Waited Five Years For This

[pah5153]

About five years ago I went into a pawn shop that gets good stuff accasionaly. We were talking about Tudor subs and he tells me he has one. He let his son were it when he was a teenager and wore it swimming, of course it leaked and ruined it. I asked to see it, but he said he couldn't remember where he put it. Two years later I stop in and he says "Hey I found that watch", he brings it out and I see it's a early 7016/0 snowflake. Start looking it over and noticed the bracelet was the original "Pateted" Rolex bracelet. We ended up agreeing to a price that I figured worst case scenario parts are worth it.

I look it to my watchmaker who said it was pretty rusted inside, but if it was no rush he would see if he could source the needed original parts. Fast forward three years and I get a call, its done. It will never be confused for a mint example, but the fact that it was saved is enough for me.

[BigBlue1]

Bad ass

[Zeus6542]

Nice snag! :)

[GuiltunderGlass]

Cool story and SWISS only!

[TuRo]

Congrats on the 7016.

It's a late 69/70 piece the first c 68/69 were small rose like the outgoing 7928.

The dial crown h/s look original too.

Keep an eye on the HR hand and the 6 marker you don't want any material going into mvt, but I suspect quite stable. Nice to get a Rolex pateted 9315 too. Might have a 69/70 stamp on blades too if original.

[alwayshere]

did i read right?

it took 3 years from watchmaker to you?

[TuRo]

Originally Posted by alwayshere

did i read right?

it took 3 years from watchmaker to you?

Mind you, that's only a couple of months longer than some RSCs

[Speedbird-1]

Pardon my ignorance, but was the 'PATETED' a patented spelling mistake?

Great story Pat.

[linesiders]

Nice early Flake

Originally Posted by TuRo

Congrats on the 7016.

It's a late 69/70 piece the first c 68/69 were small rose like the outgoing 7928.

The dial crown h/s look original too.

Keep an eye on the HR hand and the 6 marker you don't want any material going into mvt, but I suspect quite stable. Nice to get a Rolex pateted 9315 too. Might have a 69/70 stamp on blades too if original.

Black SWISS only dials seem to start in 69 (stamped IV.68) /70. There have been 2 I have seen as SPCG but unable to determine if they left factory that way. Early black SWISS Only Dials were available as a service dial.

Blue SWISS only dials seem start in 68, high 623K serial, stamped 7528 I.68

Originally Posted by Speedbird-1

Pardon my ignorance, but was the 'PATETED' a patented spelling mistake?

Great story Pat.

Yep - batch of misprinted bracelets, commands a little premium. Rolex on occasion blew something, like the "666 Casebacks" (Stamped VI.66 instead of 4th qtr IV.66)

[Speedbird-1]

Originally Posted by linesiders

Yep - batch of misprinted bracelets, commands a little premium. Rolex on occasion blew something, like the "666 Casebacks" (Stamped VI.66 instead of 4th qtr IV.66)

Thanks.

[pah5153]

Originally Posted by alwayshere

did i read right?

it took 3 years from watchmaker to you?

Yep, not easy sourcing original parts that haven't been made in decades.

[alwayshere]

damn... I underestimated how it takes clearly!

congrats - it looks good. Could get those hands tidied up over time.