Rolex

But if you wanted to the next best thing a minty Rolex 5512 2 line gilt PCG.  With a dial like a black pool of water, or I should say with matching pools of water.  The exclamation point on both is just a bonus. The 5512 easily rivals the Rolex 6538 and the big crown series from the perspective of the depth and balance they provide with the awesome chapter ring and shimmering gold inscriptions.  To get prime examples of a 5512 2 or 4 line gilt PCG you are scratching the bottom ranks of the famous Big crowns and with a similar scarcity.  I think this is an option to have while the hunt continues for the elusive Big Crowns.  The sad reality is that to find comparable dials as the ones on these two 5512's will be very hard to match with an original 2 or 4 line big crown.  Therein lies the rub and something that has both haunted and driven me.  I have come to the realization that it is better to wait and to spend the premium demanded to find the finest example in any category your are perusing.    It is best that you search for the "best in class" at every stage whether it is a matt meters first 5513 or a GMT 1675 or a gilt 5513 or 1601, 16660 or whatever model you are hunting for than rather than settle on an average example.  Now this is where things get a little blurry.  The term investment grade creeps in which can sometimes mean both documentation and provenance.  For me docs are desirable but not essential.  It boils down to the quality of the dial as it is unlikely that you will find a pristine dial in a mediocre case but a fat case will always command a better price.   Finally the real issue is that a lot of transactions happen via photos and no matter how honest or good the intentions or the quality of the pictures a in person viewing is the only way to really judge the piece in question.   So this is again for those of you that have the chance to have friends around the world that can be your eyes and ears it is rough game to play with many more negative surprises than positive ones.

No real words of wisdom other that shoot for the best in class in any category and those pieces will ultimately give the most joy.

Bill

PS the dust speckles are on the plexi.