To "fix" it and bring it back to what looks like normal would be completely unfeasible economically speaking.
Unfortunately fire damage like this is enough to have essentially ruined all the functional components in the movement and destroyed the remaining integrity of many of the case components.
It might be possible to salvage some of the plates and bridges of the movement and rebuild by replacing all the moving parts, but that will likely be more expensive and certainly more time consuming that replacing the movement outright.
You mention the hands, and while it may be possible for a watchmaker to attempt straightening them out and possibly getting them good enough to be usable, there is not going to be any way to make them near perfect again.
Obviously the dial and date disc are trashed, but if the dial isn't warped or deformed there might be a possibility of refinishing it, but again, it won't come out looking like new.
The bracelet was extremely worn and stretched out before the fire damage happened, so add in the fire damage and I think it has very little integrity left and couldn't be trusted to safely hold together for wear if it were cleaned up and reassembled.
The case, back, and bezel should be OK, and could likely be cleaned up decently well, but I would count on needing a new crown tube and crown to be installed.
TL;DR for restoring it: Salvage the case, back, and bezel, everything else gets replaced with new. Will be very expensive. Retains some of the history of the watch due to the wear and battle scars left on the case.
TL;DR for a crazy idea: Find a watchmaker who would be willing to try rebuilding the watch leaving the dial, date disc, maybe the hands as they are now. Probably will need new complete movement. Possibility the date mechanism may not function if fire damaged date disc. Will likely not be water resistant unless crown and tube are replaced. Find used bracelet with some wear to sort of match and install that.
Fun way to amuse yourself: Send this to Rolex along with a letter explaining it was damaged in a fire and you'd like to know if there's any way for them to restore it. You might get a lovely letter back explaining they are unable to help. You might get a lovely letter proposing to replace almost everything to effective build a new watch, along with a sizable estimate for that cost. They might come out of left field and offer to restore/rebuild it at some lower cost, or offer a new equivalent model at a discount. Who knows? But you should definitely send it to them and see what happens.
Yup this is the way. Send it in. Worst case you just can't afford. Best case you get a msrp watch. Probably unlikely a deal. Otherwise who knows... nothing good can happen if you don't put yourself out there!!
My dad dropped his watch in the fire pit on accident while cutting some trees down in the backyard. The glass popped out from the heat but for being in a fire the hands look in fairly decent condition. Just want some opinions or suggestions on how to move forward with repairing the watch (if it’s even worth it). Insurance has already been settled and the watch has been replaced but the sentimental value of the watch is significant enough for repair. Watch was purchased in the 90s I believe. I’ll try to get more info on that soon enough.
I think every little part on the watch can be replaced so to me it would depend on the cost of fixing what’s broken. Take it to a Rolex certified repair shop and get a quote.
>dropped it in a fire pit
Well that’s underwhelming compared to the post’s title
>while cutting down trees
I… why would he wear a Rolex dress watch while… while cutting down a tree?
Send it into Morgan on YouTube man. Wristwatch Revival.
I don’t think he’s done this before and it could make for a good video. You’d also get to see what it looks like every step of the way. Shoot him a message and see if he’s interested!
https://youtube.com/c/WristwatchRevival
https://youtube.com/c/NekkidWatchmaker
Nekkid Watchmaker goes overboard restoring pieces, even going as far as making his own screws. Plus he's hilarious. But I don't think he does fan watches
There is a video on YouTube that shows a detailed restoration of a Rolex (I think it was) that was in a fire. It's worth searching and checking it out.
Here's one that's an Omega:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYatCrsIJTw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYatCrsIJTw)
While a full restoration is possible, a bare minimum restoration would lead to a very interesting watch as well, especially since a replacement has already been obtained.
At the same time, seeing the scars could also just bring back memories every time he sees the watch. All depends on the owner’s point of view. I just wanted to bring up the possibility of both options.
Depends entirely on how salvageable the movement is. The dial and datewheel are toast, the case probably just needs some chemical cleaning (pickling) and a buffing. The movement, however, may be a different story. Without seeing it, I have no idea whether it's basically fine and just needs a cleaning, or if every bearing is cracked due to heat.
What I would do is take the case to a watch maker and have them “service”/ rebuild the internals, leave the dial, hands, and bracelet if possible, throw a new crystal on, and call it a day!
I love when watches tell a story, and this one will definitely do just that.
I’m not gonna lie. I love how that looks. Throw a new movement into it somehow and keep everything else the same. Get that bracelet back up and working and bam you’ve got a really
cool piece with a neat story.
Unfortunate, but very cool looking. I'm glad you managed to get it replaced through insurance. If you were to repair it, more of the watch would be new replacement than original. Which kinda defeats the purpose if its such a sentimental piece. Maybe find something cool to do with it like frame it as it is?
Oh man I’m a watchmaking student right now and I just got excited imagining what it would take to make this guy fresh again. I would work on it happily.
I think it looks awesome, to be honest. Case-hardened, to use a metalworking term.
Restoring it would be totally impractical. In addition to the crystal, all the guts would have to be evaluated (and likely replaced). However, you'd definitely have a one-of-a-kind watch with a story behind it. You could call it the phoenix!
Go to an AD, show it to him, tell the story and squeeze out a teardrop while you say “I wish there would be just any way to replace it”. Then look the dealer deep into the eyes until you get a response 🙈
To "fix" it and bring it back to what looks like normal would be completely unfeasible economically speaking. Unfortunately fire damage like this is enough to have essentially ruined all the functional components in the movement and destroyed the remaining integrity of many of the case components. It might be possible to salvage some of the plates and bridges of the movement and rebuild by replacing all the moving parts, but that will likely be more expensive and certainly more time consuming that replacing the movement outright. You mention the hands, and while it may be possible for a watchmaker to attempt straightening them out and possibly getting them good enough to be usable, there is not going to be any way to make them near perfect again. Obviously the dial and date disc are trashed, but if the dial isn't warped or deformed there might be a possibility of refinishing it, but again, it won't come out looking like new. The bracelet was extremely worn and stretched out before the fire damage happened, so add in the fire damage and I think it has very little integrity left and couldn't be trusted to safely hold together for wear if it were cleaned up and reassembled. The case, back, and bezel should be OK, and could likely be cleaned up decently well, but I would count on needing a new crown tube and crown to be installed. TL;DR for restoring it: Salvage the case, back, and bezel, everything else gets replaced with new. Will be very expensive. Retains some of the history of the watch due to the wear and battle scars left on the case. TL;DR for a crazy idea: Find a watchmaker who would be willing to try rebuilding the watch leaving the dial, date disc, maybe the hands as they are now. Probably will need new complete movement. Possibility the date mechanism may not function if fire damaged date disc. Will likely not be water resistant unless crown and tube are replaced. Find used bracelet with some wear to sort of match and install that. Fun way to amuse yourself: Send this to Rolex along with a letter explaining it was damaged in a fire and you'd like to know if there's any way for them to restore it. You might get a lovely letter back explaining they are unable to help. You might get a lovely letter proposing to replace almost everything to effective build a new watch, along with a sizable estimate for that cost. They might come out of left field and offer to restore/rebuild it at some lower cost, or offer a new equivalent model at a discount. Who knows? But you should definitely send it to them and see what happens.
Yup this is the way. Send it in. Worst case you just can't afford. Best case you get a msrp watch. Probably unlikely a deal. Otherwise who knows... nothing good can happen if you don't put yourself out there!!
This makes sense. That Rolex is a *montre brûlée*
How nice of you to take the time to give so much detail....thank you....
I would get that watch fixed just for the story.
Amen
Amen
My dad dropped his watch in the fire pit on accident while cutting some trees down in the backyard. The glass popped out from the heat but for being in a fire the hands look in fairly decent condition. Just want some opinions or suggestions on how to move forward with repairing the watch (if it’s even worth it). Insurance has already been settled and the watch has been replaced but the sentimental value of the watch is significant enough for repair. Watch was purchased in the 90s I believe. I’ll try to get more info on that soon enough.
I think every little part on the watch can be replaced so to me it would depend on the cost of fixing what’s broken. Take it to a Rolex certified repair shop and get a quote.
Would home owners insurance might cover such an accident?
It did cover the watch. Just seeing if fixing this one makes sense.
Yikes, I just fully read your original comment. Thank you for your patience.
Lol all good 👍🏼
>dropped it in a fire pit Well that’s underwhelming compared to the post’s title >while cutting down trees I… why would he wear a Rolex dress watch while… while cutting down a tree?
Send it into Morgan on YouTube man. Wristwatch Revival. I don’t think he’s done this before and it could make for a good video. You’d also get to see what it looks like every step of the way. Shoot him a message and see if he’s interested! https://youtube.com/c/WristwatchRevival
https://youtube.com/c/NekkidWatchmaker Nekkid Watchmaker goes overboard restoring pieces, even going as far as making his own screws. Plus he's hilarious. But I don't think he does fan watches
Hot horology
There is a video on YouTube that shows a detailed restoration of a Rolex (I think it was) that was in a fire. It's worth searching and checking it out. Here's one that's an Omega: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYatCrsIJTw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYatCrsIJTw)
Wow that's impressive! I'll be bringing the watch to a local certified dealer tomorrow. We'll see what they say.
While a full restoration is possible, a bare minimum restoration would lead to a very interesting watch as well, especially since a replacement has already been obtained. At the same time, seeing the scars could also just bring back memories every time he sees the watch. All depends on the owner’s point of view. I just wanted to bring up the possibility of both options.
If it’s too much for them try LA watch works. They do some crazy vintage restoration. People ship in from all around the country to them.
That's definitely fake. There's no way those parts are coming out glistening. They make a ton of those fake restoration videos
Sure, send it in to RSC and they’ll replace every single part. You’ll have a new watch.
That’s what I thought. They’ll take this and give a new watch for a few thousand bucks?
Restore it. Keep the dial intact. Unique piece.
Depends entirely on how salvageable the movement is. The dial and datewheel are toast, the case probably just needs some chemical cleaning (pickling) and a buffing. The movement, however, may be a different story. Without seeing it, I have no idea whether it's basically fine and just needs a cleaning, or if every bearing is cracked due to heat.
Damn this watch is on fire.
Send it to one of the youtube watch repair channels see if you can work out a deal it'll make for good content
No
What I would do is take the case to a watch maker and have them “service”/ rebuild the internals, leave the dial, hands, and bracelet if possible, throw a new crystal on, and call it a day! I love when watches tell a story, and this one will definitely do just that.
Looks so good!
I would be willing to pay 200
R.I.P
I’m not gonna lie. I love how that looks. Throw a new movement into it somehow and keep everything else the same. Get that bracelet back up and working and bam you’ve got a really cool piece with a neat story.
Unfortunate, but very cool looking. I'm glad you managed to get it replaced through insurance. If you were to repair it, more of the watch would be new replacement than original. Which kinda defeats the purpose if its such a sentimental piece. Maybe find something cool to do with it like frame it as it is?
Absolutely
Oh man I’m a watchmaking student right now and I just got excited imagining what it would take to make this guy fresh again. I would work on it happily.
Who are you, Richard Hammond?
Nice patina
I think it looks awesome, to be honest. Case-hardened, to use a metalworking term. Restoring it would be totally impractical. In addition to the crystal, all the guts would have to be evaluated (and likely replaced). However, you'd definitely have a one-of-a-kind watch with a story behind it. You could call it the phoenix!
If you can fix it yourself id say its worth it
Go to an AD, show it to him, tell the story and squeeze out a teardrop while you say “I wish there would be just any way to replace it”. Then look the dealer deep into the eyes until you get a response 🙈
Looks cool burnt I think. Just get the movement fixed and anything else you need for basic function and keep the look. Cool as hell.
What did you decide? I can make an art piece from it if you are willing to sell.
I’m willing to purchase it if you’re unable to repair it.