re: TGIF Watch thread

Wow, great story and what a great watch to find. Such an historic piece. Case is very beat up on the underside, the little bit of the Jubilee I see looks pretty good. Looks like from the limited view of the watch from the top that this watch has been polished at some point in time as the edges don't appear remotely sharp.

To the best of my knowledge, that is indeed a 1036 movement (marked 1030, which the 1036 is a 1030 with GMT complication added). I've never seen an open case on one of these in person, but everything looks legit and not franken from the movement side from the limited bit that I see.

Is the ziploc bagged bezel he has the original Bakelite bezel, or was it replaced witn an aluminum one? Also does he have the original dial and/or hands? I'm dubious of the authenticity of the hand set and wonder if it is aftermarket just as the bezel and dial are as you mentioned. I've never seen a non-painted GMT hand and those hands do no look anywhere near the age of the watch and just look ersatz to me.

Crystal could certainly be polished, replaced or left alone. No idea how thick it is, but have a feeling if he wants it to be for sure water tight, that will need to be replaced.

I would say if he lives near Dallas to take it to the Rolex Service Center there, but I'm pretty sure they will refuse service and not even provide an estimate with the aftermarket mods.

There is no crime to polish if done correctly and especially if it is staying in the family. It has serious issues for collectability anyway, so if I owned it, my goal would be finding an independent watchmaker that has a Rolex parts account (this is critical) that can overhaul the movement, replace the dial and hands, get the old bezel and insert back on and possibly crystal and make sure the bracelet is wearable.

I've never had one that is that vintage, so maybe the guy that posted the Big Red up above or Obtuse might have some better advice. I do know two Indy watchmakers that I would trust, but I would send photos and have phone conversations with them before sending that in. Again, need to make sure whomever he chooses has a Rolex parts account (not every independent will). I have trusted Rik Dietel in Seminole, FL with a treasured family heirloom with good result and a timely turnaround in the past. Rik had good cred on TRF. I have had phone conversations with both Bob and Philip Ridley in the past but have not used them due to extended turnaround times, but their rep on TRF is very good, and I had a great vibe from the phone call.

One thing I would do as well would be to message Perezcope on insta and see if he will let your friend send him some pics and maybe get an opinion on what to do.

Cheers and congrats to your friend on that one.

That’s a clock.

thank you!

great info

Love the Aqualand. Thought about picking one of the new ones up.

I love the reduced Speedmaster Triple date, somewhere in the thread I posted my Mark 40 with the black dial. You don't see many 3523.80!

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Seiko dive watch

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SKX 013 Is that an Arabic alternate day wheel? I know it isn't the Kanji day wheel. I am guessing your dad had a 7002. Very cool connection.

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thank you!

great info

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A guy that might be a good fit for that watch is Donovan Paradise (Paradise Time Service).

On thing about the crystal is I would just replace it BUT have it returned and keep it around. I always kept every part back when I had my 4 digit Daytona collection. We know it has some parts "issues" but if nothing else it allows you to rewind the clock if you ever want to. I always liked to spiff up old watches but still keep the old stuff around.

I am fascinated by this thread because of it waxes and wanes from week to week. After the last couple of weeks I was thinking about just stopping for a while but the thread picked up. I didn't take a pic today but will later this weekend (maybe Sunday tomorrow is pretty full). I wore another oddball today that is very rare in the US and has a little story attached.

Saturday is a Pepsi Turtle on a cheap nylon strap:




But the main reason for the post - do any of you watch gurus have any idea what this is? I have never heard of the brand Devos, and cannot find anything about it online. The bracelet is clunky and ugly, but it has a nice looking (pic doesn’t do it justice) carbon fiber dial. The movement is ETA 2824. Does anybody have any clue?

So, this is an 8171 not a 6062. The 8171 is distinctly odder - it is a 38mm, non-oyster case that is unlike anything Rolex has made since. It feels far more like a midcentury complicated Patek like a 2497 - and frankly, that appears to be what Rolex was going for. The 6062, in contrast, has a typical oyster case and is a bit more conventional. With that said, the 6062s with stelline dials, or the special iterations like the Bao Dai, are out of this world.

The 8171 is trickier. Because it has a snap back case, a lot have sustained pretty awful dial damage. Further, the case is not sympathetic to a polish at all - the coronet and serial number are very lightly etched and the case is a mix of polished and brushed surfaces. Thus, there is a huge mix of values at auction.

Here is a particularly awful example (note, the second track was sanded out!):

LINK

Here is a pink gold example that is not as nice as mine but is in pretty good condition from this year (pink gold is held in higher regard than yellow gold and commands higher prices):

LINK

Personally, I fell in love with the case of mine, coupled with the honest, lightly patinated dial. I don’t mind some age to a dial. But the case is just about perfect. Plus, it comes on a period correct stretch oyster rivet bracelet which is so fun to wear. No one makes a bracelet like Gay Freres did in the 50s. It has little tiny springs that allow the bracelet some give.

Thanks! It’s probably the crown jewel of my collection, which skews neovintage nowadays. Have a handful of “true” vintage, but I don’t dip my toes in those waters all too often. Maintenance, and caring for a watch like the 8171, is a bear. 80s and 90s, in my opinion, is the best area to play in. I’ve pretty much lost interest in modern watches, even independents where I maintain some interest.