Quick question

[dukerules]

I've finally decided my 1665 is going to stick around for a while and I'm getting it appraised for insurance purposes.
There is only one local watch dealer who does appraisals around here. Anyway, they obviously want to open the case to check the movement before certifying it as a genuine Rolex. This is not a Rolex dealer, and I honestly have no idea how good the watchmaker is, or what tools he would use to open it up (don't know if he has a Rolex caseback opener or some other tool). Would you have any reservations about letting him open it up?

[1954Selmer]

Would I have reservations? Fuck Yes, because someone pissed in cereal in similar situation. I would present those great questions to the watchmaker, because God knows they are not created equal....

[dukerules]

Yeah, the problem is, the watchmaker is only on the premises occasionally. I'm supposed to meet him with the watch in a couple of weeks. I guess I could assess the situation then. Has anyone ever had or heard of a caseback opening go south?

[Ryeguy]

My opinion is, if it is worth putting the watch on an insurance rider, then it is worth having the appraisal done by a Rolex expert who has the proper tools and experience to do the job right.

I would want to know the watchmaker's credentials and assurance on having the proper tools. I would think the insurance company would also want to know the credentials of the inspector as otherwise how could they trust the appraisal?

I would also have strong evidence of the condition of my watch prior to the inspection so if it was damaged I would have recourse. (It goes without saying I would want to make certain the shop was insured in the event of unexpected damage).

[jimyritz]

Yes....Can you have Rolex certify it or a Rolex dealer and then can he work off that documentation? It might take longer but maybe worth not taking that risk..

[BBK357]

It's hard to find someone appraise vintage.
I've thought about this for my tudor but I have no clue who can actually assess it properly.

[marchone]

How about an established vintage Rolex dealer like HQ Milton or SWDavid? Do they offer the service?

[JBZ]

My opinion is, if it is worth putting the watch on an insurance rider, then it is worth having the appraisal done by a Rolex expert who has the proper tools and experience to do the job right.

I would want to know the watchmaker's credentials and assurance on having the proper tools. I would think the insurance company would also want to know the credentials of the inspector as otherwise how could they trust the appraisal?

I would also have strong evidence of the condition of my watch prior to the inspection so if it was damaged I would have recourse. (It goes without saying I would want to make certain the shop was insured in the event of unexpected damage).

This exactly. One other option might be to take to a watchmaker you trust to open it up and photograph and document it for the appraiser.

[giosdad]

If you're coming to NY any time soon there are a few options including Analog/Shift, they have an office where you could visit and James can do an appraisal for you.

Be careful as there will be 50 to 100 watches there that will tempt you.

[dukerules]

Barry, funny enough, this is a watch I believe James originally procured., or at least passed through his hands.

I have no doubt about the watch, as the provenance is impeccable. I just need an appraisal for insurance purposes. I think I'll assess the situation when I meet the watchmaker. I really would rather not ship the watch out to someone to do the appraisal if I can avoid it (and I don't know of any certified Rolex watchmakers locally). It's not as if it's a MilSub or something, but nice 1665s don't grow on trees.

[JP Chestnut]

Does Dom Weiland do appraisals? He knows what he's doing, and has a good idea of current market values based on my conversations. I'd rather mail it to someone who knows what they're doing than trust a local.

[moishlashen]

My watchmaker isn't a Rolex dealer (or an Omega one) but he has both the Rolex and Omega certs-so he could work at a dealer as an authorized watchmaker. He keeps them current as well-like when Omega went true in-house and co-ax etc. He does all the work on my Omega and does a great job. Just something to think about.

That being said-for me personally-this is a one time deal and a special watch-I would get it done by Rolex.

[dshap]

You need a Rolex caseback opener to get the thing open. If they try to use a regular case wrench, you could end up with a nice scratch.

He'd have to be a special kind of stupid to mess up opening and closing a caseback. If I can do it, a professional watchmaker should be able to.

[dukerules]

You need a Rolex caseback opener to get the thing open. If they try to use a regular case wrench, you could end up with a nice scratch.

He'd have to be a special kind of stupid to mess up opening and closing a caseback. If I can do it, a professional watchmaker should be able to.

Exactly. And I'm just skeptical enough to think that he might be that special kind...
NC is a great place to live, but it's by no means a horological wonderland.

[jtbenson]

NC is a great place to live, but it's by no means a horological wonderland.

As an NC native, I empathize with this statement, and the word horological is interchangeable with most everything.

[carlodwc]

A possible option is for you to buy the case opener tool for that particular Rolex model and then bring it to the watchmaker and have him open the watch. The main problem with the case back is the peculiar system that Rolex uses which is different from most other companies that allow the use of general case opener. I have seen some at Ofrei and even on Ebay, not sure what will fit but you can call and ask or do a little research.

http://www.ofrei.com/page557.html

If the guy is trustworthy, with the proper tool there should not be any problem.

[dukerules]

So I've found out he's a Rolex-certified watchmaker with Rolex tools, so I'm going to let him open her up.

[toxicavenger]

One of the best caseback tools I have ever bought

[dukerules]

So it gets better. The store charges $80 to do an appraisal, but unless you pay the watchmaker an additional $250 to open the caseback and look at the movement, they put a disclaimer on the appraisal that the watch may not be authentic. $330 for an appraisal seems ridiculous. Guess I'll continue to search.

[JP Chestnut]

So it gets better. The store charges $80 to do an appraisal, but unless you pay the watchmaker an additional $250 to open the caseback and look at the movement, they put a disclaimer on the appraisal that the watch may not be authentic. $330 for an appraisal seems ridiculous. Guess I'll continue to search.

Someone in town wanted me to bring my watch, box/papers, and receipt to their shop so they could authenticate the watch. The best part? I had to leave it there for a week. Yeah, no chance of that working out poorly.

[dukerules]

So who do you guys use for appraisals? I'm thinking I'm going to be stuck shipping this watch out, which is not something I really want to do.

[bzabodyn]

A safe is cheaper than an appraisal.

BZ