Datejust 3035 - a bit slow in changing date?

[Vaxe]

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a vintage 1988 Datejust for my father off Connoisseur of Time.
Here is the link to the watch:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/280725912911...84.m1423.l2649


I've never owned a vintage model before so any comments would be much appreciated.

A couple of questions:
1) The date does not change immediately at midnight, but instead at 12:03, sometimes at 12:05. Is this normal?

2) The weight of the watch is 3.3 oz (with the aftermarket rhodium bracelet). My father commented that it feels very light - does this look right?

3) I couldn't make out the laser'd crown on the crystal at 6'clock. Can this be explained because it is acrylic and not sapphire?

4) Since the watch is effectively 23 years old, what should I expect out of the power reserve? Standard 48 hours?


Lastly, it we were to send this in to Rolex for service, would they accept it without papers? Anything I should know about servicing a vintage piece?



Thanks!

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by Vaxe

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a vintage 1988 Datejust for my father off Connoisseur of Time.
Here is the link to the watch:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/280725912911...84.m1423.l2649


I've never owned a vintage model before so any comments would be much appreciated.

A couple of questions:
1) The date does not change immediately at midnight, but instead at 12:03, sometimes at 12:05. Is this normal?

2) The weight of the watch is 3.3 oz (with the aftermarket rhodium bracelet). My father commented that it feels very light - does this look right?

3) I couldn't make out the laser'd crown on the crystal at 6'clock. Can this be explained because it is acrylic and not sapphire?

4) Since the watch is effectively 23 years old, what should I expect out of the power reserve? Standard 48 hours?


Lastly, it we were to send this in to Rolex for service, would they accept it without papers? Anything I should know about servicing a vintage piece?



Thanks!

1. Yes

2. Yes

3. 88 is sapphire and not acrylic

4. Expect 35 to 40 Hr's

Lastly: Yes

[Colnago]

I think there's a slip in the answer to number 3 above.....it should be the other way around....acrylic 'til 1988...after that sapphire....no LEC in the acrylic crystals...all other answers I 100% agree with...one final thing I would add...although the RSC will service the watch head it might be a better idea to send it in with no bracelet rather than with an aftermarket item fitted...

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by Colnago

I think there's a slip in the answer to number 3 above.....it should be the other way around....acrylic 'til 1988...after that sapphire....no LEC in the acrylic crystals...all other answers I 100% agree with...one final thing I would add...although the RSC will service the watch head it might be a better idea to send it in with no bracelet rather than with an aftermarket item fitted...

The sapphire crystal was introduced on the datejust in 87 starting with the letter R.

An 88 Datejust would have the letter L and would be the second year of the sapphire crystal.

[Colnago]

Originally Posted by MonBK

The sapphire crystal was introduced on the datejust in 87 starting with the letter R.

An 88 Datejust would have the letter L and would be the second year of the sapphire crystal.

Would that only have been on the TT models?...I have (had actually, I passed it on to my son last Christmas) a datejust from 1988 with an acrylic crystal (also one from 1986) they are identical to look at but I think one has the 3035 movement (1986) and one has the 3135 (1988)....hey I could be wrong...it would not be the first time lol!!

Also of course if it is a sapphire crystal it would not have a LEC unless it has been recently fitted with a service item....

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by Colnago

Would that only have been on the TT models?...I have (had actually, I passed it on to my son last Christmas) a datejust from 1988 with an acrylic crystal (also one from 1986) they are identical to look at but I think one has the 3035 movement (1986) and one has the 3135 (1988)....hey I could be wrong...it would not be the first time lol!!

Also of course if it is a sapphire crystal it would not have a LEC unless it has been recently fitted with a service item....

Are you sure it isn't a 986 series without letter?

[Colnago]

Absolutely 100%....the 1986 one has no letter....the 1988 one I am sure is an R...I am 99% convinced that the first DateJusts fitted with a sapphire were in 1989

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by Colnago

Absolutely 100%....the 1986 one has no letter....the 1988 one I am sure is an R...I am 99% convinced that the first DateJusts fitted with a sapphire were in 1989

Let's agree to disagree Bill

My 87 R DJ bought by me in 87 had a sapphire.

[Colnago]

Mmmm....intriguing non the less......you know when you bought yours I know when I bought mine....both new....mine in the UK where did you buy yours? Any other experts out there shed any light?

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by Colnago

Mmmm....intriguing non the less......you know when you bought yours I know when I bought mine....both new....mine in the UK where did you buy yours? Any other experts out there shed any light?

Bought mine from an AD in Sweden in Aug 87

[Colnago]

Bought mine a year later (also from an AD) in summer 1988 it's a 16030 and an R series, has had a new dial and handset since a cycling accident, pictured below after said accident...picture shows damage that can be done to acrylic if you try really hard!

[MonBK]

I just checked my service receipt from Rolex and it clearly states sapphire crystal.

[Colnago]

How bizarre.....I am trying to get to the bottom of it now.....Melrose have a thing on their site which says the sapphire was introduced to the DJ in the early '80's....mine are definitely late '80's.....now Melrose are in the USA....the plot thickens...

[Andad]

You are both correct IMO. Could be either.

[Colnago]

Thanks Eddie....I was starting to question my sanity.....ha ha....that's a laugh!!!

[Oyster1982]

Could it be that Rolex produced the 16000 and 16200 series at the same time from 1987 to 1988? Mine is an L serial number, and according to the clasp and serial number it is a 1990 DJ 16233. Hmmmm this is interesting, I always wondered when the sapphire DJ 16200 series started production. Also the LEC sapphire crystals were introduced in 2001, my 1990 DJ does not have it.