All You Need to Know about Servicing Your Rolex

Just like your car is designed to be driven daily, a Rolex watch is designed to be used on a continual basis. And just like your car's engine may need oil changes and some maintenance to keep it moving, your Rolex’s movement will need to be serviced throughout its life to ensure that it stays running and keeps proper time. 

When:

A common question Rolex owners ask is “when should I get my Rolex serviced?”. When to service your watch will depend on a few factors such as its age, amount of use, service history, etc. Typically, Rolexes that are under 7-10 years old do not need to be serviced.  Rolexes that are over 10 years old should receive a full overhaul of the movement. After that, Rolex recommends that you service your timepiece every 10 years. Obviously, the exception to all this would be if your watch is not functioning properly or if it’s been damaged.

Photo from beckertime.com

Why:

Fully servicing your watch will ensure that it keeps accurate time and all aspects of the watch will function as intended by Rolex. Over time, the lubricants in a movement will eventually dry out. This leads to increased friction within the movement that may result in poor performance.  A service begins with disassembling the movement and cleaning all its parts. Once cleaned, the movement will be reassembled and its parts will be lubricated. New gaskets will be installed to ensure that it’s waterproof and its timekeeping will be checked to make sure it's within COSC or Rolexes standards.

Photo from Bobswatches.com

Where:

Where to send your watch is a matter of personal preference. One option is to send your watch to a Rolex service center or an authorized Rolex service center of your choice. A second option is to send your watch to a certified watchmaker or shop that specializes in the servicing and restoration of timepieces. We’ve personally had a great experience with the service of our Rolex Submariner at Rolliworks in Campbell, California.

Written by Patrick Bernardez