Rolex 16800....tropical dial or Rolex factory flaw

[Gina Marie]

I purchased a wonderful unpolished full kit 6.6MM 16800 (the earliest I have ever seen) last year. Since the arrival of a few other pieces, it has not gotten the love it deserves. I pulled it out of the safe today when I noticed an ad from nbtimes

http://forums.timezone.com/index.php...=0#msg_7012049

referring to a yellowish sub. The dial on the watch that he is selling looks very similar to mine. I would call it brown......although I want to use the sacred sub word "chocolate" but I will refrain from doing so for now.

Does anyone know about a factory paint flaw here....or are they tropical? Please see attached pics.

[traf]

Not sure if that would be considered "tropical" per se, but that's a fantastic flaw and should get even better over time 👍👍


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[Gina Marie]

It seems to happen on the early 6-7MM matt dial 16800's....I have seen it a few times. I am just not sure. Could Rolex have had another issue with paint in the early 80's?

[Vincent65]

"Rolex 16800....tropical dial or Rolex factory flaw"

Is there a distinction between the two? I believe some consider fading a 'flaw'. Tropical is faded, basically. Is that a flaw? Most colours fade, eventually. Whatever you call it, it's great!

[themaninblack]

The whole tropical concept is a marketing boon for second hand watch sellers looking for a funky angle to sell watches with faded or deteriorating old dials. That's fine. I like ageing dials and 'patina' too, though some of what I see described here quite often as patina is just a slightly faded old watch with virtually no patina at all. Whatever makes you happy I guess!

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by themaninblack

The whole tropical concept is a marketing boon for second hand watch sellers looking for a funky angle to sell watches with faded or deteriorating old dials.

The best description I've seen in a long time.

[M4rkg4rd3n]

flaw or not i like it.

[M4rkg4rd3n]

Just another bit of info my 16800 went in for service and Rolex SC demanded i replace the faded dial or they would not service my watch, so they definitely seen it as a flaw.

[The_Walrus]

One wonders what Rolex has done with all the dials they have kept over the years from servicing.
Would they have been destroyed?

[bzabodyn]

Gotcha beat ;) 6.4m serial (which is the earliest I've ever seen) and same tropical-ish look in direct light - I love mine, birth year watch and forever keeper

BZ

[bzabodyn]

Btw, my patina was very close to the one in the ad when I purchased it originally a couple years back and it has since continually "lightened" in color from brighter yellow to more of a cream... I actually prefer the current shade

BZ

[Gina Marie]

I went to the rolex case project and saw that there was a 6.3mm 16800 listed. I love your 16800....very nice.

[Gina Marie]

Originally Posted by themaninblack

The whole tropical concept is a marketing boon for second hand watch sellers looking for a funky angle to sell watches with faded or deteriorating old dials. That's fine. I like ageing dials and 'patina' too, though some of what I see described here quite often as patina is just a slightly faded old watch with virtually no patina at all. Whatever makes you happy I guess!

I can see your point but I would argue that a tropical dial would likely not have a uniform color fade on the dial. If it were tropical then it would be spotting or uneven aging, etc. the edges of my dial are the same color as the center.....if it were due to sun or toxins then you would likely see some uneven coloration around the edges. I believe that there was a paint issue with those early dials which we will read about in 5 to 10 years time when the 16800 becomes The next "hot" watch.

[themaninblack]

Originally Posted by bjmcfp

I can see your point but I would argue that a tropical dial would likely not have a uniform color fade on the dial. If it were tropical then it would be spotting or uneven aging, etc. the edges of my dial are the same color as the center.....if it were due to sun or toxins then you would likely see some uneven coloration around the edges. I believe that there was a paint issue with those early dials which we will read about in 5 to 10 years time when the 16800 becomes The next "hot" watch.

I don't know! It's just jargon. When I used to hear the term 'tropical' it was used to describe a dial that was not only discoloured but also pitting, bubbling or cracking. Rolex gloss dials age differently to matte dials. Cracking is now referred to as a 'spider ' dial when it really should be called a web dial or really just a cracking old dial. Now 'tropical' more commonly seems to refer to a dial that is going brown, especially when it's a matte dial.The term patina seems to be commonly used to describe the same deterioration or just deterioration in general. People can call it whatever they like really, ageing, fading, old, crappy, deteriorating, but they are not charming terms, so better tropical, sub-tropical patina, patinated or how about 'antique', no, not a cool term.

[afnios1]

6.445xxx is mine,had it serviced in RSC without any problem few months ago,just the moovement.

[Swearengen]

You can of course have too much of a good thing

[Vincent65]

Originally Posted by Swearengen

You can of course have too much of a good thing

A new plexi and a drop of oil, and it will be fine. Nice patina

[cell1010]

FU** what has happened to this watch??? Looks like an overbaked chocolate chunk cookie.

[Swearengen]

If the questions was " is it safe to ........" then the answer is clearly no!

Originally Posted by cell1010

FU** what has happened to this watch??? Looks like an overbaked chocolate chunk cookie.

[Jari from Finland]

Originally Posted by MonBK

The best description I've seen in a long time.

I agree.



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[jfmiii]

my 16800 exhibits the same patina. i think it gives the watch such a unique beautiful patina. like yours, my bezel pearl has turned to a burnt amber color and my bezel is now more blue than black. further proof why these early 16800s are the most undervalued watches in vintage rolex.

[bzabodyn]

Beautiful 16800. My original Pearl is dark orange also and I sourced another one to match the dial patina better. All beautiful watches and couldn't agree more about the "undervalued" statements





BZ

[etp095]

Some very nice watches you guys have there.

[capote]

Originally Posted by themaninblack

The whole tropical concept is a marketing boon for second hand watch sellers looking for a funky angle to sell watches with faded or deteriorating old dials. That's fine. I like ageing dials and 'patina' too, though some of what I see described here quite often as patina is just a slightly faded old watch with virtually no patina at all. Whatever makes you happy I guess!

I agree. I wonder if second hand car dealers have adopted that term yet

[Gina Marie]

Actually, i was mistaken about my serial number. It is a 6.33. I dont know why i wrote 6.6. I was going through my photos today and i saw the cert again. I think there is a 6.4 on the rolex serial number project....but nothing in the 6.33.

[jfmiii]

here is a better picture of mine. the pic i posted above made it appear it had a blemish near the writing on the lower half of the dial. it does not.