My new Root Beer GMT and a quick question

[maylebox]

Yesterday I picked up my first 1970's Rolex. I'd seen pictures of the brown dialed Root Beer and it never made me all warm a fuzzy. Then I saw one in person and realized it's actually a pretty stunning watch (IMHO). A few days ago I found a 16753 on Craigslist and now it's home.

I've been researching these for a few days and couldn't find a definitive answer on what constitutes a "Tiger's Eye" dial (also referred to as Occhio Di Tigre and Tigerauge). I've read that the Tiger's Eye term only refers to the gold case models or certain variations of the brown dial. I've also read that any brown dialed Rolexes are Tiger's Eye. So I'm not sure if mine would fall into that category.

It's a 6,295,XXX serial from 1979 (which I believe is the first year of release) and I'm guessing it's a satin dial. So now I've got my 4th Rolex GMT, first nipple dialed watch, first open 6/9, first flat four bezel, and my first 70's Rolex. Do I have my first Tiger's Eye nicknamed watch?

BTW I'm trying it out on a few straps I had laying around and I'm open to suggestions for nice leather strap that you think works well with the Root Beer.

Thanks.

[skkali168]

Nice watch, congrats. Btw your brave for shopping in craigslist :) but I assume you know what your doing :)


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[maylebox]

Originally Posted by skkali168

Nice watch, congrats. Btw your brave for shopping in craigslist :) but I assume you know what your doing :)


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Thanks. Yes Craigslist is a bit of a minefield but the deals are there and it's pretty easy to spot the knuckleheads and scammers. I've bought 7 of my 9 Rolexes off CL. I've meet each seller at my local Rolex repair shop and had each watch and movement inspected first. I've been fortunate to buy them at 10-40% less than the current used market since not everyone is trying to get top dollar for a watch they no longer wear/need. I missed a really nice $2500 vintage Tudor Sub a few months back :(

When I bought this one I actually gave the seller $250 more than our agreed price. He was a really nice guy and the watch was in much better condition than the pictures indicated. The extra $$ made it a better deal for both sides.

[datejust24]

Definitely a nice score and I agree that CL, though more times than it isn’t, is full of scammers and fakes, is a place to find the occasional steal of a deal, if as stated above, you know what you’re searching for

[Speed]

Not a fan of straps on GMTs myself. For root beer, I’d make a TT exception. Personally, I would put it on a TT jubilee and nothing else.

[maylebox]

I've tried to like the jubilee, I really have. Since I've picked up a few GMTs I've considered looking for one just to give me more options. Original and Classic for sure but in the end just not for me.

[HogwldFLTR]

I love that watch; very cool. Congratulations!! I'd love to have the original bracelet that came with it, too.

[Limestonedan]

Originally Posted by maylebox

Yesterday I picked up my first 1970's Rolex. I'd seen pictures of the brown dialed Root Beer and it never made me all warm a fuzzy. Then I saw one in person and realized it's actually a pretty stunning watch (IMHO). A few days ago I found a 16753 on Craigslist and now it's home.

I've been researching these for a few days and couldn't find a definitive answer on what constitutes a "Tiger's Eye" dial (also referred to as Occhio Di Tigre and Tigerauge). I've read that the Tiger's Eye term only refers to the gold case models or certain variations of the brown dial. I've also read that any brown dialed Rolexes are Tiger's Eye. So I'm not sure if mine would fall into that category.

It's a 6,295,XXX serial from 1979 (which I believe is the first year of release) and I'm guessing it's a satin dial. So now I've got my 4th Rolex GMT, first nipple dialed watch, first open 6/9, first flat four bezel, and my first 70's Rolex. Do I have my first Tiger's Eye nicknamed watch?

BTW I'm trying it out on a few straps I had laying around and I'm open to suggestions for nice leather strap that you think works well with the Root Beer.

Thanks.

First, congratulations on the new watch! I like your suede strap looks very close to the mark.

I have a circa 1980-81 version. Not sure my dial is the same shading. Mine has reddish tones. I searched for weeks and found a site in the UK that seemed to have the right color strap for my dial. I bought a few just to have my own stock. I'm currently away for the weekend but can provide more detail for you next week if your interested. Again, not sure the dial coloring is the same. PM me if interested. Happy to help.

[Urosfan]

Congrats

[maylebox]

Originally Posted by HogwldFLTR

I love that watch; very cool. Congratulations!! I'd love to have the original bracelet that came with it, too.

Thanks. Yes the original bracelet would be a very nice addition. The seller said he tried to find an original bracelet a few times and the watch shops looked at him like was trying to source a truckload of plutonium. He bought it in 2000 on an aftermarket TT bracelet and that's how I received it. Though not a Rolex it must have real gold links because the watch shop offered me $250 for the bracelet.

Originally Posted by Limestonedan

First, congratulations on the new watch! I like your suede strap looks very close to the mark.

I have a circa 1980-81 version. Not sure my dial is the same shading. Mine has reddish tones. I searched for weeks and found a site in the UK that seemed to have the right color strap for my dial. I bought a few just to have my own stock. I'm currently away for the weekend but can provide more detail for you next week if your interested. Again, not sure the dial coloring is the same. PM me if interested. Happy to help.

Thanks. I was thinking the same thing and left it on the suede after taking the pics. Yours does appear to have a more reddish tone (and it's stunning). It's a perfect match for the strap you chose. I'll shoot you a pm.



Mods: Thanks for moving this to the proper forum. Before this purchase my oldest Rolex was a 1991 Sea-Dweller and I hadn't realized that I'd officially gone "vintage"

[gman5515]

Originally Posted by maylebox

Yesterday I picked up my first 1970's Rolex. I'd seen pictures of the brown dialed Root Beer and it never made me all warm a fuzzy. Then I saw one in person and realized it's actually a pretty stunning watch (IMHO). A few days ago I found a 16753 on Craigslist and now it's home.

I've been researching these for a few days and couldn't find a definitive answer on what constitutes a "Tiger's Eye" dial (also referred to as Occhio Di Tigre and Tigerauge). I've read that the Tiger's Eye term only refers to the gold case models or certain variations of the brown dial. I've also read that any brown dialed Rolexes are Tiger's Eye. So I'm not sure if mine would fall into that category.

It's a 6,295,XXX serial from 1979 (which I believe is the first year of release) and I'm guessing it's a satin dial. So now I've got my 4th Rolex GMT, first nipple dialed watch, first open 6/9, first flat four bezel, and my first 70's Rolex. Do I have my first Tiger's Eye nicknamed watch?

BTW I'm trying it out on a few straps I had laying around and I'm open to suggestions for nice leather strap that you think works well with the Root Beer.

Thanks.

congrats on a gorgeous root beer half gold! i recently acquired one myself, though I've never been a half gold fan, the root beer nipple dial was the only exception. The so-called nipple dial, gold surrounds with small tritium lume is also given the nickname tiger eye, mainly because of the brown dial texture if I am not mistaken, which are more commonly found on the later 70s root beers, like yours. Mine, coming from the early 70s, has a very matte finish, almost reddish, which I believe doesn't constitute as a tiger dial. The tiger dial, needs to have that satin finish, as you described, even the later "non-nipple dials" also had this tiger eye texture dial..

here's an example of what they mean by Tiger Eye:

https://www.google.com/search?q=nick...-TK0EKGcP--TM:

[maylebox]

Originally Posted by gman5515

congrats on a gorgeous root beer half gold! i recently acquired one myself, though I've never been a half gold fan, the root beer nipple dial was the only exception. The so-called nipple dial, gold surrounds with small tritium lume is also given the nickname tiger eye, mainly because of the brown dial texture if I am not mistaken, which are more commonly found on the later 70s root beers, like yours. Mine, coming from the early 70s, has a very matte finish, almost reddish, which I believe doesn't constitute as a tiger dial. The tiger dial, needs to have that satin finish, as you described, even the later "non-nipple dials" also had this tiger eye texture dial..

here's an example of what they mean by Tiger Eye:

https://www.google.com/search?q=nick...-TK0EKGcP--TM:

I appreciate the info. I had googled it and suspected as much but wasn't certain. Congrats on yours too. I like the matte dials as much as the satin.

Like you I'm not a huge fan of half gold pieces but I agree the Root Beer is something special.

Thanks.

[gman5515]

Originally Posted by maylebox

I appreciate the info. I had googled it and suspected as much but wasn't certain. Congrats on yours too. I like the matte dials as much as the satin.

Like you I'm not a huge fan of half gold pieces but I agree the Root Beer is something special.

Thanks.

thanks mate! just a little info.. the matt dials from early 1970s had the applied coronet... the later satin "tiger eye" dials had painted coronets...

[FTX I]

Originally Posted by maylebox

Thanks. Yes Craigslist is a bit of a minefield but the deals are there and it's pretty easy to spot the knuckleheads and scammers. I've bought 7 of my 9 Rolexes off CL. I've meet each seller at my local Rolex repair shop and had each watch and movement inspected first. I've been fortunate to buy them at 10-40% less than the current used market since not everyone is trying to get top dollar for a watch they no longer wear/need. I missed a really nice $2500 vintage Tudor Sub a few months back :(

When I bought this one I actually gave the seller $250 more than our agreed price. He was a really nice guy and the watch was in much better condition than the pictures indicated. The extra $$ made it a better deal for both sides.

Nice gesture and yes it's in great shape. Beautiful watch. Congrats.

[matthewH.]

A just had a custom bund strap made for my 16753.

[Franks07]

Originally Posted by matthewH.

A just had a custom bund strap made for my 16753.

Bund Straps are not for everybody but I kinda like that combo. What you think is all that really matters but I give it a

[waspy1]

Originally Posted by gman5515

thanks mate! just a little info.. the matt dials from early 1970s had the applied coronet... the later satin "tiger eye" dials had painted coronets...

Just to clarify, the 1675/3 came with applied coronet. The 16753 dials came with the painted coronet.


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[1675-David]

lovely piece, congratulations on a sweet pick up! Looking at your images on pic 4, the close up of the dial, I may be wrong but it looks like you are developing a slight drag mark after the hour hand if so now it the time to get looked at.

wear it and enjoy!!

[dmhines]

Originally Posted by 1675-David

lovely piece, congratulations on a sweet pick up! Looking at your images on pic 4, the close up of the dial, I may be wrong but it looks like you are developing a slight drag mark after the hour hand if so now it the time to get looked at.

wear it and enjoy!!

I see the drag too .. I know GMT hour hands are really close to the dial ( recently posted a question about mine being close) ... but that one seems really really close !

[Thuilln]

Originally Posted by Limestonedan

First, congratulations on the new watch! I like your suede strap looks very close to the mark.

I have a circa 1980-81 version. Not sure my dial is the same shading. Mine has reddish tones. I searched for weeks and found a site in the UK that seemed to have the right color strap for my dial. I bought a few just to have my own stock. I'm currently away for the weekend but can provide more detail for you next week if your interested. Again, not sure the dial coloring is the same. PM me if interested. Happy to help.

Your example is stellar. I love it.

[Limestonedan]

Originally Posted by Thuilln

Your example is stellar. I love it.

Thanks Nick! Now all I have to do is wear it more often!

[CAJUNSTEVE]

Very nice watch, congratulations!

[actionkwj]

I prefer an oyster style bracelet on these and if that aftermarket bracelet fits well, I’d rock that nipple dial on that all day long At this point, it’s part of the watch! Save your cash for the next Craigslist find!


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