freddy333

Hi Flex The time period I'm referring to preceded the Tiananmen Square protests. Probably 1970s or, possibly, early 1980s.

I would call it a franken. Many of the old-timers here produced similar watches back in the day. But these were mostly done because a specific model had either not yet been repped or was not widely available. Nice GMT by the way.

In honor of the new year, I dragged out this old thing --

Outstanding.

Gentlemen, there is some very heavy metal on this page. Wearing Pingo, my current beater --

I cannot guarantee they are "the best", but I have purchased multiple NATO straps from Nato-International, all of which have held up well for the past few years, including my current beater. Though I generally try to stay well above the waterline.

Great story & even greater clock & watch. I still remember when they were for sale new. You might appreciate this -- https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/bulova-clock-pan-am-airline-public-1859408540

If it only glows under blacklight, I stand corrected.

Vanishingly few 60 year old watches glow like that. But, otherwise, nicely done.

Still lugging my Pingo around

Macro shots of some of my watches, assuming they were not mine & I was ignorant of their histories, would leave me unconvinced, but definitely scratching my head. So I would expect similar reactions from other collectors. That is not to say that there are not more astute collectors than anyone here -- there certainly are. But pics of some of my watches have, inadvertently (ie., by people finding them on google & reposting them), made their way to a number of gen sites without public concern. So you just never know..

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).