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lilharrywinston · 1 April 2010, 01:34 PM

I just purchased my first Rolex President. The watch is in incredible condition and has all the goodies with it and is from an authorized dealer/jeweler. I am not too crazy about the dial though. It has a black tapestry dial and I would like to know if anyone knows what dials were available for that year or which are currently available for that model/year (1989). Years ago I had a SS datejust with the 18k white gold fluted bezel and a silver tapestry dial which I LOVED, but just not really liking it in black. I already have a black dialed watch (Seawdweller) so I would like to change the one on the President, but only want a factory/original dial.

jets · 1 April 2010, 02:01 PM

Is your watch yellow gold? If so you're in luck... at that price just buy it now as the history shows 9 offers!

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ROLEX-PRESIDENT-S...item3356bc25e1

Rscmaine · 1 April 2010, 07:45 PM

Scan Ebay - there are millions of 18038 dials out there - just steer clear of the ones with diamonds as 99% of those are aftermarket.

Nobody goes to the trouble of making and selling just fake stick dials - there is not enough profit in it.

Buy 12 and have a different watch for every month!

patek5107 · 1 April 2010, 07:55 PM

A president 18038 can not be from 1989!!!

The replacement model - 18238 - came out as an R serial number! An R serial number is about 1987. So a 18038 would be before this!

Therefore an 18038 can not be from 1989.

Rscmaine · 1 April 2010, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patek5107

A president 18038 can not be from 1989!!!

The replacement model - 18238 - came out as an R serial number! An R serial number is about 1987. So a 18038 would be before this!

Therefore an 18038 can not be from 1989.

Well whichever model it is, he can still get a dial...

But to the original poster - you might want to pull the bracelet and check the model and serial number.

Jackxv · 1 April 2010, 08:39 PM

Some gold models were around in AD cases for longer periods.

The date produced is never the date sold.
It could've been in stock for 2 years+

Jack

lilharrywinston · 2 April 2010, 01:09 AM

Thanks for all the help. I would love to have a white roman numeral or white/silver tapestry dial. I think the champagne ones are a bit hard to read. I was told by the dealer that they will not work on, nor will Rolex service a watch that has a dial different from the ones available for that year. Sorry just not sure what they mean by that. My mother has a DJ with an aftermarket diamond bezel and they didn't even want to appraise it for her let alone service it. They said they could put the original bezel back on it and then they could work on it-- crazy!!!--- and why do you have to trade your dial into Rolex if you buy one from them? - they quoted me around $450 for a white stick dial and they would keep the tapestry dial-- I think I should be able to keep it.
--- to the comment about the age--- I'll ask them (dealer) about the year, maybe it was in stock for some time before being sold-- the receipt shows 18038 18K pres.
My concern with purchasing a dial, or 12!! (which I would love) of them is that if I need a repair they won't do it. How true is that??, plus I don't know where to have my watch serviced here in Harrisburg PA if I chose not to go to an authorized dealer- anyone out there from my parts of the woods. I have my Seadweller and TT Sub serviced there, but they are not altered.
So to those reading this, do you have your watches serviced at a dealer or do you have other folks you trust?

Renoir · 2 April 2010, 03:11 AM

18038 and 18238 and even 118238 dials are all interchangeable, so you have options.

As for service, I have used both Rolex NY service and independent watchmakers, with excellent results. It's just a matter of your comfort level.

jets · 2 April 2010, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilharrywinston

Thanks for all the help. I would love to have a white roman numeral or white/silver tapestry dial. I think the champagne ones are a bit hard to read. I was told by the dealer that they will not work on, nor will Rolex service a watch that has a dial different from the ones available for that year. Sorry just not sure what they mean by that. My mother has a DJ with an aftermarket diamond bezel and they didn't even want to appraise it for her let alone service it. They said they could put the original bezel back on it and then they could work on it-- crazy!!!--- and why do you have to trade your dial into Rolex if you buy one from them? - they quoted me around $450 for a white stick dial and they would keep the tapestry dial-- I think I should be able to keep it.
--- to the comment about the age--- I'll ask them (dealer) about the year, maybe it was in stock for some time before being sold-- the receipt shows 18038 18K pres.
My concern with purchasing a dial, or 12!! (which I would love) of them is that if I need a repair they won't do it. How true is that??, plus I don't know where to have my watch serviced here in Harrisburg PA if I chose not to go to an authorized dealer- anyone out there from my parts of the woods. I have my Seadweller and TT Sub serviced there, but they are not altered.
So to those reading this, do you have your watches serviced at a dealer or do you have other folks you trust?

They can be turkeys. They want to limit the sale of genuine parts in the market. I suppose the idea is that if they leave no extra dials out in the wild than it's easy to conclude that most dials for sale without the original watch are then fakes or more likely to be. If I was in your shoes I think I would find the best watchmaker around my area and have him work on it. In a few years they will refuse to work on it anyway...I forget how many years is the cutoff...

Jackxv · 2 April 2010, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jets

If I was in your shoes I think I would find the best watchmaker around my area and have him work on it. In a few years they will refuse to work on it anyway...I forget how many years is the cutoff...

It's a modern movement, that wil take another 20 years minimum.

Jack

padi56 · 2 April 2010, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackxv

Some gold models were around in AD cases for longer periods.

The date produced is never the date sold.
It could've been in stock for 2 years+

Jack

Have agree and even longer gold watches in general are not volume sellers like main line SS .So could be shipped from Switzerland to Rolex USA then to AD very much later.

letsjames · 11 October 2010, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patek5107

A president 18038 can not be from 1989!!!

The replacement model - 18238 - came out as an R serial number! An R serial number is about 1987. So a 18038 would be before this!

Therefore an 18038 can not be from 1989.

My 18038 is R8*******
It's purchased in late 1988, so I would say it is possible to have a receipt dated 1989.

imono · 12 October 2010, 12:37 AM

In an earlier post elsewhere in the Forum, someone was thinking of buying brand new YachtMaster from an AD. The YM has a M serial which possibly could date the watch to 2007/8 era.
If he had indeed bought the watch today it would officially be a 2010 YachtMaster and not a 2007/8.
The official warranty/guarantee papers will then be dated today and not 2007/8.
You will see diamond/gold/platinum watches with Z serial sitting on shelves for a few years before they got sold.
A Z serial watch that got sold today is today's model year.
Or for that matter any early serial that is purchase from an AD.

So the serial is only a guide and not an 11th Commandment.

1 April 2010, 01:34 PM	#1
lilharrywinston "TRF" Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Real Name: Bill Location: Harrisburg, PA Watch: Rolex TT Blue Sub Posts: 3	Help!! -- 1989 President 18038 I just purchased my first Rolex President. The watch is in incredible condition and has all the goodies with it and is from an authorized dealer/jeweler. I am not too crazy about the dial though. It has a black tapestry dial and I would like to know if anyone knows what dials were available for that year or which are currently available for that model/year (1989). Years ago I had a SS datejust with the 18k white gold fluted bezel and a silver tapestry dial which I LOVED, but just not really liking it in black. I already have a black dialed watch (Seawdweller) so I would like to change the one on the President, but only want a factory/original dial.

1 April 2010, 02:01 PM	#2
jets "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Real Name: Mario Location: CANADA Posts: 2,483	Is your watch yellow gold? If so you're in luck... at that price just buy it now as the history shows 9 offers! http://cgi.ebay.ca/ROLEX-PRESIDENT-S...item3356bc25e1 __________________ ♛ DJII 116234 · Submariner 126610LV · Yacht Master 42 226659 ✿ Pelagos 25600TN Ω X-33 Speedmaster Skywalker · 1861 Speedmaster Modsukoshi · SMP 2254.50 · SMP 2230.50 NAC · Seamaster 300 166.0324 · Genève 162.037 Seiko SLA033 Willard · SKX007

1 April 2010, 07:45 PM	#3
Rscmaine "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Real Name: Nat Parkinson Location: Maine, USA Watch: me pull a rabbit.. Posts: 1,196	Scan Ebay - there are millions of 18038 dials out there - just steer clear of the ones with diamonds as 99% of those are aftermarket. Nobody goes to the trouble of making and selling just fake stick dials - there is not enough profit in it. Buy 12 and have a different watch for every month! __________________ When the alien spaceships actually landed, to everyone's surprise, it turned out that the world's governments had not been hiding anything. They were just as clueless as the rest of us!

1 April 2010, 08:39 PM	#6
Jackxv "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Netherlands Posts: 969	Relax Some gold models were around in AD cases for longer periods. The date produced is never the date sold. It could've been in stock for 2 years+ Jack

1 April 2010, 07:55 PM	#4
patek5107 Banned Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Vegas Posts: 106	A president 18038 can not be from 1989!!! The replacement model - 18238 - came out as an R serial number! An R serial number is about 1987. So a 18038 would be before this! Therefore an 18038 can not be from 1989.

2 April 2010, 01:09 AM	#7
lilharrywinston "TRF" Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Real Name: Bill Location: Harrisburg, PA Watch: Rolex TT Blue Sub Posts: 3	Thanks for all the help. I would love to have a white roman numeral or white/silver tapestry dial. I think the champagne ones are a bit hard to read. I was told by the dealer that they will not work on, nor will Rolex service a watch that has a dial different from the ones available for that year. Sorry just not sure what they mean by that. My mother has a DJ with an aftermarket diamond bezel and they didn't even want to appraise it for her let alone service it. They said they could put the original bezel back on it and then they could work on it-- crazy!!!--- and why do you have to trade your dial into Rolex if you buy one from them? - they quoted me around $450 for a white stick dial and they would keep the tapestry dial-- I think I should be able to keep it. --- to the comment about the age--- I'll ask them (dealer) about the year, maybe it was in stock for some time before being sold-- the receipt shows 18038 18K pres. My concern with purchasing a dial, or 12!! (which I would love) of them is that if I need a repair they won't do it. How true is that??, plus I don't know where to have my watch serviced here in Harrisburg PA if I chose not to go to an authorized dealer- anyone out there from my parts of the woods. I have my Seadweller and TT Sub serviced there, but they are not altered. So to those reading this, do you have your watches serviced at a dealer or do you have other folks you trust?

2 April 2010, 03:11 AM	#8
Renoir "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Real Name: Renato Location: New York Posts: 2,396	18038 and 18238 and even 118238 dials are all interchangeable, so you have options. As for service, I have used both Rolex NY service and independent watchmakers, with excellent results. It's just a matter of your comfort level.

12 October 2010, 12:37 AM	#13
imono "TRF" Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: USA Posts: 3,241	In an earlier post elsewhere in the Forum, someone was thinking of buying brand new YachtMaster from an AD. The YM has a M serial which possibly could date the watch to 2007/8 era. If he had indeed bought the watch today it would officially be a 2010 YachtMaster and not a 2007/8. The official warranty/guarantee papers will then be dated today and not 2007/8. You will see diamond/gold/platinum watches with Z serial sitting on shelves for a few years before they got sold. A Z serial watch that got sold today is today's model year. Or for that matter any early serial that is purchase from an AD. So the serial is only a guide and not an 11th Commandment.

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