Rolex Found in an Australian Recycling Plant

[AussieWatchGuy]

This title will sure capture the attention of a few people and all of it is true. To have a bit of a back story, I collect and buy vintage watches across Australia which has the benefits of having people constantly reaching out to sell watches they have found.

In the tale of this Rolex Oyster Ref 4982, I purchased it from the worker of a recycling plant based in Southern Queenland. The plant processes everything that goes into the recycling bins at homes and businesses across a number of council areas. This process is quite extensive in sorting out magnetics and non-magnetic recyclables, unfortunately it is quite common to find watches that end up in the bin.

This is where this Rolex has ended up and was found in the metal recycling bin, unfortunately we will never know its previous history or why it ended up in the bin but most likely it was seen to have little or no value by those that put it there.

In terms of condition, it has remarkably suffered very minimal damage to the case and dial considering all the heavy machinery which it survived in which I am quite thankful for. The movement is in beautifully clean condition but it will need a service nevertheless.

I would love to seek the communities guidance on how to sympathetic restore this piece and ensure I can wear and enjoy it into the future. I will be posting more photos tomorrow.

[Jackie Daytona]

More vintage than I know anything of but what an amazing find.

[ShamRockNRoll]

Absolutely beautiful, what a treat!

[RANCDdiver]

Ever come across a Submariner 5510 with Explorer dial that were issued to the Royal Australian Navy clearance divers?

[AussieWatchGuy]

Unfortunately I have never come across one, I do know that Phillip Stahl does have one in his extensive collection. They are a beautiful piece of Australian military watch history as is the RAAF watches that were supplied.

[RANCDdiver]

All the post war vintage tool watches are so cool. Explorers, GMTs, Submariners and Milgaus - all made specifically for guys doing the very serious stuff of their time. Modern jewel encrusted Yachtmasters just make me laugh, they couldn't get their superyacht out of the harbour on their own if they tried. Rolex should just rename them as the Oligarch or the Emirate Prince and be done with it.

As for RAAF watches, 420 first series Jaeger Le Coultre, 599 second JLC series and 600 in 1957 from IWC. 1619 in total but please correct me if I'm wrong. Great watches, particularly if they can by tied to the pilots who wore them and the missions they flew. Given the timeframe, some of them must have been involved in the Korean war.

RAN Submariner 5510s were issued in 1959 but only to the recently formed and elite clearance divers. Standard navy divers got a Droz according to the first RAN diving manual. Although expanding, the clearance diving team still only numbered 51 personnel in 1962, so they're significantly rarer. My current guess is that the handful of RAN 5510s that were specially ordered from Rolex with the Explorer dial in 1958, were initially only issued to the officers.

But thanks for the steer on Philipp Stahl. I've read his piece on the UK MoD A/6538s, issued less than a year before the RAN 5510s and it's very informative. I'll reach out to him but if you do ever find a 5510 RAN in a recycling bin or anywhere else, then please let me know.

As you appreciate, they're an important part of Australian military history and although really rare, are very deserving of better understanding in the watch community.

[R.W.T.]

It's pretty simple really. What kind of condition is the movement in? Sterling case?
The dial is literally worth more than the watch almost. VERY nice. More photos are helpful. It's a 10.5 H calibre 700 likely Some early ones got Rebberg and some even calibre 59 but I bet that's an Aegler. I work on them all the time.

[alwayshere]

Originally Posted by RANCDdiver

Ever come across a Submariner 5510 with Explorer dial that were issued to the Royal Australian Navy clearance divers?

haha i'm assuming you're referring to an old thread here an Aussie found this NOS submariner (I can't remember the reference) - it was worth a mint. Apparently inherited it.

Don't know what happened to the watch - suspect he sold it.

[RANCDdiver]

No, I'm unfamiliar with that thread. While a NOS Submariner of some reference is possible I suppose, an RAN 5510 definitely isn't. They were all used, and hard, that's for sure.

According to Greg Petronzi of True Patina, only 5 have survived. But I get your skepticism, as Jose Pereztroika exposed the Rinaldi fakes a while back. They're important watches in Aussie military history and I hope you'd agree, the sooner we sort the wheat from the chaff the better.

I knew about two, one sold by Eric Wind a while back and another auctioned by Sotheby's last year. Thanks to AussieWatchGuy, I'm now on the trail of another.

[Dan S]

Lovely dial.

[77T]

Amazing. What is the s/n range?

Getting back to your questions...

I think if you can get the movement serviced (maybe a Cal. 70?) see sample below (not my pic):



If so, then you'll have a reason to dive into the case and crown work. Mainspring and gaskets might be an extra effort.

That could be a very rewarding project if you'd like to keep it.

But if you wish to sell it after restoration, I think it might be a pro bono situation at best and hopefully not lose $$$.


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[AussieWatchGuy]

It has been a few weeks since posting due to life and work getting in the way as always. I have managed to dig into my extensive parts collection and find a suitable new old stock low dome crystal along with gently lifting the hands away from the dial until they come off to be properly straightened. However I will likely not relume the hands as I believe its important to tell its story and not making the watch look like new.

In regards to the brevet crown, I unfortunately don't have any 6.1mm crowns only 5.5mm crowns amongst my Rolex parts so I will need to track one down as this one is bent and worn. However if someone has a perfectly rough one I would love to purchase it.

The movement is quite clean as shown and I do have some new old stock movement parts and donor movements when I go to service it. In terms of the case it is sterling silver and has the wear and tear of being through the recycling system so I think its best to leave it as is.

I look forward to cleaning it up and getting it running again in the near future but for now it will sit in the line up to get serviced.