? what is this watch ?

[1000sunlight]

Hi can anyone help here- this Rolex has been in my family for a number of years- I havent had the back off but the numbers on one side of the case are 6480, and on the other 3402** (cant make the last two out but there are definitely two) This seems to date to 1944/45 but if there was a 1 in front it would be 1959. The front says 'Rolex Oyster' and 'Precision', and something like 'swiss 1<25' at the very bottom.
Is it a good one?? Someone said it might be military??
The face is acrylic
Very many thanks
Al

[Tools]

It's probably pretty much what it says it is..

A reference 6480 Oyster Precision.. Likely from about 1957 according to our chart (don't know what chart you are using)

The Swiss T<25 means that the dial is Tritium. It is not military and has the traditional "Explorer 3,6,9" dial, called that because it is usually found on the slightlyl larger 36mm Explorer, although this one may have been redone...

[harry in montreal]

looks like a nice old rolex.........that someone redialed with an explorer type dial and new fake hands. the watch looks nice, however, the dial likely comes from the depths of china. kinda negatively impacts the value of the watch. so, during this time your family owned it, they never said that they went on ebay and bought a new dial and handset?

[Michael M.]

Looks like a early rolex oyster with a badly refinished dial.

[Onikage]

I'd wear it.

[model7el]

nice watch

[usbzoso]

hands look brand new

[mjm800]

Tale of two threads.

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=175416



This tread is also in the vintage section where the replies say the dial and hands are fake?

[Onikage]

After hearing this, I wouldn't wear it. I'd probably cry for a while quietly.

[major_error]

I would have opened it carefully.
if it is a fake it is not much to loose.... If there are only "some fake parts" it is good to know...

Any way it seems to have some history inside the family. That will give it some "value"!

8-)

[1000sunlight]

well thank you for your advice its really helpful. i wonder what the proper dial looked like?

[1000sunlight]

thanks everybody- i wonder what the proper dial would have looked like

[Widows Son]

Hmmmm.....I'm no expert but, the dial doesn't bother me too much but the hands do. If money is a factor, I'd leave the dial alone and replace the hands with something more suitable.

[harry in montreal]

thanks everybody- i wonder what the proper dial would have looked like
probably like this... but maybe uglier. hence the dial being tossed;
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f29/195...-a-508160.html

[Rolex2]

A 30 or 40 yo Rolex which shows user wear is almost surely real, though the serial and model numbers found between the lugs are critical. This one, if 6 digits, would date to 1945, though I don't know when the 6480 model was introduced.
Someone said 1957. The face looks 1945 military. The numbers and hands on the dial look newer, but maybe not.
Can't always tell from pictures.

[harry in montreal]

Rolex2, i hear you.... but trust me, rolex never made that dial in the 1940s. or at any time after that . harry

[Rolex2]

Originally Posted by harry in montreal

Rolex2, i hear you.... but trust me, rolex never made that dial in the 1940s. or at any time after that . harry

see rudy_in_berkeley's Explorer watch in the "first vintage watch" section.
Dial looks similar. His is model 1016, from the pic. The 1016 Explorer is the James Bond watch, dating to the 60s.

[Rolex2]

see also thread "Ian Fleming's 1016 Explorer..." in this vintage section. Same dial on widdler 1977's sub.
This one lacks the explorer or submariner logo. Maybe it was a predecessor?

[Jason71]

Originally Posted by Rolex2

A 30 or 40 yo Rolex which shows user wear is almost surely real..............

I hope that you don't use this philosophy when buying used Rolex Watches. THAT would get you into trouble.

[Rolex2]

Originally Posted by Jason71

I hope that you don't use this philosophy when buying used Rolex Watches. THAT would get you into trouble.

one of the factors. Fake ones last about 30 days before they fall apart.

[harry in montreal]

Rolex2, again, anything is possible.

but, i can assure you that the watch in question could not be farther from a 1016, or a 5500 explorer for that matter. every thing about this dial is wrong compared to a 1016.

i know that are older military dials... but look at the pics of the thing in question. its clearly new. very very little doubt about it. a 70 year old military dial that had mild amounts of radioactive materials tends to age or degrade over 70 years. this thing is spankin' new. i appreciate your enthusiasm and optimism though. harry

[Jason71]

Originally Posted by Rolex2

one of the factors. Fake ones last about 30 days before they fall apart.

Have you ever shopped for a Red Sub?? There are times where everything is authentic except the dial. Case, bracelet, etc, etc is all correct with the right amount of wear, etc. To make such a broad statement as

Originally Posted by Rolex2

A 30 or 40 yo Rolex which shows user wear is almost surely real,

is very dangerous. You could really lead people towards purchasing some shady watches making a statement like this IMHO.

[1000sunlight]

I think I will change the hands- who could i get to do this in the UK?
very many thanks
Al
hey- these forums work!!!

[Frogman4me]

Originally Posted by Rolex2

A 30 or 40 yo Rolex which shows user wear is almost surely real

This is the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard in the vintage section.

[Rolex2]

Originally Posted by Jason71

Have you ever shopped for a Red Sub?? There are times where everything is authentic except the dial. Case, bracelet, etc, etc is all correct with the right amount of wear, etc. To make such a broad statement as



is very dangerous. You could really lead people towards purchasing some shady watches making a statement like this IMHO.

Maybe a case of overinterpretation. I'm merely saying an old used Rolex is more likely to be real vs a new one with no papers.

Fakes, after all, were not as common 40 years ago as they are now. In Asia today, there is a Rolex or Breitling fake at every street corner. And there are very good Swiss fakes.

Because an old Rolex watch has an update that may not be Rolex--or may be from a later period, that doesn't make it a "fake". A fake is a deliberate fake.

In this case, there seems to be a discrepancy between the model no. and the serial no. agewise. That's a puzzle. What does the movement say? You have to get into the watch and explore further.

That dial does look a lot like the Explorer and Submariner dials on watches in other threads, as I've noted.

[Rolex2]

Originally Posted by Rolex2

A 30 or 40 yo Rolex which shows user wear is almost surely real, though the serial and model numbers found between the lugs are critical..

Please do not take my quotes out of context. A couple of you have done so, leaving out the bold part of my statement above.

[Rolex2]

Originally Posted by major_error

I would have opened it carefully.
if it is a fake it is not much to loose.... If there are only "some fake parts" it is good to know...

Any way it seems to have some history inside the family. That will give it some "value"!

8-)

I agree you have to open it. Rolex set their serial numbers back to 6 digits in '53, so this could be a 50s watch. They put a Roman numeral I,II,III or IV on the inside back cover for those watches, to distinguish them from earlier watches with 6 digit serial numbers. You should also take a look at the movement. There should be a caliber number on the movement in a box, and a serial number for the movement. Plus a signature.

These watches require a special tool to open the back, so you have to take it to a jewelers.

[Jason71]

Originally Posted by Rolex2

Maybe a case of overinterpretation. I'm merely saying an old used Rolex is more likely to be real vs a new one with no papers.

Fakes, after all, were not as common 40 years ago as they are now. In Asia today, there is a Rolex or Breitling fake at every street corner. And there are very good Swiss fakes.

Because an old Rolex watch has an update that may not be Rolex--or may be from a later period, that doesn't make it a "fake". A fake is a deliberate fake.

In this case, there seems to be a discrepancy between the model no. and the serial no. agewise. That's a puzzle. What does the movement say? You have to get into the watch and explore further.

That dial does look a lot like the Explorer and Submariner dials on watches in other threads, as I've noted.

Evidently you are the expert here. Sorry I questioned your ability to differentiate between what is real and fake. Good luck buying Rolex watches

[slcbbrown]

Originally Posted by 1000sunlight

I think I will change the hands- who could i get to do this in the UK?
very many thanks
Al
hey- these forums work!!!

If this watch is working, you don't HAVE to do anything. There is a fair chance that you've got a great watch (any Rolex) that has been "repaired". It isn't unusual for someone to refinish an old Rolex dial or buy a refinished Rolex dial. Hands get replaced, too.

I would let a watch guy open it up. He'll be able to tell you in 2 seconds that it's a Rolex. You can decide if you want to spend the money to service it now or later. After you have the watch in decent working order, you might want to consider a dial or hands change.

Since you know some of the watch's ownership history, I doubt that it's a fake. But it's nice to be sure. Before fooling with the dial or hands, I'd much rather know that whe watch is watertight and lubed.

[1000sunlight]

cheers for the help lads. I would still like to know what type of hands it should have- maybe I ought to start another thread.
Its a shame that some members try to gain points over eachother though- but quite funny.
Al