"Before & After" Let's See Your Restoration/serviced Rolex

[watch royal]

Hello guys & gals. I love nothing more when it comes to watch story's than the story's and pictures of people's beloved timepieces that have went through h*** and have been brought back from the dead. Please feel free to tell the back story behind your watch and pictures are mandatory. It can be a simple as as recently serviced watch that looks much better or as complicated as a flooded out run over seen 2 wars watch that got stuck in some drawer to be given a second chance at life.

Here is my 1954 Rolex oysterdate precision 6494 Rolex 1210 caliber movement. This particular watch was badly abused for part of its life "not by me". It then got stuck in a drawer for many many years. The watch was originally from Virginia beach so the humidity aged the dial and hands just beautifully very tropical looking. Not everyone's cup of tea but I absolutely love the look of the original dial. It has the roulette date wheel the blued second hand and just has so much character compared to my other 2 Rolex. I bought this watch in terrible condition and have since replaced the plexi crystal,case tube, crown, quick polish but not much at all. I just had it serviced at my local watchmaker. He said the movement in great condition and no signs of rust or water damage. It was keeping terrible time and stopping sometimes and now after service its running so great and accurately within 5 seconds a day. Pretty good for a non chronometer that's 62 years old. The bracelet is a genuine Rolex 78350 and go's amazingly well on this piece IMHO.

I absolutely love this watch. I wear my 16030 datejust more often just because of the modern features but there is something amazing about wearing something 62 years old that looks as good as new works as good as new and it speaks to the quality and reliability of a Rolex. They may not be the best looking movements or timepieces but they are the greatest for working people who want a watch to pass along as a family heirloom.

[watch royal]

After pictures

[Micha]

beautiful...

[watch royal]

More after photo's.... Notice how the oysterdate sits so flat and has such a sleek profile compared to an automatic. Also there is something special about a manual wind. You are the one that winds the life into the piece and its not just a mundane watch that you wear and forget. I once heard it so eloquently put and I quote "with a manual wind watch you have to pull it off and wind it which in turn makes you feel like your breathing life into the piece every day and feel its more a part of you. I think every Rolex lover should try a vintage manual wind, its special. Thanks everyone in advance for contributing to this thread. NOW LETS SEE YOURS!

[stil]

Nice. Like the blue seconds hand

[Black Bay Dan]

My Rolex Datejust.

Before & after a trip to Rolex Bexley.

Dan

[Daytona88]

Great thread. Should be fun to watch the pics come in!

[watch royal]

Air king Dan... just amazing vintage date just love the pie pan dial. Beautiful watch sir. Thanks for the pics. I love the plain white dial. I have a 16030 so just bit more modern and I have a plain silver dial. I love how simple yet beautiful and elegant the plain dial is on these. I like that you can be half asleep and its so easy to read the time on it. After all that's the most important thing in the end....

[Black Bay Dan]

Originally Posted by watch royal

Air king Dan... just amazing vintage date just love the pie pan dial. Beautiful watch sir. Thanks for the pics. I love the plain white dial. I have a 16030 so just bit more modern and I have a plain silver dial. I love how simple yet beautiful and elegant the plain dial is on these. I like that you can be half asleep and its so easy to read the time on it. After all that's the most important thing in the end....

Cheers. I bought this watch on eBay from a US pawnshop for an absolute song. Was a bit of a risk as it arrived in its before state before going off to Rolex for an overhaul. I was so pleased with the results I bought my wife a Tudor from the same seller and again Rolex worked their magic on the watch. This was a few years ago and prices have risen since so that it is not cost effective to buy and repair watches this way anymore.

Dan

[AgentHsu]

Originally Posted by Air King Dan

My Rolex Datejust.

Before & after a trip to Rolex Bexley.

Dan

Oooooh looks beautiful! Keep em coming!

[Louis (Toronto)]

Great idea for a post. Looking forward to seeing more pics.

[kirksingleton]

Wow, both look great!

[fskywalker]

Great story and pictures!

Looking forward to more stories and before / after restoration pictures!


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[Scream]

I love this thread!


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[Jocke]

Something like this?

http://www.watchwallpapers.com/2011rene.htm

http://www.watchwallpapers.com/imperial.htm

[evlkoala]

wow amazing!!

[watch royal]

Jocke
Love both your restorations. What a difference on your datejust.. Love the blue dial. You must ride it hard and put it away wet. I've never seen a gold fluted bezel with such honest wear. I love how vintage it looks from being used roughly. It just shows the durability, dependability of a Rolex and I love no matter how bad of disarray they fall into they polish up so nicely. How many mechanical things can stand the daily abuse of a watch on your wrist and last generations and still be 99.9999% accurate. It amazes me

[Marshall9]

+1

[Wooddog44]

Originally Posted by Air King Dan

My Rolex Datejust.

Before & after a trip to Rolex Bexley.

Dan

Looks phenomenal! Did they replace the dial, looks silver before but white after?

[watch royal]

Keep them coming...

[Black Bay Dan]

Originally Posted by Wooddog44

Looks phenomenal! Did they replace the dial, looks silver before but white after?

Yes they did as I have never been a big fan of silver dials. Cheers.

Dan

[Black Bay Dan]

Originally Posted by AgentHsu

Oooooh looks beautiful! Keep em coming!

Thank you.

Dan

[jbravo66]

Would like to see more!

[watch royal]

Originally Posted by Air King Dan

Yes they did as I have never been a big fan of silver dials. Cheers.

Dan

So then I take it that if I have my watch serviced by Rolex that I can request a completely different style dial to be installed as long as it was an option originally and they will comply? I was under the notion that Rolex would only service and put a watch with what it was supplied with when it left the factory, maybe the dial is not under the same strict rules I've heard about other parts? Also do you get your original dial back in return when its done being serviced?

[Jason71]

Before:






After:

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by Jason71

Before:













After:

Sweet restoration Jason! 👍🏻


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[VinnieVegas]

A 6694 (circa 1971) I made into a personal project. My guy did a great job, I think. I ended up selling it to finance my Explorer 114270.

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[SeaAndSky]

Wow Jason! Thanks for sharing. They really clean up nicely don't they? What a lovely watch with great patina.

[Jason71]

Originally Posted by SeaAndSky

Wow Jason! Thanks for sharing. They really clean up nicely don't they? What a lovely watch with great patina.

Yea, I honestly couldn't tell what the dial/hands really looked like when I first got the watch, but I thought I would take a chance. Man, did that gamble pay-off.

[Black Bay Dan]

Originally Posted by watch royal

So then I take it that if I have my watch serviced by Rolex that I can request a completely different style dial to be installed as long as it was an option originally and they will comply? I was under the notion that Rolex would only service and put a watch with what it was supplied with when it left the factory, maybe the dial is not under the same strict rules I've heard about other parts? Also do you get your original dial back in return when its done being serviced?

As long as the dial was available on the watch originally you are able to make the change.I switched my Air-King's silver dial to black too. Cheers.

Dan