My 1999 Rolex Submariner date

[berhardt]

About three months ago, I purchased a 1999 Submariner date from an estate sale. The owner was an older gentleman who had quite a watch collection. He was selling a few other watches and I noticed that they all come with services records. Come to find out that the sub was never serviced. It keeps pretty good time but gains around six minutes a month. The watch also looks great save for a tiny crack in the pearl on the bezel. I don't go diving with it and visually the tiny water proofing bands on the crown look ok. Should I be worried and run out to service it or just enjoy it since it seams to be doing fine. Soon it will be 20 years old without a service or a polish.

[justin81]

Get it serviced right after posting pics...

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by justin81

Get it serviced right after posting pics...

[Swiss Mad!]

Yes - would love to see an untouched/polished original battle scars and all..
Will be a useful reference point when looking at other semi vintage pieces to compare how much polishing and case shape altering has been going on...
Cheers


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[Spoonage]

Thats on average 12 sec/day. Not too bad for a watch that's from 1999 without a service. If you do end up sending it in (my opinion) is don't polish it. I personally think the tiny scratches, bumps, etc tell the history of the watch, and even after a polish you'll be picking up more scratches in an endless cycle, so better to leave the case in all its glory. Again my opinion...

[Onequik135i]

Leave it unpolished.

[ronricks]

Originally Posted by berhardt

About three months ago, I purchased a 1999 Submariner date from an estate sale. The owner was an older gentleman who had quite a watch collection. He was selling a few other watches and I noticed that they all come with services records. Come to find out that the sub was never serviced. It keeps pretty good time but gains around six minutes a month. The watch also looks great save for a tiny crack in the pearl on the bezel. I don't go diving with it and visually the tiny water proofing bands on the crown look ok. Should I be worried and run out to service it or just enjoy it since it seams to be doing fine. Soon it will be 20 years old without a service or a polish.

Get it serviced and ask for a light polish. A correctly done polish will not negatively impact the watch in anyway.

[FTX I]

Originally Posted by ronricks

Get it serviced and ask for a light polish. A correctly done polish will not negatively impact the watch in anyway.

This is the problem. How can he trust the guy that will polish? Lots of well intentioned incompetent people out there.

[ronricks]

Originally Posted by FTX I

This is the problem. How can he trust the guy that will polish? Lots of well intentioned incompetent people out there.

His best bet would be to send it into Rolex. There are plenty of Indy’s that do just as good or better of a job and some worse.

[cop414]

I would have it serviced, OP’s call on polishing though. The watch deserves a service, new lube and seals could be a big money saver in the long run.

[FTX I]

Originally Posted by ronricks

His best bet would be to send it into Rolex. There are plenty of Indy’s that do just as good or better of a job and some worse.

Agree but even RSC is a hit and miss. I trust my watchmaker but TBH it gives me the creeps whenever I have to ask for a light polishing in a service.