Gilt GMT dials

[5512vs5513]

Hi Everyone,

I'm doing some homework in regards to gilt GMT dials, and so far I've identified four:

1. Swiss only with Exclamation
2. Swiss only NO Exclamation
3. Double Swiss Underline. NO Exclamation. (Most rare/valuable?)
4. Swiss - T < 25

Are all of them factory original? I heard from a knowledgeable dealer that the NO Exclamation are service dials FROM THE PERIOD. Is this true?

Any other dials for gilt GMTs? And lastly, should they always have Pointed Crown Guards, maybe with the exception of the Tritium dials?

Sorry for so many questions,

Looking forward to your replies

[roh123]

There's actually quite a few.. :)

PCG:

OCC chapter ring
SCOC chapter ring
SCOC chapter ring with exclamation dot
Swiss underline non-chapter ring (at least two versions with underline above or under the centre)
Swiss only
Double swiss
Swiss and swiss - t< 25
Normal non-chapter t < 25 which are more common with square crown guards (very transitional so late serial imho)

Non-PCG:
Two similar versions with Swiss - T< 25 in four or six sec hash marks at 6 oclock

I wouldn't promise this is it but there are quite many. Especially around 1963 as with subs. Just a mess when Rolex didn't know what to do with lume and design.

[springer]

Originally Posted by roh123

There's actually quite a few.. :)

PCG:

OCC chapter ring
SCOC chapter ring
SCOC chapter ring with exclamation dot
Swiss underline non-chapter ring (at least two versions with underline above or under the centre)
Swiss only
Double swiss
Swiss and swiss - t< 25
Normal non-chapter t < 25 which are more common with square crown guards (very transitional so late serial imho)

Non-PCG:
Two similar versions with Swiss - T< 25 in four or six sec hash marks at 6 oclock

I wouldn't promise this is it but there are quite many. Especially around 1963 as with subs. Just a mess when Rolex didn't know what to do with lume and design.

I believe this to be correct. Eight or nine variations of gilt dials. The dial that I know as the last variation of gilt GMT dials does not have a chapter ring and there is a radial dial gilt that does not have one either.

https://rolexvintageforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=42

[thomaspp]

This thread is interesting. Per Rolex Passion Report (see below), the "Swiss" only dial would be laminated with tritium and not radium. So a gilt GMT 1675 with radium would have to have an exclamation dial. Is this correct?

Prior – 1953, The early age of Rolex luminous, used on their pocket watches, early oyster cases, bubble backs and radiomir Panerai’s.
◦1953 – 1956, When Rolex introduced the world their sports / utility / tool watch concept with radium Submariner, TOG, Explorer & GMT Master.
◦1957 – 1960, When Rolex lowered radiation and chanced dial printing from 1 to 2 colored print and enhanced the lacquer to a more glossy variant.
◦1960 – 1963, The pre ‘Transitional” period with “Exclamation” mark and due to the starting international regulation, again less radioactive luminous.
◦1963 – 1964, “Transitional” underline of which Rolex switched from Radium to Trtium, delivered dials are “swiss” signed but laminated with tritium.
◦1964 – 1967, The new generation tritium luminous got added on glossy dials, signing chanced from “Swiss” to “Swiss – T<25” & “T-Swiss-T”.
◦1967 – 1983, The matte dial with tritium luminous got introduced by Rolex. We see tritium signings variations like T Swiss T<25 or σ T-Swiss-T σ.
◦1983 – 1997, The last era of the tritium dials when the glossy dial surface came back, now the luminous was added in a added white gold surround.
◦1998- 2000, LumiNova was invented in 1993 and patented in 1995; Nemoto & Co. Ltd. was contracted in 1998 to provide LumiNova to Switzerland.
◦2000 – 2008, Super Luminova, a improved version of Luminova, a material that has the same properties as tritium but is not radioactive.
◦2008 – now, Chroma Light, the new blue-ish colored Super Luminova thats been in use since Rolex patented it.

http://rolexpassionreport.com/15606/...olex-luminous/

[themaninblack]

Originally Posted by thomaspp

This thread is interesting. Per Rolex Passion Report (see below), the "Swiss" only dial would be laminated with tritium and not radium. So a gilt GMT 1675 with radium would have to have an exclamation dial. Is this correct?


http://rolexpassionreport.com/15606/...olex-luminous/

I am not so sure it is correct. I have seen many dials from 1960-1963 that have no exclamation mark or any sign of ever having one including my own 1961 GMT. So either these dials were early Tritium, which I doubt, or the exclamation came off and no remnant is visible or many watches never had one.