Older NOS Rolex watches with stickers may have issues when removing the stickers

[1665fan]

“ I am not a collector”. Yea we can tell LoL

[Gab27]

Originally Posted by JacksonRain

Good question with some interesting answers.

The metal can easily scratch - the high polished areas can easily scratch with a fingernail or if a slight rub of a dirty, dusty microfiber cloth.

In fact, if you or your AD are not careful on the day of purchase when removing the stickers, the watch may be scratched within a few minutes of ownership! I've seen this happen all too often, unfortunately.

With stickers that have been on for a long time, which have set in and accumulated dust dirt oils from sitting and or handling, the issue could be heightened.

So, when removing factory stickers you may opt to wear gloves or use a cloth to catch the edge and lift the stickers and remove them.

Stickers DO SOMETIMES ATTACH, and leave residue, especially 3M stickers, Vivid paint protection stickers. You also find the even removing PPE paint protection film, when sometimes the adhesive sticks when you pull the film back.

So you would want to put the watch in very warm was for 15 mins. Then, you may peal back and use dawn soap and hot water after this is complete if there is residue. You may then use boiling water on that section for a stubborn area and then put soap and try again.

Do NOT use a cloth on the watch when it's dry to wipe it off, and don't do that for any glue or residue or anything left, until AFTER YOU watch it very well with soap and hot water and gently rub.

That's your answer. You shouldn't have a problem.

I agree about stickers that have accumulated gunk, although I used a slightly different method to remove adhesives in such cases.

Indeed a dirty cloth will absolutely scratch many [relatively speaking] softer surfaces if there are hard particles in that cloth (e.g., silica sand, which is WAY harder than stainless). I've seen this many times on cars I detailed when younger, both on stainless trim as well as clear coats/single stage.

IMHO, IPA is the one of the easiest ways to remove an adhesive that has a bunch of accumulated particles. Gently saturate it, let it soak, and the alcohol does the work rather than someone having to scrub it like crazy and potentially scratch a finish. It's readily available, cheap, and safe on quite a few surfaces.

[WiseRat]

Originally Posted by hondacb1002

I'm not a collector but I want to ask what do people think will happen over a long period of time to the stickers on rolex watches? in my experience when you leave an adhesive with plastic on it attached to a metal surface the sticker becomes incredibly hard to remove so much so that I don't think you could remove a dried out sticker without scratching metal. I think these collectors after a certain number of years will find that having a stickered rolex is a problem waiting to happen unless it just continues to sit in a safe etc. thoughts?

I think most people with NOS Rolex see the sticker as a positive talking point. It confers originality. IMHO, collectors would never dream of removing the sticker from a NOS piece, because it devalues it (slightly). Like others pointed out, its nothing a little rubbing alcohol couldn't fix, should someone decide to remove it some day.

[8202632]

I remember on my original datejust I owned that the green sticker slid off due to the sweat on my wrist

[subtona]

Don’t worry rsc will remove it for you at service, if you want them to or not

[mquarter]

Originally Posted by GB-man

This might be the most TRF thread of all time. It’s definitely an old school throwback and worthy of top 10 for 2022.

Seriously though over time they just peel off at the corners by themselves.

[GB-man]

Originally Posted by mquarter

Seriously though over time they just peel off at the corners by themselves.

There’s one on my 16520 that’s been on there since nirvana Nevermind was on the radio.

[Randy9999]

Was this on the secret list of topics that reduces precisely 27.02% of TRF members to sarcasm?