First vintage Rolex! Reference 6694. Question about bracelet care.

[Tritiumhands]

Good day all,

I'm new to the forum and I'd like to introduce myself. I'm fairly new to vintage watch collecting (last 6 months), and it's been one of the most personally rewarding hobbies I've had. I have learnt lots of the last several months. I recently bought myself my first ever Rolex, an Oysterdate Precision, Ref 6694.

It is currently undergoing a service by my vintage watchmaker (a specialist in vintage watch and restoration).

I have questions about the bracelet care, being a folded steel link type design (I believe this is a reference 7835, being stamped as such, with 357 end links. It is in really beautiful, excellent condition, and a friend of mine advised that I wear the watch on an aftermarket bracelet and preserve the original to keep it mint. What would you do? Would you wear it or store it away?

I have been tempting to just wear and enjoy it. I have purchased a home grade ultrasonic cleaner to clean the bracelet seperately, as I've read it's important to keep them clean to prevent stretch over time. My plan is to give it a clean every 6mths-year through the ultrasonic to maintain it.

My watchmaker advised that I 'may' wish to preserve the bracelet as they are difficult to find in this condition and are expensive.

Let me know your thoughts, I'd be keen to hear them!

I'm sorry I can't paste photos yet.

[TimeToGo]

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Welcome to the Forum!

Wear the darn thing! LOL

These bracelets are not that expensive, no need to keep in a drawer. They were meant to be worn and enjoyed. I would not worry too much about the ultrasonic mid-year cleansing but that is your choice.

Pictures when you get the watch and wear in the best of health..

[TuRo]

Welcome to you. 6694 precision is a nice first Rolex esp on a bracelet.

As ttg says just wear it - even a rarer earlier rivet 19mm is cheapish.

The later folded link 7835 19mm you have in v good order are plentiful and about only three hundred pounds or so.

Aftermarket are naff and can damage the serial/model number engraving - avoid entirely my advice !

[zapokee]

Originally Posted by TimeToGo

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Wear the darn thing! LOL

This. Or alternatively you could also buy a replica watch head to wear on the aftermarket bracelet, and just keep the whole original watch in a sock.

It defeats the whole point of buying it.

[offrdmania]

Those bracelets are a dime a dozen, not expensive or hard to find at all. There were so many 6694s produced that parts are easily obtainable. Wear the watch as often as possible and im sure, even 10, 15, 20 years from now, parts will still be readily available.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by Tritiumhands

. . .

I have questions about the bracelet care, being a folded steel link type design (I believe this is a reference 7835, being stamped as such, with 357 end links. It is in really beautiful, excellent condition, and a friend of mine advised that I wear the watch on an aftermarket bracelet and preserve the original to keep it mint. What would you do? Would you wear it or store it away?

I have been tempting to just wear and enjoy it. I have purchased a home grade ultrasonic cleaner to clean the bracelet seperately, as I've read it's important to keep them clean to prevent stretch over time. My plan is to give it a clean every 6mths-year through the ultrasonic to maintain it.

. . .
I'm sorry I can't paste photos yet.

You got the watch to enjoy and part of that is the whole package, wear it.

You are correct that keeping it clean is important. It is usually the build up of grit and gunk at the moving parts is what wears down the metal and destroys them. Also, you do need to think about what you are doing. I wouldn't recommend stucco work or engine repairs while wearing an important watch.

As to pictures, anybody can attach a photo (paperclip icon) as long as it meets the size requirements of the file type being posted.

[Tritiumhands]

My watch came back from a full service. I did try the aftermarket bracelet for all of 30 minutes and in that time I discovered it was of poor quality, and the front edge (closest to watch head) of the first link after the end link, was rubbing against the lugs of the watch. So off it came and I put the original back on. And immediately it is a different wearing experience entirely.

I tired to adjust the photo size, but still wasn't able to get it down sufficiently. Also the file size was too large.