on my wrist. For this errand, I went to the 'Rolex counter' in the shop and spoke, presumably, with the 'Rolex Specialist'. I removed the speedy in order to put on the other watch and mentioned to the guy at the counter that the dial was made of meteorite. He responded with a puzzled look and said "But...they told us in Rolex School that only Rolex makes watches with meteorite dials." I smiled and didn't challenge him, other than saying "Apparently not". I probably should have suggested that he google "invicta meteorite" sometime.

 

Have you considered period-correct bracelets?

 

Try calling the Rolex service center and inquire if the bracelet is available. They won't sell it to you but you may be able to get price and maybe item number to give to your AD to order for you.

 

Post your question on TRF in the vintage discussion and you will probably get an answer in a couple hours.

 

They do appear to be experts at removing money from the OP's wallet. $30 for 2 spring bars, that he drove to pick up? Holy feck!

 

genuine Rolex!

 

But they are genuine ROLEX spring bars, made only for ROLEX, sold only in a ROLEX boutique, and only for use on a ROLEX....


ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX

 

You forgot to mention that Rolex forges the spring bars in their own foundry. The OP was lucky. He didn’t say anything about being put on the spring bar waiting list or having to first buy other Rolex spring bars that he didn’t want.

 

I thought the $2 Swiss spring bars from Ofrei were expensive! I was doing the math to put new bars on my watches....I can get a whole Bulova for that!

 

Thanks for this info, needless to say I will not be using their services ever.
There is a independant Rolex trained watchmaker in Perth (Watchwise) the AD's will not mention him. Out of curiosity I asked the AD in Subiaco about him , they claimed no knowledge of him !
You don't want to hear the BS the charming lady assistant gave me about lack of stock, it sounded like rehearsed official Rolex BS. It painted Rolex in a saintly light something about protecting their watchmakers from C19.

 

I now realize this is some wrestling personality...initially I thought it was a televangelist of some kind...

 

It is both. Correct on both counts.

 

Okay - I got lucky, because I don't follow either!