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Thoughts on this T19 Superdome (Real or Aftermarket ?)

Philou
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Hi guys,
I've been looking for a T19 Superdome to install on my 5513 and someone contacted me to sell a used one.
Does this one look like an original or an after market ?
I am not 100% convinced it's an original, so you opinions are more than welcome !
Thanks !

IMG_4058.jpg IMG_4059.jpg IMG_4060.jpg IMG_4061.jpg IMG_4062.jpg IMG_4063.jpg IMG_4064.jpg
 
wsfarrell
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Rolex etches a crown at 6 o'clock on their sapphire crystals, but adds no mark to acrylics. Thus it's pretty much impossible to tell real from fake. People have even been known to sell fake crystals in re-used Rolex envelopes.

On the bright side, the fakes are very high quality. People argue that they don't seal as well as originals, but (a) there's no real evidence for that, and (b) you probably don't want to dive with a 40-50 year old Rolex anyway, no matter who made the crystal. Wear the Rolex to impress the divemaster, then swap it for a Seiko before going in. 馃榾
 
Philou
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wsfarrell wsfarrell
Rolex etches a crown at 6 o'clock on their sapphire crystals, but adds no mark to acrylics. Thus it's pretty much impossible to tell real from fake. People have even been known to sell fake crystals in re-used Rolex envelopes.

I thought the distortion on a grid was a good way to differentiate an original Superdome with an aftermarket made by Clarcks/Mickael Young or Sternkreu, the Rolex being the one which distort the less in the central area, am I wrong on that ?

wsfarrell wsfarrell
On the bright side, the fakes are very high quality. People argue that they don't seal as well as originals, but (a) there's no real evidence for that, and (b) you probably don't want to dive with a 40-50 year old Rolex anyway, no matter who made the crystal. Wear the Rolex to impress the divemaster, then swap it for a Seiko before going in. 馃榾

The fakes are good quality, that's right, but I currently have a Rolex service plexiglas mounted on my watch and I'd like to keep an original T19 as a spare for originality purpose (you know the story 馃榿)
You are right about diving, for me it's a Marathon SAR when I'm near the water, I don't care to impress the divemaster or the fishes 馃榾
 
Dan S
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Sheesh ... my watchmaker has hundreds of these old Rolex Sub crystals in their original packaging. I鈥檝e always told that I don鈥檛 think they鈥檙e worth much (at least compared to the inserts and other parts he鈥檚 hoarding) since nobody seems to talk about needing old crystals. How much do they go for?
 
sdre
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Dan S Dan S
Sheesh ... my watchmaker has hundreds of these old Rolex Sub crystals in their original packaging. I鈥檝e always told that I don鈥檛 think they鈥檙e worth much (at least compared to the inserts and other parts he鈥檚 hoarding) since nobody seems to talk about needing old crystals. How much do they go for?
Last i saw on eBay, an original T39 (super dome on those 1665s) go for 1k usd or more. Ridiculous
 
CajunTiger
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Dan S Dan S
Sheesh ... my watchmaker has hundreds of these old Rolex Sub crystals in their original packaging. I鈥檝e always told that I don鈥檛 think they鈥檙e worth much (at least compared to the inserts and other parts he鈥檚 hoarding) since nobody seems to talk about needing old crystals. How much do they go for?

a lot if they are the original versions...service crystals considerably less, but still valuable.
Edited:
 
CajunTiger
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Philou Philou
Hi guys,
I've been looking for a T19 Superdome to install on my 5513 and someone contacted me to sell a used one.
Does this one look like an original or an after market ?
I am not 100% convinced it's an original, so you opinions are more than welcome !
Thanks !

hard to tell without seeing the profile straight on.
 
southtexas
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1,398
Philou Philou
I thought the distortion on a grid was a good way to differentiate an original Superdome with an aftermarket made by Clarcks/Mickael Young or Sternkreu, the Rolex being the one which distort the less in the central area, am I wrong on that ?

That鈥檚 true. There are some good photographic examples (on TRF I believe?)
 
Civic4982
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I鈥檓 going through the similar dilemma with deciding on going aftermarket on the T39 superdome vs genuine for 10x+ more.

Those Clarks ones sure look nice and for $65

I may just put on the Clarks to wear and buy the Rolex for the safety deposit box.
 
Philou
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Dan S Dan S
Sheesh ... my watchmaker has hundreds of these old Rolex Sub crystals in their original packaging. I鈥檝e always told that I don鈥檛 think they鈥檙e worth much (at least compared to the inserts and other parts he鈥檚 hoarding) since nobody seems to talk about needing old crystals. How much do they go for?
Between 500-1000$ depending on condition, quite a substantial value
 
Philou
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CajunTiger CajunTiger
hard to tell without seeing the profile straight on.

Maybe those pictures might help ?
IMG_0480.JPG IMG_0482.JPG IMG_0481.JPG


Here's the plexi when it was mounted on his watch. With that edge visible on the pictures, I start to think it's a T39 and not a T19

IMG_0513.JPG IMG_0515.JPG
Edited:
 
Philou
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southtexas southtexas
That鈥檚 true. There are some good photographic examples (on TRF I believe?)

Yeah, I found a few threads on TRF with some examples but it's difficult to be 100% certain, I am definitely not an expert in old Rolex plexiglas, at least on a vintage Speedmaster there's the Omega logo which helps for identification.
 
Philou
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Civic4982 Civic4982
I may just put on the Clarks to wear and buy the Rolex for the safety deposit box.

The challenge being : How to find the real Rolex for the safety box ? 馃榿
 
Civic4982
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Philou Philou
The challenge being : How to find the real Rolex for the safety box ? 馃榿

Buy the seller is the only conclusion I can come to. I鈥檓 doing my homework on these but it鈥檚 hard to know as the aftermarket gas done a pretty good job on the t39 superdome. At least it looks good to an untrained eye like mine.
 
Philou
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CajunTiger CajunTiger
Can you guess which is a T19?
I'd be tempted to choose the Plexi on the left as the other one looks a bit "tall", but I could also be completely wrong !
 
CajunTiger
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Philou Philou
I'd be tempted to choose the Plexi on the left as the other one looks a bit "tall", but I could also be completely wrong !

Correct. The left is original. The right is one Bob Ridley made to look similar. On the wrist the crystal on the right looks great, but from a profile its too tall.
 
Philou
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CajunTiger CajunTiger
Correct. The left is original. The right is one Bob Ridley made to look similar. On the wrist the crystal on the right looks great, but from a profile its too tall.
Great, my homework isn't a total waste of time ! 馃榿
 
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