1946(?) Rolex Oyster

[es_bozo]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post here, and I was hoping I could get some comments on a watch I bought a few months ago from a local dealer.

Case shows serial 50XXXX. It's keeping good time but I'm getting kind of annoyed at the numbers. I suspect it is a badly done repaint, but I don't have any experience in this matter.

Aside from the numbers, does the rest of the dial (and the watch) look correct? I've read that most Rolex watches should have the word "swiss" below the 6 o'clock marker, is that true of this one too?

I had a look inside the case before I bought it, and nothing seemed amiss to my (very untrained) eye; unfortunately I don't have a case tool so I can't post any pictures of the movement. It is keeping good enough time for use as an everyday watch (about +3 minutes a week)

I'm thinking of sending it to someone to have the dial redone as soon as the dealer's 1 year guarantee period is up, but I'd rather know more about what I have before I do that.

Thanks for looking.

[jmiicustomz]

I am no expert (far from it) but the back looks off to me as I thought all the older ones like that were "bubble back" models and then "semi-bubble back" and you're right the dial looks very poorly done.

[Vlad]

redone dial. this watch is not a BB, just a nice oyster model (manual wind). 1946 sounds about right.

[Widows Son]

Since the dial was redone at one time anyway, I'd suggest having it redialed again but properly. Enjoy your watch!!!

[es_bozo]

Hope nobody minds my resurrecting this thread. I'm looking more actively into dial workshops now. Would anyone here be able to suggest a strategy for figuring out how to get it as close to original as possible? For example the numbers are a mess of black paint - would they have been lume originally? And there are some specks of paint at the base where most Rolexes have something like SWISS - but how do I figure out if it said SWISS or SWISS MADE or something else?

Is it considered bad etiquette to ask a dial workshop for advice on historic details? Or even bad ethics (for example, I get the impression that there are some intellectual property controversies related to dial repair)?

I sent a message with these questions to a place in the UK with a good reputation, along with some pictures, but the reply I got gave me the impression that they just wanted me to send it over and they would make an exact copy of the pattern (but no comments on stuff like lume vs paint, or the "SWISS" mystery).

[adam78]

My opinion (and believe me, I've been there, in my newbie days) is that you should sell this one with aging, poorly refinished dial and look for something all-original which you will be proud to own and wear. In the end, if you get the dial refinished, it will still be refinished, and the watch won't be worth significantly more than it does not. And you will sink at least $200-300 into the dial refinish. Get out now while you can and start doing your research.

Either that or live with it the way it is.

[R.W.T.]

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