Vintage Daytona.. with a story.. and a question

[Jaykeane]

My 1968 (SN 2533XXX) Daytona (6262 i think) was stolen in the early 90's, sold to a pawn shop, sent to rolex and then back to me in the mid 90's.. Because the watch was in the custody of Rolex's Service outfit in NYC, and already in pieces, I elected to have them go over the watch 'stem to stern' They replaced the damaged bracelet, as well as the dial. When i got the watch back, i noticed that 'DAYTONA' was no longer written in white as before, but instead was written in red.. I honestly didn't think too much of this at the time.. I like the look of the red better to be honest..
I've seen these pictured both ways, in white and in red.. are both technically correct?

Where would i go to try to find an original dial (Called the service center.. no dice)?

Any help is appreciated.. Thanks!!

[Michael M.]

Welcome to TRF! An original dial may be hard to find as Rolex won't supply them. Before doing anything to your 6262, post some pictures

[Keeperoftime]

Very cool story. Awesome Rolex got it back to you. Welcome to TRF (Best Rolex forum on the net-in my opinion!)! Please post a photo of your watch.

[s4dan]

Originally Posted by Keeperoftime

Very cool story. Awesome Rolex got it back to you. Welcome to TRF (Best Rolex forum on the net-in my opinion!)! Please post a photo of your watch.

+1 to all of the above, but especially regarding TRF being the best Rolex forum on the net - had a poor experience with another forum, who banned me for posting a link to an Ebay auction for a chocolate dialled sub, that I wanted to know a bit more about. Maybe I should have read the small print in the posting rules, but it was the last thing on my mind as my father hadn't long passed away. No warnings - nothing, just an instant ban. Funny thing is though in the sites FAQ's it stated that forum members enjoyed giving their opinions on auction listings for authenticity etc.
I've only been active on this forum for a couple of days, but have already come to realise that the knowledge base, experience and friendliness of the members would be difficult to surpass.

Danny

[dddrees]

Welcome to TRF.

Nice story, you must have been elated but very suprised to get it back.

What exactly did you have to provide Rolex with when you reported it stolen?

Please post PICs when you get a chance.

[DadsDaytona]

Pics Please

[Jaykeane]

It's a crappy camphone pic.. The watch is in need of a good cleaning..
Anyhow..
I got the watch from my dad when i graduated HS in 1988.. It was a gift from my Mother back in the early '70's.. I was wearing the watch one day while working on a project car in my buddies auto repair shop after hours.. and took the watch off to wash my hands when i was finishing up.. I stupidly left the watch on the side of the sink.. The next day, I looked everywhere, and asked everybody who worked there if they had seen it.. And struck out..
Because the watch is 'quirky' i thought that maybe (if it wasnt run over on the street because I left it on the windshield, on the wiper like i thought i had) it would find it's way back to RWUSA in NYC for service one day. I called them, and told them the serial (thankfully i had a previous repair invoice) number, the representative told me to file a report with the local police and send them a copy to her attention, which i did.. she suggested i not get my hopes up..
About a year later, I got a letter from a law firm out of NYC.. notifying me that i had 30 days to submit a claim of ownership.. Because the party that sent the watch for service was the 'bona-fide' owner, the burden of proof was on me.. I forget the details, but a detective in the town where the watch was lost got involved, who was able to get me some more information, the watch was apparently sold to a pawn shop for 200 bucks.. by a former employee of my friend who owned the repair shop.. the guy had a record, and had previously done time.. I knew the guy.. he had a problem with booze, and struggled to keep his family together, he had a couple kids and a sainted wife.. I knew there would be no way to get the watch back without sending the guy to jail (again). I couldn't imagine how his family would react.. I shook my head and told the detective, 'yeah, i know the guy'. The detective told me to get any thoughts of compassion out of my head.. and persuaded me to press charges, which i did. I hear about him from time to time.. he lives in a crappy apartment, alone, above the bar where he sits all day.. Sad..
I wore the watch pretty much every day after.. one day at a party, back in the late 90's i bumped into a guy that noticed the watch.. he told me he was a collector, but didn't have anything as nice as mine.. He suggested I do some research, which i did, and learned of the collectibillity of these watches..
That's pretty much it.. My mom got the watch for my dad as a gift in the early 70's.. I gather the watch was made in 1968, so it sat unsold at the dealer in Boston for 4 or so years.. and when my mother wanted to give my dad a gift, to replace his always broken Movado 3 dial chronograph.. her jewler friend suggested the Daytona.

[Michael M.]

Wow! Yes, the dial was definitely replaced! Do you recall it being silver with black sub dials or black with silver sub dials???

[Jaykeane]

The dial was always black with the silver sub dials..

[azguy]

What a great story and super watch, thanks for sharing

[bayerische]

Great story, and awesome watch!

[HERITAGE82]

That is one of the best watch stories I have ever heard.... I mean we hear all the time to tell RSC when a watch is stolen yada yada yada, but to actually see and hear of one recovered....WOW!!!

Enjoy it for many more years to come and I LOVE the red Daytona writitng it looks sharp!!!

[DadsDaytona]

More Pics Please. How about pics of the box? I have a 6262 and am always interested in what the original stuff looks like.

[Jaykeane]

Never had the box.. I'm pretty sure that when my mother bought it, her friend who worked at the store (Siedler and Son's, Boston.. now gone) negotiated a deal without the box to shave a few bucks off of the deal..

knowing what I know now,
I wouldn't want to shell out big bucks for a watch without without recent service paperwork, with a notarized bill of sale and a matching name..

Imagine sending a vintage watch for service to never see it again.. Or selling one to someone and getting sued years later?

[Puffy]

sweet!