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Old 10 September 2023, 04:41 AM   #1
deebles
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Why does nobody want this 1503??

The Rolex in question: https://www.ebay.com/itm/186068951253

I’ve seen this thing go through like 3 rounds of eBay auctions with no bidders. Why are people scared of it?

I feel like baseline for a full gold Rolex with bracelet, even at 34mm, should be about 8k, plus this has a factory diamond dial and it’s coming from a seemingly professional auctioneer? Help me understand.

A strong part of me is saying “wow this is a deal,” but an even stronger part is saying “if nobody wants it, it’s definitely not a deal,” and so I turn to you all to explain why this thing seems so unattractive?


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Old 10 September 2023, 05:06 AM   #2
andrewjb88
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My personal preference straight away is I dont like it.
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Old 10 September 2023, 05:06 AM   #3
deebles
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My personal preference straight away is I dont like it.

Ok sure, but why? I get the sense that people generally don’t like it, but I’m curious what exactly is repelling them


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Old 10 September 2023, 05:11 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by deebles View Post
Ok sure, but why? I get the sense that people generally don’t like it, but I’m curious what exactly is repelling them
A 34mm gold date with 19mm bracelet end links wears much smaller than a 36mm daydate with 20mm bracelet end links.
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Old 10 September 2023, 05:15 AM   #5
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Too small and an aftermarket dial would be my guess.
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Old 10 September 2023, 05:16 AM   #6
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Here are my first impressions: The case looks like it's in rough shape with thin and rounded lugs. The ad says it's a custom dial, so I would assume it's not original rolex. 34mm is too small for many guys to wear comfortable and thus it's very low demand. The ad has the white washed out background and only 3 pics which gives a bad taste.

BTW, I like small watches and I love the 36mm rolex case. But 34mm is too small even for me. For a simple dress watch like a breguet, I'm OK with 34.5mm. But with the rolex case, I think 34mm looks odd personally.
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Old 10 September 2023, 05:17 AM   #7
deebles
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Ohhh that “custom dial” in the description is at odds with “original dial” in the title, that feels dishonest. Gross, I’m now immediately repulsed and understand why.


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Old 10 September 2023, 05:20 AM   #8
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Experienced ebay bidders wait until the final seconds of the auction to bid.
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Old 10 September 2023, 05:21 AM   #9
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Ohhh that “custom dial” in the description is at odds with “original dial” in the title, that feels dishonest. Gross, I’m now immediately repulsed and understand why.


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I didn't see the title says original dial. I agree that seems at odds with the description at the bottom that says custom. Either way, I bet you could find replacement dials at a reasonable price. But overall, I would rather spend 6k on several other options out there.
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Old 10 September 2023, 05:24 AM   #10
deebles
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Experienced ebay bidders wait until the final seconds of the auction to bid.

Yeah but I’ve watched this go through a few times with no bidders


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Old 10 September 2023, 05:28 AM   #11
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There are many different reasons why it isn't selling, and I think most of them are related to the current fashion trends:

- 34mm is seen by many to be far too small
- yellow gold is thought of as flashy and old fashioned
- the worn Jubilee bracelet looks dull and unattractive
- etc.

In addition, I don't think the diamond dial is original to the watch and might be an aftermarket item, so the overall package needs too much work to put it right for it to be worthwhile.

The price is good for the right buyer, but finding that right buyer is difficult. These watches tend to be worn by more elderly men and give off a Country Club, Corvette, white shoes type of vibe so the market is very limited.

The watch could be made to look a lot better with a silver dial and a good polish, but the question then is whether it is worth doing all that work. When you add on the cost of a service the total cost to get it finished could be around $9000 and that doesn't look very attractive when you can get a good condition Day-Date for around that price.
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Old 10 September 2023, 05:32 AM   #12
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Size? 14K? Poor photos?

I suspect for most people, one issue is the size: 34mm is too small (given the current trend for larger and larger watches). A second factor may be that it's 14K not 18K. A third factor may be the lack of good photos. There are only 3, and the quality is poor. For example, in the last photo, the lug closest to the camera looks a different shape from its partner. Has this been horribly over polished, or is this just a trick of the camera? What's the dial like? What are the hands like? What's the sag like in the bracelet? There are critical important details that the photos do not provide.
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Old 10 September 2023, 05:33 AM   #13
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I appreciate all the information so far. re: trends and aesthetics, I get that small size and full gold are both not helping the item. When it comes to dressing, I think that small size and full gold can work together to make what would be flashy at 36mm a little more subtle.
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Old 10 September 2023, 05:35 AM   #14
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The "original" dial has been "customized."

The watch is unappealing and in poor condition, the bracelet is stretched. The reference is not terribly popular. The fact that it is gold (only 14k) doesn't make up for all of those shortcomings. If he cuts the starting price in half, he will probably get some bids, but a high starting price and very few photos isn't going to help build interest with bidders. If this is a professional auctioneer, he's not a very good one. Currently he has 14 active auctions, with zero total bids.
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Old 10 September 2023, 06:13 AM   #15
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34mm , 14k, custom dial, very few pictures, there are so many better options for the vintage buyer. IMO

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Old 10 September 2023, 08:18 AM   #16
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I’ve read that the 1503 also came in 18k gold. Is that true? If so, where would one find the hallmark?
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Old 10 September 2023, 09:40 AM   #17
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Dial indices are diamonds, but in the description (in two places) it says the dial indices are roman numerals. Just too sloppy to be believable IMHO.
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Old 10 September 2023, 10:07 AM   #18
andrewjb88
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Ok sure, but why? I get the sense that people generally don’t like it, but I’m curious what exactly is repelling them


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Gold is too flashy and old fashioned looking, plus the size is small.
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Old 10 September 2023, 07:28 PM   #19
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Dial is not factory

You also have to watch these USA bands for stretch. They were more prone to it


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Old 11 September 2023, 03:37 AM   #20
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1. Not original dial and 3 other factors 2. Small watch and 3. Tbh those photos are truly shocking - one of the lugs looks like it has lepracy!
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Old 11 September 2023, 11:34 AM   #21
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1. Not original dial and 3 other factors 2. Small watch and 3. Tbh those photos are truly shocking - one of the lugs looks like it has lepracy!
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Old 11 September 2023, 01:00 PM   #22
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Plus seller has awful feedback. Claims of selling counterfeit products.

Immediate no-go for experienced buyers.
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