SD43 Mark I dial officially discontinued!

[brucethemanlee]

you will have to wait 50years + to find out

If you’re not 6 ft under by then I certainly hope that one’s life at that age will have more important priorities than “hey I have a mk1 dial !”

Just buy for pure enjoyment and wear the hell of out it!!!



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[77T]

While this is a SD43 dial generation waypoint, when we see one in the wild, it is not a collectible milestone for Mk. 1 dial owners. At least for their lifetimes.

In the short term it could have an unintended consequence for those owners if buyers want the newer dial.


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[scurfa]

Maybe if the word Sea Dweller was now white!

[ckpeters]

I love my SD43 and don't care about mk1 vs mk2.

[imran16520]

Originally Posted by rambo99

Rolex has finally updated the photo on their website. SD43 with the mark i dial should now hold a premium over the mark ii dial down the road as its rarer and signify the true 50th anniversary. glad that i got my SD43 mark i last July.

For me the first dial version is the new Fat Four!

[1William]

No value for me and I would not pay more for one now or in 20 years.

[DoctorA]

Originally Posted by Dusko.Popov

“Part” of 2018 huh? Someone on this forum had an incoming new from an ad last week that was an mk1. That’s the second or third mk1 dial incoming on this forum this year (2019) that I can recall.

It’s 2019, chief.

That dial has been produced/distributed for full two years now. April, 2017 they were incoming. All of 2018. And now 2019.

Not sure if you were collecting the earlier part of the century but y-serial 16610lvs we’re gone in 03 and f-serial (like mine) were all but gone by early 04. And that’s when they would arrive and sit in cases for months unappreciated by buyers.

Mk1 126600 dials are still be received by Ads into 2019.

Received.

So, in truth, the mk1 celebrates the 50th, 51st and 52nd anniversary of the Sea Dweller.

Woohoo. Congrats!

Mk1 126600 and y/f-serial 16610lv don’t share anything close to the same experience.

The fact Someone receives a watch in 2019 doesn’t mean it’s made that year! Between when Rolex ISA releases is, and what ADs have in their vaults is a whole story

By the way the 116710 LN is discontinued yet people still post its incomings!! it’s not instantaneous “chief”
Oh and btw thank for confirming what year it is

[Chadridv]

Originally Posted by watchmaker

Vintage watches command a premium because there were fewer watches made 50+ years ago AND there are even fewer that survived and are in good condition today.

Today far more watches are produced (even when you factor in things like a mk1 dial in a short production run) AND everybody expects their watch to be the next DRSD or Paul Newman. Meaning in 2069 the market will be saturated with mint condition 50 year old Rolex watches (other brands too) and disappointed owners who can't retire to the Maldives as planned.

Just my two cents.

If someone thinks their mki SD43 will be the next Paul Newman, they’re delusional. However it sounds like you don’t think there will be any demand for the mk1 and there I disagree with you.

What it will be worth? I have no idea, but it’s possible it could have a similar value path of a flat 4 LV.

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by DoctorA

The fact Someone receives a watch in 2019 doesn’t mean it’s made that year! Between when Rolex ISA releases is, and what ADs have in their vaults is a whole story

By the way the 116710 LN is discontinued yet people still post its incomings!! it’s not instantaneous “chief”
Oh and btw thank for confirming what year it is

Another way to look at it is a MkII dial guarantees it was not produced in the 50th anniversary year; conversely, a MkI dial leaves open the possibility it could have been produced in the 50th anniversary year, even if it's not an outright guarantee. Actual production dates aside, if collectors come to view the MkI dial as the "true" 50th anniversary edition, that's what counts in terms of collectibility. Also, if the SD43 has a long, successful run, and assuming the MkII dial remains on the model for the remainder of that run, eventually there will have been many more MkII dials produced than MkI. We're just not through the distribution transition yet. Those factors could make the difference to collectors down the road, but there is of course no way to know at this point.

[Old Geezer]

My heirs may profit, I'm not selling my SD43 !

[vivicorsi]

Everyone who knows anything about Rolex , knows that small details make a huge difference to collectors. A 50th anniversary model of the iconic sea-dweller.... You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that this model will
follow in the footsteps of the flat 4.


Next chance in 50 years...

[bowsersdaddy]

speculative at best but who knows

[tac34vt]

Originally Posted by Old Geezer

My heirs may profit, I'm not selling my SD43 !

+1


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[Roli4life]

Originally Posted by oldman2005

I don't think there isn't that much Mk1 out there, after the 1st year, I talked to a few ADs and learned that each of them got 1-2 SD43, now multiply that by number of ADs, my guess is maybe there around 2000-3000 Mk1 out there. This watch is an investment grade imo

I heard the same from AD he only got two between 17 and early 18. When I spoke to him last week he asked me if I still had my red SD, ‘’because it’s soon to be the next flat 4. When it come to collectible Rolex’’.
obviously I have not sold mine, but I thought it was funny that he said if I ever thought about selling, to give him a call first. LoL!

[Roli4life]

Originally Posted by Swiss Mad!

The first watches released in 2017 didn't have the little crown on the dial at the 6 o'clock position.



The crown appeared on all watches with the new 70 hour power reserve movement at Basel 2018.



The thing is, the SD43 has always had the 70 hour power reserve movement but as the early watches didn't have the crown on the dial this makes them a little bit unique and some collectors think this will make them more desirable, thus more valuable, in the future.



Only time will tell...

It’s not just the crown...
Rolex also changed up the way the 1’s are written on the dial.
They went from matching stick one’s (l) that matched the one at bottom 6 on MK1 anniversary dials. To a one like the (#1) on the following batch.

Small changes but huge since the sticks seem to only be on the SD43 for the first limited MK1 batches, they never used them on the Sub that year or anything else I know of?

Rolex historically seems to make these little ‘mistakes’ on anniversary runs, much like they did on the Kermit flat 4. I don’t believe this was an incidental error, and even if it were it still separates them from all batches that followed.
Even if you lost your warranty card it would be obvious that this was one a MK1.

Picture from Basel 17. Rolex wanted an Anniversary SD, and I think the dial proves that they don’t speak, but they do wink from time to time.

[startrolexendrolex]

The numbers are written differently also. Is going to be worth more down the road.

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[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by Roli4life

It’s not just the crown...
Rolex also changed up the way the 1’s are written on the dial.
They went from matching stick one’s (l) that matched the one at bottom 6 on MK1 anniversary dials. To a one like the (#1) on the following batch.

Small changes but huge since the sticks seem to only be on the SD43 for the first limited MK1 batches, they never used them on the Sub that year or anything else I know of?

Rolex historically seems to make these little ‘mistakes’ on anniversary runs, much like they did on the Kermit flat 4. I don’t believe this was an incidental error, and even if it were it still separates them from all batches that followed.
Even if you lost your warranty card it would be obvious that this was one a MK1.

Picture from Basel 17. Rolex wanted an Anniversary SD, and I think the dial proves that they don’t speak, but they do wink from time to time.

Excellent observations regarding the way no.1 is written on the original dials.

I did not know this previously, thank you



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[soxfan39]

I was about to trade mine + $ for a 116619 smurf. Now I have to reconsider.

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by Roli4life

It’s not just the crown...
Rolex also changed up the way the 1’s are written on the dial.
They went from matching stick one’s (l) that matched the one at bottom 6 on MK1 anniversary dials. To a one like the (#1) on the following batch.

Small changes but huge since the sticks seem to only be on the SD43 for the first limited MK1 batches, they never used them on the Sub that year or anything else I know of?

Rolex historically seems to make these little ‘mistakes’ on anniversary runs, much like they did on the Kermit flat 4. I don’t believe this was an incidental error, and even if it were it still separates them from all batches that followed.
Even if you lost your warranty card it would be obvious that this was one a MK1.

Good catch. Were all the Mk1 (no-crown) dials the same in terms of numeral font, or were there differences among them, as well?

[DoctorA]

Originally Posted by JacksonStone

Another way to look at it is a MkII dial guarantees it was not produced in the 50th anniversary year; conversely, a MkI dial leaves open the possibility it could have been produced in the 50th anniversary year, even if it's not an outright guarantee. Actual production dates aside, if collectors come to view the MkI dial as the "true" 50th anniversary edition, that's what counts in terms of collectibility. Also, if the SD43 has a long, successful run, and assuming the MkII dial remains on the model for the remainder of that run, eventually there will have been many more MkII dials produced than MkI. We're just not through the distribution transition yet. Those factors could make the difference to collectors down the road, but there is of course no way to know at this point.

That’s actually a great way of putting it! I totally agree

[jonnyz1245]

Originally Posted by Roli4life

They went from matching stick one’s (l) that matched the one at bottom 6 on MK1 anniversary dials. To a one like the (#1) on the following batch.

For clarity is he saying that "matching sticks that matched the one at bottom 6" mean the number one on mark one dials "1220" is expressed like a match stick or I? and that on mark 2 dials its a 1? I assume that is the meaning intended.

Mark one = I
Mark two = 1

[jonnyz1245]

Originally Posted by JacksonStone

Good catch. Were all the Mk1 (no-crown) dials the same in terms of numeral font, or were there differences among them, as well?

I just went back through the FS archives and all of them I looked at as far back as Oct 2017, it is the match stick "I" and not "1". Not sure if that means all MK1 in existence are but the sample set of approx 30 I looked at are all "I" and not a single "1"

Now folks can retire early in 20 years when MK1 is worth a gazillion $

Just noticed this is post 2K for me. It only took me 9 years :

[WatchLurv]

These threads... Make me chuckle.

I have an undated Batman "mk1". Any takers on a 2000% price hike?

[jonnyz1245]

Originally Posted by WatchLurv

These threads... Make me chuckle.

I have an undated Batman "mk1". Any takers on a 2000% price hike?

Give it a decade, you can sell it and buy a nice house

[Swiss Mad!]

Originally Posted by vivicorsi

Everyone who knows anything about Rolex , knows that small details make a huge difference to collectors. A 50th anniversary model of the iconic sea-dweller.... You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that this model will
follow in the footsteps of the flat 4.


Next chance in 50 years...

You say 50 years before the Mk1 will become anything like more valuable than a MkII.

Yet you compare it to a flat 4 LV.

The flat 4 LV was produced in 2003/4 - that's only 15 years or so ago.

What's to say that in 15 years the Mk1 Sea Dwellers aren't fetching ridiculous premiums ?

[jonnyz1245]

Originally Posted by Swiss Mad!

You say 50 years before the Mk1 will become anything like more valuable than a MkII.

Yet you compare it to a flat 4 LV.

The flat 4 LV was produced in 2003/4 - that's only 15 years ago.

What's to say that in 15 years the Mk1 Sea Dwellers aren't fetching ridiculous premiums ?

Anything is possible!

[Singslinger]

Originally Posted by brucethemanlee

you will have to wait 50years + to find out

If you’re not 6 ft under by then I certainly hope that one’s life at that age will have more important priorities than “hey I have a mk1 dial !”

Just buy for pure enjoyment and wear the hell of out it!!!



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Well said!

[yannis]

Arguments about value aside this is an interesting thread and read. Thanks for sharing all this info gents.

[oldman2005]

Originally Posted by Swiss Mad!

You say 50 years before the Mk1 will become anything like more valuable than a MkII.

Yet you compare it to a flat 4 LV.

The flat 4 LV was produced in 2003/4 - that's only 15 years or so ago.

What's to say that in 15 years the Mk1 Sea Dwellers aren't fetching ridiculous premiums ?

I doubt it will take 50 years but much less. Look at the craziness of SS Zenith Daytona, Kermit,...Or even the current SS Daytona, bought for $12K a year ago, now the exchange rate is $24k.

With the introduction of the TT SD43, Rolex would most likely repeat their strategy to reduce the production of this SS S43 to artificially simulate the high demand and shift buyer attention to the higher profit TT SD43.

[CanPam]

Never have seen a MK1 with a "1"...