ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX
25 January 2024, 03:34 AM | #1 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2023
Location: USA
Posts: 185
|
Rolliworks brought my 16750 back to life
This is my late father's 1984 GMT-Master 16750. It hadn't been serviced in over 30 years. I was convinced it had been lost forever, but on what would have been my dad's birthday last fall, my sons went digging though my closet looking for spare change and found the watch in a box of my dad's stuff. When they brought it down to show it to me I felt like I was seeing a ghost. I then remembered that my dad gave it to me one day when he gave me some of his old stuff and somehow I had completely forgotten about it.
The case had been a bit over polished, the hesalite was scratched up, and the hands were rusty (the seconds hand, in particular, was completely covered in rust). I sent it to Rolliworks right away and, although I wanted to preserve as much of my dad's watch as possible, I didn't want to keep in place the rusted-through hands. So Rolliworks shipped new hands and the dial to an expert in the UK who then relumed the new hands to match the lume of the dial. Rolliworks then serviced the movement, fixed an issue with the bezel, and following my instructions they also recut the case and restored the finish on the case and bracelet. The watch looks stunning and I look forward to wearing it for many years to come. Thank you, Rolliworks! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
25 January 2024, 03:47 AM | #2 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Real Name: Scott
Location: Placerville, Ca
Watch: Creamsicle, JLC
Posts: 491
|
Beautiful. To be cherished forever.
|
25 January 2024, 03:49 AM | #3 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 833
|
Rolliworks brought my 16750 back to life
Rolliworks does SOLID work, I’m sad they’ve moved out of the Bay Area…
Looks fantastic, any before and after pics?? |
25 January 2024, 03:55 AM | #4 | |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: North East
Posts: 134
|
Quote:
^^^ this. Would LOVE to see before and after pics. And that is truly a priceless piece. Enjoy and wear it in good health! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
|
25 January 2024, 04:11 AM | #5 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Real Name: Mike
Location: Bay Area, CA
Watch: (Rolex)³
Posts: 154
|
I LOVE stories like this!
|
25 January 2024, 04:15 AM | #6 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1,516
|
looks mint. Enjoy
|
25 January 2024, 04:17 AM | #7 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Tampa, Florida
Watch: 116610LV
Posts: 2,574
|
Nicely done.
__________________
16750 / 116610LV / 116613LB / Ed White 321 / PAM111 / PAM170 |
25 January 2024, 04:23 AM | #8 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2023
Location: USA
Posts: 185
|
This is a “before” picture. Check out the seconds hand, in particular.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
25 January 2024, 04:25 AM | #9 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: USA
Watch: CHNR/YM/DJ/OP/SUB
Posts: 1,967
|
Beautiful! well done
|
25 January 2024, 04:41 AM | #10 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: U.S.A.
Watch: SD43
Posts: 3,353
|
Mike is the best.
Wear this beauty in good health |
25 January 2024, 04:55 AM | #11 |
2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: United States
Watch: Rolex and Patek
Posts: 11,420
|
Excellent work. Enjoy it.
|
25 January 2024, 05:41 AM | #12 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: SA,TX
Watch: 16570,BLNR,116610
Posts: 2,241
|
Dam, that looks so good! Congrats
|
25 January 2024, 05:49 AM | #13 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: The States
Watch: Cosmograph Daytona
Posts: 7,464
|
My 16750 from ‘84 says hello
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
25 January 2024, 05:57 AM | #14 |
2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Real Name: Tony
Location: London, England
Watch: Hmmm...
Posts: 2,483
|
Presumably James Hyman did the relume… best in the business.
__________________
Tony |
25 January 2024, 06:05 AM | #15 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Real Name: Richard
Location: USA
Watch: YM Deep Space
Posts: 12,521
|
Gorgeous!
__________________
Rolex Yacht-Master 40mm (SS-YG / Deep Space MOP) 16623 Breitling Aerospace Titanium / 18K with UTC. Omega Speedmaster 3510.50 Oris TT1 Pro Diver Regulator 43MM |
25 January 2024, 06:11 AM | #16 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2023
Location: USA
Posts: 185
|
|
25 January 2024, 06:12 AM | #17 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2023
Location: USA
Posts: 185
|
|
25 January 2024, 06:13 AM | #18 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2023
Location: USA
Posts: 185
|
Here’s a picture of one of the lugs, so you can see the sharp, polished bevel they now have.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
25 January 2024, 06:16 AM | #19 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Northern CA - USA
Posts: 839
|
Wow! Just amazing work.
|
25 January 2024, 06:19 AM | #20 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Philly.
Watch: Air King, Omega AT
Posts: 2,274
|
Great work.
__________________
Air King 116900 Omega AT41 Gray Dial/Leather Oris Pointer Date Roberto Clemente LE |
25 January 2024, 06:28 AM | #21 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 6,642
|
Looks great!
|
25 January 2024, 07:07 AM | #22 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Real Name: Don
Location: Canada
Watch: 116710BLNR
Posts: 2,204
|
Very nice! Congratulations on both finding it and getting it back.
__________________
1988 15053 Rolex Date Two Tone (Grad Present) 116710 GMT Master II BLNR Seiko Prospex LX SNR031 Pelagos 42mm Explorer II 226570 |
25 January 2024, 07:08 AM | #23 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: The States
Watch: Cosmograph Daytona
Posts: 7,464
|
|
25 January 2024, 07:24 AM | #24 |
2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Real Name: nicholas
Location: ottawa canada
Watch: Rolex,AP,Panerai
Posts: 10,409
|
Rolliworks brought my 16750 back to life
Wow looks great. Nice work…but I am still scratching my head as to how you would forget about such a collector piece in a closet! I would be obsessed to get it on my wrist! I guess some of us have more of a sickness in the watch space. Anyway, congrats and wear in good health
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
25 January 2024, 07:29 AM | #25 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Real Name: Jake
Location: Slam Diego
Watch: 16233, 116619LB
Posts: 2,316
|
I'll echo all others: WOW!
I love reading stories like this & I love that so many professionals along the recovery journey kept true to your wishes & brought it back to life. Enjoy it for years to come. You can look forward to the day that you pass it down to one of your kids & say "remember when I lost granddad's watch & you found it for me?"
__________________
What's the time? It's time to get ill. Wishlist: 128236; 16202BC; 5396G |
25 January 2024, 07:35 AM | #26 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2023
Location: USA
Posts: 185
|
Quote:
It’s a long story, but my much, much older brother had told me when I was a teenager that our dad’s watches were fake. At the time my no-good brother fancied himself a Rolex expert, and I foolishly believed him. So decades later, when my dad gave me the watch, I thanked him for it and stuck in a box because I thought he had been fooled into buying a fake and I wasn’t going to fix a fake and wear a fake. Trust me, it kills me that I believed my oldest brother and that led me to not fully appreciate my dad’s gift when he gave it to me. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
|
25 January 2024, 07:36 AM | #27 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: London
Posts: 634
|
Amazing story..truly thrilled for you.
|
25 January 2024, 07:38 AM | #28 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Real Name: Harry
Location: England
Posts: 10,673
|
Wow! That's impressive. Congratulations.
|
25 January 2024, 07:39 AM | #29 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2023
Location: USA
Posts: 185
|
Quote:
Amen. This experience has also led me to set aside modern watches for each of my four sons, chosen by them: a blue JLC Polaris Mariner Date for my oldest, a Submariner Date for my second, a blue Omega Globemaster on the bracelet for my third, and a blue 41mm OP for my youngest. They’ll eventually get all my other watches, too (including my dad’s) but I have these set aside for them for when they “come of age.” And I make a point of wearing each of “their” watches to their games, concerts, etc. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
|
25 January 2024, 07:39 AM | #30 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Real Name: Ron the Stoic
Location: Netherlands
Watch: GMT Meteorite
Posts: 1,358
|
Great watch and looks great again! It can easily last another 40 years! Don’t forget about it again ;)
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
|
|
*Banners
Of The Month*
This space is provided to horological resources.