Oyster Precision Confirmation

[ANZYANZ]

Good Evening!

I've been looking at what appears to be a 9k Gold (according to the inside caseback) Oyster Precision from the late 50's/early 60's. I asked for a look inside but had to wait for a photo as the guys in the shop were reluctant to take off the caseback themselves. The photo isn't brilliant but I think I'm looking at a Cal 1210 inside a 6426 which has had a few service replacements however, does anyone know what the number (51810) at the top left signifies?

thanks in advance

[CTech]

It's difficult to know what number you are asking about as there is no photograph in your post, but here are a couple of thoughts:

1. If it is a stamped or engraved number on the movement near the balance wheel then it is the movement number. Rolex have a database that is able to match movement number to case serial number but that information is not generally available outside the Rolex service system.

2. If it is engraved in the inside of the case back then it might have been put there by a Rolex Service center as a copy of the serial number, either because the number between the lugs is indecipherable or because the case back was separated from the watch for some reason (engraving, repairs, machining of damaged threads, etc.)

3. If it is scratched in the inside of the case back then it probably refers to a previous service and it could be a work order number, a date code, a jeweler's location and technician code or almost anything that would allow whoever did the work to be able to trace it in the future.

Chances are you are talking about the movement number like this one:

[996marty]

Post some pictures and hopefully you’ll get more specific answers

[ANZYANZ]

Thanks for the responses, for some reason I can't seem to get a photo to upload but am working on it so hopefully later however, CTech has managed to decipher my ambiguous comment and correctly advised that it is the 'Movement Number' I was looking at. I've had a quick search but can't put my finger on what 518 relates to but from the information I've found so far, both the Bezel and Metal numbers do not correlate with the watch case so it looks like the movement is not original.

[ANZYANZ]

Fingers crossed this image will upload ...

[ANZYANZ]

A couple more photos, again, not the best quality but hopefully enough to figure out what I have.

I've already upset the seller by pointing out .375 is NOT 18K Gold! The case and caseback numbers match 682769 which I believe makes it somewhere around late 1950's to early 1960's production however, I'm pretty sure that although the Cal is a 1210 (can just about make it out in the photo) it looks too new for the case and doesn't seem to be the correct fit, the face and hands also seem to be out of sorts ... possibly 70's? I've spent today trying to track down what a 518 1 0 movement should be without much success but the Bezel No 1 should be Fluted and Metal No 0 should be SS? Not sure if I've got all this right as I'm new to this and a lot of the information online is contradictory but as I haven't handed over any cash yet there's nothing to lose.

[Old Expat Beast]

Case is badly over-polished or over-worn. Looks bad. Move on.

[CTech]

The top set of hallmarks in the case back are Glasgow import marks and I think they show the case back was assayed in 1961/1962. This is consistent with a serial number of 681XXX so I'm guessing early 1960s is more accurate than 1950s for a manufacturing date.

Rolex watches of this type in 1961 would have had what are known as "alpha" hands so these are definitely replacements.

I'm not sure what information you are trying to get from the movement number, but I believe that it is solely for movement identification and has no relationship to the bezel, dial style, hands, etc.

Rolex service personnel have access to a database which links the movement number to the case serial number, but that information is not generally available outside the Rolex organization. Rolex service people can also usually get more information about the dial, bezel, bracelet, etc. that the watch had when it was originally sent from the factory, but again that information is generally not available to us.

Think of it as a build sheet based on the case serial number with most of the major components listed, either with a serial number, a part number or a brief description of the color or style.

As Adam has pointed out, the case is in poor condition but whether you feel it is worthwhile really depends on the asking price.

If you decide to take it further you should establish that the case really is 9ct gold and still has a small hallmark on the back of one of the lugs. This is important as there have been a few cases where the stainless steel case back of a gold capped watch has been changed for a solid gold one and then the whole watch has been priced (and sold) as if it was all solid gold.

This is the type of hallmark you are looking for on the back of one of the lugs:

[ANZYANZ]

Thanks for the info guys, really helpful and very much appreciated.

Yeah, due to it being over polished I skimmed past it at first but then I noticed it was displayed as 18 Carat for £3k so it drew me in for a closer look. I'm also trying to get a Gold ROP from 57-61 hence all the digging around for info to see if everything matches up. I've already told the guy I would not be paying his asking price and he's prepared to haggle so I guess it's down to how much I like the watch. As I said, the pictures aren't the best and it does look a lot nicer in real life.

I came across a few sites online yesterday which list Rolex Movement numbers and break the 5 digits down into model/bezel/metal but there was a lot of conflicting information and 518 wasn't listed at all so I think I'll leave that line of enquiry for now. I just wanted to confirm that I was gathering the correct information for this watch and that the case/movement/hands etc were contemporary. There is some patina on the Face/Batons/Hands but it's not heavy so I was suspicious that the Movement had been replaced at some point. I've seen a few examples online with similar hands but mostly they seem to be Alpha so was also unsure about those.

I also like to put myself in the shoes of the person that first brought or was given this watch and how they must've felt when they put it on.

I'm still unsure but ... if the price is right!