Found in a safe after more than 25 years - Daytona 6263 and GMT 1675

[kodiak]

Hello,

After a long time lurker here I decided I would finally join the forum as I have an interesting story about two of my uncles watches that were recently found. I've been interested in watches as long as I can remember. I purchased my first brand new Rolex - a GMT Master II in 1999 that I still wear today. My Aunt told me to come over to look at two watches that my uncle used to own.

My Uncle passed away a little more than 18 years ago. My aunt told me he had a safe that was locked and she didn't have the combination for it.

She very recently had the safe opened and there was among other things, two Rolex watches inside. She thinks they have been in the safe for the last 25-28 years. She said to come over to take a look at them and see what I thought. I was shocked to see an old self-winding Daytona and a faded GMT Master. Neither are in mint condition but they are both great looking watches.

The first is a GMT Master 1675. It is just the watch with no band on it. The serial number is 696XXX. I'm far from the expert on these but it looks to have the pointed crown guards. I've read about a "gilt" dial but don't know what that is or if this watch has it. I honestly don't even know if the crown guards are pointed but they look a lot different then what I have on mine.

The second find is the Daytona. I believe it to be a 6263. Again, I don't have the knowledge about these but in researching here and on google it appears to have what is called the sigma dial. I guess this is due to the "OT SWISS TO" at the bottom of the face. In the limited searching I have done it appears to be a somewhat rare combination to have both the sigma dial and the DAYTONA written in red on the face. The band is missing one of the middle pieces from the clasp portion and the crystal has some scratches on it but the face is very nice.

I took a bunch of pictures. I'll try to post some here. I really don't know what my Aunt has in store for the watches yet. I'm not sure if she wants to keep them or sell them. As I said I have been a long time lurker here and I have read about various vintage watches being sent down to Bob Ridley. I sent him an email today and placed a call to him as well to see if he can help. At the very least we are going to see what it will cost to have both watches serviced. Hopefully he can shed some light on how old they are, a value etc.

I know there are a lot of experts on the board here. If anyone has any info about these watches it would be great to hear. I'll take the band off of the Daytona next time I'm there to get the serial number. I tried to look up the date of the GMT with the serial number but didn't have any luck finding it. If anyone has any idea to the dates it would be great to hear.

Enjoy the pictures - I really hope they aren't too bad. I took them with my iPhone and it was really hard to get the face of the watch without any glare.

Dave

[greekbum]

Nice find. The GMT looks like a 1960-61. If your aunt plans on selling I would strongly recommend selling them as found and not touching them.You have nothing to gain and everything to loose by having anybody touch them if they are for sale IMHO. If you are going to keep them to wear I would find a good independent watchmaker with a parts account and have them serviced. There are a few on the forum.

[sleddog]

I think a Lottery ticket is the next course of action for you...

As to find these two is something extraordinary!!

[Mr. Greene]

great find I am in no way an expert but I'm sure someone will chime in. If I were you I would look into buying them from your aunt if she wants to sell them and keep them in the family

[RC2]

Holy wow! Great find!!!! Good luck enjoy. Rich

[springer]

Great advice Nickos, I agree with your wisdom...again!

[byeedo]

Originally Posted by greekbum

if your aunt plans on selling i would strongly recommend selling them as found and not touching them.you have nothing to gain and everything to loose by having anybody touch them if they are for sale imho. If you are going to keep them to wear i would find a good independent watchmaker with a parts account and have them serviced.

x 2

[conrail]

Beautiful barnyard "finds" !!

[imono]

A Barn Find.
Worth so much more.
Serious buyers are always on the look out for these.
Once someone tinkers with them they are no longer virgins...

[onkyo]

Very nice pieces you stumbled upon.

The 'Big Red' Daytona sigma dial is certainly a rare bird. It is a manual wind movement (not self winding). Worth about 35-40k. Bob Ridley knows what to do to keep their originality and value.

The second is a gilt dial 1675 with pointed crown guards. Another beauty. Worth maybe 13-15k. The lume on the minute hand is deteriorating. Bob may be able to prevent further loss of lume.

Again congrats on your find!

[harry in montreal]

Winner winner chicken dinner. Looks like your aunt will have a nice windfall.

[psv]

Great find and story. As said, don't touch them!

If your aunt needs money, she can probably get at least $30,000 for those to, probably more.

[TSW]

Great find!

[johnbeth]

Originally Posted by greekbum

Nice find. The GMT looks like a 1960-61. If your aunt plans on selling I would strongly recommend selling them as found and not touching them.You have nothing to gain and everything to loose by having anybody touch them if they are for sale IMHO. If you are going to keep them to wear I would find a good independent watchmaker with a parts account and have them serviced. There are a few on the forum.

I totally agree!

To the OP, awesome find!

[hennabav]

Both stunning finds!! Congrats!!

[Paladin]

What are the chances......this is the stuff "TRF urban legends" are made of.....

- You are a long time lurker, and you just joined today

- Your uncle just happened to have two of the most desirable vintage rolexes

- your uncle died and the executor of his estate and/or wife thought it prudent to leave a safe unopened for 18 years. I don't even think that is legal...

Your uncle "just stopped" wearing the watches for the last 10 years of his life? They both look really well worn..?

- you figured out you have a sigma dial, you figured out who Bob Ridley is but you have no idea how to date the GMT.

- You took the time to lay them out and compose those photos but you didn't bother to take the band off the Daytona to get the serial number???

Don't touch that dial and Stay tuned...same bat time, same bat channel...

- You don't have any idea what will be done with them...ahhhh this is the stuff TRF dreams are made of.....

Yup...urban legend indeed .......

[Passionata]

Great stpry thanks for sharing,
And the watches ,man you are lucky

[kyle L]

Originally Posted by Paladin

What are the chances......this is the stuff "TRF urban legends" are made of.....

- You are a long time lurker, and you just joined today
- Your uncle just happened to have two of the most desirable vintage rolexes
- your uncle died and the executor of his estate and/or wife thought it prudent to leave a safe unopened for 25 - 28 years?
- you figured out you have a sigma dial, you figured out who Bob Ridley is but you have no idea how to date the GMT.
- You don't have any idea what will be done with them getting all TRF members speculating....

Yup...urban legend indeed .......

Seems like a plausible story to me... Nice watches, would love to know what happens to them!

[prismresearch]

.......call me skeptical.....but I'm with Padalin.....I know when someone dies, the family usually just leaves the safe locked up because there couldn't be anything in there like Insurance papers, deeds to the rental properties, etc......and then I know he wouldn't have any GOLD watches....just 2 stainless models.......yep!...happens every day......

[Timber Loftis]

I'm not going to join the doubters and/or haters; I'm just going to say that you have quite the find there. Otherwise, take Nikos's advice.

[Paladin]

Originally Posted by Timber Loftis

or haters.

Pretty strong choice of words counselor, considering I am all over my post..

These types of patronizing gratuitous threads baiting everyone's good will show up occasionally....I am entitled to my skepticism and my opinion sir!

[cruvon]

Beautiful watches, congrats!

[GMTGuy1675]

Way better than what ultimately was found in Al Capone's vault. Vintage City.

[kodiak]

Well I realize I should have just called Bob Ridley and not posted it here for everyone to see. I have nothing to hide and this is a 100 percent true story. I didn't think for a second this would be doubted or I wouldn't have posted anything at all. I didn't realize I would basically be called a liar here.

Let me try to answer your specific questions here -

I never said there wasn't any other watches in the safe - gold or silver. There just wasn't any other Rolex's. There was however an old style jubilee band that is stainless/gold and has the same style clasp as the Daytona but it's a wider band and it did not fit onto the GMT.

As far as dating the watch. Here's what I was looking at after a quick search. You tell me how this works. I put in the first four digits as the site said and it spits out 1981. If you look at the chart on the left side of the page I don't see where it would fit in there either. I know the watch is not from 1981.

http://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-wat...date-year.html

My uncle never wore these watches. He bought them from a friend according to my Aunt and they never left the safe. He collected all kinds of stuff and everything he collected was unique. He was into everything, Stamps, Coins, Cars, Guns, you name it he was probably into it at one time or another. His watch collecting was mostly pocket style watches. I'm not sure that these were even that rare back then were they?

As far as not opening a safe being illegal? Please.....that's a joke right?

Do a search on here for "vintage rolex repair who to trust" and see what name keeps coming up at the top of everyone's list.

The reason I joined the forum today was to post the pictures I just took of the watches today. Yes I just looked at the watches today. I thought it was an interesting story. There's no conspiracy on the serial number of the Daytona. I didn't set anything up. The watches are sitting on a plastic checkbook cover that was on a kitchen table at my Aunts house. I was in and out of my Aunts house in about 15 minutes. Really........would the story be more believable if I had taken the band off of the Daytona?

I didn't mean to cause any controversy here. I just thought it was a neat story about two vintage Rolex watches.

Dave

[RolexWatcher]

Originally Posted by kodiak

As I said I have been a long time lurker here and I have read about various vintage watches being sent down to Bob Ridley. I sent him an email today and placed a call to him as well to see if he can help. At the very least we are going to see what it will cost to have both watches serviced. Hopefully he can shed some light on how old they are, a value etc.

What did Bob say?

[Robbyvm]

looks like a great story... but some thing don't realy make sense...
--> if true, you are a lucky B**
--> if not, they still remain 2 amazing watches...

[dsio]

Great story, I'm sure this happens every week but normally those pieces end up with vintage dealers rather than a civilian so we never hear how they were located.

[Waldo]

Excellent find. Congrats

[Paksent]

Wow, great watches and good luck helping the family.

Guys, assume positive intent.

[cakey007]

Id happily have both, great find!!