Rolex 1601 Blue dial

First watch for 2017

This is a 1971-2 Rolex 1601 in rare blue dial. The more common 1601 pie pan dials are white, gold and silver. Not sure why but the blue dial in Rolex during these period tended to have issues and tended to peel off. 

I just Love the blue with gold markers contrast. The 36mm size watch is comfortable to wear and Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust might just be the perfect watch for everyday use. Coupling perfect proportions, simple dial layouts, and robust movements making this a work horse, The datejust is Rolex's most prolific model and is an icon of timekeeping that has been in continuous production for decades. 

All watches in the blog belongs to me unless otherwise stated.

Rolex 1803 service

Rolex 1803 service

Just sent my Rolex 1803 to Rolex center for service and ensure that all parts are genuine. I have made it a point to do so in order to ensure a record is kept with the Rolex center and to ensure that my vintage watches have all new original rolex parts. Some of these watches' spare parts may be running out in years to come...

Now I have two watches with the Rolex center (the Rolex 16800 Tiffany & Co and this 1803)...

Rolex Ref 1803 President (Day/Date) Pie Pan Taupe faded browish polar dial

Rolex Ref 1803 President  Day/Date Pie Pan Dial  Faded Browish Polar Dial

Hello 2017!

I have promised myself to keep the number of vintage watches down for the year 2017. As such, the focus shall be on upgrading on existing watches by way of the upgrade of dial.  Originally, I was looking at an exotic Ox Blood dial but the price is so high! I will keep this as a later project..

For now, luckily, I have managed to find a Rolex Ref 1803 President  Day/Date Pie Pan dial  in Taupe beige-brown colour dial (with white print) faded polar dial for my 1803, At a certain angle, one cannot see the wordings thereby giving the loud watch a low profile. I am lucky to find the original Chinese calendars discs as well.

Old Rolex ad : You're not ready

Old Rolex AD

Interesting provocative ad from Rolex...

2017

The best of both world

The best of both world

My love for Vintage watches and Nihonto. Nihonto collecting is very deep and requires much knowledge and study.

Tachi by Ryumon Nobuyoshi 

Naoe Shizu Kanenaga 兼長Taichi

Goodbye 2016

Its coming to the end of the year and time for some reflection and refinement of my watch collection.

My top 11 star buy for the year 2016 are:

1. Rolex Eaton (Nov 2016)

Found my first winding Eaton more then 20 years ago and now managed to find an automatic version from Canada.

2. Rolex Explorer gilt tropical dial (Oct 2016)
Love the Tropical colour!

3. Rolex 5508 gilt dial (2016)

The gilt dial for 5508 gave it a unique feature!

4. Rolex 5501 gilt dress Explorer (Oct 2016)

A dressed watch Explorer but with a unique gilt dial!

5. Rolex Pink gold top DJ (Oct 2016)

This is my extra..

6. ZRC Type II & 7. ZRC Spartiale

A little deviation from my norm

8. Omega made for Kim II Sung

A hostorical timepiece !

9. Lemania military (December 2016)

10. Rolex 6564 Gilt dial pie pan dial (Dec 2016)

11. Rolex 1803

Last minute find

Looking at the huge nos of watches I have accumulated over the years, there will be a need for me to do a reduction exercise next year as it has become complicated to manage and service the watches. That will be the project for 2017 to reduce the quantities by at least 30% target.

Rolex 1803

Rolex 1803 from 1977

This is my second 1803. I have one in early 2002 but has I have sold it away as it was with the gold braclet and is too bling bling for me to wear. I have never planned for this but came across this 18k Rolex 1803 pie pan dial non quick set with condition that is superb despite being a 39 years old watch. Moreover, it has the Rail dial.

To ensure that my total watch quantities are not growiung too quickly, I have traded my Tudor plus cash for it. The Rolex Day-Date was patented on 23rd July 1955 and officially released in 1956. The Day Date earned the nickname the "President" when Rolex reportedly gave one to the then 34th President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Since then, the Rolex President has been found on the wrists of many prominent celebrities and dignitaries worldwide. Several other U.S. presidents are known to wear the Day-Date including Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan. These gold watches are a real bargain buy now as many people are chasing after the over prices sports models.  

There are a series of Day date. The first model of Day-Date (6511) with Day Date wording in red and dial markings include 50m-165 ft, (Superlative Chronometer by Official Test for 1st generation, Officially Certified Chronometer for 2nd), lasted just over a year before it was replaced by the externally identical 6611. This model featured the new caliber 1055 movement with its free sprung Micro-Stella balance and was the first to be labeled "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" on the dial. 

In 1959 caliber 1055 was replaced with caliber 1555 in model 1803 (18,000bph) and later in year 1965 - model 1803 received caliber 1556 (19,800bph). In 1977 caliber 3055 (quick-set) was introduced in model 18038 and in 1988 caliber 3155 (double quick-set) was introduced in model 18238.

My 1977 1803 non quick set was the last of the series before the launched of the 18038. Many vintage collector loves the Ref 1803 is that this model allows the use of leather strap versus the later model 18038 etc...

In Popular Culture (from Wikipedia)

• Arms-dealer Yuri Orlov from Lord of War wears a platinum Day-Date model.
• Alec Baldwin wears a Day-Date in Glengarry Glen Ross.
• Henry Hill, played by Ray Liotta in the classic crime flick Goodfellas owns a Rolex Day-Date.
• In Rain Man, the egotistic character played by Tom Cruise pawns a Day-Date.
• Sean Penn as lawyer David Kleinfeld wears a golden Day-Date in Carlito's Way.
• Tony Soprano wears a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date throughout the series, which is his trademark item.
• Rocky Balboa in Rocky II,
• Steven Seagal's character in Marked for Death
• Sonny Crockett of the vintage 80s series Miami Vice who wore a golden Day-Date
• John Candy as Buck Russell in the 1989 comedy Uncle Buck

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Prince Doctor watch

Princes Doctor watches

Rolex 6564 from 1956

Rolex 6564

This is a 6564 from the 3rd quarter of 1956 using the cal 1030 butterfly movement. Key unique features are the black pie pan gilt dial. The watch is comfortable to wear at 34mm and its movement is also in very nice condition.

Rolex 16800 Tiffany & Co

Rolex

Rolex vintage watch collecting is a challenge especially since the early Rolex watches dials were done by different dial manufacturers making standization a challenge. We have to remember that during the early years Rolex brand is not as big as it is today. Moreover, during the 1960-70s, the Swiss watch industry was being threatehned by the Japanese digital watches and were at a brink of extinction.

Having been working with the Swiss watch industry for more then 10 years, I have gathered sufficient understanding with regards to how it work. Many of the top brands in the 1960-90s were using subcontractor for their watch nands, dials, bracelets as well as for cases. As such, even with the dial design, there are much variations depending on the dial manufacturers.

The Tiffany & Co dial has always been a subject of contraversies and discussion. As such, I have decided to send in my Rolex 16800 watch for a complete service and the Rolex Center has acknowledge it as legitimate dial and have key the watch details into their system for the updated records. If the dial is good for Rolex center, it is good for me as the brand ultimately belongs to them.

It has put my mind at ease as I now can confirm that my 16800 watch with Tiffany wording dial has a record with them and verified so that in the long future, in the event that my son wants to sell it away, at least the new buyer can have some records to keep. 

New Project December 2016

New Project December 2016

Lately, my key project is to bring back life for old watches that are either missing cases or movements. Bring together these missing parts often will take much time and energy but the satisfaction in seeing the revived watches are incredible..

Benrus Type 1 & 2

Benrus Type 1 & 2

The prices of these militaery time pieces have increased so much ...