Procedures with AD for replacement parts

[juniorjones]

Has anyone tried to call an AD and ask to order replacement parts? The reason I am asking, is because I want to call a local AD to see about ordering a GEN ceramic bezel for the GMT-II. I don't want to sound clueless when I call so I wanted to see if anyone on this board has ever done this and what the procedures are with an AD. Thanks for your input!

[polexpete]

Don't call, they'll laugh at you.. You will need a gen GMT-II with a cracked or damaged bezel.. They will want serial numbers and will check them out. Rolex don't sell parts for obvious reasons. Never seen one of these up for sale antwhere, rare as rocking horse s*it...

Cheers

P.

[juniorjones]

Don't call, they'll laugh at you.. You will need a gen GMT-II with a cracked or damaged bezel.. They will want serial numbers and will check them out. Rolex don't sell parts for obvious reasons. Never seen one of these up for sale antwhere, rare as rocking horse s*it...

Cheers

P.

Thanks. Thats what I figured, but wanted to confirm.

[USMC8404]

Thanks. Thats what I figured, but wanted to confirm.

Every part requires a one for one exchange basically. I sent my gen Sub LV off for service through an AD and requested to have an extra black bezel ring insert sent back with the watch and they refused.

[juniorjones]

Every part requires a one for one exchange basically. I sent my gen Sub LV off for service through an AD and requested to have an extra black bezel ring insert sent back with the watch and they refused.

That sucks, but I guess thats how they keep it exclusive. I've been searching for a new ceramic bezel and have not had any luck. The aftermarket bezels do not look accurate and the numbers on the bezel seem too thin compared to the gen bezel. I thought I would ask around first with the experts and then go from there.

[TeeJay]

That sucks, but I guess thats how they keep it exclusive. I've been searching for a new ceramic bezel and have not had any luck. The aftermarket bezels do not look accurate and the numbers on the bezel seem too thin compared to the gen bezel. I thought I would ask around first with the experts and then go from there.

That can be partially remedied by using a particular paint to re-fill the numbers, as it then 'optically enlarges' the area. I'm not too sure which paint is used, if it is flat white enamel, or a silver enamel (or even a 50/50 mix of both) but I know folks have reported some success with this little modification

[lanikai]

....

[alligoat]

Gioarmani was the one that was inpainting the ceramic rep bezel- he did a review on the GMTIIc- you might want to search for that. Like Polexpete says, you don't see parts for the GMTIIc for sale on places like ebay basically because it's too new. I'm not even sure if a watchmaker w/ a Rolex parts account could get you a replacement insert, although I guess he could use the story that the customer bumped/hit his watch and the insert popped out- into the ocean/lake/sewer, etc.

But you don't even know if a gen insert would fit in a rep GMTIIc w/o mods.

[gavidoc]

If you have a Gen and a friendly AD that does their own servicing, you can get your original parts back. I do that all the time at my AD with my subs.

[Demsey]

I sent my gen Sub LV off for service through an AD and requested to have an extra black bezel ring insert sent back with the watch and they refused.

OK, this is crazy. I had a rep LV ordered in this configuration from Eddie Lee. In '04. I lived with the watch in that option for a few years, realized I wanted the Lunette Verte version so I ordered one. After a few more years I learned a little more about watches and felt the black insert LV was a 'corruption'. I upgraded both to Watchmaterial.com inserts, both Lunette Verte. I hadn't thought much about the black insert version I had for ages. Then JoJo started this thread;LV Lovers Unite! and I joined in with;

Nothing too special here, '04 TWB. I actually had to wait all through weeks and weeks of "The 50th Anniversary LV is going to be repped! The 50th Anniversary LV is going to be repped! Fat hands and everything! I can't wait!" and "LV, what does LV stand for?" banter before this watch broke into the market. Funny. 'TTK' was the first to come through with a quantity. This one is from Eddie Lee. My oldest replica. It started out life with a black insert, people actually ordered them that way as a POP option. They were termed 'Super Subs' or as Eddie called them' 'Souper Sub'. I lived with it that way until I couldn't stand the ridiculousness of it all. Here after the Watchmaterial insert.

I saw 'USMC8404' 's post here yesterday and thought; hmmmm, that's a coincidence. You don't hear of many people looking for that configuration nowadays. Years ago sure, folk liked the maxi-dial and fat hands but it took a while for people to get accustomed to the green bezel on a Sub. It was considered a little too garish for the watch James Bond put on the map.

Anyhoo, I gave my wife one of those digital picture frames. She has been on me since Mother's Day to drag out ancient back-up discs and fill the frame. Tonight I got around to it. Popped in a disc from '05 and this is the first image in the list;

OK, I know. This is one rung up the ladder of an 'emoticon post', but it's obvious. I'm procrastinating. I really, really, really don't want to spend the evening resizing and uploading family shots onto that frame. I really don't.