Rest home Rolex

[jban5]

A friend recently returned from his dads funeral and brought his Rolex DJ that was given to his father by his older brother who bought it in 65 on his way out of VN.

Mikes dad had to spend his last 2 months in an "assisted living facility" as his 97 years caught up with him.

The watch was overhauled in 2003 or so but this is how it looked after his care:







I told him that I could find the parts necessary so he could get it overhauled again and maybe save him some money. Luckily there isn't any major damage inside the movement but there is something going on under the dial, at least on the date ring.

Sad state of affairs.

[Spark]

Who opened the watch and took the hands and coronet???

[SLS]

Originally Posted by Spark

Who opened the watch and took the hands and coronet???

the whole crystal is smashed, they were probably lost in that process.
~Scott

[SLS]

Wow, that's pretty trashed, there is rust on the dial & date wheel, so I am sure the movement has the same, its going to be a pretty expensive fix but well worth it for your friend.
~Scott

[Spark]

Originally Posted by SLS

Wow, that's pretty trashed, there is rust on the dial date wheel, so I am sure the movement has the same, its going to be a pretty expensive fix but weel worth it for your friend.
~Scott

God my eyes are tired I totally missed that
I need to go to bed

[BigHat]

Poor guy. If that happened to his Rolex, imagine how his body was treated?

[arttay10]

Originally Posted by BigHat

Poor guy. If that happened to his Rolex, imagine how his body was treated?

I agree Matt - shame to even think about it really.

[Mr Sandman]

Does this mean that some one in the care home took the parts that are missing ?

[jban5]

Not trying to be funny, but it is like a "smash and grab."

The crystal is broken like I've never seen before and the hands and coronet are almost neatly removed. The shafts all look ok and I think that new hands will go on but I'm going to try to find a decent dial and just replace the old one rather than getting it refinished.

I haven't taken the movement out yet but when I will I'll be able to survey under the dial and see if there is any serious rust problem.

[SteyrAUG]

Originally Posted by jban5

Not trying to be funny, but it is like a "smash and grab."

The crystal is broken like I've never seen before and the hands and coronet are almost neatly removed. The shafts all look ok and I think that new hands will go on but I'm going to try to find a decent dial and just replace the old one rather than getting it refinished.

I haven't taken the movement out yet but when I will I'll be able to survey under the dial and see if there is any serious rust problem.

I doubt the parts were stolen. Looks like it was banged against something and they were broken off with the crystal or went flying with centrifugal force. If anything was gonna be stolen it would have been the entire watch intact. The fact that it wasn't tells me that folks were at least that honest.

Also having had more experience than I'd wish to have with matters of a sick, elderly parent I know that it could just as easily be the patient thrashing about in his sleep that did the damage. Could happen during a fall during physical therapy. Could happen when he is being moved during an emergency. Could be all kinds of things, didn't have to be some kind of abuse.

And if he is in a good facility they are worried about his health, not the watch on his wrist.

[Mr Sandman]

Its a real shame that its happened......Please post pics to keep us updated

[jban5]

Will Do.

[GBJIV]

Wow, that is sad. Good of you to look into it. I hate to see something passed within a family in such bad shape.

[jban5]

I will say, at least it does still run, (I can't tell how well it keeps time :) ) and the date changes but it doesn't "snap" to center like mine does.

[SLS]

Originally Posted by jban5

I will say, at least it does still run, (I can't tell how well it keeps time :) ) and the date changes but it doesn't "snap" to center like mine does.

pull out the crown all the way and stop the movement, who knows what kind of debries is in the back of the case and what further damage is being done to the movement.
~Scott

[jban5]

It is sad in that it has a good family history in just 40 years.

It should be almost like original when completed and the family connection won't be lost.

[SLS]

jban5,
It might be worth it for your friend to write a letter to Rolex explaining the life this watch has had and what it means to him...Rolex has been known to do some pretty generous refurbishment to watches, otherwise I think this is going to be an awfully expensive process to fix.
I would love to see some after pics when its done!
~Scott

[jban5]

Those are 2 good points, the letter and hacking it to stop.

Will do that.

The only thing that I don't like with the major manufacturers is they are hard to convince that we like some of the little dings our watches have gotten.

I'd much rather I could get myself overhauled to look like new. Well, maybe not really "new" but let's say 30.

[mickeydainish]

That watch has plenty history... will be awsome to restore it and pass on. Keep us posted.. :-)

[marshallr47]

The watch certainly needs some TLC. When you get the back opened, take some photos if you can. Would like to see the after shots. Good luck.

[Tools]

I don't think that this watch will take heroic efforts to restore..

A standard Service, new dial, hands, and crystal and it's good to go.

Get in touch with the nearest Rolex Service Center...

[SLS]

Originally Posted by Tools

I don't think that this watch will take heroic efforts to restore..

A standard Service, new dial, hands, and crystal and it's good to go.

Get in touch with the nearest Rolex Service Center...

Larry, the presence of rust on the dial and date wheel does not concern you? Water got on and possibly in this watch. Just curious
~Scott

[pwrslider]

Originally Posted by Tools

I don't think that this watch will take heroic efforts to restore..

A standard Service, new dial, hands, and crystal and it's good to go.

Get in touch with the nearest Rolex Service Center...

X2!

[ratae1950]

I don't want to sound like a conspiracy theorist but can you be sure this is the watch that was fixed in 2003?

[Portzed]

Originally Posted by ratae1950

I don't want to sound like a conspiracy theorist but can you be sure this is the watch that was fixed in 2003?

To be honest it could easily get into that shape in a 5 year period......youknoworrimeanmate

[toph]

thats a shame

[f16570]

That watch has seen the wars, get it restored and enjoy it faor along time and pass it on to your heirs.
Now about those invisible hand models?

[jban5]

Thanks for all the responses about this watch, sorry I didn't address by name the people whose questions I answered but since I'm not familiar with the members it was easier to just address the answers.

The movement itself doesn't look too bad, I don't see any corrosion from this side. When I have a clean workspace I'll take it out of the case and see what that might show.







There are about a half dozen watchmakers marks inside the back cover but as far as the last service there isn't anything for me to go on except Mikes remembering and he was "just thinking" it was around that time.



I know that something is going on under the dial and that's what I'll find out when it comes off. Prior to taking the first pics I posted I actually cleaned off some debris that was hanging about.



I was kind of joking about the "smash and grab" and doubt that anything other than a bad situation gone worse happened to this watch. If anything it was lucky that someone didn't look at the watch and actually think that it was trashed and discard it. A lot of people really don't get it, I absolutely know of a family member at an estate throwing out a Rolex because it didn't work. We retrieved it but I recall thinking that I should have just "taken out the trash" and dug it out when I was home.

This watch doesn't hack. I could have sworn that it should have. Is the hack spring visible on these?

[Spark]

This watch doesn't hack. I could have sworn that it should have. Is the hack spring visible on these?[/QUOTE]

65 is a little early to hack, early 70's were the first if memory serves me correctly.