bubbleback 3372

[joeakira]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here. I would like to get some opinion of my bubbleback 3372. Is the dial re-finished? Thanks so much.

[R.W.T.]

Well your watch is gorgeous. Hey Adam....talk about a bezel!!!

I know the font is squirrelly but if we look closely...re-touched possibly...I wouldn't make a 100% closed case refinished judgement here. Looking at CHRONOMETER it looks as though the printing may have gotten rubbed away slightly and someone has gone over it.

Moisture...who knows. Almost without having it out of the watch it is hard to say.

Here are a couple of 100% originals.

I'm going to say the dial is original with "touch up".

[joeakira]

Thanks for your response. I think the coronet is no problem but agree the words are "touch up".

[R.W.T.]

I thought the crown looked a little over painted as well.

[adam78]

Now why remove your pictures only a day after starting this thread?

[joeakira]

Originally Posted by adam78

Now why remove your pictures only a day after starting this thread?

It seems that some problems from my photobucket account. Will fix it tomorrow with my office PC.

[adam78]

OK, thanks. From what I recall from yesterday, I also favor original; I wasn't thinking it was touched up at all, actually.

[joeakira]

Pictures fixed

[joeakira]

Originally Posted by adam78

OK, thanks. From what I recall from yesterday, I also favor original; I wasn't thinking it was touched up at all, actually.

Hi, Adam the pictures fixed already. Do you still think that was not touch up? Thank you for your comment.

[adam78]

Here's similar dial of mine...sorry, not quite so macro.

[R.W.T.]

Not to be a stickler...but I disagree here.

That crown it's all a bit thick...and it looks not smooth to me.

Notice on the second spire...the paint is lumpy and raised and then the dot is flat. Same on the last spire and the hole is almost filled. Okay sometimes more ink could have been present originally but I'm going with my gut here.

The Y and the T in OYSTER are a bit too thick looking to me...like it has been touched.

In CHRONOMETER...OMETER and then a smudge looking to the right..and under the M and the T the same....it looks like there was some age issue there and possibly the letters lifted and were added back or augmented to cover for the situation.

It's a good dial I'm not shooting it down but the question was post for critique...so this is my opinion.

If you note the areas I mention and then look at the distant picture of the dial overall...they stand out off the screen.

If you look at your dial and also mine the printing is even all the way across..and the crowns are open and thin. The fonts may be a little sloppy as is normal...but they are even...in "presence".

Just an opinion and worth what it cost :-)

[Paul]

Took me a long time .... and a lot of sports Rolex'es ... to come round to that notion.
Something very special about the bubble-back family IMHO - the essence of Rolex as we know it today.
Very cool - good when they pop up on the forums

[R.W.T.]

You know...

I looked at this again...I'm going to retract everything I said.

Without having that watch in my hand, I can't even be conclusive about my own observations.

Other things could cause the appearance to be uneven, like the beginnings of surface corrosion on the dial plate showing up near or underneath the printed text, which we see some evidence of in the field parts of the dial, combined with slightly uneven original printing as you can see in my own, 1/2 and 1/2 dial that is now Adam's, in the same areas of the cliche....of the text. Without being able to see it with a loupe, I can't say it is necessarily touched up.

I have to apologize and just say I can't tell for sure from the photos.

I feel 99% certain that the dial is original and not refinished...some overpainting of the text might be there but it absolutely might not as well.

Sorry for any confusion.

[joeakira]

Thanks for all responses.
Come on R.W.T. no need to apologize. As a new comer in vintage rolex world, all of your opinions are treasury.

[R.W.T.]

Well I appreciate that thank you. On something as sensitive as dial originality, unless I am sure...I don't want to inadvertently shed any possible negative outlook on someone's dial. It could alter the value and I just want to be circumspect and as correct as I can in my observations and I hope I can always be the first to admit a possible error.

The watch is in stunning condition. The engine turn bezels always get polished...and one brush of polish cloth even...and they are tainted. These bezels are like minted coins...uncirculated with bag marks is waaaaay better than slightly rubbed. Once a coin has a rub...the patina is not crisp....this bezel is mint state. :-) People have no concept of how rare it is to find one in this kind of condition.

These watches get little attention now...but they are exponentially rarer than mid year subs and gmt's that everyone is so....ga ga over, myself included.

[Ue11]

Couldn't resist putting my 2 cents in.

[Ue11]

This is a 5015 with the same kind of bezel. It is a later watch but this one has amazing fine grooves on the bezel. I hope they come through in the photo.

[adam78]

Yes, they do!