Sub buying

[cavalierbond]

Hi , first post so go easy eh , just got to say this is THE best forum ive come across keep it up..

Ive entered the wonderful world of Rolex with a Royal paying about £600 sterling, had it for a few years now and fully enjoyed it , but a Sub is calling

Ive been all over your wonderful forum for information so im sorry in advance if i ask already answerd questions.

After speaking to a few sellers (buy the seller not the watch) and finding a friend of a friend who i reasonably trust, ive seen a Sub he has for sale 1972 5513 no papers or box but magical faded bezel (grey blue), solid bracelet (is it 93150) correct for year , untouched matt dial and hands .
Now my questions are 1 how do i know its not a watch coupled together from a few different ones ? 2. i love having paperwork etc but understand that with a watch of this age they are hard to come by , or cost much more. Could i have it serviced by Rolex so i have some paperwork?
3 its for sale at £3500ish give or take the final wrangling .. is this fair price ?

Originaly i was going for a 2000 onward model but have been told the 5513 is a better watch/investment !!

Sorry its a bit long winded but thank you for reading it
rob

[316lad]

1) You don't unless you persuade the seller to allow you to yake it to an AD to get the back off and see. Advisable if you can manage it.

2) You'd be lucky to get paperwork - and be fully entitled to be sceptical if you did. Don't worry about the paperwork if the watch is a goodun.

3) Sounds OK for a really nice one.

"Originaly i was going for a 2000 onward model but have been told the 5513 is a better watch/investment !!"

Read the posts here on this forum. If you want a good investment buy gold or something.
As most will say here, the investment is limited to your happiness at wearing such a fine piece of equipment. Looking for gains in any other way? Look elsewhere.

Good luck.

I looked at loads of 5513's but didn't like the patina and didn't like the fact that the Tritium had lost its lume. Loads of people here love just those things but I'm not in their number. When you're mad enough to spend over three grand on a watch it has to be down to you what watch it is.

I was also strangely aware that the watches had been worn ALOT by other people, I wanted the feeling of having a newish one - settled for a 2008.

Sometimes I just stare at it for ages. So that would mean I'm delighted with it.

Your thing - and everybody else's - about buying the seller not the watch is absolutely on the button - never lose sight of that, however persuasive the sales line.

[dysondiver]

welcome to the forum ,,, id agree with most of the above , id prob go for something newer , saphire if its to be a daily wear ,,,, then save for an older watch , many wont agree , but hey ,,, thats where the fun starts.
good luck , look forward to hearing how it ends.

[buffy]

1. You don't.
2. Could i have it serviced by Rolex so i have some paperwork? yes!
3. Without pictures it hard to say anything about the price.

I would say go for a vintage piece, i just love the matt dials!
And don't worry about the crystal. It ain´t vintage because it brakes easily :P

[mrbill2mrbill2]

Buying a Sub? I say go for a nuclear model the old diesel models suck.



I agree with previous posts. For a daily wearer go newer with sapphhire crystal. Save and then get the vintage.

[MoBe]

When considering a watch of that vintage beware of anything that looks too good for such an old piece.If the watch doesn`t show any signs of being some 35 or 40 years old I`d start asking a lot of questions.

[Speed]

So what do you think?

[cavalierbond]

Thanks for the replys . I have enjoyed my royal and the feeling of it being older than me and kinda feel the same about a old sub . It's just I have to get over the fact of no papers and history . It's a minefield no doubt . Would you suggest me bartering on the price with the idea of sending it to a ad so 1 I would know it's not a frankenwatch and 2 for a bit of paperwork .

I was also thinking maybe I'll buy a new 14060 and create my own history ??

[buffy]

Originally Posted by cavalierbond

Thanks for the replys . I have enjoyed my royal and the feeling of it being older than me and kinda feel the same about a old sub . It's just I have to get over the fact of no papers and history . It's a minefield no doubt . Would you suggest me bartering on the price with the idea of sending it to a ad so 1 I would know it's not a frankenwatch and 2 for a bit of paperwork .

I was also thinking maybe I'll buy a new 14060 and create my own history ??

That sound like a good idea!

Btw if you by vintage, you will be adding history!

[dddrees]

Papers are nice to have if the watch is vintage, however papers will never guarantee this wasn't a watch coupled together from other watches. Just ensure everything is period correct for the watch.