Two questions in one post

[swish77]

Originally Posted by infinitewill

I wish there was a way to know if my watch was originally glossy or matte face but so far even the dealer can't answer that one for me.

You wrote previously that you remember the dial not having the gold surrounds, which makes sense for an 8.0 serial.

The cross-over is supposed to be in the 8.2-8.3 serial range. I've seen both matte and gloss dials with 8.3 serials, but I've also seen matte dials with 8.4. To be sure, you could search extensively online to see if you can find other 8.0 serial 16800s with gloss dials. You never know.

[springer]

Originally Posted by infinitewill

You folks weren't kidding about 16800 matte dials being pricey. Quoted $2200. I have been in touch with an authorized Rolex dealer and they claim that I can have the face replaced at the factory by including a "hardship" letter explaining my predicament. I would also have to agree to a factory service but all in I may be looking at around $2800-3400. I will keep you posted. I wish there was a way to know if my watch was originally glossy or matte face but so far even the dealer can't answer that one for me.

Actually, $2200 for a matte 16800 dial in excellent condition is a great price. You'd be hard-pressed to find one under $3,000 in decent condition. These vintage Rolex models with matte dials can expect that the dial is a significant part of the watch's value -it can vary anywhere from 30% on up depending on the watch and dial condition.

[infinitewill]

Originally Posted by swish77

You wrote previously that you remember the dial not having the gold surrounds, which makes sense for an 8.0 serial.

The cross-over is supposed to be in the 8.2-8.3 serial range. I've seen both matte and gloss dials with 8.3 serials, but I've also seen matte dials with 8.4. To be sure, you could search extensively online to see if you can find other 8.0 serial 16800s with gloss dials. You never know.

Ah, now I understand what you mean, my serial was 8046XXXX so that should be before the cross over. That would mean I should be looking for the matte dial. Everything else is period correct so I will keep watching for a replacement. Thank you so much for the help!

Will

[infinitewill]

Friday I went a picked up my Sub from the watch repair that installed a correct cyclops back on that had mysteriously disappeared when they did the aftermarket cobalt/silver bezel insert install. The person that did the install was meticulous at making sure the alignment was perfect and I was quite pleased with the result. That was until I got home and looked at my watch only to notice the bezel insert had fallen out! 💩🤬💩🤬💩🤬💩🤬 Luckily it was laying on the floor but I am so over this watch and all of the trouble I am going through just to get it back to stock.

I sourced a nearly perfect OEM, black and stainless bezel insert and also a glossy face (until I can find a matte style that doesn't cost half the value of the watch). After lengthy discussions with my contact at Rolex, they are unable to determine exactly which serial number the switch was made from matte to glossy, or rather they are choosing not to share that info to the public. From my serial number they were able to learn that mine was produced somewhere between Oct of 1984 and Feb of 1985. Again, I would think they would be able to know that more precisely based on production documentation but then again it was 40+ year ago. I will post a photo this evening of the suspect in question

[Dom9]

Progress! Glossy dial 'for now' is a good choice!

[infinitewill]

A question for you old pros in the Rolex hunt. I have purchased a good used 16800 glossy dial and am on the look out for a matte dial. I have seen several dials on various web sites including eBay that advertise dials as having "no lume" Does that mean the luminous characteristic of the markers no longer glow or does in mean it never had it? Or does it mean something else that I am missing?

Thanks for helping out this "old" newbie!

[Dom9]

Probably means the tritium is 'dead' and no longer glows - post a pic!

[502 to Right]

Originally Posted by infinitewill

I have seen several dials on various web sites including eBay that advertise dials as having "no lume" Does that mean the luminous characteristic of the markers no longer glow or does in mean it never had it?

It means the lume no longer glows. Nor should it if it's tritium because we are well beyond the point at which a tritium dial would still work. I think the half life is about 12 years. Rolex stopped using tritium circa 1997.

[Dan S]

Originally Posted by infinitewill

A question for you old pros in the Rolex hunt. I have purchased a good used 16800 glossy dial and am on the look out for a matte dial. I have seen several dials on various web sites including eBay that advertise dials as having "no lume" Does that mean the luminous characteristic of the markers no longer glow or does in mean it never had it? Or does it mean something else that I am missing?

Thanks for helping out this "old" newbie!

There are legit no-lume dials (e.g. for DJs or DDs) but not for a 16800. The term refers to dials without any luminous paint at all, even though they often have T SWISS T at the bottom.

Can you post a link to a listing describing a 16800 dial as "no lume?" That's odd, and might mean that the lume has been removed, which would not be desirable.

Over time, tritium lume will stop emitting light when viewed in the dark because of the half-life of tritium, but this is usually referred to as "dead lume", or something like that. This is normal for a 16800 dial from the 1980s, tritium lume from that era would always be dead because it is more than 3 half-lives for tritium.

[infinitewill]

This is just one of the means I have seen that have the "No Lume" in the description. https://www.ebay.com/itm/225381191645 Thanks for the info!

[Dan S]

Originally Posted by infinitewill

This is just one of the means I have seen that have the "No Lume" in the description. https://www.ebay.com/itm/225381191645 Thanks for the info!

I can only infer that it's a misunderstanding with language, since the listing is from Italy. It's possible that "lume" means something slightly different in Italian (google says the translation is "light"), and the seller is saying that it doesn't glow. However, that dial clearly has what we would call lume in the WGS markers, and in English, the term "no-lume dial" is not generally used for a dial like that.

But as mentioned above, the lume will be dead, so if you are looking for a dial with functional "glow-in-the-dark" lume, you will need to get a more modern service dial (and hands). In general, vintage watches do not have functional lume, so on this forum it's not considered to be an issue.