My old 1680 ... Back home again!!

[Subexplorer]

My old 1680… Back Home again!!

Hola amigos!!
I´d like to share the happiness of having back my old trusty 1680 Sub date.
I got this watch brand new in February 1977.
I had it serviced only once around 1992.
The watch was functioning perfectly, but the crown was working very hard lately, and as I´ve been using this watch a lot, including some scuba diving from time to time, I was rather concerned about the workings inside.
Then I took it to the local Rolex Service facilities at Buenos Aires city, for a complete service, including a change of the plexi glass, wich was very dented. I requested not to polish the case, nor the bracelet, nor changing face, hands or bezel insert (very faded), in order to maintain it as original as possible.
The technician at Rolex opened the case before me, and I was nicely surprised to see its internals pristine, in spite of the long time since last service, almost 18 years now.

Photos “Before” servicing.









Due date for returning my watch, arrived after two months on June 30th. A call from the Rolex offices, announced that their services where having some delays, so I had to wait for ten additional days to recover it.
Finally, the day arrived, and I got it back, not with some little additional suffering:

Once at the Rolex Serice facilities, the watch was returned to me by a lady, and while waiting for the invoice to be ready, I eagerly inspected the watch. I was nicely surprised to see how nice the new “top hat” glass looked, allowing to better appreciate the nice patinated dial and indexes, as well as original hands which were still there as requested.




Then I looked at the old bezel insert, which also was kept at my request, but then I noticed something with disgust: the original “pearl” had disappeared, and an ugly looking black hole was there!! Also, the crown didn´t screw back to the bottom, as it was originally!












I requested to speak to the technician again, and explained the problem. They said that the pearl wasn´t there when I brought the watch, but when they looked at my face, which was turning red and my neck vein thickened, while I offered to show them the pictures I took the day I had delivered my watch in, they understood I was sure what I was talking about.
They asked me to wait in their waiting room, and half an hour later, they returned with an old replacement pearl (not so pretty as my original one) and had changed the offending crown stem, which didn´t allow for the total closing.

I returned home with my watch, and have been wearing almost every day, controlling its time keeping, which is perfect, as should be expected form my trusty old Sub.
I proceeded to make a little polish myself, using a fiber glass point pen as explained in previous posts at TRF, and also a little hand polish of front and back of case, including lug bevels, in order to restore a little the case.

Of course, deep scratches couldn´t be taken off, but at least, I keep my watch as original as possible, after 33 years of good honest use. I feel better now, having back my watch at the stable, in company of its other “brothers”.




Hope you enjoy the pictures, and thank you so much for your attention to this long post.
Very cordially, Abel.

[tifosi]

Absolutely beautiful 1680!! Very jealous.

[kyle L]

Looks great Abel, what a transformation!

[SLS]

Looks great, enjoy it all over again.
Scott

[Christiaan]

Very Nice!!

[dysondiver]

very smart indeed

[Subexplorer]

Thank you friends for your kind comments. It makes a most enjoyable experience to share my watch with you!!
Very cordially, Abel

[jcherskine]

Looking great after the service.
Hopefully last for many more years to come.

[Nicko]

What a wonderful 1680, enjoy the heck out of it!

[smallcandle]

Beautiful watch! So glad you've had it serviced and have it back on your wrist ready for another 33 years!

[Subexplorer]

Thank you for your nice comments friends!! Yes, I wish I´ll be able to enjoy my 1680 for another 33 years, though being 62 now, I guess most probably my son or my grandchildren will appreciate it. Who knows!! I´ll will keep enjoying in the meantime.
Thanks again for your participation!
Very cordially, Abel

[mike]

Wonderfull my friend. So nice to see an original taken care of the way it should be.

Man those lugs are killer!!

[weirdcuba]

awesome, senor!!

[RLX-lvr]

Very nice 1680. I love the colour of plots and hands.
Nothing better than some patina to give it some contrast.
Congrats.

[DOUBLE 0 SE7EN]

I loved it... a true classic...

[mike]

Originally Posted by FROY

Hello, my name is Froy and I'm from Mexico.

I was saving for a RSC restoration of a Vintage white 1680 well more yellow now than white. And a 16800 wg glossy Submariner. I also have a TT Submariner, nipple dial, plexiglass, RSC serviced in Mexico City on 2008. However I cant find the reference number or examples of such, anywhere on the internet. I dont have the RSC papers with me, but I think it stated 1680. Its plexiglass. If you can help, I thank you in advance.

So I have a 1680 and 16800 in the RSC right now. The first one a plexi matte. Second One wg glossy dial. On both the and dial and hands are in really bad shape, however RSC gives me the option of keeping them or exchanging them for service dials and hands. Please advise me on what to do. They want 900usd each, to fix them.

WELL FINALLY THEY TOLD ME, ON THE 16800 ITS THEIR WAY OR THE HIGHWAY. THE HANDS, I AGREE WERE TOTALLY RUSTED AND FALLING APART AND THE DIAL IS IN BAD SHAPE. MOISTURE. SO I SAY OK. SERVICE DIAL, HANDS AND BEZEL INSERT. WE ONLY HAVE AN RSC IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY SO.. ANYWAY THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND ADVICE.

These watches are damaged because they were inside a safe, that was flooded during the 2007 Tabasco floods in Mexico. The safe was under water and mud for almost a month. Here there are no parts, at least good ones, to be found anywhere. We have excellent Watch repair men, but no original parts anywhere.

On the prices. Is it really that expensive now. Submariner services are 450usd plus parts. I am situated in the south of Mexico, in Tabasco. There is only one small AD. and in Mexico City only one RSC in the whole country. Not to many options for me. We have many excellent watch technicians and they sometimes do miracles. However there are no original parts to be found anywhere, so Sooner or later its a trip to the RSC. And once there there is very little room for choosing how to repair your watch.
Thank you.

Hi FROY,

What you face are the concerns those with vintage pieces have to decide upon when sending a watch to an RSC. Their goal is to make the watch "as new" as possible.

Sometimes this devalues the piece, but other times (if we take a cold hard look at the situtation) is something worthy of consideration.

As collectors we want our watches to reflect the time in which these watches were truly in their hey-day. Originality is important especially as with any vintage reference we face the fact of finite examples "out there". Secondly these pieces in their original state represent a golden era that we shall not see again--the wonderful history.

However; there are those times when the replacement of a dial/hands might be the better part of valor for some. A very badly damaged dial/hands can be a detriment to the watch both in functioning and value. Replacement then becomes a way to "bring back" a great piece to it's original functionality. The arguement of "originality vs. functionality".

Does a replacement dial affect value?--yes. However the question is how much?

In the case of your 16800 since the watch had a gloss dial to begin with perhaps not as much as you might think.

The 1680 though a bit of a different story is not doing you anygood in it's present condition and a re-hab by the mothership will allow you to enjoy the watch as it was originally intended. Consider the value hit is the price of a period correct dial/hands set as you are able to find them and you have the watch running as Rolex intended with documentation to back it up.

A period correct dial while not original does give the option to have the watch in it's "born" state.

The pricing you were quoted isn't bad considering (I assume) the cost of a service replacement dial/hands set is factored in.

Were they my watches that would be the route I would take and just enjoy them.

Good luck.

[Tek]

That's wonderfull to hear your watch's neally as old as I am. What a timepeace. It great to know mine will be the same.

[Clogger]

Awesome Sub you have there, congrats on getting back, but sad to hear you were a little messed around by the RSC.

Any chance you could post a link to the use of the fiber glass pen tutorial please.

[colpol]

Great post & watch looks great. Hopefully you get to hand it in for its next service - maybe on your 90th Birthday

[Lol-x]

Originally Posted by Subexplorer

Then I looked at the old bezel insert, which also was kept at my request, but then I noticed something with disgust: the original “pearl” had disappeared, and an ugly looking black hole was there!! Also, the crown didn´t screw back to the bottom, as it was originally!

I requested to speak to the technician again, and explained the problem. They said that the pearl wasn´t there when I brought the watch, but when they looked at my face, which was turning red and my neck vein thickened, while I offered to show them the pictures I took the day I had delivered my watch in, they understood I was sure what I was talking about.
They asked me to wait in their waiting room, and half an hour later, they returned with an old replacement pearl (not so pretty as my original one) and had changed the offending crown stem, which didn´t allow for the total closing.

I think it must be some sort of programmed reaction "it wasn't there when you gave it to us" or similar types of statements.

Great watch and enjoy it in good health.

[mike]

Originally Posted by FROY

Sir, thank you so much for your kind reply. You are a true help. Specially for someone with so little knowledge of the vintage Rolex world.

Yes, I have concluded that your position in this case is the best for me to follow, specially since I really intend to use my watches for the purpose they were created. I mean swimming, snorkeling, diving etc.

Witch is what I did when I bought a used Rolex TT Submariner, back when I was a teenager some time ago. I mean I used like there was no tomorrow. Then I left it on the family safe for some years as it looked very rough.

Then the 2007 flood came and the rest is history. I took said watch in 2008 to the RSC and it came back looking like new. It is a TT Submariner, black nipple dial, Plexiglass, . However I cant find the reference numbers for said watch, bracelet etc. or examples of such, anywhere on the internet. I don't have the RSC papers with me right now, but I think it stated 1680. I ONLY FIND GOLD ONES NOT TT ONES. If you can help, I thank you in advance.

The 1680 was never made in a TT only SS. I have seen one that was converted, but if RSC serviced the watch that leads me to believe it's another reference.

There are TT Subs dating back to the mid 80s. Does the dial read 1000 ft.?

[Renoir]

Fantastic results Abel....wear that beautiful 1680 well!

[Subexplorer]

Originally Posted by mike

Wonderfull my friend. So nice to see an original taken care of the way it should be.

Man those lugs are killer!!

Thank you Mike!! It makes me so proud to own this oldie, which my wife bought for me, brand new, in February 1977 to replace my beloved 5513 (vintage 1966) which was taken from me a few days before, during an armed robbery I suffered. This 1680 was my only watch for many, many years of daily use.

I´m delighted to know you liked it! very cordially, Abel

[bb3188]

Originally Posted by Subexplorer

Thank you Mike!! It makes me so proud to own this oldie, which my wife bought for me, brand new, in February 1977 to replace my beloved 5513 (vintage 1966) which was taken from me a few days before, during an armed robbery I suffered. This 1680 was my only watch for many, many years of daily use.

I´m delighted to know you liked it! very cordially, Abel

Abel your 1680 looks great
a bonus is that you are the original owner.
Did you ever find out more about the stolen 5513 ? ie trace the serial number ?



Mark

[datejust1]

Looks Great, Abel! Me encanta!

[Subexplorer]

Originally Posted by Clogger

Awesome Sub you have there, congrats on getting back, but sad to hear you were a little messed around by the RSC.

Any chance you could post a link to the use of the fiber glass pen tutorial please.

Hello Clogger! Thank you for your comment.

Here is the link for the use of the fiber glass point pen, and restoring and adjusting a Rolex bracelet, made by Tools.
I´m sure you´ll find it very interesting indeed.

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=111743

Kind regards, Abel

[Subexplorer]

Originally Posted by bearbrass3188

Abel your 1680 looks great
a bonus is that you are the original owner.
Did you ever find out more about the stolen 5513 ? ie trace the serial number ?



Mark

Thank you Mark!!
I regret to inform that I never could recover that beloved 5513, though I made a Police report, and also reported to the local Rolex Headquarters, who mantain a record of stolen watches here.

That 5513m, was a present from my Parents for my 18th birthday, in 1966, and it was the fullfillment of a dream of owning a Rolex Sub, which was something very, very special in those far years, and specially for a very young man like me, at the time. It was an irreparable loss for me, though I was grateful I could tell the story, as I was pointed with a gun when they robbed me.

Thank you for your concern!! Very cordially, Abel

[Subexplorer]

Thank you to all nice fellow members for their kind comments. I´m delighted to know you liked the watch, and to share my experience with you.
Best cordial regards, Abel

[cdnwatchguy]

That looks great

[Subexplorer]

Thanks Keith! Glad you like it!