Hi folks - I happened upon this red Sub while walking to lunch. 3.7m serial so 1973 or thereabouts. Case has been polished with more enthusiasm that I would prefer, but price has me thinkimg twice


Two potential deal breakers - the bezel, dial, and hands are obviously (service) replacements. The chap said the dial is MK7 but I thought these were Luminova...? Whats going on here?

Also, they said they only open the case for confirmed purchases...is that strange?

 

The red line of words pretty damn sure screams redial.

 

Red lettering looks like a redial to me as well.

But wait, they would only open the case for confirmed purchases? What kind of policy is that?! I'd just run away.

 

That is actually weird.....i would understand to serious buyer but only on confirmed purchase sound weird if not dangerous.

 

I ran.

I ran so far away.

 

Please repeat 100 times: after the seller has my money he will show me what I get for it, after the seller has my money he will show me what I get for it, after the seller has my money he will show me what I get for it, after the seller has my money he will show me what I get for it, after the seller has my money he will show me what I get for it....

But in a world tipping towards greed and stupidity, one moron might buy it this way. Others should run and spread the news ( sellers name)

 

How much was being asked? I saw a very nice one a couple of weeks ago, completely original with box and papers, they were asking £18k which I imagine is top price, ( certainly out of my league) I’m not really up on Rolex for that reason.

 

that dial, i dont like how it appears

 

I feel like they just painted "Submariner" in red. If I squint I think I can even see some white underneath, probably just the photo though. Looks dodgy to me.

 

It's a pretty clear redial, and the bracelet looks pretty stretched out too. I'd avoid at all costs.

 

@Steve88M3
3.7 mil SN can be 1972.
At any rate, 1680 service dials can be marked either SWISS or SWISS - T < 25 though they may not contain any Tritium. Many of these service dials have been re-printed with red paint over the "Submariner" text. Service dials that have undergone this transformation are obviously unauthorized and fraudulent. The examples I've seen tend to have hour plots that look lifeless and extremely washed out. I'd be very cautious about the watch you posted. Can you provide us with more details about the timepiece? Is there a record of the service history of the watch that the owner may have? Lastly, if the owner of the watch told you that the dial is a MK VII then it left the factory with all white text, and then at some point it was altered. Both MK VII and MK VIII dials have all-white text.

 

Service dial, service hands, service insert.

 

I received a few inquiries via Instagram about my post (above) so let me add some points of clarification…

Like @ndgal I believe the OP’s watch has a legit Rolex service dial (perhaps Luminova, perhaps “toothpaste”…need to see if it glows), service handset and service insert. Further, because of all of these replaced parts and until proven otherwise, I would suspect the case, case back, bracelet and bracelet clasp as being service parts, too. Why? Because it’s often the case that when one locates a vintage Rolex for sale that has several service parts the list of problems can “cascade.”
With regard to legitimate Rolex service dials, I see no problem with a buyer-to-be purchasing a vintage 1680 with one installed provided that the seller is 100% transparent about it and the price is reflective of the fact.
Lastly, seeing red text printed over white does not mean that the dial is fake. That said, the fraudulent red 1680 dials I’ve seen have been either been original MKII white 1680 dials with faked red Submariner text overprint (these can look quite authentic) or legit all white-text service dials with faked red Submariner text overprint (these are easy to spot) or cosmetically damaged original red dials that have been scraped and totally repainted (these ran the gamut of appearing authentic to very sloppy).

 

It's a redial I'd say (and no rolex "service" dial as others say)... so for sure I wouldn't pay "red" prices... Case is also not too good. I wouldn't buy that.

 

Looks well dodgy to me too. Especially the N and the E. Might well be the lighting

 

Red font gives it away i think. quite clear it is a re-dial!

 

that is 100% a service dial, they come as both T swiss T and Swiss made

If it is rolex installed (and rolex will be able to verify this) these are a great by at the right price

 

, I need me a red sub