Just found vintage Tudor Prince 34..need assistance

[nfld]

Hi all...just at my in-laws this past weekend. Got talking about watches and my father in-law mentioned that he got a Rolex tucked away somewhere. So we looked and we found his watch, see attached pics, it's a Tudor Prince 34. He, my father in-law, mentioned he bought it about 50 plus years ago, for about $175 and traded in his Boluva with it. I was amazed that he actually could remembered all this! Anyhow could you please offer me some advice on the actual age of the watch, may be the serial number can give some help. As you can see from the pics, the watch it weathered, my father in law is a farmer and probably worked in the fields with this watch on. The watch needs to be repaired/cleaned up. How do I go about getting this watch serviced, does it have to go to a ROLEX repair shop or a local AD. I am going to get the watch repaired/cleaned for him and give it back to him as a Christmas gift. Any idea what this watch, when repaired, would be worth? All advice is welcomed

[D111s]

Nice find! I have a 34mm Tudor Oyster Prince from around the same period.

Here is your father in law's watch in the 1957 catolog.

[D111s]

Plus the price (in Swiss Francs) (ref 7950)

It's probably got the auto prince movement inside it, just be aware it's very hard to find spare parts for this these days.

[linesiders]

D3 is correct - probably has a 390 inside which can be hard to get serviced and some parts are hard to find. Not sure who in Canada to take it to but ABC in LA would be good for a CONUS service. If you are lucky you can away with just a service and a crystal. Which would be a large part of the value of the watch. But sentimental value it is worth doing. Those Tuxedo dials are cool.

Two things to ask - is the hand winding smooth or grindy? Smooth with some tension is good. When you gently shake it (not violently please ;) ) do you hear a knocking like metal on metal or more of a swish. And knocking or grinding is not good.

[nfld]

Originally Posted by D111s

Nice find! I have a 34mm Tudor Oyster Prince from around the same period.

Here is your father in law's watch in the 1957 catolog.

thank you for the information...

[nfld]

Originally Posted by linesiders

D3 is correct - probably has a 390 inside which can be hard to get serviced and some parts are hard to find. Not sure who in Canada to take it to but ABC in LA would be good for a CONUS service. If you are lucky you can away with just a service and a crystal. Which would be a large part of the value of the watch. But sentimental value it is worth doing. Those Tuxedo dials are cool.

Two things to ask - is the hand winding smooth or grindy? Smooth with some tension is good. When you gently shake it (not violently please ;) ) do you hear a knocking like metal on metal or more of a swish. And knocking or grinding is not good.

The hand is winding smoothly, just did it and watch seems to be working fine...no grinding apparently! Could you inform me as to whom ABC in LA is or are? Also what is a CONUS service? Sorry new to those acronyms. Thank you for all your information.

[linesiders]

ABC Watchworks Loss Angeles

CONUS: Continental US - exclude HI, and AK, and other territories

[nfld]

Originally Posted by linesiders

ABC Watchworks Loss Angeles

CONUS: Continental US - exclude HI, and AK, and other territories

Thanks for the information about ABC Watchworks in LA. I will contact them and go from there. Much appreciated!

[andromeda160]

Originally Posted by nfld

Thanks for the information about ABC Watchworks in LA. I will contact them and go from there. Much appreciated!

No reason to send it to ABC, any decent independent can get the job done for much less.

[sutats]

I have no advice or knowledge about it. But must say it's a stunning watch which I've never seen before and really amazing to see that catalogue and pricelist too. The plus on the crown is new to me too. Though the mention of radium in the catalogue brings back a tragic past in watchmaking. It would be great to see the watch on the wrist again.

[linesiders]

Originally Posted by andromeda160

No reason to send it to ABC, any decent independent can get the job done for much less.

Tudor with an ETA - absolutely correct.

Tudor with a FEF 390? Nope, that will cost more and you need one that spends a fair amount of time on them. Doesn't necessarily need to be ABC but it should be someone familiar with the 390 and its, um, peculiarities, including but no limited to knowing where to get the parts that are hardly available. So this does exclude a bunch of decent independents that see hundreds of Rolex and ETA movements per year.

[RLX-lvr]

Wonderful Tudor.

Where are you located?

I use a wonderful watchmaker in the Toronto area. He can service any watch brand, as long as parts can be sourced. Works at an authorized Rolex Dealer.

[nfld]

Originally Posted by sutats

I have no advice or knowledge about it. But must say it's a stunning watch which I've never seen before and really amazing to see that catalogue and pricelist too. The plus on the crown is new to me too. Though the mention of radium in the catalogue brings back a tragic past in watchmaking. It would be great to see the watch on the wrist again.

Curious, what does the plus sign on the crown mean?

[nfld]

Originally Posted by sutats

I have no advice or knowledge about it. But must say it's a stunning watch which I've never seen before and really amazing to see that catalogue and pricelist too. The plus on the crown is new to me too. Though the mention of radium in the catalogue brings back a tragic past in watchmaking. It would be great to see the watch on the wrist again.

Also you mentioned Radium, from the catalogue. What does this have to do with this watch??

[andromeda160]

Originally Posted by nfld

Curious, what does the plus sign on the crown mean?

Its a brevet plus crown.

And the luminous material on the dial and hands are radiun, this was made before the tritium era

[andromeda160]

Originally Posted by linesiders

Tudor with an ETA - absolutely correct.

Tudor with a FEF 390? Nope, that will cost more and you need one that spends a fair amount of time on them. Doesn't necessarily need to be ABC but it should be someone familiar with the 390 and its, um, peculiarities, including but no limited to knowing where to get the parts that are hardly available. So this does exclude a bunch of decent independents that see hundreds of Rolex and ETA movements per year.

Wasn't even thinking about this being a 50's watch, if it runs though, should just need a cleaning and lube which shouldn't be a problem for most watchmakers I'd imagine

[linesiders]

Originally Posted by andromeda160

Wasn't even thinking about this being a 50's watch, if it runs though, should just need a cleaning and lube which shouldn't be a problem for most watchmakers I'd imagine

The parts and the peculiarities of this movement are the problem - which limits the amount of people that should work on the 390. Not a knock on any particular watchmakers, just that you want to find one that know the movement. ABC, for one, does a lot of 390s and knows the ins and outs of working on this movement. Yes, there are certainly others too.

[nfld]

Just got a call from the Local AD, I took the watch to them and they said they would contact Rolex. Apparently Rolex won't be able to repair the watch, actually they would not even touch it. I guess it has to do with the Radium in the watch!!

[linesiders]

Contact ABC - they would be cheaper than Rolex - if they would work on it

[sutats]

Thanks for the update. I suspect you encountered Rolex's usual policy of refusing to service vintage pieces.

Does your watch come with Radium since the brochure does say it is also sold without it?

You will have to take it to an reliable independent watchmaker for servicing. However if cost is not an issue you could contact Rolex HQ directly for a bespoke service.

[nfld]

Originally Posted by linesiders

Contact ABC - they would be cheaper than Rolex - if they would work on it

thanks..i'll give them a try

[nfld]

Originally Posted by sutats

Thanks for the update. I suspect you encountered Rolex's usual policy of refusing to service vintage pieces.

Does your watch come with Radium since the brochure does say it is also sold without it?

You will have to take it to an reliable independent watchmaker for servicing. However if cost is not an issue you could contact Rolex HQ directly for a bespoke service.

you said Rolex's usual policy is refusing to service vintage pieces and then you say to contact Rolex HQ. Why contact Rolex HQ's if their policy is one of refusal?