Rolex Geneve Cellini

[ANZYANZ]

I've just come across this Geneve I like the look of but wondering what's going on around the back. It almost looks as though it's been ground down ... anyone out there that can tell me more?

From the Hallmark inside the caseback it's a 14K 1959 Birmingham ref 00187 with a 1600 Cal inside. I've asked for confirmation of any hallmarks on the case itself as there aren't any showing on the lugs.

[CTech]

Photo 1

[CTech]

Photo 2

[CTech]

The case back has had the middle section machined out, a plug glued or soldered in and then the outside face machined flat.

You might never find out what has happened and why, but it is possible that the case back is not original to the rest of the case as, apart from the center plug, it looks as if there has been some work around the winding crown area to make it fit.

It's also possible that the case back had a deep engraving on it and when that was removed the remaining material was too thin, hence the plug, but we'll probably never know.

The watch dial and hands make me think it is more likely to be from the mid-1960s rather than 1959 so it is possible that all the information you have got from the inside of the case back related to another watch.

There isn't a lot of interest in these types of watches and so there is little information about model numbers, manufacturing dates, etc. around but you could start looking at other similar watches to see what it should be like, for example the 33mm 9506 or the 30mm 3601.

When a watch has a modification such as this it is usually best to be suspicious of everything else as it might be a watch put together by an jeweler using a variety of parts. It might be that the front part of the case is not genuine Rolex and so there have been other modifications made to get the Rolex movement to fit.

[offrdmania]

Thats a dirty, once clear but now yellowed sticker on the back. Hallmarks would be on the inside of the case back.

[CTech]

Originally Posted by offrdmania

Thats a dirty, once clear but now yellowed sticker on the back. Hallmarks would be on the inside of the case back.

Yes, you are right. I can see now that it isn't a plug but is a semi-transparent sticker, so maybe the case back is OK and is original to the watch.

[ANZYANZ]

Originally Posted by CTech

Yes, you are right. I can see now that it isn't a plug but is a semi-transparent sticker, so maybe the case back is OK and is original to the watch.

Yes, I can see that too now and the seller confirms there is an original 'factory sticker' on the outer case back. That just leaves the question of the Hallmarks, They are definitely present inside the CB but seller has checked and there are no sign of anything on the watch case itself. Was this correct for this period when cases were manufactured in Birmingham? The CB might very well be gold but how would anyone know that hasn't been put onto a plated case?

[ANZYANZ]

Originally Posted by CTech

The watch dial and hands make me think it is more likely to be from the mid-1960s rather than 1959 so it is possible that all the information you have got from the inside of the case back related to another watch.

Yes, I'm beginning to think that too. After a lot more searching it looks like the 1600 Calibre only came into being in 1964.