ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX

Tools · 7 February 2010, 03:09 AM

Every student of Rolex should know that Rolex had bracelets made in the destination country in the 50's and60's to avoid taxes.. the watch heads were shipped there as parts rather than a complete watch, the bracelets were then attached and sent to market..

US, Mexico, and UK bracelets are well documented within vintage circles..

It's a fact...but, no, I'm not going to go find somebody a bunch of "documentation"... It's all out there..

However, here is an excerpt from "Best of Time" ;Dowling-Hess

"Rolex had their dress watch cases made in Britain, France, and Canada as well as in Switzerland, but all Oyster cases came only from the Geneva Rolex factory. While this was true, Rolex had no problems with the Oyster or Jubilee bracelets being made overseas. To save on the onerous import duties bracelets were made in the U.S., Britain, Japan, and Argentina. All of these bracelets differed slightly from their Swiss originals ......."

edit: I guess I was typing while the previous concurring posts were made...

InVision · 7 February 2010, 03:10 AM

Thanks, not sure about the grandmother statement? My mother?

I am going to the IWJG show in Orlando in a couple of weeks. Wonder if someone there could help?

Tylden Reed · 7 February 2010, 03:11 AM

The letter B in the style given IS 1951. No Birmingham letter B was used in the 1940s. Tylden

escudoturbo · 7 February 2010, 03:11 AM

I have seen bubblebacks with 'similar' bracelets in the past, though that is no help as to the origin of this bracelet.

mikefrmnj · 7 February 2010, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

Hey Buddy, how was Costa Rica?

Fantastic!! HOT! Boca aint got nothing on CR in the heat dept. I have some good pics and will put them up as soon as I get a moment.

Idle Swede · 7 February 2010, 03:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikefrmnj

Fantastic!! HOT! Boca aint got nothing on CR in the heat dept. I have some good pics and will put them up as soon as I get a moment.

Great, looking forward to see them.

Chrissy in a bikini maybe?

andrew_uzio · 7 February 2010, 03:19 AM

Sorry rolexsubdate, but you have identified the spaces BETWEEN the 5 points on the crown. Obviously, if you have 5 points, there are 4 "lines" between them. In statistics, this is know as the "linear segments" between "nodes" (i.e., N=L-1, where N= number of nodes, and L= number of linear segments).

TheBluePrince · 7 February 2010, 03:20 AM

What an awesome, lovely find. As already said, certainly from Birmingham in 1951.

The Jewellery quarter in Birmingham was one of the most important in the world, even more so than London.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewellery_Quarter

kotsos · 7 February 2010, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rolexsubdate

ok folks ... if people start telling me that rolex outsourced its bracelets to mexico or south america or whatever country other than switxerland, then I am gonna run the other way ... I thought ROLEX was 100% swiss made ...it is just a red flag for those of us who do not know the history too well ....
But in all the rolex books I have read, I never came across this outsourcing....it is news to me .... but I have to see it documented somewhere to believe it, otherwise it is a red flag ...

People like you hurry to scream fake every time they see something different. Since you are not a specialist you should probably keep your comments to yourself. Please do us a favor for next time.

If you think that you should run away because Rolex outsourced its bracelets to UK or the US you are missing the point of Rolex's great history and you are probably not worthy to wear one. So please do us a favor and.....

SUPERDOC · 7 February 2010, 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InVision

Thanks, not sure about the grandmother statement? My mother?

I am going to the IWJG show in Orlando in a couple of weeks. Wonder if someone there could help?

Sorry, for some reason I look at someone's avatar and imagine that it's them...you have a young looking eye so I thought you were younger..

I imagine that If I ever meet mike..I'll be fascinated to learn how three watches lined up in a row could gain sentience and learn to type...

of course you should all be happy to know that I really do walk around in a Superman costume...

Tylden Reed · 7 February 2010, 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kotsos

People like you hurry to scream fake every time they see something different. Since you are not a specialist you should probably keep your comments to yourself. Please do us a favor for next time.

If you think that you should run away because Rolex outsourced its bracelets to UK or the US you are missing the point of Rolex's great history and you are probably not worthy to wear one. So please do us a favor and.....

Oh, come on! Live and let live. We can all learn something here even if it is tolerance. Some believe everything they are told without a second thought whilst others take some convincing. By all means be a doubter, but be prepared to believe others - sometimes. Tylden.

mikefrmnj · 7 February 2010, 03:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

Great, looking forward to see them.

Chrissy in a bikini maybe?

HAHA she will be pleased to know you were asking about her.

Tylden Reed · 7 February 2010, 03:32 AM

It's Saturday and 17:31 local. I'ts been a long day. I'm off home before the wife wonders what I look like. Tylden.

Idle Swede · 7 February 2010, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikefrmnj

HAHA she will be pleased to know you were asking about her.

Please give her my best.

InVision · 7 February 2010, 03:34 AM

Wow, just to think I started all of this just trying to figure out if the bracelet should be thrown in with the scrape gold for melting or put up for sale....

Mike

OrchidDR · 7 February 2010, 03:48 AM

"The more I learn and experience, the more I realize I know nothing!"

shandy · 7 February 2010, 03:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InVision

Ok from left to right it has a (c),(.375),(an anchor sideways),("B" with flag on top).

Mike

Okedoke, I have just gone onto the British Assay office website and the Anchor is to denote it was assayed at the Birmingham Assay office and as you say is 9k gold, very common in the uk and I guess around the time this was made Britian was going through tough times and 9k gold would have been more normal!

I just found out I think what the cy&co is from a forum on jewellery

"Edward Davies t/a E J Clewley & Co Jewellers of 111/112 Vyse Street Birmingham who registered a mark very similar to this at the Chester Office in 1907. "

Will try to dig up some more, still trying to find out what the "B" with crown is!
Hope that helps!

InVision · 7 February 2010, 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shandy

Okedoke, I have just gone onto the British Assay office website and the Anchor is to denote it was assayed at the Birmingham Assay office and as you say is 9k gold, very common in the uk and I guess around the time this was made Britian was going through tough times and 9k gold would have been more normal!

I just found out I think what the cy&co is from a forum on jewellery

"Edward Davies t/a E J Clewley & Co Jewellers of 111/112 Vyse Street Birmingham who registered a mark very similar to this at the Chester Office in 1907. "

Will try to dig up some more, still trying to find out what the "B" with crown is!
Hope that helps!

COOL !! TY sir

shandy · 7 February 2010, 03:57 AM

No Worries, here is a link with a clear description of the order and what the marks mean
I am feeling the B is the date
http://www.925-1000.com/british_marks.html

This is great, I love digging through problems, mind I am no interrogater

CoopJr · 7 February 2010, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rolexsubdate

take the first pic ... save iit and enlarge it ... I only see 4 lines ....ok, if you think there are 5, point them out with redlines and post the pic....here is my pic... I am only seeing 4 ....

Those are indentations you blind numbnuts!

shandy · 7 February 2010, 04:01 AM

Now then, on this page from the Birmingham assay office a Capitol B would signify 1926.
Have a look!
http://www.theassayoffice.co.uk/date_letters.html

Again, I am just bumbling along here and am no expert so could be reading all these marks wrong, Here is a link to the Birmingham Assay office Home page as I am pretty certain this is a Birmingham hallmark bracelet!
http://www.theassayoffice.co.uk/index.html
From the little I know of antiques I believe Birmingham was one of the more prodigeous and famous of the Assay offices in Britian (still is I guess!)

CoopJr · 7 February 2010, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rolexsubdate

yes, i see where I was wrong on the crown ... i appologize for that ...
Now if you can find it documented that bracelets were made somewhere else othre than sitwzerland, then that would seal the case that I rushed to judgement ..... but it has to be documented .....

I had no ill intentions ... it is jst that somethings raised my eyebrows ....

thank you ...

OK...fair enough

Jackxv · 7 February 2010, 04:03 AM

Nice bracelet in excellent condition, I'd post on VRF.

If there's an owner of a 9ct white Oyster he'll go crazy over it.

2 options :

- Search for a 9ct head
- Sell it to someone who has one.

It'll make a good deposit on the new watch off your choice

Jack

padi56 · 7 February 2010, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InVision

COOL !! TY sir

And a small c in the hallmark dates it to 1945 large C would be 1970.

InVision · 7 February 2010, 04:07 AM

From that link it is "B" with the wave is 1951 which dates it about right.

The first stamp is a triangle now that I inspect it again, which means Birmingham.

Thx 4 the info...

Mike

ESKO · 7 February 2010, 04:11 AM

Sweet find. I know nothing of vintage bracelets, well, I knew nothing, but reading this thread has empowered me with that knowledge!
It's always cool to read stories such as these!

InVision · 7 February 2010, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jackxv

Nice bracelet in excellent condition, I'd post on VRF.

If there's an owner of a 9ct white Oyster he'll go crazy over it.

2 options :

- Search for a 9ct head
- Sell it to someone who has one.

It'll make a good deposit on the new watch off your choice

Jack

Jack, How do I post on VRF if I do not know what a good price is? Also it is yellow gold. Mike

snow_rocks · 7 February 2010, 04:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rolexsubdate

MADE IN ENGLAND???? you sir have something rare: It is DOLEX band .... look how crappy the steel looks ...

I googled Dolex watch band, and google asked

Did you mean Rolex watch band?

So my question is, "What the hell is a DOLEX band?"

Is this something common in your country?

Idle Swede · 7 February 2010, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snow_rocks

I googled Dolex watch band, and google asked

Did you mean Rolex watch band?

So my question is, "What the hell is a DOLEX band?"

Is this something common in your country?

It seems the interogator has emptied the sand out of the garden hose and exited the building.

InVision · 7 February 2010, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

It seems the interogator has emptied the sand out of the garden hose and exited the building.

7 February 2010, 03:09 AM	#61
Tools TRF Moderator & 2024 SUBMARINER Patron Join Date: May 2007 Real Name: Larry Location: Mojave Desert Watch: GMT's Posts: 43,346	Every student of Rolex should know that Rolex had bracelets made in the destination country in the 50's and60's to avoid taxes.. the watch heads were shipped there as parts rather than a complete watch, the bracelets were then attached and sent to market.. US, Mexico, and UK bracelets are well documented within vintage circles.. It's a fact...but, no, I'm not going to go find somebody a bunch of "documentation"... It's all out there.. However, here is an excerpt from "Best of Time" ;Dowling-Hess "Rolex had their dress watch cases made in Britain, France, and Canada as well as in Switzerland, but all Oyster cases came only from the Geneva Rolex factory. While this was true, Rolex had no problems with the Oyster or Jubilee bracelets being made overseas. To save on the onerous import duties bracelets were made in the U.S., Britain, Japan, and Argentina. All of these bracelets differed slightly from their Swiss originals ......." edit: I guess I was typing while the previous concurring posts were made... __________________ (Chill ... It's just a watch Forum.....) NAWCC Member

7 February 2010, 04:03 AM	#83
Jackxv "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Netherlands Posts: 969	Nice !! Nice bracelet in excellent condition, I'd post on VRF. If there's an owner of a 9ct white Oyster he'll go crazy over it. 2 options : - Search for a 9ct head - Sell it to someone who has one. It'll make a good deposit on the new watch off your choice Jack

7 February 2010, 03:10 AM	#62
InVision Banned Join Date: Dec 2008 Real Name: Mike Location: Destin, FL USA Watch: Outerspace DayDate Posts: 2,662	Thanks, not sure about the grandmother statement? My mother? I am going to the IWJG show in Orlando in a couple of weeks. Wonder if someone there could help?

7 February 2010, 03:11 AM	#63
Tylden Reed TechXpert Join Date: Jul 2009 Real Name: Tylden Reed Location: Kent UK Watch: GMTII and more Posts: 175	The letter B in the style given IS 1951. No Birmingham letter B was used in the 1940s. Tylden

7 February 2010, 03:11 AM	#64
escudoturbo "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Real Name: Baz Location: U.K Watch: Explorer II Posts: 364	I have seen bubblebacks with 'similar' bracelets in the past, though that is no help as to the origin of this bracelet.

7 February 2010, 03:19 AM	#67
andrew_uzio "TRF" Member Join Date: May 2009 Real Name: Andrew Location: Houston TX Watch: None yet. Posts: 36	Sorry rolexsubdate, but you have identified the spaces BETWEEN the 5 points on the crown. Obviously, if you have 5 points, there are 4 "lines" between them. In statistics, this is know as the "linear segments" between "nodes" (i.e., N=L-1, where N= number of nodes, and L= number of linear segments).

7 February 2010, 03:20 AM	#68
TheBluePrince "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: London Posts: 2,081	What an awesome, lovely find. As already said, certainly from Birmingham in 1951. The Jewellery quarter in Birmingham was one of the most important in the world, even more so than London. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewellery_Quarter

7 February 2010, 03:32 AM	#73
Tylden Reed TechXpert Join Date: Jul 2009 Real Name: Tylden Reed Location: Kent UK Watch: GMTII and more Posts: 175	It's Saturday and 17:31 local. I'ts been a long day. I'm off home before the wife wonders what I look like. Tylden.

7 February 2010, 03:34 AM	#75
InVision Banned Join Date: Dec 2008 Real Name: Mike Location: Destin, FL USA Watch: Outerspace DayDate Posts: 2,662	Wow, just to think I started all of this just trying to figure out if the bracelet should be thrown in with the scrape gold for melting or put up for sale.... Mike

7 February 2010, 03:48 AM	#76
OrchidDR "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Real Name: Steve Location: Tampa, FL, USA Watch: TT GMT II Posts: 1,321	"The more I learn and experience, the more I realize I know nothing!"

7 February 2010, 03:57 AM	#79
shandy Banned Join Date: Dec 2008 Real Name: Ian Location: canada Posts: 1,724	No Worries, here is a link with a clear description of the order and what the marks mean I am feeling the B is the date http://www.925-1000.com/british_marks.html This is great, I love digging through problems, mind I am no interrogater

7 February 2010, 04:01 AM	#81
shandy Banned Join Date: Dec 2008 Real Name: Ian Location: canada Posts: 1,724	Now then, on this page from the Birmingham assay office a Capitol B would signify 1926. Have a look! http://www.theassayoffice.co.uk/date_letters.html Again, I am just bumbling along here and am no expert so could be reading all these marks wrong, Here is a link to the Birmingham Assay office Home page as I am pretty certain this is a Birmingham hallmark bracelet! http://www.theassayoffice.co.uk/index.html From the little I know of antiques I believe Birmingham was one of the more prodigeous and famous of the Assay offices in Britian (still is I guess!)

7 February 2010, 04:07 AM	#85
InVision Banned Join Date: Dec 2008 Real Name: Mike Location: Destin, FL USA Watch: Outerspace DayDate Posts: 2,662	From that link it is "B" with the wave is 1951 which dates it about right. The first stamp is a triangle now that I inspect it again, which means Birmingham. Thx 4 the info... Mike

7 February 2010, 04:11 AM	#86
ESKO Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Real Name: Luis Location: Afghanistan/Texas Watch: 2012 Milgauss GV Posts: 752	Sweet find. I know nothing of vintage bracelets, well, I knew nothing, but reading this thread has empowered me with that knowledge! It's always cool to read stories such as these!

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