My older brother Scotty bought this SS Daytona Ref 116520 when his youngest son, my nephew Zac was born in 2005, its a D series stainless black dial. Scott owns a high end Seafood and Steak restaurant and bar on the Gold Coast called Shuck (www.shuck.com.au www.facebook.com/shuckbar) and in 7 years of working every day there, carting around steel kegs, bar stools, tables, chairs, cutlery and dishes this watch has never come off. Literally he'd wear it in salt water at the beach, shower with it, do the yard, work on the house, you name it, and the Daytona went along with the ride.
Well finally the Daytona's movement is shot, even when fully wound it just stops until you give it a hard shake (tapping isn't enough) so its going off for its first ever service at RSC, but since so many of these SS Daytonas are safe queens, or kept with their plastic on, I figured I'd take a few shots to show you guys what a Rolex Daytona looks like when its used as a true tool watch, as its intended.

In addition to the movement failing, the clasp no longer stays shut, the bracelet has severe stretch, everything is caked with scum, corrosion and cigarette ash, the crystal is chipped and scratched in multiple places, bezel dented, the polished center links (and the whole bracelet looks like its been dragged over concrete.)

 

Get him a Citizen and take it off his hands.

 

He loves that watch more than you could imagine, it never comes off because its like a part of him lol

I'm actually pretty impressed by it all, I HATE modern Rolex tool watches getting babied

 

Scotty's Daytona in its natural habitat (a bar)

 

Really its going to need a LOT of polishing, the bezel can probably be salvaged as can the bracelet, and RSC is required to do all that polishing and cleaning as part of the normal fee, even if it is going to take a LOT of work. The crystal needs changing, its got too many chips and scratches, so that's a few hundred. The movement is a big question, if its a mainspring or something that's caused it to stop its not too bad. If its rust throughout, it could be a big problem

 

Couple more shots showing the bracelet lol

 

Well, got the quote from RSC, $1,305 AUD for the full service, including a sapphire crystal as the one on it was stuffed (required replacement). The bezel and crown were on the optional list at $495 for the pair, $195 for the crown, $300 for the bezel, both of which I declined. Should be done in 8 weeks.

 

They'll polish it up as best they can as part of the service

 

Which should mean it will look pretty good

 

I might go all the way with this one and spring for the crown and bezel replacement - that way your brother will end up with a pretty new watch to last him at least the next 7 years. Over that period of time, a $2000 repair bill comes out to roughly $25 a month for the privilege of wearing a high end watch - a pretty good deal.

 

Indeed, at least in this case RSC are earning their $1,305

 

As the thread is over 2 years old he has long since gotten the watch back from service.