Crooked logo on dial

[Ericvd]

Hi all,

This is my first message on this forum, I'm new into any type of watch collecting. I always wanted to find a Rolex Datejust from my birth year. Now I have seen one I like a lot, but looking up close I saw the logo on the dial is just a tiny bit crooked. I was wondering if this is a big red flag, or something that could have happened during a service or anything else. To me it looks a little bit strange. I have attached two images to clarify.

Thanks for your opinion!

[harry in montreal]

The printing on the dial doesn’t seem right. It could have been refinished. Any water damage to the internals ?

[TimeToGo]

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Welcome to the forum!

Obviously the dial was mishandled during its lifetime.

Could you confirm if the writing, like on SUPERLATIVE, is actually that crooked or if it is just a crystal effect.

[Ericvd]

Thanks for your quick reply. I can confirm this is the effect of the glass.

[Ericvd]

Thanks, this seems to be the effect of the glass. The letters are straight and there is no known water damage.

[Ericvd]

If made some close ups of the text on the dial. The only thing that looks bad is the crown.

[TimeToGo]

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Who knows if that is even the original dial to the watch.

Good luck!

[joe100]

I think the dial is original, HOWEVER, any blue dial Rolex from this era has to be looked at very closely. Rolex had an issue with the blue coming away where the tritium was applied. This is damage, and this watch is showing just that. I’d avoid it simply because that isn’t going to get any better. Avoid blue dials in general, scrutinize grey dials, and black dials in that order, where any tritium is applied. Blue is always the worst.

Pass on this one

[TimeToGo]

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I did not say the dial was not original, just possibly not original to the watch. No issues there. Dials get changed all the time.

So can you. So if the price is good, it may be worth while pursuing.

Because of the condition of the crystal. I would also recommend that you take a look at the movement and inquire how is working. It may need an overhaul.

[Dan S]

Typical dial damage around the tritium. I think it’s legit. How have you determined the year of delivery.

[Ericvd]

Thanks a lot! That's insightful information.

[Ericvd]

Thank you! The date is based on the seller's information only, who had it authenticated. There is no original paperwork but there is the original box.

[Dan S]

I would want to see photos of between the lugs to verify the serial number and that it was originally a 16000.

Interesting that I just sold one of these a couple of months ago. But I don’t recall the damage being so bad all along the top of the dial, so I don’t think it is my watch.

[Bxtek]

It appears that the first "finger" of the crown is bent and not the whole thing being crooked. Upon closer look at the photo, it looks like there is some sort of plastic protection sticker on the crystal. That is probably what is distorting the crown to look bent and the printing on the dial to be wavy. You can see around the cyclops where it looks like the sticker is lifting since the area is not flat around there. I would ask the seller to remove the sticker and take photos. That way you can see if the crown is really bent and/or if the distortion is a damaged acrylic crystal itself.

[Incroyable12]

Originally Posted by joe100

I think the dial is original, HOWEVER, any blue dial Rolex from this era has to be looked at very closely. Rolex had an issue with the blue coming away where the tritium was applied. This is damage, and this watch is showing just that. I’d avoid it simply because that isn’t going to get any better. Avoid blue dials in general, scrutinize grey dials, and black dials in that order, where any tritium is applied. Blue is always the worst.

Pass on this one

I had an 1803 Blue dial and the tritium seem to have bled into the blue causing white spots.

[joe100]

Originally Posted by Incroyable12

I had an 1803 Blue dial and the tritium seem to have bled into the blue causing white spots.

Yep, blue was definitely the worst, grey was a close second.

[Dan S]

Originally Posted by Incroyable12

I had an 1803 Blue dial and the tritium seem to have bled into the blue causing white spots.

If you look closely, you see that a chemical reaction causes the finish to deteriorate, it's not bleeding.

[joe100]

Originally Posted by Dan S

If you look closely, you see that a chemical reaction causes the finish to deteriorate, it's not bleeding.

Indeed. The tritium mix caused the finish on the dial to flake away. Some were worse than others.