Vintage Datejust help

[City74]

After a few years of watch collecting, mainly affordable brands (Hamilton, Seiko, Damasko etc) and having bought and sold roughly 50 watches, I have finally been narrowing down my collection to 6 must have pieces. One of those pieces is a vintage Rolex Datejust.

However after reading the do’s and don’t of buying used I still am left with a few questions and thought this would be the perfect place to ask.

I’m looking to add a 1601, 1603, 16200 or 16030. Here are my questions...

1). Are there certain years or models within the Datejust line that are more prone to issues or are known to have issues more than other years? For instance was there a certain couple of years that Rolex changed something that didn’t work out just right? Maybe a movement or crystal etc etc

2). Is there a model or date (dates) I should look for in particular that is a “better” era of watches?

3). Lastly if the price is roughly the same whether buying a 1601 or 16200, which era watch would be the best buy and why?

Thanks in advance for any help

PS...I already know to buy used from a reputable dealer and I have 2-3 in mind that I would buy from.

[City74]

Anyone? ��

[Tudor841]

For me, since I don't wear my vintage datejust everyday, the quick-set function found in the 5 digit references was important.

There are some nice dial options in the 4 digit series and both are classic designs that will serve you well.

For me - I recommend you decide on the importance of the quick-set date function to you - then take your time to look through all the variations - dial / smooth or fluted bezel / two tone our SS / jubilee or oyster bracelet.

For vintage datejusts taking the time to find the one that really appeals to you is the challenge. Take your time - vintage datejust hunting requires a lot of patience - there are many variations - it's hard to just stop with one.

[City74]

Thanks for the reply. The quick date set isn’t really that important to me, although it is nice. I love the vintage black dials and also of course the classic silver. I’m being patient, hoping to land a birth year watch. There is a black dial 1973 (one year off from my birth year) that Jacek (HQMILTON) has listed in the sales forum that would be perfect. If I wasn’t trying to hold out I would buy that one now.

Thank for the reply. I hadn’t thought about the quick set issue

[tamiya]

Quickset in the later 3035/3135 is handy but I just learn to ignore the wrong date if I'm just popping it on for just a few hours.

Nonquickset in preceding 1575 movement is my idea of the iconic Rolex, classy dressy yet amazingly bulletproof for what I've put them through.

1575 is a tank and its gears are purposefully chunky. 3135 has finer teeth half the size, but they're more finesse than tank... I kinda like the tank idea more. :)

There's no systemic serious issues with DJ movements 1575 & 3135, any problems usually be due to user damage or neglect. Any decent watchmaker should know how to fix, only caveat being genuine Rolex parts access & availability.

Actual year targets can be a problem, if going by serial number can be a bit inaccurate as nothing official ever published. For best accuracy I'd be seeking something concrete like its original COSC certification date of test, that's it's birthcert IMHO. Date of sale/warranty can be months if not year or 3 after manufacture.

[City74]

Tank is always good... Thanks for the insight. I’m buying from a reputable place I have already decided and will have the movement checked and serviced etc prior to buying so I know I’m getting a solid piece. The extra spent at the outset will hopefully be a wise choice down the road

[wcs23]

I'm also looking to dip my toe into the vintage DJ market (first vintage, first Rolex) and have been keen on a SS 1603 or 16030. The movement and quickset comments here are helpful for a newbie like me.

[s1im]

I wear a serviced, unpolished 1601 every day, I had to have the plexiglass changed as it had a big chip out of it (was hoping to save it) but I'll admit the new plexiglass shows the dial beautifully.
I wasn't planning to wear it daily but it passed all its pressure tests so I now do!

only things that I'd say to note, the service/new 62510 bracelets have gone up in price over the last few years, so I'd make sure the one you bought , had a bracelet in good condition.

[SuitePhoto]

It looks like the OP and I are in nearly the same boat - I'm looking for my first vintage Rolex and a DJ of the same era seems to be a great starting point. However I have slight preference for the smooth (domed) bezel, which seems to be even rarer. ...and like the OP, I've been drooling over the 1973 DJ that HQ Milton just made available for sale.

One question for the experts (thank you for all the replies, they have been very helpful), I was told that late-1960's and 1970's era DJ's were overwhelmingly made with silver dials and I should be much more careful with black and grey dials as they are rare. Is there any truth to that? Looking at the market now, it almost seems to be a 50/50 split between light and dark colored dials. ??

[CaveDweller]

16030 – 3035

Things to consider: First, the availability of parts. Lots of spare parts for the 3035, they used that movement in a few watches for a decade or more. As has been mentioned, if you own a 3035, you’ll say that the 3035 is superior to the 3135 – likewise, if you own a 3135, the opposite is true. Well, mines a 3035, and it’s pretty bullet proof, 30 years on and you get what you pay for

If you go for something earlier, there are absolute bargains to be had, though you have to ask yourself “why”. Reconditioned watches, with an aftermarket dial, “more than 4 available” from a single fleabay seller. Reading in-between the lines, they’re dropping like flies

Never underestimate the value of the “quick set” function – it counts a lot in terms of value for comparable Rolexes

Two-Tone – looks good, but bracelets can be “problematic” when it comes to vintage – gold shags out earlier than steel, nature of the beast. Repairs on these gold bracelets can be expensive.

Sapphire vs acrylic: Don’t kid yourself – sapphire can still scratch. Acrylic is cheaper to deal with, can be polished, and routinely swapped out during a service. Not a big deal to some, but I’d rather have an acrylic any day. The two types are not interchangeable, so if the watch is meant to have acrylic, you need to keep that going to ensure water proof integrity

If you are looking at pre-’60, it gets a bit more complicated. They started calling it the date-just around 1955, and there are some spectacular dial configurations from that time (the one in my avatar being an example) – late ‘50’s are seldom as fancy. Don’t forget that every time you look at your watch, you’ll be looking at the dial, so make sure you’re in love with that look before you buy.

Mid ‘50’s, go for gold, and the best example of what you could wish for, rather than what you can afford – you’ll only regret it later if you skimp. Be aware that parts for some of these can be hard to find, and that Rolex will be afraid to even consider servicing such a watch. But if you look in the right place, thankfully there are still people who can, and will, and for not a lot more than you’d expect to pay for a service.

The world of vintage Rolexes is not for everyone, but I cannot stress strongly enough to “do your research first”. There’s no point in buying what you can, only to then discover something that takes your breath away later.

Like any collector, or even just as an owner, you have to “love” what you have – or there’s little point in having it

Last words of advice – take your time – the fun is in the hunt, during which time, you’ll become more familiar with your prey ……

[City74]

Thanks all for the input. Yea definitely want a watch wth a gold bracelet, that’s a must. Also good idea to think about spare parts for movements. Some of the early DJ might be getting thin on spare parts lying around. This is the reason I opened this thread, so I thought about stuff I yet hadnt

[Gecko10]

Give Phillip a call at http://www.watchmakers.com

[saskmh]

Personally i feel the later models like the 16030 are the best. They have a great blend of vintage with the acrylic crystal and tritium markers but have the newer/smoother 3035 movement.

[City74]

Aren’t the tritium markers an issue in time? I know Ball watches has them and they last about 25 years or so. If buying a vintage Rolex with them, wouldn’t a concern be about how long the tritium will last?

[CaveDweller]

With any vintage watch, the lume is the first thing to stop working properly. Present day Rolexes use “Luminova” which glows blue, or “Super Luminova” which you can almost use as a torch.

“Ball” watches use pure Tritium enclosed in a tube, whereas Rolex used Tritium mixed with another compound, and it’s this other compound that you see glowing (caused by the Tritium). Two very different processes.

It’s possible to get a Rolex ”re-lumed”, or even to have the dial and hands replaced by Luminova ones, but this defeats the object of owning “vintage”. A vintage watch that glows bright blue is just….. wrong

Besides, how many times are you going to dive under the bed sheets to check it …..

The original Tritium on a 30 year old Rolex has long since lost its glow – all perfectly natural in the great scheme of things. And while we’re on the subject, be thankful you are not considering a vintage sports Rolex – on these there are great expanses of Tritium that can fall out and contaminate the mechanism. Then you are looking at having it stabilised, often colour tinted so it matches what’s left. “Buggered about with” just about sums it up …..

On a datejust this is unlikely to be a problem, as the hands and dial dots are much smaller. If you come across a vintage datejust that actually glows, walk away – and quickly …..

[tamiya]

Originally Posted by CaveDweller

On a datejust this is unlikely to be a problem, as the hands and dial dots are much smaller. If you come across a vintage datejust that actually glows, walk away – and quickly …..

Rewind back a few years more & you'll have Radium radioactivity

They'll glow AND keep your wrist a degree warmer

[City74]

Lume isn’t important in that it glows, just that it’s there somewhat. If the watch has lume dots, I don’t want them missing. I wouldn’t have the watch re lumed for sure as that defeats the purpose of wanting an all original vintage watch. I also don’t want small pieces of lume “floating”around the dial after it has come off the hands etc. That would drive my OCD nuts haha