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Old 28 June 2011, 09:08 AM   #1
ToddR82
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Submariner 5512 - repair question

Hello everyone, first post here; I must say quite a bit of information on this board!

A little introduction:
I recently acquired a Submariner 5512 for what I thought was a really good price. A friend owed me money so I took the watch as a partial trade. He had the watch for about 10 years and never had it serviced or even wore the watch to my knowledge. This is my first high end watch, I've always been had several watched, but nothing over $500 or so.

So from looking at the watch, I could tell it worked :) and was in overall good shape cosmetically. I knew it needed a new crystal (or whatever they're made of on this watch) and an overhaul. I searched around the internet and found a local guy who seems to be fairly reputable (http://www.watchrepair.com/). (I'm not trying to advertise, so please remove the link if necessary. I did it in case anyone has opinions.) I received a call today with a quote to repair the watch. His quote was to replace the crystal, crown, overhaul, (which I would assume includes a polish). I believe the estimate was around $895 for all the work. Now, I don't know if this is an accurate estimate or not? But, my other concern is; if I decide to have him repair the watch, would I get my money back out of it if I ever decided to sell it? To clarify, I'm a little confused on authorized/certified Rolex repairs. Taking it to this guy, would it be the same as any old shop repairing my watch?

I apologize for all the questions which are probably very trivial for everyone, but I do appreciate your time.

Thanks,
Todd
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Old 28 June 2011, 10:52 AM   #2
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I remember now, the bezel needed to be replaced as well. I haven't talked with the guy personally, someone from the store called me with the estimate. I plan on going in tomorrow when my other watch is finished and will talk with him more.

Thanks,
Todd
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Old 28 June 2011, 10:58 AM   #3
Jason71
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Post some pics Todd. That will help us to get an idea of what you need done to the watch. Often times, less is more. Honestly, I would consider Bob Ridley. He is the MASTER for vintage Rolex watches IMHO
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Old 28 June 2011, 12:12 PM   #4
ToddR82
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Thanks Jason, this is exactly the type of feedback I'm looking for. I should be picking up the watch tomorrow, so hopefully I can get some pics taken tomorrow evening and get them posted up. I was a little shocked when he said the bezel needed replaced. IMO cosmetically, it appears really nice, but I'm not sure of the inner workings.

I'll get in touch with Bob after I get the watch back in my posession.

Thanks again,
Todd

Last edited by ToddR82; 28 June 2011 at 12:13 PM.. Reason: type
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Old 28 June 2011, 01:49 PM   #5
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Welcome to the forum Todd,second the advice on Bob Ridley to service your vintage Rolex.You shouldn't change the bezel,bezel insert,dial and hands on that watch,it will devalue your watch.A crystal and bracelet change is ok in the vintage community.Depending on what your friend owed you,you should be able to recoup your service investment.Bob ridley isn't inexpensive,but he does spectacular work,and is very well respected in the vintage watch community.
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Old 29 June 2011, 05:07 AM   #6
ToddR82
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I just picked up the watch today so i'll try and get some pics up tonight. I took another looks and the bezel is in pretty good condition considering it's age. I like that you recommend keeping the original bezel if salvageable. The watchmaker seemed very knowledgeable, but I would prefer to work with someone that is an expert in Rolex particularly. He did recommend a new band, which I'm up for - it's missing links and I think that would really set it off.

Yes, I'm pretty sure even after repairs, i'll come out smelling like roses. I got a REALLY good deal/steal on it.

Stay tuned for pics!
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Old 29 June 2011, 07:19 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ToddR82 View Post
I just picked up the watch today so i'll try and get some pics up tonight. I took another looks and the bezel is in pretty good condition considering it's age. I like that you recommend keeping the original bezel if salvageable. The watchmaker seemed very knowledgeable, but I would prefer to work with someone that is an expert in Rolex particularly. He did recommend a new band, which I'm up for - it's missing links and I think that would really set it off.

Yes, I'm pretty sure even after repairs, i'll come out smelling like roses. I got a REALLY good deal/steal on it.

Stay tuned for pics!
Just don't do anything until you can post some pictures, and then get a bit of feedback from the members of this forum. I don't want to see you do anything to negatively impact the value or originality of the watch.

Collectors like ORIGINAL. Replacement "anything" can be bad (It isn't always, but it sometimes is)
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Old 29 June 2011, 11:07 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason71 View Post
Post some pics Todd. That will help us to get an idea of what you need done to the watch. Often times, less is more. Honestly, I would consider Bob Ridley. He is the MASTER for vintage Rolex watches IMHO
X2 for Bob Ridley - plus IMO a Ridley service and the resulting paperwork adds resale value to the watch.
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Old 5 February 2012, 12:35 PM   #9
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So, I was a little late on posting these pics, but better late than never. I know these pictures are horrible, but it's the best I could get out of my camera. The watch serial number begines with 170xxxx, 5512 on the case, and on the inside of the back cover is actually 5513.

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/DSCF1114.jpg
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Old 5 February 2012, 12:36 PM   #10
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http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/r...DSCF1103-1.jpg
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Old 5 February 2012, 12:39 PM   #11
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Very hard to determine anything from these pictures. If you have yet to do anything with the watch, I would still recomend having Bob Ridley work on this instead of someone local.
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Old 5 February 2012, 12:42 PM   #12
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I'm getting ready to pick up another watch (Tag) off a friend of mine which is more my style. I still have the Rolex and am thinking about selling it at this point. I've seen price range from 2k-30k, which is a pretty significant! Any idea what something like this could go for? Any advice on selling a watch for fair market price would be much appreciated.

Thanks!
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Old 5 February 2012, 12:50 PM   #13
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I moved this to the vintage section where you might get more detailed info.

The photos make it hard to really see the overall condition. Maybe try a few more?
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Old 5 February 2012, 12:50 PM   #14
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Better pictures would helpful as well as determining how old this watch actually is. Can you provide better pictures and identify the serial number on your watch for instance 234XXXX?
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Old 5 February 2012, 01:08 PM   #15
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The serial number is 1702xxx and labled 5512. I took about 50 pictures and unfortunately, these were the best of those.

If I sell the watch, I want to make sure it's marketed correctly, which I'm not sure of at this point. Are there any reputable companies or sponsors that could check the watch over and give an estimate for selling?
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Old 5 February 2012, 01:19 PM   #16
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Looks as though your watch was made in 1967. Really kind of hard to help you any further without better pictures though.
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Old 5 February 2012, 03:48 PM   #17
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I have a 186xxxx 5512 from IV.67. Really excellent "steal" you made there. Better pics may help us to determine condition/value.
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