Sunk the Red Sub……

[PeterWM]

Hi I’m new to the forums ( and everything else you'll think once you've read this note ). It's a fantastic resource for someone like me – who’s just made a whopping blunder.

I took my 1970 Red Sub for a swim – but with the Crown not fully wound down. To make it worse It was a week before I could get the watch to a watchmaker to open and clean.

I’m faced with having to try and salvage as much as I can – I bought the watch for my 21st birthday some 45+ years ago and we are old friends so I’m not about to give up – though I know very little about how to recover.

I guess that’s what I’m looking for – some sensible starters …. I’ve read what others have done in a general sense – but I should describe as well as I can the damage.

The watch was 7 days with salt water in it and I’m told by the guy who opened the watch for me that the movement is unable to be rescued? I would like to know how to check that and are no parts salvageable …and if that path is truly a dead end .

The Dial has also suffered some water damage though not bad – the worst is a lifting of a small amount of surface material on the very edge of the dial.
I guess I would like to also tune into the forum’s restoration sensibilities – how much repair and how much replacement how to maintain the “trueness” of the watch while getting it back on the road. I’ll send pix of the damage once I get a camera that is good enough to give a clear image.

From reading the Forums there seems to be two approaches – repair and accept the visual damage ( If that’s even possible with a movement 7 days under salt water )… or Rebuild .

Rebuilding seems to involve having the Dial re-finished and a replacement movement - 1575 I think from my reading - and put it back together. I’m living in Australia and we have limited choice for Watchmakers with access to Rolex parts (New or Used) so I’m guessing - alot. I’d also like some pointers as to where to find recommendations ( don’t know if you are allowed ) for repairers and where to have the jobs done once direction is established- then how to get replacement movements, parts .....

Please excuse the length of the report – thanks for reading it all – I’m grateful for any suggestions. I'm just trying; amongst the shock of my stupidity - to get my recovery direction.
Regards and thanks again

Peter