Ooops - Dropped the Explorer... 😭
Saturday // 7:03am // London
Wrestling my 4 month old son into a swim suit for his first swimming lesson. We were late. The changing room was cramped, the baby was wriggling, and as I exposed my bare behind to the elements, I realised I still had a leather strap on the watch - I'd worn it to a formal event a few days earlier and dressed it up with a swish black strap. I cursed myself for not grabbing the Pelagos as I'd planned to, and carefully took off the watch, to pop it into my coat pocket for safe keeping.. it slipped out of my hand.
Time slowed down. Terminal velocity was achieved. Years of childhood football muscle memory kicked in and I tried to cushion the fall of my Rolex with a foot.. but to no avail. The tumbling watch took a deflection off a floatation device, bounced off my leg, and an expensive metal-on-ceramic 'chink' confirmed my worst fears..
As it lay, face down on the verruca riddled tiles, screams of my son echoed around the room, or perhaps they were mine?
Time stood still. As I gently picked up the delicate little machine and turned it over, to my surprise, I couldn't see any damage; no obvious dings or smashed crystal, the second hand continued to sweep the dial just fine. For the briefest of moments I allowed myself to imagine a world where I might have gotten away with this..
But, as I brought it closer for inspection, my ears detected something sinister.. What was once an impressively quiet and buttery self winding rotor, now sounded like something out of a Hublot factory.. metal grinded against metal and something tiny, loosely rattled against cogs and springs deep within the intricate movement. I noticed a tiny dent in the crown - which must have taken the brunt of the fall.
Plans for a sneaky Christmas gift to myself this year evaporated. Feelings of shame, anger, disappointment and regret ran rife.
This is going to be a very expensive swimming lesson.
For those of you directly affected by drops of watches, or whose friends/family have been affected, no help can be found here: www.FML.org
For those who haven't yet dropped their pride and joy, please take heed. DO NOT go anywhere near a hard surface, ever. AVOID having children. NEVER take your watch off unless surrounded by duvets.
Please don't try to console me, I'm an idiot and I don't deserve nice things.
😭
Enjoys; wild places, small details, engineering and design.
Been there, done that, had to send it out of the country for repair. You’re human - don’t beat yourself up over it. We all make mistakes.
Nooooo oooo ooo oo o!!!!!
The way you described this situation is hilarious, but I still put a sad 😢 face rather than 😂 as in the end it’s an awful situation
Hopefully can be repaired soon
Nooooo oooo ooo oo o!!!!!
exactly that! including the pauses for breathe.
The good folks at Rolex UK, cordially invited me to visit their St James' HQ..
Estimate is £700 for a full service (plus some parts I assume).
I'm going to wear my moonswatch as punishment.
The Bureau has been informed. Your watch wearing papers are being revoked. Your local representative will be in contact.
We would thank you for your service, but we would be lying.
Ouch.
The Bureau has been informed. Your watch wearing papers are being revoked. Your local representative will be in contact.
We would thank you for your service, but we would be lying.
Ex-communicado!!? 😭
Paul and I, watching the goblins at Gringotts..
Just think of karma, something good must happen soon to you
Thank you for your advice, I will review my live.
No kids ✅
How am I doing?
Great write up, I recently did the same and dropped my Zodiac Super Seawolf. I know the terror and fear as it falls. The instant understanding of geometry to successfully slow and stop its fall. A lifetime of calculations in the blink of an eye. Sadly sir, your watch had other plans
I've only dropped a vintage quartz piece from the antique store and was kinda pissed at myself. I can't even imagine what something that cost more than $10 would make me feel
It happens to the best of us. During my first endeavours into watchmaking, I would become so frustrated and upset with myself after making mistakes. I am of the type that needs to be a hundred per cent perfect a hundred per cent of the time. I have never been able to deal with mistakes in any constructive way, so this led to a long chain of self-destructive behaviours that I would rather not mention.
To put it simply, I feel you. I wish you the best of luck with the service and may the dealer treat you well.
The wheel will turn; something good is on your path.
This would actually be a pretty cool video. Comparison of different watches being dropped from waist or so height. I’m curious to see which (besides g shock and other watches made for such occasions) would survive.
Always prepare a child for swimming before leaving the house. It says so on the internet.
I really should look up this internet thing..
Looking back, my critical error was booking a 7am swimming lesson... I had thought it would be a good idea to get it done and dusted in time for breakfast.
But it takes at least an hour to get the little guy ready, and another 20 minutes to drive to the pool.. So what sounded like a fun father-son bonding session, turned into a 5:30am whirlwind of screaming, and crying (from the both of us), followed by a $1000 bill at the end of it. 😂
Fatherhood is such a precious experience.
Sorry to hear this but kudos for the fun read. Hopefully it will be back on your wrist soon enough. RSC London do fantastic work , it will be good as new when you get it back 👍
Thank you! I dropped it off last night, it's such a nice experience interacting with actual Rolex, not the ADs. Fingers crossed.
You really can paint a picture. So vivid I felt your pain as if it was my watch
A problem shared is a problem halved, or..doubled!?
If you can't laugh about these things, you might commit insurance fraud..
I smashed a gold watch on my bike as a kid to pieces literally to bits , I was covered in grazes and just was in shock , it was a King Seiko my Uncle gave me for my birthday, more disappointed that I have no watch now to remember my Uncle who died when he was only 36 from throat cancer . It wasn’t a Rolex but the pain of destroying that watch was worse than the injuries I sustained .
Mate. That realllly sucks. Sorry to hear that.
I've gifted a watch or two before, and it is SUCH a great feeling seeing the enjoyment it can bring to a person - especially for a kid. I'm sure your uncle was over the moon to see you wearing it.
Critically - you still have that memory and love.
PS. Perhaps a something worth putting some cash away for in the future...? https://www.chrono24.com/seiko/seiko-ks-45-7000--45ks--45ksc-010--warranty--id30887763.htm
I wish this was the result of an incredibly challenging microscopic operation..
But basically, I just needed to put some pants on and I screwed that up..
Like I said, it happens to the best of us. I have also had some "oopsie daisies," like my Lucerne Digital Jump Hour, which I opened up to clean. I have no idea what caused it, but even still after a service it isn't running perfectly.
At some point battle scars become cool. Many can just buy a pretty Rolex, but to be wearing one that shows it’s been around and has stories has a certain flex.
I really should look up this internet thing..
Looking back, my critical error was booking a 7am swimming lesson... I had thought it would be a good idea to get it done and dusted in time for breakfast.
But it takes at least an hour to get the little guy ready, and another 20 minutes to drive to the pool.. So what sounded like a fun father-son bonding session, turned into a 5:30am whirlwind of screaming, and crying (from the both of us), followed by a $1000 bill at the end of it. 😂
Fatherhood is such a precious experience.
Swimwear instead of pyjamas next time. Precious times indeed.
I dropped my speedmaster on my tiled kitchen floor and when I looked I found no dents or scratches…..until I put it on and found every time I moved my wrist I would hear a dink. The movement had become loose in the case, luckily I have a little bit of knowledge on mechanical movements and corrected the issue myself. I never baby my watches but this scared the life out of me.
Thank you kind Sir. How did the Zodiac fare!?
Thankfully it landed on a thick towel, but still hard enough to do a snake test and listen to rattle
Mate. That realllly sucks. Sorry to hear that.
I've gifted a watch or two before, and it is SUCH a great feeling seeing the enjoyment it can bring to a person - especially for a kid. I'm sure your uncle was over the moon to see you wearing it.
Critically - you still have that memory and love.
PS. Perhaps a something worth putting some cash away for in the future...? https://www.chrono24.com/seiko/seiko-ks-45-7000--45ks--45ksc-010--warranty--id30887763.htm
Thanks for your kind words, I am sure your right about my Uncle too 🙂
I dropped my speedmaster on my tiled kitchen floor and when I looked I found no dents or scratches…..until I put it on and found every time I moved my wrist I would hear a dink. The movement had become loose in the case, luckily I have a little bit of knowledge on mechanical movements and corrected the issue myself. I never baby my watches but this scared the life out of me.
Good job! I would not be messing with a chronograph, myself! I have mt fingers crossed that its something simple like that..
Good job! I would not be messing with a chronograph, myself! I have mt fingers crossed that its something simple like that..
Good luck, I hope yours gets sorted 🤞🏻
I dropped my Explorer, it landed on a tile floor, cracked the crystal, damaged the hands and dial. $1,500 and 3+ months later it was back from the AD - good as new? Ugh. It was a painful experience. Hang in there. You'll get through it.
Guess. Who’s. Baaaack!!
(With a new crown dent to commemorate my son’s first swimming lesson!)
Fixed without charge! Just in time for a trip to Thailand 😎
Guess. Who’s. Baaaack!!
(With a new crown dent to commemorate my son’s first swimming lesson!)
Fixed without charge! Just in time for a trip to Thailand 😎
Congrats, glad to see it back in action 👊🏻