freddy333

The DRSD is a modified aftermarket dial. It has been seen (& fooled) many a gen vintage Rolex collector. The 2 GMTs are -- a repainted gen 6542 dial plate (white) & a repainted ETA plate (black), both by Kirk Rich --which used to be (1 of 2) official Rolex dial refinishers (maybe still are, but I am not sure now). Since I have been AWOL for the past few years & you do not know me, I will add to Sogeha's comments by adding that I've been collecting since the mid-80s, am an amateur watchsmith (mostly of vintage Rolex), was a founding member of Timezone (pre-2k) & had a close relative who was a master watchmaker with Rolex before he went indy. Oh & I welcome constructive & respectful criticism. Finally, there are multiple threads detailing the histories of all of these watches that you may still be able to find using RWG's search (though I believe some of the thread links got discombobulated in the search index during 1 of the previous site upgrades, so they may require some extra effort to locate). (the 'Graph (left) is gen & the 2nd pic depicts the gen 1036GMT movement & parts that went into the white GMT)

Only because I had this unopened, pre-2000 rep sitting here on my desk when I came across your post --

Dials

I think you are right about that target price. Between the dead-end that computer watches have become, the decreasing value of the dollar (causing investors to trade dollars for investment grade collectibles) & the increasing demand (especially among the uber wealthy tech set) for vintage Rolex, especially Daytonas, I suspect that the final hammer price may surprise even the generally jaded vintage Rolex markets. I think most of the billionaire classes got the message early this year that governments are now targeting them like a fog of hungry mosquitoes pursuing juicy picnic'rs.

Industry executives say soaring global wealth, driven by stocks and crypto, along with a proliferation of online watch collector and information sites have spawned a whole new generation of young collectors buying and selling watches online. Social media has also powered sales, as more collectors like to flash their Swiss status symbols on Instagram and TikTok. Luxury watch shortage drives growth of $20 billion secondhand market as start-ups rush to cash in

A 1968 Rolex Daytona With a Rare “John Player Special” Dial Is Headed to Auction for the First Time

Good point. Some quartz watches have very useful functions that are just not possible with analog. If you are skiing, I can see how having a timepiece that is also a warning device would be very useful. My Pingo has a depth gage and limited (diving) computer alarms/functions, making it much more practical when diving than just a reliable timekeeper like the Submariner.

Yes, between 2 slices of rye with a dollop of mayo.

All good points, but the same case can be made for doing away with a wristwatch altogether in favor of a smartphone. Why wear a quartz watch when you already carry a phone that is probably more accurate than your watch (most smart phones routinely auto-correct themselves through your provider)? Of course, the answer is that, for most gentlemen, there is only 1 acceptable way to display style or status & that is via jewelry. Unless you go in for garish wedding bands or are of Italian ancestry (wear a pinky ring), a wristwatch is your only piece of daily jewelry. & while a Prius will get you from point a to point b, few will view the gentleman behind the wheel of an eco-wagon like they will a Mercedes or Lexus. Similarly, if you dress to impress, rather than to fade into the masses, I think your watch should be up to the task. That said, there ARE some very cool quartz watches, I often wear 1 myself. But I would never suggest they are a preference for any reason other than variety or safety (if the potential exists that you may be headed into questionable locales).

They make great mulch, too.

Buy only from a long-standing, reputable (ie., they guarantee the authenticity of their wares) dealer, who specializes in vintage Rolex.

Better red than dead

I do not know how long you have had the parts in that case, but gen Rolex parts have been going pretty steadily up since I began collecting. If you have not already done so, it might be time to check current values.

Paraphrasing myself circa 2005-ish - Today's outrageous asking price for a Rolex <fill-in-the-blank> will seem like a bargain a year from now. 1 of the few constants in life.

Rolex Watch Company UK SALES HAVE QUADRUPLED IN JUST 10 YEARS and more than doubled since 2016. BREAKING NEWS: Rolex shrugs off the pandemic with sales rocketing 13% in 2020 The average price of a Rolex Daytona has increased 34% over the past year to reach nearly $48,000. Rolex Daytonas have outperformed the stock market over the past year as collectors pile in to the $20 billion secondary market for luxury watches

Me, too. But I'm not blinded by my love of Lennon's music to take what he says too seriously. Alot of Lennon's lyrics were nonsense. Here, John attempts to explain (unsuccessfully) to young Joe Biden that Imagine wasn't intended to be a blueprint for a new political system, it was just a way to pay for another swimming pool. Watch -

The Beat Brothers may have sung the praises of socialism, but they are pure caPitalists, with a capital P (for Patek) Paul is wearing an Aquanaut Reference 5167A, and Ringo is wearing the original 'Jumbo' Aquanaut [Reference 5065-1A] John Lennon Yellow Gold Patek Philippe Chronograph [Reference 2499]

Wearing my Vostok Amphibian, the Soviet's version of the Doxa

I doubt their values will reach the same astronomical levels, but if Rolex does rebrand the poor-selling Cellini line, I think Cellinis, like the 2 you posted (I have been eyeing the model on the left), may mimic the delayed-demand pattern set by the poor-selling 62xx Daytonas in the years after being discontinued. And with Rolex pulling the trigger in the midst of years-long waiting lists, media buzz about demand outstripping supply & at a time when techie types are dumping their fashionable computer watches for classically stylish gentlemen's timepieces........well, unlike the US president, I doubt anyone at Rolex is asleep at the wheel or unable to read &/or accurately get ahead of new market trends.

If you have the cash, it might be time to invest in a Rolex Cellini. Leave it in its original box/packing, untouched, in a safe place for 10 years. Then, if you are lucky, that Cellini may pay for your kid's college or your retirement. According to a well-placed source, who asked not to be named, this year the Cellini name will be retired; with Rolex’s more artisan watches given a new name: Vienna. Rolex rumoured to be dancing Cellini out of the door with Vienna dress watch waltzing in

Not everyone in Silicon Valley is rocking an Apple Watch. In fact, if you run into a member of Collective Horology, a close-knit and highly secretive watch-collectors club born in the country’s technology epicenter, you might spot anything from a vintage Patek to a new high-horology piece to something even more rare: an exclusive collaboration with a major watchmaker. Inside a Secretive Silicon Valley Collective Obsessed With the Finest Watches

It looks like a standard rep that has been abused to infer patina. Unless you find the abuse to your liking, I see nothing special there (under the abuse) that cannot be purchased from most rep sellers.

You are just not looking hard enough. This 1, which has become my daily beater, can still be had for less than $400. & there are alot of very cool watches out there that are within reach of virtually anyone with a pulse - & a full-time job.

A few random thoughts - If I got a nickel every time someone complained about the rising prices of LUXURY watches, I would be able to purchase a new Air King - if I could find 1 in stock at an AD. The LUXURY watch market is 1 of the best demonstrations of simple supply & demand I can think of. As more people dump their fashionable Dick Tracy cartoon gizmos (ie Apple 'watch') in favor of a timeless gentleman's timepiece, whether high-end or entry-level, DEMAND increases. At the same time, most of the LUXURY watch brands cannot SUPPLY more than they do because - 1. producing more would cause them to either change their established production systems or reduce quality; & 2. producing more would dilute their exclusivity, making them more accessible to more people & less 'valuable' - both in dollars & as aspirational benchmarks to those who appreciate meritocracy. If I got a nickel every time someone predicted Rolex's eventual collapse due to their ever-increasing MSRP, I would be able to purchase a new Daytona - if I thought I would live long enough to make it to the top of the waiting list. As has been said many times, this time next year, today's 'outrageous' vintage Rolex asking price will seem like a bargain. Since I got into watch collecting (mid-80s), there are three things that appear to be constants - death, taxes & escalating Rolex prices (especially vintage). Rolex gentleman's watches are & will always be stylish (as opposed to fashionable). As demand (for a limited supply) increases, so do prices. Aside from their precious metal content, I do think that many Pateks & similar haute horology pieces (that do not contain complex complications (eg, tourbillon)) are unrealistically priced. To pay $35k (MSRP) for a stainless steel Patek 5711 when a $350-$500 ETA-powered rep looks, feels & functions nearly the same, is nuts. Obviously, if you want your watch made of precious metals & do not wish to risk a simple scratch revealing your beer budget, the gen makes more sense. Likewise, if you appreciate the more technological aspects of the LUXURY watchmakers' art & have the financial wherewithal to fund that appreciation, select gens are generally good investments. Finally, contrary to the media's storyline, the reason so many mid-level watch brands appear to be jumping into the deep (high-end) end of the watch market pool is because so many more people are able to afford the price of admission. Capitalism DOES create wealth out of nothing. Capitalism is NOT a fixed pie with a limited set of slices, so that when you take a bite it comes out of my mouth. The fact is that if a homeless guy creates a good or service that a million people would rather have than the $300 in their pocket, that homeless guy will become a 1-percenter as a result. & companies like Rolex figured this out 100 years ago. That is why, during the 1970s, Rolex posted billboards all over China (eg, Tiananmen Square) in an effort to prime-the-pump for what they gambled would be their next market if/when China relaxed their decades long prohibition of personal property and ownership, especially of LUXURY goods. I recall, at the time, Rolex took alot of heat over the billboards with many in the media calling them foolish since 'everyone knew that few Chinese were permitted to purchase a Rolex'. But, as usual, Rolex predicted the future correctly & they were the first brand most Chinese thought of purchasing once China became a capitalist (albeit still authoritarian) nation. So, to paraphrase Twain, predictions of Rolex collapse are premature. Perhaps, not today. But if you set your sights on 1 of Patek's lower-end models, or a model in less demand & save for awhile with the goal of owning that Patek, you probably will.