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Rolex never produced Blueberry GMT inserts

MaiLollo
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7FAF1D82-7CE3-40AD-8E6B-70EF687AEE1A.png
This is what Rolex SA replied to a customer who sent them his 1675, which had a blueberry insert.

Hamburgvintagewatches posted the letter of Rolex, which you can see below. Translation: “Rolex never produced a 1675 reference with An all blue bezel”.

I understand that these bezels are worth around 50k$ these days, and that they were always surrounded by doubt. Well, I guess there’s little doubt left...

had you guys seen this, what do you think?
 
mancio
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Hodinkee talked about this during a talk with a collector who had one saying something like that Rolex apparently never made the blueberry bezel BUT some appeared to be good, so o one really knows.
So, if that letter came from the Rolex vintage department is a thing. Otherwise i would take it maybe not that accurate....

It is also worth the fatc that sometimes collectors don't really care, if we think that the paul newman spirit of japan (6265 PN dial RED) seems to be a known fake, still though, they sell for 400k when they show up.

Go figure.
 
Larry S
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I continue to be astounded by the levels of tumult in the Rolex Universe. You’d think they would be the most buttoned up on their history.
 
henrikaa
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In this context I want to point the attention towards a profile on IG called Orchi Palar. Whether or not he is right in his, I have no competence to judge, but his posts are at times entertaining to read.
 
shishy
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mancio mancio
Hodinkee talked about this during a talk with a collector who had one saying something like that Rolex apparently never made the blueberry bezel BUT some appeared to be good, so o one really knows.

"Rolex never made it"
"but some appear to be good"

How can the second bit ever be taken seriously if the first is true
 
harrymai86
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henrikaa henrikaa
In this context I want to point the attention towards a profile on IG called Orchi Palar. Whether or not he is right in his, I have no competence to judge, but his posts are at times entertaining to read.
His IG posts are very aggressive but if no one gives a solid proof to deny his claim he could be right. Even as a service insert why would anyone pay 30 50k usd for a service insert if no GMT comes with blueberry insert from factory?
 
henrikaa
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shishy shishy
"Rolex never made it"
"but some appear to be good"

How can the second bit ever be taken seriously if the first is true
Agreed. Ridiculous statement and quote from someone who is regarded as somehow an opinion leader within the watch community.
 
henrikaa
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harrymai86 harrymai86
His IG posts are very aggressive but if no one gives a solid proof to deny his claim he could be right. Even as a service insert why would anyone pay 30 50k usd for a service insert if no GMT comes with blueberry insert from factory?
As said, I cannot judge whether or not his claims are right or wrong, I am amused by his rethorics and argumentation style. If he is right about his claims though, OMG...
 
F
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Orchi had some good points. vintage dealers created this 'blueberry' hype which was based on nothing.
I do agree with some other arguments with this letter. It only pointed out the insert didn't come with 1675 as a retail package but it said nothing about if the insert itself was fake or not. Could it be a custom insert which was made in small volume? service insert?
I believe eric ku once said no one really knows for sure (don't believe what other dealers/experts tell you), unless one day Rolex tells us
 
henrikaa
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F fbf
Orchi had some good points. vintage dealers created this 'blueberry' hype which was based on nothing.
I do agree with some other arguments with this letter. It only pointed out the insert didn't come with 1675 as a retail package but it said nothing about if the insert itself was fake or not. Could it be a custom insert which was made in small volume? service insert?
I believe eric ku once said no one really knows for sure (don't believe what other dealers/experts tell you), unless one day Rolex tells us
I think I saw somewhere online (Orchis IG account maybe?) that Rolex have issued a letter when servicing a watch fitted with said insert, stating that the insert is NOT an original Rolex part. Can't find it right now though...
 
F
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henrikaa henrikaa
I think I saw somewhere online (Orchis IG account maybe?) that Rolex have issued a letter when servicing a watch fitted with said insert, stating that the insert is NOT an original Rolex part. Can't find it right now though...
well, there are a lot of "fake" blue insert like orchi was saying. You can get one of those for $10 easily. Hard to make that conclusion.
recent talking watches with Dan Kim and Ben also talked about it. I think Ben gave a good summary about it . "I believe the blueberry insert is real but vast majority of the inserts out there are fake"
 
S.H.
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henrikaa henrikaa
I think I saw somewhere online (Orchis IG account maybe?) that Rolex have issued a letter when servicing a watch fitted with said insert, stating that the insert is NOT an original Rolex part. Can't find it right now though...

They do what now? Instead of replacing it outright, or saying it is aftermarket thus unserviceable, they bother with a letter?
 
henrikaa
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S.H. S.H.
They do what now? Instead of replacing it outright, or saying it is aftermarket thus unserviceable, they bother with a letter?
See the first post in this thread. Should respond to your question. I recall having seen similar letter in another, comparable context.
 
BenBagbag
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Can someone attach a picture of a 1675 with a "blueberry insert"? 😀
 
henrikaa
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BenBagbag BenBagbag
Can someone attach a picture of a 1675 with a "blueberry insert"? 😀
Quick copy and paste from Google, I have no ownership rights towards the picture(s) nor the watches:

upload_2019-12-1_16-53-48.png
 
Cozmopak
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I recently spoke to a dealer who claimed to be sitting on a box of these blueberry inserts that he acquired in the 80s. From whom, I don’t know. He claims that he can prove that they’re authentic service inserts.

I agree that the mystery surrounding these is part of what drives up their price. It’s a self-perpetuating feedback loop.
 
henrikaa
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Cozmopak Cozmopak
I recently spoke to a dealer who claimed to be sitting on a box of these blueberry inserts that he acquired in the 80s. From whom, I don’t know. He claims that he can prove that they’re authentic service inserts.

I agree that the mystery surrounding these is part of what drives up their price. It’s a self-perpetuating feedback loop.

A feedback loop we know from other bezels...😗
 
MaiLollo
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Hamburg vintage watches removed his post, I have no idea why.

A dealer recently sold 6 for 300k$ I was told, and I can’t understand how these things can be so rare that you can get a full box of NOS ones but they’re still worth 50k 😕
 
S.H.
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henrikaa henrikaa
See the first post in this thread. Should respond to your question. I recall having seen similar letter in another, comparable context.

No, not really. I read French just fine , it just says that the customer send a question with a picture of an insert attached. The answer is, Rolex never produced such an insert (blue) and that on the picture, it may be a weathered black one. It says nothing about what would a RSC do when handling a watch with a blue insert. Probably a slam dunk in the trash 😁😜 . Also, a bad idea in the first place to send it to a RSC anyway.
 
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