Vintage ROLEX Military Submariner 5517 Mid CASE - FOR REAL?

[pr0digy30]

While possible... this case looks like it just came off the assembly line. Me thinks it's one of those Vietnamese cases machine to accept genuine movements.

Seller looks like a pawn shop... perhaps they were duped! Look at those sharp edges on the inside of the lugs.

What do the pros have to say?

Vintage ROLEX Military Submariner 5517 Mid CASE
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-ROLEX-Mi...item35a943b092
wedgles303

[Safetrends]

The letters are short E and not long E.
The crown guard looks to be correct and not a V like the fakes.
It looks good to me, however I have been wrong before.

[pr0digy30]

Good eye... hopefully the buyer/seller agree to authentication from a RSC.

[FIB112358]

Contacted seller, he is willing to confirm authenticity, cannot confirm history though
I believe this midcase is genuine.

Is this likely to be a service case?

[mcjp6]

Originally Posted by FIB112358

Contacted seller, he is willing to confirm authenticity, cannot confirm history though
I believe this midcase is genuine.

Is this likely to be a service case?

I would not have thought so with a 5M serial no. Agreed it does look genuine, but in such mint condition.....

[Mockingbird]

It looks real enough to me... I'm no expert though.

[onkyo]

Interesting auction..... looks ok to me. Lack of any wear is suspicious though.

[FIB112358]

So is it possible that it is a service replacement?

[Safetrends]

Originally Posted by FIB112358

So is it possible that it is a service replacement?

Anything is possible.

[BASSETHOUNDS]

It would be interesting to find out if the serial 533xxx would not be 533977 after all . I find it very strange that exactly a 5517 case in BNIB condition would bare the first 3 serial numbers of a well documented 5517 .
We have seen coincidences before .. but . I would be possible that given it is a military issue that they were made in a batch and hence have consecutive serials .
Maybe the OP could inquire with the seller if the last number of the serial would be a 7 .

[hitchens]

This seems a bit suspect........SO clean, looks unused? And from a pawn shop in Denver? Really?!.....installing fixed lugs and altering a '5513' to a '5517' ain't that hard.

Anyway, a case like that is useless without its matching caseback, dial and hands.

[pr0digy30]

Tweaking in Photoshop, it does look like it is 5339xx, there is enough engraving peeking out from underneath the coronet that would suggest 9.

But that could be TRF effect of having read it before, influencing my judgement. :)

[BASSETHOUNDS]

Possible that it is a 9. I did put a question to the seller trying to get more info about the serial .

[Safetrends]

Originally Posted by hitchens

This seems a bit suspect........SO clean, looks unused? And from a pawn shop in Denver? Really?!.....installing fixed lugs and altering a '5513' to a '5517' ain't that hard.

Anyway, a case like that is useless without its matching caseback, dial and hands.

Not true, you can put that watch back to the way it was with authentic Rolex parts without being a "parts watch". It would be costly however if it is a military watch it would be well worth it.

[pr0digy30]

Looks like some shill bidding... and he bid himself to the top.

Bidder: r***t
30-Day Summary
Total bids: 15
Items bid on: 7
Bid activity (%) with this seller: 100%

[BASSETHOUNDS]

I have a suspicion that the seller monitors TRF

[tudorman8276]

Originally Posted by pr0digy30

Looks like some shill bidding... and he bid himself to the top.

Bidder: r***t
30-Day Summary
Total bids: 15
Items bid on: 7
Bid activity (%) with this seller: 100%

...the eBay security system AUTOMATICALLY throws out an INTERNAL warning within eBay and this guy would NOT be on eBay very long!!

[BASSETHOUNDS]

Sold for a lot of money , the seller never replied to my questions . I really hope that the buyer will not receive a case with serial number 533977 .

[FIB112358]

I am fairly sure it is a correct case. I thought it would have gone for more then 8.6k, being a 5517 and not 5513 dual.
What I want to know is, if it is a restored case or a service case, does anybody have any insight?

[Safetrends]

HOLY S**T that went for a big chunck of change!!!

[STEELINOX]

This chamfer is very suspect to me...



Is this a 5mill case?



It looks waaaay too new to me...

[pr0digy30]

Edges so sharp... you could shave with it. :)

[FIB112358]

like I said before, it looks to be refurbished or a service part.
But I am sure it is genuine. If it is not, then the asia case-makers have made one hell of a case that is the most accurate that I have ever seen. This needs to be sorted, because if it is fake then we need to know to stay on top of further ones, and if not we need the confidence restored that it is still possible to tell the difference. Any experts?

[Safetrends]

Lance, I am sure it is real and it is something that was packed away somewhere, as a safe technician opening up safes I see things that would make you pass out on the floor. Crisp 5 dollar silver certificate's still wrapped in the bank band. Tell me how much that is worth, or fresh gold coins still in a bank roll dated in the 1800's. I have seen it all, Gold coins in a floor safe filled to the brim in water.

[hitchens]

Originally Posted by Safetrends

Not true, you can put that watch back to the way it was with authentic Rolex parts without being a "parts watch". It would be costly however if it is a military watch it would be well worth it.

Genuine or not, the case is useless without its caseback. The serial number is engraved onto the inside of the caseback, along with its issue number on the outside.

This would never be anything more than a very expensive Frankenwatch.

[FIB112358]

Originally Posted by hitchens

Genuine or not, the case is useless without its caseback. The serial number is engraved onto the inside of the caseback, along with its issue number on the outside.

This would never be anything more than a very expensive Frankenwatch.

All the original parts could be purchased, (dial,hands,bezel 'yes they are expensive and hard to get') The issue and batch# details could be gained from the serial on the midcase. True, the watch would not have it's original caseback. But I think the end product would be a nice mil watch. considering it is a 5517 and not dual 5513/7. which I would consider to be rare
I recall seeing a 5513/4 stamped 5513 that sold on the bay for 20k usd last year, this watch was restored around just the midcase using standard 5513 parts, no comex caseback or dial. The only evidence that it was a 5514 was in the rsc service paperwork.
I would hardly consider this 5517 midcase useless, as the market has dictated it's willingness to pay 8.6k I thought it would sell for more myself.
It's all up to the market, it dictates true price trends, and from what I understand the maket has favour with authentic milsub parts, which is why high prices are commanded.

[Nicko]

Originally Posted by Safetrends

Lance, I am sure it is real and it is something that was packed away somewhere, as a safe technician opening up safes I see things that would make you pass out on the floor. Crisp 5 dollar silver certificate's still wrapped in the bank band. Tell me how much that is worth, or fresh gold coins still in a bank roll dated in the 1800's. I have seen it all, Gold coins in a floor safe filled to the brim in water.

I agree with David 100%

Why couldn't this be authentic? People have things tucked away for ages and when they see the light of day after 40, 50 or 60+ years they are like new. Nothing new here.

[BASSETHOUNDS]

I'm still convinced that it is a fake case and the serial is a clone of a well documented Mil 5517 . An inquiry is ongoing via Ebay .

[FIB112358]

Originally Posted by BASSETHOUNDS

Sold for a lot of money , the seller never replied to my questions . I really hope that the buyer will not receive a case with serial number 533977 .

I also inquired about the serial number with the seller. It is not the serial number that you have stated above. I think you are missing a number anyway, as it is a 5mil case, not .5mill. Either way the last 4 digits on the mid case are not the same as the above serial. The quality on this case far out shines any of the fakes that I have seen posted here for discussion. I still believe it to be genuine example. If the fakes are this good now, lord help us when looking for spare case parts

[BASSETHOUNDS]

Well of course , I did leave the last digit out . I should have put 533977X.