When the Dial Doesn’t Fit: A Watch Seller's Tale of Misunderstanding

In the world of luxury watches, precision is everything. From the movement inside to the dial on top, every component must align perfectly. But sometimes, even the most straightforward transactions can spiral into unexpected drama. Here’s a recent story from my experience as a watch parts seller - equal parts frustrating, ironic, and oddly entertaining.

The Setup: A Routine Sale

Not long ago, I sold a custom dial for a Rolex Submariner. It was a standard transaction. A customer called, asked if the dial would fit his Rolex. I requested the model number, explained how to find it, and once he confirmed it, I verified compatibility. Everything checked out. He paid, I shipped it the next day. I’ve done this thousands of times.

The Call: Trouble Begins

Almost a month later, the customer called me—furious. He claimed the dial didn’t fit his watch. I tried to calm him down, wondering if I had made a mistake. With aftermarket dials, it’s not impossible. People modify them, reshape them, or sometimes I might accidentally send the wrong one.

But then he told me his watch was a Rolex Yacht-Master, model 16623. Not the Yacht-Master II—just the classic two-tone yellow gold and stainless steel version. That model only takes one size dial. I even asked for photos of the watch and the dial. Everything was correct. It should fit perfectly.

The Accusations: It’s "Too Small"

Still, he wouldn’t let it go. He kept texting me threats and accusations. At first, I thought he wanted to return it. That’s common—people are used to Amazon-style returns. It’s frustrating, but I usually accept reasonable returns.

But no - he didn’t want to return it. He wanted a "correct" dial for his watch.

The irony? It was the correct dial. He just believed it was too small. I asked him to measure it. He did. It was the right size. Still, the angry messages kept coming.

The Revelation: A Jewelry Store Diagnosis

Then it hit me—I asked how his watchmaker determined it was too small. Turns out, he didn’t have a watchmaker. He took it to a local jewelry store owner who simply placed the dial on top of the watch and said, "It’s too small."

He never opened the case. Never removed the movement. Just eyeballed it.

I’ve seen this before. When you place a dial on top of a watch case, it does look smaller - probably due to the distortion from the crystal. It's an honest mistake, but a professional should know better. A real watchmaker would’ve opened the case and checked the fit properly.

The Resolution: A Guided Installation

Eventually, the dial was installed—by that same “specialist.” I had to guide him through the process, including how to align the date window with the calendar disk. No apology. No thank you.

Just another day in the world of watches.