Baron - Mr Red
14613
Ricciardi Red...
So, having been on its original bracelet and then a suede strap. I decided to change mode on this watch. The watch merits something.....er.....red.
A strap with a "hint" of red to bring out the special nature of this watch.
Yep...... you guessed the 1680 Sub... Mk 2 dial.
And here is the mandatory wrist-shot.
Jeff recently compared a fake dial with an original. It was frightening how close the two have become. Still, with a loupe one can still detect plenty of differences. But I have to say, it needs a loupe. Frightening.
With this one, there are several other differences that make it unusual. The metres first is certainly a more rare version of the 1680. When I bought this one, I was looking for a MF version...so either a Mk1 or Mk2 dial really. This one became available with its original box and papers. What was a surprise was the origins of the watch. I will do a full follow-up version, but what I bought was in fact a Ricciardi Rolex, with its original Ricciardi box. To be honest, I did not have any idea of the meaning of the origins. But a good friend and collector from Munich said to me..."Hey, you just bought gold and paid the price of copper". I thought he was joking, but actually he wasn't. So yes, I stick my hands up and say I bought a rare one without really knowing it to be as rare as it is. As Forrest Gump and I have been known to say..."better to be consistently lucky than actually good."
The Ricciardi is one of my favourite watches to wear. I love having the strap pick out the red on the dial. Once I complete the work I will give a fuller view on just what the Ricciardi is and its relevance in Rolex world. Hope you like the scans
J
