Rolex 1803 dial query

[jude]

Hello everyone I am planning on purchasing a 1803 from a reputed dealer. As per the serial in between the case lugs, it belongs to 1970 vide serial 234XXXX.

I've seen the watch, dial, movement etc myself and have got it checked from a reputed jeweller and everything seems genuine.

However, my main query here is about the “Swiss” dial. While I believe these "Swiss" only dials did exist, I’ve most commonly seen the T Swiss T ones. Can anyone shed light on this dial and whether it’s okay to be present on a 1803 from 1970? Could this have been a replacement dial by Rolex at some stage during service?



Some other details, the bracelet clasp code is "C" and the end links are marked "55". Overall it's is pretty decent condition for its age.

Any help / feedback would be very much appreciated. Thanks 😊

[southtexas]

Picture is poor, but yes that configuration did exist (with distinct 6 and 9 markers and Swiss only). Ended early 60s I believe.


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[CTech]

That looks like an early 1803 silver sunburst pie pan door stop dial, and it is not period correct on a 1970-71 watch.

That type of dial was used from about 1960 to 1962 or 1963 and it is extremely unlikely that it would have been put on the watch by any Rolex Service Center.

It is very similar to this one on a 1960 watch sold previously by Bulang and Sons:

https://bulangandsons.com/products/r...old-1803-w1089

It's possible a previous owner liked the more vintage style and swapped dials, but the most likely scenario is that a watchmaker or jeweler has changed the dial for some reason without knowing or caring that it was from a significantly earlier watch.

The bracelet code dates it to 1978 so that is another clue that this is possibly a watch assembled out of parts rather than it being totally original.

There's nothing fundamentally wrong about any of this as people swap dials, bezels and bracelets a lot to customize or repair older watches, but it might pose a problem on resale as a lot of people will be looking for more originality than this.