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Thoughts on this Rolex Datejust?

  1. WatchmakerTheory Feb 2, 2017

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    I'm looking to buy a vintage Rolex Datejust Ref. 1603. I've done some research and found one on Ebay that looks pretty nice. The best price I could get from the seller is $2300.

    The watch has recently been serviced, and ostensibly has the original bracelet, and has not had any major parts replaced or repainted. That being said, I havn't seen any Ref. 1603 models with the fluted bezel- does this mean that the part has been replaced?

    Any thoughts on the watch condition/price/etc would be greatly appreciated!
     
    s-l1600.jpg s-l1600 (3).jpg s-l1600 (1).jpg s-l1600 (2).jpg
  2. wsfarrell Feb 2, 2017

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    Looks like a nice watch at a decent price. I'd ignore the "fully serviced" claim, having been burned a few times. On my most recent purchase (a Datejust in fact) I asked for a Timegrapher picture, and they showed one at 0.0ms beat error, +1 s/d. When I got it, the hour hand was misaligned, and my Timegrapher showed .9ms beat error and -11 s/d. After a real service, mine is now perfect.
     
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  3. Canuck Feb 2, 2017

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    I hope I am correct in my assumption that this is a yellow gold bezel? Colour isn't great in your pictures. I was told a number of years ago by the then managing director of a Rolex in Canada, that Rolex policy forbade putting a steel Jubilee bracelet on a steel and gold Rolex Oyster Date, or Date-Just! But Rolex in Canada has over many decades, pretty well followed their own rules. As recently as the late 1980s, Rolex Canada DID fit stainless steel Jubilee bracelets to steel and gold watches such as the subject watch, for the Canadian market!

    For decades, the Rolex market for most of the world has been supplied with 18-karat bezels, and 18-karat and steel bracelets on watches such as the subject watch. In the late 1980s, I was told by the then Rolex managing director for Canada, that 14-karat bezels and two-tone 14-karat and steel Jubilee bracelets were a concession by Rolex, for some markets such as Canada.

    In Canada (and possibly elsewhere), the 1603 came with an engine turned stainless steel bezel, a 14-karat fluted bezel ( I believe that is yours), or 14-karat WHITE gold fluted bezel. After circa 1990, with the introduction of sapphire crystals, these gold bezels were18-karat, as well as 18-karat in the bracelets. And after 1990, Rolex Canada was forbidden to fit steel Jubilee bracelets to any Oyster-Date or Date-Just that had a yellow or white gold bezel.

    Now! Might the bracelet on the subject watch be original? It's a 1603 with the acrylic crystal, so it could be original to the watch. The bezel shows very little wear, and if it also is original, the bracelet could be, as well. But plan on servicing the watch, unless the seller can provide you with documentation that it HAS been serviced. And even then, if the documention isn't from Rolex, plan on having it serviced. From the look of the corroded hands, I am very doubtful that it was Rolex that serviced it!
     
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  4. WatchmakerTheory Feb 2, 2017

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    Wow, this was very informative and helpful! I do think that the 14k gold bezel (you are correct- not white gold) does look a bit out of place on a steel bracelet, but I'm glad to hear that it could be the original configuration.

    Your comment about the hands was very astute; I'll try to find about more about the "servicing" that the watch has received.
     
  5. sxl2004 Feb 2, 2017

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    Hi,

    Wouldn't the 1603 indicate a steel bezel. 1601 should indicate the fluted gold bezels?
    Might be a case of the wrong case back on the watch, like the 5512/5513 exchanges often found.
     
  6. Canuck Feb 2, 2017

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    You are correct. The 1603 is the Date-Just with steel fluted bezel. So the subject watch is either a 1603 with a gold bezel replacing the steel one, or the seller has given it the wrong model number.
     
  7. TTG Suffers from watch FOMO. Feb 2, 2017

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    I've looked at the ebay listing. The OP did post all the pictures.. The only picture omitted (below) does look steel..
    .
    f.jpg
     
  8. sxl2004 Feb 2, 2017

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    Are you referring to the bezel? This is the white gold fluted bezel, the steel bezel has a very different pattern. In the flesh you can clearly distinguish the two metals in 1601 model.
     
  9. TTG Suffers from watch FOMO. Feb 2, 2017

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    You are correct in the flesh easily distinguishable..
    But the pics posted makes it look yellowish and it was also commented as being yellow gold..
     
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  10. WatchmakerTheory Feb 2, 2017

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    You are correct, that was my mistake. It really did look gold from the pictures though :unsure:
     
  11. sxl2004 Feb 2, 2017

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    You are right, not that easily distinguishable from the pics. I just assumed it was white gold steel
     
  12. TTG Suffers from watch FOMO. Feb 2, 2017

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    Not your fault at all, it looked yellow to me as well until I found the other picture..
    It's all good!
     
    Edited Feb 2, 2017
  13. sxl2004 Feb 2, 2017

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    :)
     
  14. Canuck Feb 2, 2017

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    If that bezel IS white gold, then chances are the Jubilee bracelet is steel. It would be nice to know for sure a/ that the bezel IS white gold, and b/ if the bracelet is all steel, or steel and white gold! The buckle on the bracelet should have a model number which would tell, one way or the other. My 1982 Canadian Rolex price list doesn't show a listing for a steel and 14-karat WHITE gold Jubilee bracelet. But it wouldn't surprise me if there WAS one available in Europe. The catalog lists the 160144 with the white gold bezel, but it has bracelet 62510 which is all steel.
     
  15. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Feb 6, 2017

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    This is my wife's 1603 case with the white gold bezel - they tend to look a bit yellow as these are rhodium plated when new and once that wears off, the more yellow white gold beneath comes through:

    [​IMG]

    The steel bezel I have for it is indeed a different pattern:

    [​IMG]

    Cheers, Al
     
  16. sxl2004 Feb 6, 2017

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    Thanks Al, that clarifies the difference between white gold and steel very well.
    Are you hinting that your wife's 1603 came with a gold bezel or the gold bezel has been hinted/

    Thanks
     
  17. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Feb 6, 2017

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    Since we didn't buy it new, I have no idea what it came with originally. The WG bezel was on it when we bought it though.

    Cheers, Al
     
  18. Canuck Feb 6, 2017

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    If the 1603 was originally brought into Canada by Rolex Canada, and if it has the acrylic crystal, the bezel will most likely be 14-karat. When Rolex switched to the sapphire crystals circa 1989, they no longer supplied 14-karat bezels and bracelets for the Canadian market. They went to 18-Karat yellow and white gold. For much of the European market, these bezel etc. were always 18-karat. Until about 1989, two tone bracelets for North America were domestically made (in the U S), with Swiss made buckles and end pieces fitted here. These were steel and 14-karat. The change to 18-karat and steel was made when Rolex switched to the Swiss made bracelet.
     
    Edited Feb 6, 2017
  19. sxl2004 Feb 6, 2017

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    Thanks. Very helpful.
    It is difficult enough to understand all the little things about references, but now regional differences: on my.
     
  20. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Feb 6, 2017

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    So I learned something new... after some digging... fluted is always gold. Machine-turned is steel. I only found one oblique source for this. Perhaps this is just common knowledge???