Rolex repair

[snopes]

Comment: I have been told that if you send a Rolex watch to Rolex for
service that they will confiscate it if it has parts that are not genuine
Rolex parts. Is this true?

[diddy]

I would think that they would just refuse service at worse and return it since if the parts that were used to repair it were not authorized they could refuse warranty service based on that. Normal repair service though? Doubt they could legally do that. Now they could (again) refuse service or charge you extra to replace unauthorized parts, but actually confiscate watches? What legal authority could they do this?

[FullMetal]

I could see they could potentially legally confiscate counterfeit Rolexes on grounds of trademark infringment. anti-counterfeiting measures... similar to how if you find that a vending machine dispensed counterfeit coins, and you turn those coins into law enforcement the chance of you getting any reimbursement of it is nil.

and also I could see them not warranting the modified watch as well, and would charge you extra to replace to missing pieces with genuineparts as diddy said. the only way i could see them legally confiscating them, and it's not really them thats confiscating them, but maybe turning them into law enforcement as counterfeit merchandise.

[Der Induktionator]

It depends on the country.
Here (CH) they turn you (and your watch) in to the GWK/EZV, the watch is destroyed, and you're in for a world of serious trouble. Counterfeiting Swiss goods (Especially well known brands with national identity) is a serious crime in Switzerland.

I bought my watch from a official jewelier. As an american living (green card equivalent) in CH, I would never even consider to run the risk. (Nor wear anything but a Swiss watch here!)

[UrbanLegends101]

Originally Posted by snopes

Comment: I have been told that if you send a Rolex watch to Rolex for
service that they will confiscate it if it has parts that are not genuine
Rolex parts. Is this true?

Especially true if the batteries are not Rolex branded batteries.

[jimmy101_again]

Originally Posted by UrbanLegends101

Especially true if the batteries are not Rolex branded batteries.

Really? Sounds pretty unlikely to me for batteries. Rolex may well deny to service the watch under warranty but I suspect they will be happy to correct the issue for a sufficient fee. (Assuming the rest of the watch is 100% Rolex.)

AFAIK a company has no legal right to control what is done to a product after it is purchased. They can void the warranty but that is about it.

[llewtrah]

Here the Rolex fake can be destroyed. I brought back quite a few Rolex lookalikes from Malaysia some years back for friends (the fakes were popular in their own right). Some tried to get new batteries at a jeweller's store and ended up with the watches being crushed as counterfeit. I took mine to a local market for a new battery - the insides of the fake were so poorly put together they fell apart when the watch was opened. It ended up given as a trinket to a niece.

[Skeptic]

I'm sure that here in Australia, a manufacturer can not void a warranty if non-genuine parts are used. (I'm basing my opinion on printers. The law insists generic inks can be used without voiding.) It's an anti-competition law.

[diddy]

Originally Posted by Skeptic

I'm sure that here in Australia, a manufacturer can not void a warranty if non-genuine parts are used. (I'm basing my opinion on printers. The law insists generic inks can be used without voiding.) It's an anti-competition law.

I would say that would be based on the argument that toner or ink is classified as an “accessory” and not considered a part that is a critical part of the printer - which would be expected. You can get third party ink here legally too - One company tried to lock it out and failed for the same reason (competition laws). We are talking about parts that are part of the operation of the device itself - like gears or other internal parts. I bet that even in australia that HP could deny service on a printer if the formatter board were replaced by you or your neighbor who was not authorized by HP based on the warranty. Toner and ink isn’t anywhere near the same thing as the internals.

[UrbanLegends101]

Originally Posted by Skeptic

I'm sure that here in Australia, a manufacturer can not void a warranty if non-genuine parts are used. (I'm basing my opinion on printers. The law insists generic inks can be used without voiding.) It's an anti-competition law.

I believe that concept also is applicable under US law, per the The Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act (P.L. 93-637).

[Zachary Fizz]

While true the OP is hardly relevant. If you have a Rolex you aren't going to use fake parts. If you have a fake, you're not going to pay the (ridiculous, IMO) service costs of authorised Rolex dealers.

If the service agent has used unauthorised parts your receipt as a legitimate Rolex customer should entitle you to proper treatment from Rolex wherever you are.

And while I am on the topic, I wouldn't recommend Rolex anyway. Least reliable nice watch I ever bought.

[Casey]

Originally Posted by jimmy101_again

Really? Sounds pretty unlikely to me for batteries. Rolex may well deny to service the watch under warranty but I suspect they will be happy to correct the issue for a sufficient fee. (Assuming the rest of the watch is 100% Rolex.)

AFAIK a company has no legal right to control what is done to a product after it is purchased. They can void the warranty but that is about it.

That may be the joke- Rolex doesn't make anything with a battery any more. Only cheap fakes use those.

[Der Induktionator]

Originally Posted by Casey

That may be the joke- Rolex doesn't make anything with a battery any more. Only cheap fakes use those.

A watch with a battery? That's pretty funny.

Admittedly there are some downsides: if I stop waving my arm around for more than a couple days my watch would theoretically stop (So far never happened), it does gain a minute every couple weeks. and if I don't wear it (For example when I sent it in to get cleaned), my left arm levitates due to the missing weight.

Not a Rolex, I don't really care for them.

[UrbanLegends101]

Originally Posted by Der Induktionator

A watch with a battery? That's pretty funny.

Admittedly there are some downsides: if I stop waving my arm around for more than a couple days my watch would theoretically stop (So far never happened), it does gain a minute every couple weeks. and if I don't wear it (For example when I sent it in to get cleaned), my left arm levitates due to the missing weight.

Not a Rolex, I don't really care for them.

I love my black plastic Casio watches. I've probably gone through about 10 batteries in my current Casio.

Rolex watches are just too far outside my price range. Back in the mid-1990s, a friend of mine and I were walking around in the old BX at Yokota AB and saw they had a $12K Rolex in the display. Well, that just wasn't in my budget at the time, but we asked the clerk if we could at least "try it on." I have to admit, it did feel good, but not 12K worth of good.

Should I become fantasically independently wealthy, I'll probably reconsider that thought.

[jimmy101_again]

Originally Posted by Casey

That may be the joke- Rolex doesn't make anything with a battery any more. Only cheap fakes use those.

Apparently Rolex did make battery operated watches though. For example the Cellini. Since Rolexs are pretty expensive and I would hope that decades old watches are still in service so at least some Rolexs would have batteries.

But it appears that a battery is a strong (but not conclusive) sign that the watch is a fake Rolex.

[UrbanLegends101]

The crack about batteries in a Rolex was a joke, and I wasn't aware of the Cellini brand or that Rolex ever made any watches with batteries.

Yep, I'd agree the battery would almost always point to a knock-off version, and that leads to a tale from a friend.

My buddy had bought a fake Rolex in Thailand and it actually turned out to be a pretty decent watch, in terms of, well, being a watch. As with all battery powered watches, eventually the battery died, and he took it to some place to get the battery replaced. The clerk did not catch on to the fact that it was a knock-off battery powered watch and simply told my friend that she didn't want to work on an expensive watch, like a Rolex. It took my friend a little bit of time to convince her that it really wasn't an expensive Rolex, it was simply a cheap watch with a Rolex name on the face.

I think US Customs could take fake Rolex watches from incoming travelers, but I suspect the real effort is going to be against someone with a suitcase full of fake Rolex watches, not the occasional fake one on someone's wrist.

[UrbanLegends101]

Originally Posted by jimmy101_again

Really? Sounds pretty unlikely to me for batteries. Rolex may well deny to service the watch under warranty but I suspect they will be happy to correct the issue for a sufficient fee. (Assuming the rest of the watch is 100% Rolex.)

AFAIK a company has no legal right to control what is done to a product after it is purchased. They can void the warranty but that is about it.

Jimmy, I am sorry about that. I really should have raised the sarcasm flag.

I wasn't aware of the Cellini Rolex brand or that any of those were ever battery powered. Thanks for that information.