James Hyman is a magician. I’d tell him what you want and let him advise on the best way to proceed.

 

I’ve learned with people that have these kinds of skills, we may think we know what we want- but they actually do know what we want. So just let them do.

 

I’ll be the village idiot who knows absolutely nothing about Rolex and who’s willing to say leave it as it is if you think it looks good and are happy with it.
A vintage Rolex sub of this type will always hold value and you’re the only person this is supposed to please.
Sometimes as we say in French “the better is the enemy of the good”.
Indeed James Hyman has the reputation of a magician, his instagram page also shows his art and people say his reputation is such that if he does a relume it will give your watch more value.
But if you’re happy with it, why bother indeed taking the not insignificant risks of cross border shipment?
Personally and again as someone who knows nothing about Rolexes or subs I find it aesthetically pleasing.

 

You have more money than brains it seems…

 

Who gains from this message?

 

Thinking the same.

 

Dear young lady, don’t you think you might be a bit harsh? I’m not sure there was such an obvious answer to the OP’s query and there are a great many threads seeking similar guidance.

 

Very similar in English ... we say "Perfect is the enemy of good."

 

Everyone gains. We strive to buy watches for CONDITION CONDITION CONDITION. OP knowingly buys this submariner with a poor relume job. And now dumps even more money into this watch for a better relume job. 13k is a lot of money for a watch that is not original. A lot for a project watch.
Should we really spread the message that doing this and causing heartache to oneself is okay?
But like others say, only route to go is James Hyman. That’s another couple months and more money on a watch that you’re unhappy with already. Good luck

 

Everyone has a different approach. If you only want to buy perfect watches, that's your prerogative. 13k may seem like a lot to you, but a perfect gilt 5512 with rivet bracelet would be at least 2x that amount. The OP dial is very glossy and the lugs are reasonably thick, so it's a good candidate for restoration. The crown guards are the main problem for me, but you can't have everything at that price. Frankly, I wouldn't blame the OP if he invested another $2k in it to have it relumed and the case refinished. The watch would be spectacular and he'd probably get a lot of joy from it.

 

At least now you’re arguing on substance but why are you implying the OP is “not happy with it”?
If you take him at his word, on the contrary he was happily suprised when he got the watch in hand and he thinks he got good value for it.
13k for me is a boat load of money too, it’s a brand new kitchen for someone and can fund a school in rural kenya for 300 kids for about 8 years. But then that’s going to be true of all Rolex titled threads—
And many others on a watch forum. Watches are simply not cheap for most people.

 

Non of us can make that determination except the OP. Many factors in play and not enough images provided to fully make the determination (not for me at least.) Before any decision, I would carefully inspect the dial outside the case for imperfections. If there are many blemishes or marks, then I wouldn't waste another penny on it. If the glossy dial is clean, that's a different ball game. If you spend the $$$ on the dial, the hands obviously follow.

As for the case, again, not enough images to make the determination. I see a lot of rounded chamfers and also see one of the springs extruding from the lug holes. How about the pitting around the caseback? How about corrosion around the retaining ring under the insert? Is the crystal cracked around the edges? Non of us can see that.

Call me paranoid, but I would thoroughly inspect the watch before I spend add'l funds, all else is conjecture at this point.

I know a guy in PA who can help you, shoot me a PM if you're serious.

Best,
Alex

 

Wow.

I apologize if I’ve offended anyone’s sensibilities.

I debated whether to post this thread or not. I’m well aware that, for many, this is beyond them, so to speak.

I won’t lie. I am, and have been, uncomfortable with the value of some of the watches I have collected over the last 40 years.

I don’t think the lume is terrible. Other than the lume, the watch is in very nice condition. Particularly with the bracelet, nice gilt 5512s are at least three times what I paid. And honestly, I wouldn’t/couldn’t have afforded three times what I paid. I’ve always lusted after a nice gilt tritium 5512 but figured they were simply out of reach. Whether I have it relumed or not, I think I’ve been very fortunate.

I’m very grateful for the feedback. But I feel less and less comfortable posting valuable watches here. I’m sure I’m not alone.

 

The auction photos, so you can see the overall condition.

 

Look at the upside... you got your ass verbally kicked way less than me when I sailed the idea of changing the lume on a Railmaster Trilogy.

 

Haha, I think we've all seen the auction photos at Heritage. 5512s don't fly under the radar. You will also need a long-5 insert to make it correct.

 

@airansun Some people would post furry cats here for comic relief, but I’m more interested in your avatar - is it a Matisse painting and if so which one? It looks quite beautiful.

 

August Macke. This is his wife. I first discovered this image, as a full size print of the painting, in 1978, and I immediately fell in love.

August Robert Ludwig Macke (3 January 1887 – 26 September 1914) was a German Expressionist painter. He was one of the leading members of the German Expressionist group Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider). He lived during a particularly active time for German art: he saw the development of the main German Expressionist movements as well as the arrival of the successive avant-garde movements which were forming in the rest of Europe. As an artist of his time, Macke knew how to integrate into his painting the elements of the avant-garde which most interested him. Like his friend Franz Marc and Otto Soltau, he was one of the young German artists who died in the First World War.

Per Wikipedia

 

I'd leave the watch as-is.

And amen brother, I hear you loud and clear with regards of posting high-end watches. This is not the forum it once used to be.

Good luck.

 

I gather he painted her over 200 times. Here’s one more.