Submariner 1680 replacement value

[Rolex116520]

What can I ask (or claim more like it) for a 1970-75 Submariner 1680 with box and papers ?
You hear that every Rolex tells a story : This is a 1680 story
In the summer of 1982 my best friend asks if he can borrow my car a secondhand but clean Peugeot 504 convertible to go on holiday's with to Italy .
That summer holiday I was going to visit family in South Africa and would not need my car .
He returned the car with some serious damage because he had slipped of the road and hit a tree side ways .
Not having any cash left to pay for the repairs he offered his Rolex he'd gotten of his father .
I had the car repaired and he was never interested in recuperating the watch . I ended up wearing that watch till 2005 when I bought my SS Daytona .
The 1680 was kept at my grandmother's house in Lausanne till she died of a hart attack a couple of years later . My uncle and then wife moved in the house and again a couple of years later they split up and got divorced the nasty way .
The house was sold and contents split up . I assumed that the 1680 and many of my other personal belongings dating back from my schooldays found their way to my uncle's new house .
When I asked my uncle about that stuff he checked and told me that most of my "dinky toys" collection ,comics and school reports are there however no sign of the 1680 at all .
My uncle said he'd rather buy me a new 1680 ( he is clueless ) or pay me the value of it then contacting his ex-wife about it . I can understand that , they are not on friendly terms to say the least .

So what can I ask for ? Let him buy me a 1680 with box and papers ?
I was less into Rolex back then and I don't remember the serial or exact year . I'm pretty sure it is early 70's as I know it was about 10 years old when I got it . It was last RSC serviced in 98 or 99 after cracking the plexi and damaging the insert .

[Newportkrieger]

I suggest that you look at various 1680's that are for sale both with and without books and papers. Try to determine an "average selling price" for watches of the same general description and condition as yours was, and then try and determine the average "premium" for B&P. Once you feel you have a good average price, mark it up a bit, just to be conservative, and just get cash reimbursement. You will then have the cash to shop and find the watch, with or without B&P, that "speaks" to you and catches your eye.

It is not fair to ask your uncle, a guy who is not a WIS, to find you a replacement vintage 1680. He will either screw it up or be taken advantage of IMHO. You need to get fair value for your loss and take control yourself if you want to be happy with the replacement.

[Rolex116520]

Originally Posted by Newportkrieger

I
It is not fair to ask your uncle, a guy who is not a WIS, to find you a replacement vintage 1680. He will either screw it up or be taken advantage of IMHO.

That is the understatement of the year . I dread to think what would arrive in the post after he bought it .

[acce1999]

Originally Posted by Newportkrieger

I suggest that you look at various 1680's that are for sale both with and without books and papers. Try to determine an "average selling price" for watches of the same general description and condition as yours was, and then try and determine the average "premium" for B&P. Once you feel you have a good average price, mark it up a bit, just to be conservative, and just get cash reimbursement. You will then have the cash to shop and find the watch, with or without B&P, that "speaks" to you and catches your eye.

It is not fair to ask your uncle, a guy who is not a WIS, to find you a replacement vintage 1680. He will either screw it up or be taken advantage of IMHO. You need to get fair value for your loss and take control yourself if you want to be happy with the replacement.

Good advice. A search on chrono24.com could be of help, or contacting one of the vintage dealers on this forum. You could also post a question on the vintage forum here or over at the vintagerolexforum.com.

Good luck,

A

[TimeToGo]

Well a 1970 submariner "1680" is the "Red" era. Full package, depending on condition, could range $12,000 to over $14,000.

If it wasn't a Red, 1680 full box and papers around $7,500, depending on condition and accessories.

Check our FS section, Steve M. has one listed for $6,200 with service papers.

[Rolex116520]

I have of course done some reading up on the 1680 and the red dial before I posted this thread .
I'm sure that the dial had no red writing on it when I took possession in August 1982 . My friend had this watch from his dad and I would assume it had been serviced not that long before . It was in pristine condition .
I understand that Rolex will swap older style dials for newer ones during services , but would Rolex have swapped a 10 year old Red Submariner dial for a modern white in 1982 ?

[TimeToGo]

The 1680 production years ranged from the mid-60's to the mid-70's. Thus, a 1982 dial from a 16800 production would not fit a 1680.

If you have a picture, we could help you out in trying to identify your model...

[TimeToGo]

Originally Posted by Rolex116520

I have of course done some reading up on the 1680 and the red dial before I posted this thread .
I'm sure that the dial had no red writing on it when I took possession in August 1982 . My friend had this watch from his dad and I would assume it had been serviced not that long before . It was in pristine condition .
I understand that Rolex will swap older style dials for newer ones during services , but would Rolex have swapped a 10 year old Red Submariner dial for a modern white in 1982 ?

Also for clarification, there are "service replacement" dials for the 1680 model that could be swapped at any time.

A 1680 Red dial could also be swapped with a regular 1680 dial (no red).

[MonBK]

Do you still have the Clouosou mobile?

[conrail]

Originally Posted by TimeToGo

Also for clarification, there are "service replacement" dials for the 1680 model that could be swapped at any time.

A 1680 Red dial could also be swapped with a regular 1680 dial (no red).

Yup, a la http://doubleredseadweller.com/redial%20re%20sub.htm

They also would replace a Red dial with a white one.

[Rolex116520]

Originally Posted by TimeToGo

The 1680 production years ranged from the mid-60's to the mid-70's. Thus, a 1982 dial from a 16800 production would not fit a 1680.

If you have a picture, we could help you out in trying to identify your model...

Thank you for the offer but you may have not read the whole story : The watch got caught up in my uncle's divorce procedure and hence no longer can take a picture of it . I may have some pictures of myself wearing it , but I doubt that the watch will show clearly enough to determine anything .
I'm confident it was a 1680 because it had the relevant documents and booklets . I later took the bracelet off as the clasp was no longer secure and used it on a thick nylon strap with a proper dive clasp and you could clearly read the model number between the lugs . Do no not ask me about the serial number .
My question is really would Rolex have swapped the original 1680 red dial for a white ( service ) dial before 1982 during a standard service unless it was damaged in some other way ?

My uncle most probably doesn't realise that a proper 1680 with red dial and documents could easily fetch 8K to 10K CHF .
That is the reason why he said he'd rather buy me a "new" one than contact his ex-wife about it .

I have now sent a mail to his eldest son to ask if he can inquire with his mother about the whereabouts of this watch .

[Rolex116520]

Originally Posted by MonBK

Do you still have the Clouosou mobile?

No , it was already a "rust bucket" in 1982 Good job it was " Burgundy " color .. it showed a little less . There was no real difference on the amount of water coming in with the top up or down when driving in the rain

[Rolex116520]

Originally Posted by TimeToGo

Also for clarification, there are "service replacement" dials for the 1680 model that could be swapped at any time.

A 1680 Red dial could also be swapped with a regular 1680 dial (no red).

That is to me the most likely explanation : Still , would that have been common practise to change a dial after 10 years or would that indicate that it had been damaged ?
Did the plexi's break that easily ? I broke mine by banging it on the handle bars on a jet ski once .

[TimeToGo]

Originally Posted by Rolex116520

Thank you for the offer but you may have not read the whole story : The watch got caught up in my uncle's divorce procedure and hence no longer can take a picture of it . I may have some pictures of myself wearing it , but I doubt that the watch will show clearly enough to determine anything .
I'm confident it was a 1680 because it had the relevant documents and booklets . I later took the bracelet off as the clasp was no longer secure and used it on a thick nylon strap with a proper dive clasp and you could clearly read the model number between the lugs . Do no not ask me about the serial number .
My question is really would Rolex have swapped the original 1680 red dial for a white ( service ) dial before 1982 during a standard service unless it was damaged in some other way ?

My uncle most probably doesn't realise that a proper 1680 with red dial and documents could easily fetch 8K to 10K CHF .
That is the reason why he said he'd rather buy me a "new" one than contact his ex-wife about it .

I have now sent a mail to his eldest son to ask if he can inquire with his mother about the whereabouts of this watch .

That is what I meant, if you had an "older" picture of the watch. Sorry for not been clear.

The answer to your question is Yes. Rolex or any other watchmaker could have replaced the dial as authorized by your uncle with a "service" or other "1680" dial (non-Red).

[Rolex116520]

Originally Posted by TimeToGo

That is what I meant, if you had an "older" picture of the watch. Sorry for not been clear.

The answer to your question is Yes. Rolex or any other watchmaker could have replaced the dial as authorized by your uncle with a "service" or other "1680" dial (non-Red).

This sounds like the perfect excuse to contact my ex girlfriends of the pre and early '90 's era and ask them if they still have pictures ... come to think .. there is one in particular I wouldn't mind seeing again .

On a more serious note :

If it was original a red dial it most likely had been replaced by my friends father during a service .
I'm 100% positive it is a 1680 and I never had it with a red dial . I'm fairly sure the watch documents were dated ten years before I got it ( 1982 ) .
That would make it a 1971/72 production year unless that watch sat in the shop window for many years .
Do white dial submariners 1680 exist before let's say 1970 ?

[Paracentesis]

Originally Posted by Rolex116520

Do white dial submariners 1680 exist before let's say 1970 ?

No. If it was from that era, it would have been a red w/ a white service dial.

[Rolex116520]

Originally Posted by Paracentesis

No. If it was from that era, it would have been a red w/ a white service dial.

That was what I came up with so far , only wanted to cover all bases before I get involved with my uncle's ex-wife aka " the wicked witch of the west " .