What time is it? Watches and horology

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  • Of course there's a watch & horology thread on here! Why didn't I think about looking for it so far?
    Anyway, this arrived this morning.


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  • Also recently acquired this Casio after having lost my loved Seiko SARB033 which I miss very much :(


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  • My father came to visit our first born son over the last few days and as he was leaving this morning he handed me his 36mm DJ that I've not seen for at least 20 years.
    His mother bought it for him from 'Dipples of Norwich' in 1971, 72 or 73, he cannot remember the occasion. He wore it for a few years until the winder fell out and it was returned to Dipples, it came back and after another few years the winder fell out again and was sent back again. He noticed that the watch was loosing about 5 or 6 seconds a day and the grey face and silver hands combination is illegible in most daylight. He was sure that it should have been on a jubilee bracelet and had kept an eye out for one but lost interest in it and stashed it behind a skirting board where it has lived until now.
    The watch has never been serviced in it's life. Whilst it has huge sentimental value to the family (Dad's Rolex etc) he says he has no particular emotional attachment to it, favouring his Accurist quartz beater that he got from a local carboot sale for 50p.
    So he's given it to my son, on the condition I get it serviced, find the correct jubilee bracelet and has suggested a redial to white with black markers/hands so it is 'actually useful for the job!'
    Does anyone know what kind of money a similar age jubilee bracelet costs these days? or a new one even? Any advice on redialing and cost? I know it will impact on the value etc but this will never be sold on so I don't really mind...
    It currently does not seem happy to be wound (so I've not forced it) I can't set the time or the date... any ballpark on how much this could cost to fix? I guess I'm best taking it in to the local dealer for an appraisal...
    I really want to restore this watch to working order and maybe redial as suggested but nappies are where my money is going for the foreseeable...
    Cheers,
    Matt


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  • Don't even consider redialling, not for one second. Why would you spend money reducing the quality and value of a watch?

    Surely your son should get to decide whether to vandalize the watch or not when he is older?

    Although, having said that, there is something real dodgy about that dial already I think. The lume pips don't match the chapter ring and the printing looks way off. Unless that is refraction from the crystal...

  • Find a decent independent repairer who works with Rolexes. Try Christian at the watchguy website and he can give you a rough quote. I would never change that dial. It looks excellent.

  • why would the quality reduce if Rolex put a different dial on it?
    Leave it to my son to decide - yeah good call, I'd like to have it working before then though
    The lume pips are refraction of the crystal however you've spotted something, it looks like the baton at 6 is not straight... is that even possible? I don't know how these are applied... hmm

  • Is it still your dads rolex if you change the bracelet and the dial? Bit triggers broom.

    As @Stonehedge said, get it service, store it correctly and let your son decide.

    Congrats on the son obvs...

  • Thats a great colour, which model is it?

  • Aha. Misunderstanding.

    In the watch industry, a redial normally means aftermarket repair or replacement of a dial with something not supplied by the manufacturer.

    I'm not sure Rolex would swap a dial for you though.

    Cool, figured pips might actually be in line with batons and chapter ring. Just doesn't look right in the photo.

    I've never seen a DJ with white text before. Think that is quite unusual.

  • Very similar. That dark dial makes the white make sense. I totally get the frustration over legibility.

  • It's a Limited Edition, just came out, just sold out. It's nickname is Turtle Dawn Grey and REF is: SRPD01K1

  • I might be wrong, but I thought they would do it if it’s a dial colour that’s correct for the reference?

    Unlikely to be cheap, right enough.

  • At least it's an officially certified chronometer! nice

  • I have a 1966 DJ with similar hands and wear it on a generic Oyster, which I prefer to the Jubilee. Have you looked on eBay for one?

    Mine somehow broke on its way to me - the main spring failed. I took it to David Duggan which had a flat fee for in-house service/repair of £440. I don't think I'd take it back there for various reasons. At the same time I got a quote from Wempe which IIRC was slightly more expensive and would have resulted in it being sent away to Rolex.

  • In the watch industry, a redial normally means aftermarket repair

    To me redial means paint or touch up the existing dial, re-lume etc. So I was totally in the same camp as Stonehedge and equally horrified.

    If you mean a dial swap, then just look for a 2nd hand one that fits and keep the OG safe. Personally I like the colour, but understand if it's illegible. The only thing I'd question, is why, if it is for your son, you'd select a dial now, rather than offering him the choice when you pass it on to him?

    Also why is your dad so sure it should have had a jubilee bracelet? I'd check that with some Rolex heads, as I'd have thought back then, like now, you can spec DJs with either type of bracelet.

  • Fwiw my 2¢ a fluted bezel always looks best on a black alagator. So I'd be scooping out a white gold Rolex buckle.

  • What model is that? Looks good.

    EDIT: I read further.

  • Nice Turtle.
    Is the bezel orange or red?

    Also good choice on G Shock

  • Case looks nice and sharp.

    If it was mine i’d just get a movement service and new plexi and pressure test.

    I wouldn’t have the case polished or dial changed.

    Russell Talerman charged 260 or so the last time i had a 5513 done with him.

    Then i’d keep an eye out on eBay for a jubilee. Those old folded jubilees usually have lots of stretch. (Wear on the pins holding the links together.)

    They can be rebuilt by a guy in HK so they are as-new , but never feel as solid as an oyster imho.

    Nice original looking example.

    What else does he have hidden away behind the skirtingboards?

  • Dude. Is Oct.

  • I think it looks great, wear it for twenty years then give it to your son. I wish my dad would give me his Rolex.
    Congrats on your newborn too, mums and dads thread is >>>>>

  • Congrats on the son and the watch!

    You could reach out to my rolex repairer who works on these a lot. I have several DJs from this period and he's the one I trust to handle them. Don't send it to Rolex! They will polish the case and keep the existing dial if they replace it. And they'll charge you royally for the privilege. The catch is that my dude is in Germany, but that shouldn't be a major issue with Fedex overnight shipment. He used to be in Cyprus but he's moved btw. HMU for contact details if he doesn't respond to email.
    I agree with changing the dial and bracelet. I also agree that there's something not right about that dial, but as you're changing it, it's probably not worth going in to. White text on grey is normal by the way, below my 1500 from '62 on a NOS oyster has white lettering on grey. A NOS oyster or jubilee will cost you around £300-350 if you are patient. A decent untouched dial (make sure it has it's posts intact) will be £150-£300. Beware! There are as many fake bracelets and dials floating around as fake rolexes. If it were me I would buy the dial and bracelet myself and send the lot off to be serviced and re-assembled. Or if you're willing to wait, send it to him as is and ask for advice before you purchase. Make sure you get the correct end-links with the bracelet of course. Service will be around £350-£400.

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What time is it? Watches and horology

Posted by Avatar for coppiThat @coppiThat

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