Community Stories

Is this a replacement dial

Green_P0ison
Posts
113
Likes
355
Hey everybody! I have a question concerning a Rolex air king that my girlfriend received a few years ago. We are concerned because we can’t find a Rolex air king that hasn’t got « T Swiss made T » on the bottom of the watch. So would this mean the dial doesn’t have tritium and is a later replacement? Sorry if this appears as a stupid question but to be honest I know nothing about Rolex..

Here are the pics :
527B7655-927E-4476-8B3D-9430770FF048.jpeg D37691E3-180A-490D-8EBB-010896F22353.jpeg


Thanks in advance for your precious opinions! 👍
 
Ness
Posts
209
Likes
478
Let's wait for the opinion of people with actually knowledge about the topic. In addition to your concern, itt seems to me that the lume both on the dial and in the hands is too white for a watch of that age.
 
vibe
Posts
943
Likes
2,443
It is a luminova service dial and hands. Yours may actually have oyster perpetual hands though. Here is mine
08A2ADEA-5698-475D-9A82-4820429F1C5C.jpeg
 
datocompax
Posts
41
Likes
73
Well , depending what year is your watch from..

imho,

from mid 60ies till around 1980 -TSWISST-

after early 80ies T SWISS MADE T to 1999/2000

after 2000 SWISS MADE (luminova)

Also to note that there are dials with T Swiss made T with luminova

so yours look luminova , but to be sure is to use the UV light to see if it is glowing super strong . Tritium lume with your dial configuration should be inert to light source

best

Ara M
 
vibe
Posts
943
Likes
2,443
Actually, is it a reference 14000? If so they are most likely original, does it have a sapphire crystal?
 
sonc
Posts
29
Likes
91
What year is the watch? Or do you have the first digits of the serial? So we can tell you, if the dial is original or a service dial!
 
Green_P0ison
Posts
113
Likes
355
👍
datocompax datocompax
Well , depending what year is your watch from..

imho,

from mid 60ies till around 1980 -TSWISST-

after early 80ies T SWISS MADE T to 1999/2000

after 2000 SWISS MADE (luminova)

Also to note that there are dials with T Swiss made T with luminova

so yours look luminova , but to be sure is to use the UV light to see if it is glowing super strong . Tritium lume with your dial configuration should be inert to light source

best

Ara M

I do not have a UV light but for sure the lume is still active so it’s luminova.

Here’s a pic :

6C50A066-A3A7-4B4C-B2D9-74A62A98F822.jpeg



vibe vibe
Actually, is it a reference 14000? If so they are most likely original, does it have a sapphire crystal?

Unfortunately I do not know the reference because I don’t have the tools to open the watch, but it has a sapphire crystal for sure.


sonc sonc
What year is the watch? Or do you have the first digits of the serial? So we can tell you, if the dial is original or a service dial!

The only thing that I know is that the bracelet reference is 78350, but I don’t think this will help 👎


Thank you so much for your help, you guys are awesome 👍
 
Servius
Posts
266
Likes
583
@Green_P0ison

The reference number can also be found between the lugs, at 12 o'clock.

Looks like a reference 14000. Do you have another numbers on the clasp of the bracelet? Normally there's a date code...
 
stevec14
Posts
2,889
Likes
11,948
Green_P0ison Green_P0ison
👍

I do not have a UV light but for sure the lume is still active so it’s luminova.

Here’s a pic :

6C50A066-A3A7-4B4C-B2D9-74A62A98F822.jpeg





Unfortunately I do not know the reference because I don’t have the tools to open the watch, but it has a sapphire crystal for sure.




The only thing that I know is that the bracelet reference is 78350, but I don’t think this will help 👎


Thank you so much for your help, you guys are awesome 👍
If you take the bracelet off the serial should be inscribed between the lugs
 
Green_P0ison
Posts
113
Likes
355
👍
Servius Servius
@Green_P0ison

The reference number can also be found between the lugs, at 12 o'clock.

Looks like a reference 14000. Do you have another numbers on the clasp of the bracelet? Normally there's a date code...


stevec14 stevec14
If you take the bracelet off the serial should be inscribed between the lugs


These are the only references that I can see on the bracelet :
00E88977-ACE1-4E30-BFF6-7566F379EA48.jpeg D8392ECC-7CCA-4FB2-A475-D97F4E4F1160.jpeg


I’m a bit afraid of taking off the bracelet by myself because I'm a bit clumsy and I might end up scratching it.. I’ll go to my watchmaker soon and I’ll ask him to take off the bracelet and I will take a picture of the reference at 12’ and post it here. 👍

Thank you so much for all your help! I'll keep you informed 😉
 
Servius
Posts
266
Likes
583
So the bracelet is from August 2002... If the watch comes originally with this bracelet, the dial should carry luminova 👍
 
Dan S
Posts
24,263
Likes
54,033
Take off the bracelet and show the numbers between the lugs at 12 and 6 and then you can get some useful information.
 
Davidt
Posts
13,206
Likes
22,964
If it has a sapphire crystal it’s a 14000 isn’t it - Didn’t the 5500 that preceded it have an acrylic crystal?

Between one set of lugs is the reference no (almost certainly 14000) and at the other side is the serial number which you can use to age it. This will confirm whether it falls into the tritium or luminova period.
 
toffee67
Posts
3
Likes
7
It looks like your girlfriend received a nice looking 14000 series Air-King! If the bracelet is original to the watch then it's from 2002, which suggests a luminova dial (as Servius said). The sapphire crystal also suggests the 14000 series (Davidt). The serial number will tell you for sure (hopefully it starts with a "Y"). There are a few of these 14000s for sale with "Swiss Made" dials (same color too) at a couple of reputable online dealers to take a closer look at for comparison. Here's a pick of one that was sold recently from one of them. This was a 1999 model 14000:
Airking_HQ.jpg
 
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

bigfattuna

Omega Seamaster Pro 300M 2541.80 Quartz, can an eta e64.111 be a replacement for calibre 1538?

bigfattuna Watchmaking
bigfattuna
bigfattuna
Posts
8
Views
3K
B

Looking for a replacement dial - Omega Seamaster 600, 34.5 mm, date, Ref. 136.011

Bart.M90 Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
sirtaifun
sirtaifun
Posts
12
Views
6K
Mr.Bliss

Help finding a replacement dial for my Longines Flagship Ref- 345 Cal- 3118-1

Mr.Bliss Longines Watches
hejsam
hejsam
Posts
3
Views
2K
Mr.Bliss

HELP needed finding a replacement dial for my Flagship.

Mr.Bliss Longines Watches
Mr.Bliss
Mr.Bliss
Posts
3
Views
2K
Losi11

Is this a replacement dial?

Losi11 Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
Losi11
Losi11
Posts
3
Views
1K
M

Where to buy a Replacement Strap

MontyP Open Discussion
Foo2rama
Foo2rama
Posts
6
Views
8K