My Rolex Sea-Dweller back from Rolex Service

[rjbroer]

After I graduated in 2002, I bought this Rolex Sea-Dweller from my first (few) salaries. A used 1997 model with tritium dial (boy, did I want the Super Luminova model back then) with just minor scratches from every day use by its previous owner. In December 2007, I decided this watch needed a complete overhaul since it was 10 years old already and I had been wearing it almost on a daily basis for years. Schaap ~ Citroen is the local Rolex dealer here in The Hague (they have 8 stores in The Netherlands) so I brought the watch with me and asked for a complete overhaul. The sapphire crystal needed replacement (scratched), a new bezel inlay was required and a fresh brush on the bracelet and case.

After a few weeks (2008), I went to the store to pick up my Sea-Dweller again. However, after a short examination, I noticed that the lugs were polished a bit too much and the small facets were almost gone. After I asked them to redo this again, it was done a little better but not as good as it originally was. In the end, I took the watch home and how much I tried.. I found myself rarely wearing it since that time.

When Schaap~Citroen organized an evening for a few Rolex adepts (you can read about it here) last March, I got invited as well and at the end of this very cool event, I took the opportunity to discuss my Sea-Dweller with the Schaap~Citroen staff. I explained to them what happened and that I was rarely wearing this watch ever since. Instantly, Schaap~Citroen offered to take the watch with them and have it serviced properly this time.

Last Tuesday, Schaap~Citroen called me to tell me the watch was back from service at Rolex. During lunch break, I walked over to their store (a 10 minute walk from my office) and could not believe my eyes when they unleashed the Sea-Dweller from its service pouch. It looked like it was New Old Stock Unbelievable! My Rolex Sea-Dweller, having these protecting stickers on each side and on the case back again as it was new, came with a green plastic Rolex card that gives another 2 years of warranty. All this was done at the expense of Schaap~Citroen. Kudos to Schaap~Citroen for offering this ‘repair’, even after two years.

Here are a few pictures that I just took of the ref.16600 Sea-Dweller (T-series):









RJ

[Smartass]

Just perfect!

[Carerra]

beautiful

[PVH]

A perfect story + A perfect job + a perfect watch: HAPPINESS

[cuteluke]

Original von Smartass
Just perfect!

indeed: beautiful watch, nice pics !

[Joe Canaries]

Great Pics!

[tiger071]

wow! the watch looks amazing!!!

nice story with a real Happy End! congratulations!

[Hannibal]

Great pics of a beautiful watch and a story with a happy end.
Kind regards
Volker

[maut]

well, the horns and finish look nice now, but as i understand it they polished it three times, right? maybe that´s why the crown guard is very thin now.

[rjbroer]

Hi niels,

I compared it to the Sea-Dwellers in the Gallery Forum and I don't think it differs that much. The overexposed pictures might have them look thinner than they actually are. However, they indeed polished it three times now and lost a bit of their thickness. Although I don't think they did much the 2nd time. They are a bit thinner than how it was sold in 1997, but it is close enough to the 'original' to keep me satisfied this time However, I don't want to have it polished anymore now..

RJ