Watchepedia - The Watch Buyers Group

Why a Sapphire Crystal Will NOT Work on an Older Rolex

Ben / January 5, 2023

Many of our customers with older Rolex watches ask if we can replace their acrylic crystals with synthetic sapphire crystals, like the ones that Rolex uses on their new watches. Although every watch in Rolex’s current catalog is now fitted with a sapphire crystal, Rolex does not manufacture sapphire crystals for use on older watches. Instead, they will only replace a worn or damaged acrylic crystal with another acrylic crystal. [sell_rolex_ad] The shape of the crystal is different… The outer diameter is the exact same on comparable acrylic and sapphire crystals. However, quite literally every other aspect of the two…

Before and After, Stories, Watchepedia

Not All Rolex Repair Stories Have Happy Endings

Ben / July 19, 2018

Simply put, some Rolex watches are too damaged to repair in a practical and cost-effective manner. Depending on what has happened to a watch and the extent of the resulting damage, some Rolex watches may require extensive repairs and a large number of replacement parts. In some instances, the cost of repairs may exceed the total value of the damaged watch. Consequently, not every Rolex repair story has a happy ending. Every watch is different, and the art of Rolex watch repair is not a “paint-by-numbers” craft. However, the following rules should always be followed – and if properly followed,…

Before and After, Stories, Watchepedia

Why your Rose Gold Watch May Now Look Yellow

Ben / June 5, 2018

As an element, gold is naturally a soft and malleable, yellow-colored metal. Pure gold (24 karat) is too soft for most watch and jewelry applications, so other metals and/or elements are added to the gold to increase its hardness and durability. 18 karat gold is a concentration of 75% gold, and 25% other metals/elements. The 75% gold content ensures that the gold alloy will have all of the desirable properties of pure gold, while the other 25% allows the metal to be strong enough to retain its shape and survive the rigors of everyday use. Depending on what other metals/elements…

Before and After, Stories, Watchepedia

Why Your Rolex Does Not Glow in the Dark Anymore

Ben / April 25, 2018

One of the questions that we frequently get asked by our customers is, “why doesn’t my Rolex glow anymore, and is there anything that can be done to make it glow again?” In most instances, an older watch no longer glows due to limitations of the manufacturing materials that Rolex was using at the time of production. [sell_rolex_ad] Contemporary Rolex watches (like the one pictured below) use a photo-luminescent material on their dials and hands, which means that modern watches will glow in response to light exposure. The intensity and duration of glow is directly proportional to the amount of…

Before and After, Stories, Watchepedia

Repairing Rolex’s Proprietary 18-Karat Gold

Ben / December 13, 2017

Recently, we overhauled a vintage Rolex Day-Date President for a customer who had accidentally reached a bit too close to an active grinding wheel while working in his tool shed. As you can see in the photograph that was taken before service, the top, left lug of the watch received a substantial gouge in the metal that required a significant amount of gold to be resupplied. The enlarged photo below shows the extent of the damage, and just how much metal had been ground away from the upper left lug on the case of the watch. Rolex is unique among…

Before and After, Stories, Watchepedia

Moisture Damage and Rolex Watches

Ben / October 18, 2016

One of the few things that can render a Rolex movement beyond repair is moisture. Unlike electronic devices, moisture damage in mechanical watches is not caused by the instantaneous presence of a conducting liquid. Rather, the damage results from the rust and corrosion that takes place after the movement has been exposed to a liquid. [sell_rolex_ad] Most contemporary watches have cases made from highly corrosion-resistant materials; however their delicate movements inside do not share this quality. Even a small amount of moisture inside a watch case can cause significant levels of corrosion if left unattended. Corrosion can quickly spread from…

Watchepedia

Why Do Some People Wear Wrist Watches?

Ben / December 19, 2014

Your first answer to the question “why do some people still wear wrist watches?” might be “do they?” The short answer is yes, yes people still wear wrist watches, just a lot fewer of them do. In the days gone by, we wore watches to tell the time, to always be in the present and to know what was going with the sun and the earth. But now we have smart phones, so those who wore watches simply to tell the time have left this last vestige of simpler times at the last rest stop as they proceed down the…

Watchepedia

Why are Wrist Watches so Expensive?

Ben / December 17, 2014

One of the reasons watches are losing their popularity among the populace of the typical everyday world is that they are so expensive. A Rolex or Tag Heuer on a man’s wrist shows that they are a man of supreme success and a force to behold. That is because so many people do not wear a watch any longer, particularly because everyone has a smart phone which doubles as a time piece. Some economists might wonder why they don’t lower the price of the high end watches so that they could move more units and increase the bottom line. Many…

Watchepedia

Why a Man Should Wear a Watch

Ben / December 12, 2014

A watch is sometimes seen as an old-fashioned sign of a generation gone by. Fewer and fewer people are wearing a wrist watch since most of keep a time piece with us at all times in our pocket, i.e., our cellular phone. It used to be a routine gesture to fake a look at your wrist to make pretend you’re annoyed someone is late or that you want to know what time it is. I wonder if kids these days would even understand that gesture! Time is ongoing and always in need of being kept, so the wrist watch could…

Watchepedia

Which Luxury Watch Brands Will Best Hold Their Value?

Ben / December 10, 2014

When you are ready to branch into the world of high end watches, there are many considerations you must recognize before going to the register. A lot of people will want the perfect look and fit and that is of course entirely subjective. However, one thing that is far less subjective and also important to many watch buyers and collectors is the issue of value, and specifically, which brands will hold their value and even increase in value with the passage of time. Some brands are so well respected that they will see their watches always maintain high value and…