Vintage 1675 back home again!!

[Subexplorer]

Vintage 1675 back home again!!

Hola Amigos!! Hello friends!



You may remember a post I started a couple of weeks ago, regarding this vintage 1675 which belongs to my Father in Law.
http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=156644

I bought this watch brand new, during a 1982 vacation trip to the Caribbean, and presented it to my wife father in that year.
It has been a favorite of him, and he is now an old persona, with many health problems due to his age. My Mother in law found the watch in a drawer, and showed it to me:
The plastic “glass” was heavily scratched and resisted my treatment with polywatch, and though the movement seemed to work ok, the watch appeared as if submerged in a can of grease. I guess it never had been serviced, so I took to my personal watchmaker, who has a nice experience with Rolex, asking to make a complete disassembly, cleaning, oiling, and if needed change plastic, but keep everything original: dial, hands, bezel, etc.
I also asked him not to polish the case, as I feel it is better to keep everything original that to polish.









Well, the watch was returned to me a couple of days before Christmas, and I was very pleased with the results. The watchmaker didn´t change the crystal but made a beautiful job polishing the original one.

I specially love the way the blue color on the bezel has faded, as well as the patina of dial indexes which gives this old watch such a nice character.

Back home, I made a slight treatment with my nylon brush pencil to the steel bracelet and upper part of lugs, and a little hand polishing to the bright parts of the case.
When I was satisfied with my part of the job, I returned the watch to my Father in Law, who proudly wore his old GMT during the dinner on the 24th, waiting for Christmas.
He was greatly surprised to find his old favorite restored, and ticking as new.





I wish to share the pictures of the restored watch, (you may compare with those in my previous thread, before the working), and also some pictures together with my own 16710 Z series as a “family shot”.





I hope you´ll like the watch as much as I do.
Best cordial regards, Abel

[sailmed]

Fabulous result and great story!

[Subexplorer]

Thank you Barry!
Glad you like it!
Best cordial regards, Abel.

[Dan Pierce]

Well done, my friend! Love that well earned vintage patina.
dP

[Subexplorer]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

Well done, my friend! Love that well earned vintage patina.
dP

Thank you for you comment, my nice friend Dan!
Best cordial regards, Abel.

[mike]

It looks just amazing my friend. Man those lugs could cut you!

[Subexplorer]

Thank you Mike!!
Yes! lugs are truly sharp!
Best cordial regards, Abel.

[roh123]

Thanks Abel. Was really looking forward to see the watch after your last post. Great work sir. :)

[Lamone]

I love this 1675, stunning example and gorgeous Pepsi insert. Wear it in good health.

[Subexplorer]

Originally Posted by roh123

Thanks Abel. Was really looking forward to see the watch after your last post. Great work sir. :)

Thank you for your follow up Per!!
I´m glad you like the results!
Kind regards, Abel

[Subexplorer]

Originally Posted by Lamone

I love this 1675, stunning example and gorgeous Pepsi insert. Wear it in good health.

Thank you Lamone!
Kind regards, Abel

[Cicindela]

Great story, thank you for sharing .

[Frogman4me]

What a great example, love the patina and faded bezel insert. Congrats!

[onkyo]

Congrats Abel.... and thanks for sharing. It's a beauty for sure!

[adam78]

Abel, that must be one of the last 1675s to be sold (as new)...My 16750 is from around that time (perhaps from the following year), and looks very similar (except that the colors on the bezels have faded to different hues). Your photos are extraordinary (as usual).

Mine:

[Subexplorer]

Hello Cicindela/Steve, David and Pav:
Thank you for your comments, I´m so glad you enjoyed the post.
Best cordial regards, Abel.

[kyle L]

Lovely watch Abel, thanks for sharing again!

[Subexplorer]

Hello Adam! Thank you for your kind comment. Interesting to know, it is among the last watches in the 1675 series.
I´ll check the serial number tonight (I took note in my own collection register at home, for future reference) and will tell.
Your 16750 bezel has taken also a very nice fading. It is amazing how nicely these watches turn with age!
Thank you also for your kind comment about my photographs. I´m so far from Jocke and Kyle though!!
I appreciate your writting my friend!
Best cordial regards, Abel.

[Subexplorer]

Originally Posted by kyle L

Lovely watch Abel, thanks for sharing again!

Thank you so much Kyle!! I appreciate that!
Very cordially, Abel.

[Jacek]

Very Nice! I love 1675's

[HL65]

Very nice Abel!!!

[kokota]

Let me start by saying, beautiful watch with a great history also.

Abel, please do not take any offense to the following comments, but I'm just curious as I'm in the market for a vintage GMT Master and you know how that goes.

Is the watch you have indeed a 1675 or is it a 16750? I only ask because the year purchased along with the shape of the Rolex crown below the 12 o'clock marker leads me to believe its a 16750.

Excellent watch nevertheless!
Wear it in good health and Happy Holidays.

[Subexplorer]

Thank You Jacek!!

Thank you Connor!!

I love to share this piece and story, and to receive so many comments!!

Best cordial regards, and best wishes, Abel.

[Subexplorer]

Originally Posted by kokota

Let me start by saying, beautiful watch with a great history also.

Abel, please do not take any offense to the following comments, but I'm just curious as I'm in the market for a vintage GMT Master and you know how that goes.

Is the watch you have indeed a 1675 or is it a 16750? I only ask because the year purchased along with the shape of the Rolex crown below the 12 o'clock marker leads me to believe its a 16750.

Excellent watch nevertheless!
Wear it in good health and Happy Holidays.

Hello Kokota!!
Thank you for your comments.

As a matter opf fact, you put me in a little predicament now! But no offence at all!! I explain you:

All the time, I have thought my Father in law´s watch was a 1675.
Before I sent to the watchmaker, I took the bracelet off, and found a big thick chunk of grease under the end links, between the lugs.
I carefully removed it only from the side of the serial number, to check the number, but didn´t do that in the opposite side, where the reference is, as I discounted it is a 1675.

When the watch came back, I only polished a bit the case and bracelet and took the new set of photos, and returned the watch to my Father in law, without removing the bracelet.

Now, with your question, the doubt arises to me too!

I´ll see again my Father in law, in a couple of days, and will ask him to see the watch, will remove the bracelet again, and will check this detail.

Will post again with the correct reference number, or will confirm if it is a 1675

I can not remember well if I bought it in 1982 or 1983, because I visited the Caribbean in both years. My Father in law didn´t keep or find the original papers or box. But I´m sure I personally bought the watch in one of those years at a Caribbean AD.
I also will furnish here the serial number range too.

Thank you for calling my attention in this most important detail for a collector.
Best cordial regards, and good wishes, Abel.

[adam78]

Abel, if you can remember whether it has a slow-set or quick-set date, that should solve the model reference question.

[Subexplorer]

Originally Posted by adam78

Abel, if you can remember whether it has a slow-set or quick-set date, that should solve the model reference question.

Hi Adam!!
That´s a good point, if I had paid due attention!

As a matter of fact, as I never pay attention to the date feature of any of my own watches (I never mind in setting the exact date, just the exact time and give some 30/40 turns to the crown, and then strap to my wrist), I did the same with this watch before retuirning to my Father in law.

I feel it is a slow set date, but I´m not sure now.
I´ll meet my Father in law this Friday, for last day of year dinner, and will take a look, more carefully I promise!

Thank you for your always so kind attention and for writing Adam!
Have a great New year, with lots of Good Health and Peace my friend!!
(and some new great watch additions as well! )
Abel

[STEELINOX]

Excellent result Abel; youra good son.

[Subexplorer]

Originally Posted by STEELINOX

Excellent result Abel; youra good son.

Thank you Steelinox!!
Have a great New year!!
Kind regards, Abel.

[adam78]

Originally Posted by Subexplorer

Hi Adam!!

Thank you for your always so kind attention and for writing Adam!
Have a great New year, with lots of Good Health and Peace my friend!!
(and some new great watch additions as well! )
Abel

As a matter of fact, due to arrive on New Year's Eve is a gorgeous 6094, one of the first of the Oysterdate models (with Super Oyster crown).

(photo by the previous owner; aftermarket bracelet, but I'll probably be wearing it on a croco strap; more photos soon, I promise)

[JBat]

Lookin' good, Abel!