Rolex Day-Date Tiffany & Co.

[oceandweller]

I am attracted to the beauty of this plain-bezel Rolex Day-Date with a Tiffany & Co. signature.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ROLEX-MENS-W...t_20986wt_1222

I am just wondering, as to whether the signature of Tiffany & Co. is genuine or just an add-on. Kindly advise, please.

[77T]

It is hard to validate. If the seller had papers then the answer would be simpler. Here's why...

Tiffany did - until the 1990's - have a deal with Rolex to create custom dials at the factory just like this. Rolex also created custom dials for other companies who gave Rolex as a commemorative watch (Dominos, Watkins, Hallmark, etc.)

Then Rolex changed their mind about co-branding watches for Tiffany. Here's where it gets difficult to validate an original T&C dial...Tiffany did have a dial press with several dies that would stamp Tiffany & Co on different watches. They also stocked factory dials and made replacement dials for damaged Rolex watches.

This watch dates back to the '80s or '90's based on the Tritium marks - maybe even older due to the rubbed-off serial number.

The lettering could vary from know examples - here is a dial pic for a similar one that was sold by Watch U Want.

[MonBK]

Tiffany didn't keep a record of sold Rolex watches so without any paperwork it's everyones guess as legibility.

I had the pleasure of talking to the Tiffany record keeping department about one of my Tiffany DJ's a couple of years ago when attending a GTG in New York.

[77T]

BTW, the seller would not really have an easy way to validate without papers since the Rolex dial would probably be genuine even if it was a replacement or a "re-strike" by T&C.

[MonBK]

There is NO way to validate the dial without paperwork.

If you bring the watch in to Tiffany for them to look at it they still woudn't know.

[77T]

By "no easy way" I didn't want to exclude forensic analysis. If Rolex had printed the dial, then spectrometry could detect the exact match in the print material (paint/ink) surfaces.

It is not worth doing in this case (would cost the buyer $250-ish USD + cost of disassembly and reassembly) but possible because private labs offer the service.

These optical instruments scan items point by point through absorption, reflection, and fluorescence of materials. Spectral imaging is a convenient forensic method because it does not destroy the item during analysis.

[oceandweller]

I thank all members who responded.

I shall give this watch a miss and not look for another, with the Tiffany & Co. signature, since it is virtually impossible to verify, unless there are supporting papers.

I have just realized, those numbers between the lugs are missing and on top of this, an 1803 has a fluted and not a plain bezel. I may be wrong here, though.

Anyway, there are too many inconsistencies and it may not be a good buy.

[drockadam]

I'm going to say it's real!

[jolimont]

here's one with a cartier dial
http://www.watchgallery.com.au/Watch...r-Cartier.aspx

[oceandweller]

Originally Posted by drockadam

I'm going to say it's real!

Though it may be real, the missing numbers in between the two set of lugs do make me feel, a little uncomfortable.

[oceandweller]

Originally Posted by jolimont

here's one with a cartier dial
http://www.watchgallery.com.au/Watch...r-Cartier.aspx

This is a rare beauty with sparkling diamonds against a dark background.

[MoBe]

Never mind all the Tiffany stuff,I say no serial # means no sale.

[Gaijin]

Say an Explorer II vintage piece in a vintage shop here in Japan with the Tiffany dial. Can't remember the price but it was much higher than one without the Tiffany dial. Alas no papers. So doubt a real collector would bite. Kinda risky though this shop is legit.

[sixers_610]

It's a beautiful watch either way!

[oceandweller]

Originally Posted by MoBe

Never mind all the Tiffany stuff,I say no serial # means no sale.

Agree, without its case serial number, it is too great a risk to take, especially for a Rolex watch.

[oceandweller]

Originally Posted by sixers_610

It's a beautiful watch either way!

A DD is always beautiful, to some people.

[oceandweller]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

Say an Explorer II vintage piece in a vintage shop here in Japan with the Tiffany dial. Can't remember the price but it was much higher than one without the Tiffany dial. Alas no papers. So doubt a real collector would bite. Kinda risky though this shop is legit.

After reading some of the comments from knowledgeable members, I would rather not own one, without papers.

[littleronnie]

Nice looking watch, but the fact that the serial is missing 2 numbers id probably leave this one alone...

[dieseldragon]

It is a lovely looking watch, not commenting on the watch as it's out of my comfort zone, but what an awful listing to read, block capitals underlined and crammed together, made my teeth hurt reading it.