Xref: utzoo comp.sys.mac:46549 misc.forsale:11069 talk.bizarre:42927 alt.flame:14260
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!osu-20.ircc.ohio-state.edu!arnie
From: ARNIE@osu-20.ircc.ohio-state.edu (ARNIE SKUROW)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac,misc.forsale,talk.bizarre,alt.flame
Subject: Re: Rolex watch for sale
Message-ID: <12559198238007@osu-20.ircc.ohio-state.edu>
Date: 18 Jan 90 12:56:25 GMT
References: <1990Jan16.144158.29649@ddsw1.MCS.COM> <7606@cs.utexas.edu> <24886@gryphon.COM>
Sender: news@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu
Followup-To: comp.sys.mac
Organization: The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
Lines: 45

"Biff" writes that he has always wanted a Rolex watch.  They are real neat
and he hears they are real accurate."

I'll dispute that.  I have a Rolex GMT Master that I purchased as a graduation
present to myself in 1965.  From the day I took it out of the jewelry shop it
gained 1 to 2 minutes per day, even though it had a fancy chronometer 
certification certificate.

I took it back to the jeweler during the first month and had it adjusted 
rather than demand a new watch.  It came back from the jeweler adjusted in
the opposite direction; it would lose 30 to 60 seconds per day.  Not very
good when considering Rolex's hype about their superlative chronometers.

This back and forth to the dealer took place for the next six months.  The
accuracy never was brought into the few seconds per day accuracy claimed 
by Rolex.

After six months I gave up on it and accepted the inaccuracy.  In 1967, while
on a trip to Geneva, I called the Rolex factory and spoke with their service
director, explaining my problem with the watch.  He arranged a car to pick
me up at my hotel and bring me to their factory in the heart of Geneva where
I surrendered the watch for a complete overhaul at no charge.  I was also
given a discount coupon for one Rolex watch so I would not be without a 
watch.  I purchased a plain, stainless steel Rolex Oyster watch which required
daily winding.  This watch kept the claimed accuracy of a Rolex Chronometer
without being a chronometer.

I got my watch back from Rolex some 3 months later and the daily inaccuracy
was reduced to 20 seconds average.  Still unsatisfactory.

Over the ensuing years the date wheel came off its attachments several times.
I'd take it to a local dealer who would screw it up even more.  Rolex has a
policy that if an authorized Rolex dealer services a Rolex watch and does it
incorrectly, they will repair it free.  

My particular Rolex GMT Master has been back to Rolex U.S.A. in New York
on several occasions after fruitless attempts by local dealers to make it
right.  The date wheel popped off its morings around 18 months ago and I
finally quit worrying about that feature.  Two months ago the crown backed
off so I couldn't set the time.  The watch has been sitting every since
then.  I've gone back to wearing my Casio G Shock watch that I purchased for
~$35 and it hasn't lost one minute's time in the year and a half it's been
stored in a drawer.

Arnie Skurow