Vintage Rolex Explorer I With Tiffany & Co.

[Zanjaniamir]

Hi all this is my first post on this forum and was wondering if i could get your opinion. I purchased my first rolex (a brand new Batman) recently and I'm hooked. I'm thinking of expanding my collection already and looking at vintage rolexes to start with. Been doing some research and found this up for sale. The ad says that its a 1969 Vintage Rolex Explorer I with ref 1005 but im fairly certain the seller made a mistake with the reference or the production year. Its quite peculiar that it has a Tiffany & Co. Logo on it. Its the first time Ive seen that on a rolex. Anyway im fairly new to the brand so im asking you kind gentlemen what your thoughts are. Also, I'd like to know how much youd value it at? It seems to me like a pretty good price. About 4000 usd. And when i looked up some vintage Explorer Is from the period it ranges from 7000 to 10000 usd even. Thanks again all! I love this forum!


Hope i upload the images correctly. Here goes:

[Shelby-villian]

Don't buy vintage unless you know what you are doing. How do you know the print is authentic? How will you make sure the parts are original to the piece or added after?

[Zanjaniamir]

I see. So you think the dials and the tiffany logo could be printed? Does that make it inauthentic once someone modifies the dial? Thanks for your input!! Much appreciated.

[Ravager135]

The vintage market is one that is fraught with pitfalls. There are Rolex watches with Tiffany stamped dials. People know this and produce fake dials. I am no vintage Rolex expert. There are many subtle nuances in the references and production that there really probably only a handful of ladies and gentlemen on this site who really know what they are talking about. Just be aware; the watch could be entirely genuine, it could be entirely genuine but with the fake dial, it could half genuine half fake, it could be all fake. People will put thousands of dollars of real parts into fake watches to make a profit.

All I am saying is be careful and have the watch vetted professionally.

[tjbender]

That Tiffany looks off

[Zanjaniamir]

I understand. From my understanding ADs can authenticate the product for me for a price as well am i right? For a beginner should i just stick with newer models? Im also looking at a no date sub circa 1990. Thanks again!

[Zanjaniamir]

Originally Posted by tjbender

That Tiffany looks off

I know the pictures not of the best quality i had to crop it off my browser since i couldnt save the picture but its a bit more high res than that.

[GB-man]

Hard to tell much from the photos provided but there is really no proving a Tiffany dial unless you have a receipt from Tiffany. Price sounds too good but I'm no expert

[kirksingleton]

Originally Posted by GB-man

Hard to tell much from the photos provided but there is really no proving a Tiffany dial unless you have a receipt from Tiffany. Price sounds too good but I'm no expert

Correct.
Most Tiffany Rolexes are fake. You will need all paperwork or nobody will ever beleave it is real if you sell.

[J!m]

Most likely a reproduction dial (at least). With no paperwork, the dial has to be considered junk, assuming all the other components check out as genuine.

Keep searching the web and you will come across "reprinted" Tiffany dials. Compare those to your target watch, paying close attention to the details. My money is on it being a repro dial at least, quite possibly a gen movement in a repro everything else.

[tjbender]

Originally Posted by Zanjaniamir

I know the pictures not of the best quality i had to crop it off my browser since i couldnt save the picture but its a bit more high res than that.

The font is much fatter taller than others I've seen.

[waspy1]

Those pics are awful but quite obviously a repainted or fake dial. Move on.


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[strafer_kid]

Originally Posted by Zanjaniamir

I understand. From my understanding ADs can authenticate the product for me for a price as well am i right? For a beginner should i just stick with newer models? Im also looking at a no date sub circa 1990. Thanks again!

Some ADs will authenticate some models mainly the more recent ones, though some ADs might find it difficult to give a firm view on some of the older four digit vintage models. As someone already mentioned earlier, vintage carries real risk. True there are many decent watches being sold by decent people but equally there are many people trying to pass off 'doctored' or cannibalised pieces as the real thing. Take as much advice as you can from the guys on this forum and take your time with any purchase.

[speedolex]

Originally Posted by Zanjaniamir

Hi all this is my first post on this forum and was wondering if i could get your opinion. I purchased my first rolex (a brand new Batman) recently and I'm hooked. I'm thinking of expanding my collection already and looking at vintage rolexes to start with. Been doing some research and found this up for sale. The ad says that its a 1969 Vintage Rolex Explorer I with ref 1005 but im fairly certain the seller made a mistake with the reference or the production year. Its quite peculiar that it has a Tiffany & Co. Logo on it. Its the first time Ive seen that on a rolex. Anyway im fairly new to the brand so im asking you kind gentlemen what your thoughts are. Also, I'd like to know how much youd value it at? It seems to me like a pretty good price. About 4000 usd. And when i looked up some vintage Explorer Is from the period it ranges from 7000 to 10000 usd even. Thanks again all! I love this forum!

Hope i upload the images correctly. Here goes:

First off, welcome aboard.

I can't speak to the dial from just the images, but the price seems way too good to be true, that's about 1/3 of what an authentic Tiffany 1016 would go for. That said, don't let the complexity of the Rolex vintage market stop you from getting a watch as gorgeous and important as the Explorer I. I own a terrific example, and half the fun of Rolex collecting is understanding the nuances, hunting down a correct model, getting advice from others in this form, and eventually receiving your new/old watch. Looks like you should pass on this one, but there are plenty of other vintage 1016's out there from known reputable sellers.

[77T]

Since the pics are better on the website you found them, can you post a link to the originals? Those look more like someone's IG posts.

You are really asking questions that cannot be answered. Tiffany, Cartier, and a few others marked much of their own dials before Rolex stopped the private branding.

Without papers and receipt from Tiffany, you'd be lost. Even an AD won't know who inked that dial IMHO.

As for what's right or wrong dial-wise see below pic from a past sale at Robert Maron and you'll be able to answer many questions.






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[Aceldama]

Welcome to the forum! If I were you, I would run some searches for dial examples. There are a ton on-line. Get to know the look of watches you are interested in real well before you jump into vintage. The fakes and re-do's are easy to miss for someone starting out.

[crowncollection]

Without Tiffany papers near impossible to authenticate.


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[Zanjaniamir]

Yes there arent any papers but the seller said i could have it authenticated at the local rolex service center. Thanks all!! Happy to be in the presence of such helpful gentlemen.

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[speedolex]

Originally Posted by Zanjaniamir

Yes there arent any papers but the seller said i could have it authenticated at the local rolex service center. Thanks all!! Happy to be in the presence of such helpful gentlemen.

The seller is wrong.

As others have said, there isn't a way to authenticate a Rolex sold at Tiffany with a special dial without the papers. While Rolexes have serial numbers they aren't like the VIN of a car, they don't tell the owner or Rolex anything about the watch other than the date of manufacture.

So, bottom line, without the papers showing the serial number and a registered purchase from Tiffany there is no way to know if this is an authentic Tiffany Rolex or not.

And while I am no watch detective, here is what we know: First, the dealer is giving you bad information on Rolex serial number authentication capability. Next, the dealer published this as a "1005" when any reputable Rolex seller knows this is a "1016". Next, you have some very qualified posters in this thread telling you this is fake or a repainted dial. Lastly, the dealer is offering it at a price of $4,000 which is 1/3 of what a real Tiffany Rolex would command and less than a non-Tiffany 1969 Explorer 1016 would command.

You should run away from this watch and begin your search for an authenticated 1016 from a trusted reseller (we can help you with that) which will cost you $7,000 in above average vintage condition.

Let me know if that clarifies things.

[acf321]

i am new to vintage Rollers too ... my first is a 16610 that i bought new in 1998. Having said that, i put my toe in the water and bought a 'mint' 1958 Explorer. When it arrived from the UK, my expert buddy looked at it and went very quiet. That watch is now with the vendor and I (like Speedo said) bought a VERY nice 1016 with papers and real history. Check out the 1016 story on the forum and tell me (or anyone) that the 1016 is not a perfect and very safe place to start your vintage endeavours.

it will cost more up front, but you'll never wonder about it's authenticity and should you choose to sell it, you'll be knocked over in the rush ... yes ... it WILL be more expensive, but the old saying "you get what you pay for" hath never been truer.

Good luck, and enjoy it ... Something very exciting about the 'chase'.

[fmc000]

Originally Posted by acf321

i am new to vintage Rollers too ...

Like these?

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by 77T

Since the pics are better on the website you found them, can you post a link to the originals? Those look more like someone's IG posts.

You are really asking questions that cannot be answered. Tiffany, Cartier, and a few others marked much of their own dials before Rolex stopped the private branding.

Without papers and receipt from Tiffany, you'd be lost. Even an AD won't know who inked that dial IMHO.

As for what's right or wrong dial-wise see below pic from a past sale at Robert Maron and you'll be able to answer many questions.

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Paul, you're kidding, right?