Correct Rolex booklet to match with 1978 Daytona Big Red

[massabee]

Which is the correct Rolex booklet to match with a 1978 Daytona Big Red? Or does it matter as long as the booklet doesn't predate the watch?

I've seen a lot of these booklets Copyright 1984




And these copyright 1982




Both booklets look the same on the inside, just different covers.

This one is supposed to be from 1972.




This one, I don't know what year it is supposed to be, maybe it is the same at the 1972 one:

[swish77]

It should look like this one in my 6263 set from '79ish (6.0 serial).

Note this is a USA set, with Rolex USA as the booklet publisher, as noted in the booklet itself. If you're a real stickler, make sure you get the booklet appropriate for where the watch was originally purchased. Euro booklets, for example, will list Rolex S.A. as the publisher. As for the date on the booklet, it's usually a year or two before the purchase date.

[massabee]

You mean this book then?

[swish77]

Originally Posted by massabee

You mean this book then?

Yes, that's the one that originally came with my USA-sold 6263, 6.0 million serial.

Of course, the dates printed on the inside of the booklets will all be different, so if you're trying to match it to a specific watch, be mindful of the dates.

[massabee]

Originally Posted by swish77

As for the date on the booklet, it's usually a year or two before the purchase date.

Another authority I've been conversing with on this subject says that the opposite is true - that the date on the booklet especially for the vintage watches will always be a year or two after the manufacture date of the watch, because these vintage watches sat around for a long time before they sold.

I think that's true - in the late 70s and 80s especially these older mechanical wind Daytonas few wanted them as the newer Daytonas and other newer Rolex models came out.

I suppose what he is saying is that they packaged the watch with the booklets at the time of sale, not that they came from the factory with all booklets already printed and together with the watch?

In the case of your watch are you the original buyer? otherwise how can you know that someone didn't just decide to assemble at least some of those booklets just for benefit of the sale? or if they weren't added to the watch over the years by someone other than the original buyer?

[Filipão]

Originally Posted by massabee

Another authority I've been conversing with on this subject says that the opposite is true - that the date on the booklet especially for the vintage watches will always be a year or two after the manufacture date of the watch, because these vintage watches sat around for a long time before they sold.

In my short experience I have seen it too.

And yes, there's a (dear) market for booklets for some reason.

[swish77]

Originally Posted by massabee

Another authority I've been conversing with on this subject says that the opposite is true - that the date on the booklet especially for the vintage watches will always be a year or two after the manufacture date of the watch, because these vintage watches sat around for a long time before they sold.

Yes, this is true. That is why I wrote the booklets are usually dated a year or two before the "purchase" date, not the date/year the watch left the Rolex factory.

[massabee]

Let's say a watch is manufactured in 1979. Sold in 1982. By your estimation the books would then be from 1980 or 1981.

What others seem to be saying is that the books would be more like from 1981 or 1982.

In any case, unless you are the original buyer of your vintage watch, you can't know for sure when those booklets were added to whatever you got, right?

Perhaps as long as the booklets were printed reasonably close (within a few years) to the manufacture date and do not predate it, they pass muster.... I could even see a situation where the dealer had some old booklets around and just stuck them in there not even looking at the date.

[swish77]

Originally Posted by massabee

Let's say a watch is manufactured in 1979. Sold in 1982. By your estimation the books would then be from 1980 or 1981.

What others seem to be saying is that the books would be more like from 1981 or 1982.

In any case, unless you are the original buyer of your vintage watch, you can't know for sure when those booklets were added to whatever you got, right?

It would be rare that a Rolex, vintage or modern, would have a booklet dated the same year as the watch was sold. I'm not saying it can't happen, but my experience is that it will almost always be a year or two, or even more, before the purchase date.

And sure, nobody really knows anything 100 percent about a watch's history unless you're the original owner. Same could be said for the watch parts themselves, never mind the much more minor consideration of booklets. As long as everything is period-correct, and within accepted parameters, most collectors are happy.