Rolex

Great weather and an opportunity to take a couple of pictures of the two Rolex diving legends.

The Rolex 1665 Double Red mk III together with the 1970 Rolex Comex 5513.

An interesting fact to which some agree while other don't. There are Rolex 1665 with mk II dials with serial numbers in the 1.7 - 1.9 which put them in the 1969 time frame but the interesting point is Rolex did not sell theses watch to the public until 1972/73 time frame. What I mean to say is it seems possible that the cases with early serial numbers where used at a later date until the stock of old cases was used. This ties into the the patent pending vs patented. I would be interested to see mk II watches that have sales recites earlier than 1972 ish.

Anyway some pictures for fun as summer is nearly upon us.

Bill

No message body

Any thoughts on how a case with a 1.7 - 1.9 serial can be sold years later as they did not sell for sure in 1969?

They came out from the Manufacture.

I remember several GMTs ( I've seen in the flesh several 16750 sold 5 ( yes, 5 ) years after the date Chronometry paper. Same for GMTs, the record to be broken was a Milgauss, with a serial number dating it from 1970, sold 15 years after!

Same for Subs, which were commonly sold 2, 3, 4 years after.

So, I am not sure this is a criteria.

Best, my friend.

Nicolas

I still regret selling my beautiful 5513 long long time ago...

btw case numbers in the range from 1.7 to 1.9 are shared fom 1967 to 1969.
some 1665 were sold by Rolex AD before 1971 ( such as the famous mk2 with case number in the 1.76 range sold at the end of 1969 by a NY official dealer in Brooklin ).

If a case was held in the factory pending the patent and then assembled and sold with patented case from 1969 - 1973 +/- with lower serials as you mentioned between 1.7-1.9 because there is a jump to higher serial numbers but with sales date 1972- 1974.

I guess the question is do you think they held a number of cases with low serial in reserve and released later i.e 1.7 sold in 1969 - 1970.

Thnaks

Bill

the question is that most watches were sold or given at random in the early years of the sd      " saga " and most times some years after case production time .
probably they have decide to test them throughout prior to regular sales.

1665 PP DRSD MK1 2.1mil sold in San Francisco on 16/06/1970

A dark and moody dimension.

Best

Bill

....and to me personally too.

For the rolex 1665 due to the various non commercial testing with divers. I think that the early release of the watch 1969 to 1971 seem to be test cases with commercial divers who would log their experience. I don't believe Rolex would commercialize and test at the same the it seems strange.

.....a very coincidental thing to say. At the weekend, I said exactly the same only to have two experts...one dealer and one collector essentially laugh at me. They then asked why I thought that. My response was that I had paperwork from Rolex about a very early DRSD that specifically stated that the watch was gifted to the diver in order to test it because Rolex were considering various issues with release of the watch and wanted test data from divers to help that process. I was told that identical DRSD with the same serial number range were concurrently for sale in retail outlets with boxes and papers. To me, that just doesn't add up.

I have seen the same log books and correspondence between the divers and Rolex regarding testing and finally gifting the watch around 1970/71.

I need to find the docs.

Bill

.....direct correspondence between Rolex and diver for one of my Patent Pending. I intend to do a review of both the watch and this documentation. The argument was put to me that the Mk1 Patent Pending was not a prototype watch because it was retailed with box and papers. Well, i know that one or two watches with Mk1 dials have been seen at retailers, BUT, here is one of my issues.... the Mk1 dial was issued in total number of, maybe, up to 300. Who, in their right mind at Rolex, would start a production run of 300 dials with the intention of being a commercial run? Here is another issue...we have solid documentation showing that Rolex were in discussion with divers about testing the Mk1 dial as a prototype watch that "needed" testing before Rolex were happy with its features. Why would such documentation have taken place "if" the watch was ready to retail?

This message has been edited by amanico on 2014-04-08 08:41:06

.....one of the beauties of vintage Rolex is trying to put together a cohesive logic. 

I guess it was possible for Rolex to do some marketing testing and the same time as having field reviews.

It seems that all the diver feedback seemed to be related to the plexi crystal getting scratched rather than water penetration issues.

I the the various saturation type experiments in the 1967-1969 era are also field test.

Bill

yes...i recall nothing about the reliability of the watch only issues of minor concern...plexi etc. Which would of course allow Rolex to feel quite comfortable handing out ones not issued to divers to ADs.

I read that the Plexi would blast off upon returning to the surface.

I also have Doxa watches that where tested with SEA LAB II / III who also tested Tudor. 

Bill

some of these early 1.7m Sea-Dwellers have a 1967 date code inside the case backs...

I wonder if they engraved the outside of the caseback at a later point.

Love to see pictures.

Thx

Bill

LLOOLLL

inside back ...
you find " 67 " backs up to watches with case in the 2.6 range.

... showing Subs and SD in their "natural environment"!!

These backgrounds are as beautiful as suitable for such models, and enhance their timeless design.

Just a feast for the eyes!! Thank you!
Cordial regards, Abel.

There is no denying the Sea and Rolex and made for each other.

Best

Bill