Advisory Sought : Cost to Change Explorer II Dial & Hands?

[hammer888]

Anyone change before from black to white dial at RSC before? How much is it any idea? The hands also need to change right?

[superguard]

Paid $350 or thereabout end of last year.

Hands and dial come in a complete set.

[hammer888]

Paid $350 or thereabout end of last year.

Hands and dial come in a complete set.

You do at RSC? They will keep your old hand and dial right?

[Liv2golf]

The date numerals also need to change as well right?

$350 is not bad for dial and hands....

[hammer888]

The date numerals also need to change as well right?

$350 is not bad for dial and hands....

Date numerals need change? Why? Isn't the same??

[Liv2golf]

My bad... I realised that there is no difference for the numerals after a image search...

[superguard]

You do at RSC? They will keep your old hand and dial right?

No choice to get done at RSC. My understanding was original replacement parts are tightly controlled and may not be easily available elsewhere. They will state up front that any parts gotten replaced would not be returned to you.

[Chunster69]

Pardon my ignorance. Why does the hands need to be changed as well?

[hammer888]

Pardon my ignorance. Why does the hands need to be changed as well?

Because black face hand is chrome white face hand is black so different type must change.

[Chunster69]

Thanks bro...never realised that

[Liv2golf]

Ok bros based on this thread I am very tempted to change my 10 year old white exp 2 to black. Before I go down that path need fellow bros to advise:
a) does it affect resale value since it was white face and changed to black. Would buyers prefer as is condition and also black is preferred.
B) I assume a 10 tear old dial although white us more valuable compared to a replacement black dial？
c) while my white dial turn yellow or develop patina with age? Dont want to wait another 10， 20 years if patina will not appear
d) does patina enhance value of watch?

All in all should I lose more in changing a 10 yr original white dial to black?
Thx

[taxico]

...I am very tempted to change my 10 year old white exp 2 to black.

a) does it affect resale value since it was white face and changed to black. Would buyers prefer as is condition and also black is preferred.

B) I assume a 10 tear old dial although white us more valuable compared to a replacement black dial？

c) while my white dial turn yellow or develop patina with age? Dont want to wait another 10， 20 years if patina will not appear

d) does patina enhance value of watch?

All in all should I lose more in changing a 10 yr original white dial to black?

a service replacement dial will almost always reduce the value of a rolex watch, especially for a common model like the exp2.

generally in asia, a white dial is not popular due to its association with death (especially in japan, where both explorer models sell well). however it comes down to personal preference: in the states, buyers don't care if it's white/black - just whatever they like.

the "cream" explorer 2 dials are actually a manufacturing defect (and considered collectible in certain circles) - the correctly made dials should not change color (tritium markers however, will change color as a norm).

the discoloration of aging tritium markers are a personal preference - some people like it, some people don't. however i find that as long as all markers age evenly (including hands), this is an acceptable non-issue that won't affect the value much.

it is likely that you will lose money if you change the dial at RSC as it is not an inexpensive/value-adding process.

perhaps what you should do is to find a black dial from the internet or shop and have someone fit it for you - retain the white dial for future resale purposes (either by itself or with the watch as a bundle). this will allow for minimum loss.

you might even get lucky and find a non-service replacement dial!

[keltzar]

if you really like the black dial it may be worthwhile trading yours in for one made after about 2001 (have to confirm).
Some advantages would be, assuming yours was made BEFORE 1999 (99/2000 was the transition to luminova):

1) newer super luminova instead of the older tritium
2) solid end-link bracelet
3) no pinhole case (if that matters to you, doesn't to me).

[Liv2golf]

I love this great forum! Thanks bros Taxico and Keltzar for the great advice. Guess I will go find a replacement dial and hands outside RSC and get to keep my original white dial.
Mine is a A series so wondering if it is Tritrium or Luminova? How do I tell looking at it?
Thanks

[taxico]

I love this great forum! Thanks bros Taxico and Keltzar for the great advice. Guess I will go find a replacement dial and hands outside RSC and get to keep my original white dial.
Mine is a A series so wondering if it is Tritrium or Luminova? How do I tell looking at it?
Thanks

look at the bottom of your dial (below 6 o'clock marker): does it have a letter "T" somewhere? if so, it's tritium.

if it reads "swiss" or "swiss made" it's luminova and superluminova respectively.

also worthy of noting: IIRC, "swiss" dials were used sometime during 2000 (A/P serial) - these were not service replacement superluminova dials but original luminova dials.

when the lume was changed to superluminova, rolex started using "swiss made" instead.

if yours is a tritium model, i recommend buying a black tritium dial as you need not buy original rolex hands (thus saving you money).