Vintage Tropic Crystals

[Nanuq]

Okay, I'm revealing one of two things here, either my curiosity or my paranoia. Take yer pick.

It seems like there are suddenly lots of "unobtainable" tropic crystals on Ebay. Tropic 19 Superdomes, 39 Superdomes, and my beloved which I won't name.

I know James is developing Superdome tropic 39 rep crystals, and I've held them in my hands... the only way to see a difference from genuine is to hold them both at the same time and examine their optical properties... there is a small difference. You won't see it unless you've got them side by side.

So knowing 39s are out there, how much of a leap is it to think there could be rep Superdome 19s too?

It would be nothing for a company to produce replica waxed paper envelopes to match.

Think about that for a moment.

Now the rub: I like Bolle Piraja sunglasses. When I wear them I see all kinds of rainbow artifacts on reflective surfaces. I noticed that viewing my vintage domed watch crystals with the Bolles, I see rainbows, much like a stress pattern from an interferometer. This happens on my Gigandet and LeJour gens. HOWEVER when I look at the Superdome tropic 39s I just bought, they don't do the rainbow patterns. But they DID come in waxed envelopes, from a reputable chap.

So....... what causes these "interference patterns" I see, and are they only going to exist in truly vintage crystals, from the manufacturing processes used back then?

If so, that would be a good way to validate a "gen" vintage tropic crystal.

Who here has a Superdome of any reference number that they KNOW is a genuine, as in it came directly from Rolex? If you've got one, can I ask you to look at it in bright sunlight with a pair of Bolles and tell us what you see?

[ubiquitous]

I have one... But I don't have any Bolles. I might even have one from Tolley as well that I can compare to. I need to check my parts box though, as I think I might have sold the last one I got from AT off a few months back...

[triplehd]

You think this guy is selling legit vintage crystals?

Vintage Crystals

[lionsandtigers]

i dont know about any sunglasses, but there is an exceptional difference in the color/brillance of the gen crystal.

when the sun hit my t39 this morning, it showed a rainbow of colors in certain spots, so i think there's something to be noticed there. it just looks goooooooood

[kingkitesurf]

Nanuq and Ubi,

I have just ordered a gen #39 superdome from AT as well. He really emphasizes it is genuine... kinda got [censored] of because I was double checking ... He seems to have more of them (which makes me wonder) Nanuq do you have any reason to believe these are not genuine? And that some rep master has mastered himself a rep and now distributes them?

I also ordered the non-superdome on the Bay (same as LionsTigersDragonsAndDwarfs ) has. He is really happy with his...

I saw a guy in Australia on the Bay having a lot of #39 Superdomes (still wrapped up in a rol)... next day he took it of and now is selling them seperate.

[ubiquitous]

Well... I suspect there are still some batches of NOS treasures out there. Just recently, one of the well known collectors got a large batch of NOS Tropics for the 6152 Panerai. That's right... NOS! So... Chances are that there are quite a few still out there, just sitting in some watchmaker's drawer or bin.

[kingkitesurf]

So Nanuq do I understand now that there are non-superdome, superdome and superduperdome #39s??? Do you know which one AT will be sending by any chance? I have the impression that you are rather 'known' to the man of time. Cheers.

@KingKite

Since I posted this, I have spoken with the mastermind behind all this international commotion. It turns out these pieces are indeed genuine, as are some others I've been watching. Someone who will remain anonymous has stumbled across the Mother Lode of tropic crystals and is letting them go a piece at a time.

By "Mother Lode" I'm not kidding. Ounce per ounce these are worth FAR more than gold.

If you want one, get it now. These are not the *oldest* ones (ca. 60s) but are from the 70s and are well domed. Not Dolly Parton domed, more like Pamela Anderson domed. Still acceptable by most standards.

I was convinced enough of their validity that I spent a fair amount on a tropic 18 for my Bond Sub. I have a tropic 16 from another source and I'll report and post photos of both when the t18 arrives.

[TJGladeRaider]

@KingKite

There are many flavors of Tropic 39. Have you read my Saga of the Tropic 39? It touches on the topic. Read it here:

http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showtopic=215

Let's see, there was the original genuine Superdome tropic 39, then the genuine "flat" tropic 39. Recently Helfands began selling tropic 39s that are not as domed as a Superdome, but not as flat as a "flat" genuine. They have a vertical edge unlike the MBW crystals, and are really very very nice.

AT has (had?) genuine Superdome tropic 39s, still in the original waxed paper envelopes. There was quite a stampede when people here heard he had 7 of them.

Good luck!

Do you have contact info for someone at Helfands?

Bill

[Linder]

Here is their contact information:

http://florida-watch.com/contact%20us.htm