Nanuq Posted February 12, 2010 Report Share Posted February 12, 2010 My local watchmaker has a piece of history sitting on his display case, for a GREAT price. Let's see if anyone's interested. Of course preference will be for members I know, or have had dealings with. What he's got: it's a genuine Rolex riveted/folded expandable Oyster bracelet, circa 1977. At first glance it appears to be a 19mm because it has the "narrow" center links. It measures up to 20mm but it has the narrow center links, and the hollow rivet heads... this makes it a European market folded/expanding Oyster. The bracelet is in fine condition, refinished and brushed, polished on the inside face. The clasp looks very good, the leaf is stamped "77". It has ten links total... suitable for a small wrist. He has no additional links for it. There is very little wear, it's fairly tight and sound. His asking price? Better sit down... $350. If you're seriously interested and I know you, or know OF you, I'm willing to pick it up for you and pop it in the mail. PM me please if interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltatahoe Posted February 12, 2010 Report Share Posted February 12, 2010 deltatahoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted February 12, 2010 Report Share Posted February 12, 2010 Too bad Nanuq was unable to provide pics, but this could be a great opportunity for someone working in a vintage Rolex project. However, narrow/wide links do not indicate bracelet size, but, rather, whether the bracelet was manufactured in Switzerland or domestically (narrow = domestic, wide = Swiss), not the size of the bracelet. Rivets, too, indicate location of manufacture (hollow indicate Swiss, solid indicate domestic). Also, as very credible fake rivet bracelets are now literally flooding the marketplace (I have even seen knowledgeable, veteran resellers (unknowingly) selling fakes as gens), I would hesitate to buy this without having good, clear macro pics (both inside & outside) of the end links & hinge between the end links & bracelet. This is the only reliable way I have found to tell the fakes from the gens. I posted some comparison pics in a thread a few months ago, but I cannot find it just now. Read this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted February 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2010 Thanks Freddy, curiously this one has the narrow center links (domestic) but also hollow rivet heads (Swiss). The clasp leaves are missing most of the writing you expect except for the stamped "77". Likewise the endlinks are not stamped with a number, but are also not attached the way Yuki does, with the strange little "step up". I'll see if he will let me take a camera in there for some closeups. Or what the heck, maybe I'll just buy it and if it passes muster I'll pass it along here. Otherwise it goes on the 'Bay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted February 12, 2010 Report Share Posted February 12, 2010 Thanks Freddy, curiously this one has the narrow center links (domestic) but also hollow rivet heads (Swiss). I got the Swiss/domestic indicators backwards regarding the width of the center links, but the hollow rivets definitely indicate Swiss manufacture. The clasp leaves are missing most of the writing you expect except for the stamped "77". Likewise the endlinks are not stamped with a number, but are also not attached the way Yuki does, with the strange little "step up". If the hinge has that small tab of metal like Yuki's, then it is definitely new/aftermarket. On the other hand, if the hinge is mangled (which never happens during normal use), then it is probably a franken gen bracelet (end links from 1 bracelet tacked onto another). These frankens also seem to be flooding the marketplace (nearly all of the 72xx bracelets I have seen on the bay recently are frankens), so definitely Caveat Emptor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 i hate to bring this one back from the dead Nanuq but did you ever get this bracelet or get pics???? Dizz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted November 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 Sorry, no... it's in the case of the local watchmaker. He's the only guy in town that really does watch repairs. Everyone else is a battery swapper. He's old-school, from Russia, and his Crankiness Meter is perpetually set on 11. So it's kind of like the Soup Nazi, I want to keep him happy so he'll keep fixing my watches. Taking a camera in there might bring back the memories and we don't want to go there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 HA HA No soup for you!!! Come back one year!!! lol Awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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