Question about 1956 Explorer 6610 dial

[somewhereintime]

Hi, New to this forum...I just found a Rolex Explorer 6610 dated 1956. The dial is not marked 'Swiss' under the 6 o'clock position...Did any original dials come unmarked with 'Swiss' or is this possibly refinished? The photos are kind of rough, but you can see all the markings, or lack thereof. Thanks

I just found an Explorer 6610 from 1956 - the dial is obviously vintage, but it is not marked 'SWISS' (or anything else) under the 6...Is this refinished or did Rolex ever make dials with no markings under the 6? Thanks

[Tools]

Hard to tell much of anything from those pictures...

Dial has been redone though..

[somewhereintime]

I know those photos are awful, will try to get better ones...Thanks for the info that the dial has been redone. Hope it doesn't affect the value too much. Thanks again

[R.W.T.]

Oh....I hate to be the bearer of bad news...but on that watch especially...the dial and hands affect the value exponentially. I'd say the watch is worth 1/4 of it's potential with a refin dial and incorrect hands.

One of the most difficult dials to source in the wild and the hands as well.

[somewhereintime]

Thanks for the info, I'd rather know than not. Good thing I didn't overpay. Still LOVE it! It's a piece of history. Thanks again

[joe100]

What did you pay?

[somewhereintime]

I paid an undisclosed amount (haha)...It was little enough that a good profit is still in the future

[NukeMan]

Please post better pics for us to be able to really enjoy it! Quality pictures also = more opinions!

[somewhereintime]

I'm trying to upload some better photos, but keep getting an error message...I'll keep trying...

[somewhereintime]

Well, after 5 failed attempts to upload photos due to some unknown issue, I had my wife put them on a photo site - here is a link to a slideshow:
Slideshow
Hope this works...

[joe100]

All's well except for that dial

[waspy1]

Well the dial has been refinished and hands have been replaced. Should both be gilt, but I guess that's why it wasn't expensive. In this condition it's probably worth the parts value (ie case, hands and movement).


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[somewhereintime]

Thanks for the info

[R.W.T.]

If I owned it....I would have the dial refinished properly...service it and wear it...and keep on the hunt for dial and hands. That dial and hand set would be expensive in the wild...but if you could do it and combine for a proper watch...you would likely be ahead. It's such a difficult task that most people run from it. You could find 20 gilt 5512 dials in the time it takes to find one 6610 dial. The hands are unique in length so they are what they are as well....it's a cool watch at any rate even if you just massage it with what you have and if you didn't pay too much all the better.

[somewhereintime]

That's a good suggestion. The hands and dial are hard to find now because of the age, or did Rolex not produce as many of this model as others? I love the hunt, at any rate.

[somewhereintime]

Also, does anyone know if Rolex EVER issued any of their dials without the "SWISS" (or some variance of that) on the dial under the 6? Thanks

[Paul]

Sourcing parts for a 6610 is a thankless task. You could wait for years for a correct gilt dial.
I recall perhaps two loose dials coming up for sale in the last 5 years - each snapped up in an instant.
And I don't recall ever seeing a loose hand set - specific to the 6610 as R.W.T has stated.

A 6610 is one of only a few Rolex'es where I'd say a dial refinishing exercise is viable - the skills are out there

[somewhereintime]

Thanks for the additional info.

[R.W.T.]

It's a kind of uncommon model. They didn't make very many it seems. You don't see them for sale very often anyway.

Also the dials tended to deteriorate from the lume and back before refinishing was so taboo...many, as with all watches got repainted.

I think in this case is equally a situation of very few being made comparatively.

[somewhereintime]

This is the first 6610 we have seen 'in person' so we had nothing to compare it to. Has anyone seen a Rolex 6610 with an original, non-refinished dial?

[waspy1]

Here's mine, also from 1956.



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[somewhereintime]

WOW - Beautiful watch!! Thanks very much for sharing this photo - there's OBVIOUS differences between the dials and hands of our two watches. Thanks again!

[waspy1]

Originally Posted by somewhereintime

WOW - Beautiful watch!! Thanks very much for sharing this photo - there's OBVIOUS differences between the dials and hands of our two watches. Thanks again!

Thanks. There is something special about the gilt period which makes them very special.


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[R.W.T.]

My baby....1958

[Paul]