FloridaSam Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 I stopped by a pawn shop today to look for a guitar amp and stumbled upon this. It was amongst a bunch of broken Armitrons and Fossils in the display cabinet. Its beat up pretty bad. The crown wouldn't screw down, its missing its pearl, it looks like it was used to grind rebar at some point in its life. I'm no expert at all but something about this intrigued me. First, it was certainly an ETA movement. High beat, and the feel and quickset are text book ETA. Secondly the band threw me for a loop. Its been abused. HEAVILY abused.......yet the gold shows no sign of wear. If this was plated, or even "wrapped" with the gouges, scrapes, scratches and chunks missing some base metal would show. None. My spidey senses were telling me this MIGHT have solid gold middle links. Due to the overall condition of the piece I offered $25.00 out the the door and my offer was quickly accepted. I took the bracelet off and saw what I expected... the W860168 serial number which upon Google search is a known rep number. I then used a bit of elbow grease and metal polish and the band shined up VERY nicely. A trip to a local jewler friend of mine confiemed that the bracelet links are between 10k and 14k solid! What do I have here? Anyone seen or have one like this? The watch itself is certainly no super rep... the date is off center, the crown is well....horrendous... but the crystal is superb, the lume on the dial is sublime, bright and grogeous cream color that looks great. The dial print is ok, not the sharpest I have seen by any stretch. The pearl is currently a piece of soap to fill the hole, and the watch is pretty dusty. Is the head worth sinking money into? It will need a new crown, tube and possibly dial, hands, insert and pearl. I'm not sure what to do with this...or just wear it as is, it has a unique patina of a almost 20 year old sub that's lived a rough life. For $25.00 I'm pertty darn happy with this bracelet alone....any idea what the bracelet is worth? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkay Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 If the mid links here are solid then would not the bracelet alone be worth over a thousand in scrap gold value? If so then congrats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gran Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 Nanug will be envioush now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 looks like a gen bracelet to me dibs on the clasp if you are breaking it, but i would be intersted what you find if you take the case back off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabularasa415 Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 I've done a lot of research into gen vs. rep clasps, and the wear of this one is throwing me off. On one hand, the engraving in 93153 and V1X1 look too good to be rep, but then Rolex itself looks off... I think that may be a reeeaaaalllly good rep bracelet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 infact if that has an ETA in it i will be supprised lets see inside that case back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaSam Posted January 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 Shoot. I have no way of opening it at the moment. I will go out later and buy some duct tape and try to get the back off.... I assue its ETA as the serial number hits on some older "super reps" from the 90's that had eta movements... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FDG Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 The stretch looks horrible but the gold looks good. Lets update this soon with an movement shot:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_rymeister Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 Nice find buddy lets see inside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justasgood Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 Gen bracelet. Nice find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbh Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 I've done a lot of research into gen vs. rep clasps, and the wear of this one is throwing me off. On one hand, the engraving in 93153 and V1X1 look too good to be rep, but then Rolex itself looks off... I think that may be a reeeaaaalllly good rep bracelet. Yeah, that crown in the logo looks pretty bad to me. The base is way too circular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolchu001 Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 even if the bracelet is not gen, you still have gen gold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaSam Posted January 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 Ok, found tape.... its an ETA! neat older rep for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabularasa415 Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 That had to be one HELL of an expensive rep in its prime.... good show, buddy! I'll have to look more closely at all of the knockoffs next time I'm at the pawn shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabularasa415 Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 If it were mine, I'd scrap the watch head for parts and sell 'em off. I'd buy a modern TT watch head and mod it. I'd send the bracelet off to have it reworked (get rid of the stretch). I'd also try to pick up a gen clasp. THEN, you'd have one kickass Franken.... Just my .02. (Can you tell I'm just itching for a new build?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justasgood Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 Bracelet pieced together. Stamps on last link are 78xxx instead of 93153 and endlinks are suspect. Gold is gold though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 I think that is a gen clasp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
its_urabus Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 I am with andy, the clasp is either gen or the best marked I have ever seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 In fact I will put 100 bucks on the table right now to buy the clasp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 if those hands were not gold then they would be very good for any sub, the shape and proportions are great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seriph Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 Not that anyone would or should care what I think but: I can't see a Rolex without thinking it is a fake - I recognise it is the most successfully branded watch on the planet, like Rolls Royce but they have been copied for so long that for me, the allure is lost. That said, I love beat up rollies. For some reason they look more like 'money' than a perfectly clean one. I love the look of this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superlative Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 (edited) Gen bracelet. Nice find. That is NOT a gen bracelet. Dream on. You guys crack me up! Edited January 21, 2012 by superlative Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superlative Posted January 21, 2012 Report Share Posted January 21, 2012 (edited) In fact I will put 100 bucks on the table right now to buy the clasp A gen clasp has both stamped (REGISTERED SWISS MADE, STEELINOX) and etched (date code (WTF does V1X1 mean anyway?! It was first made in 1996 then completed in 1999?!!), model code) markings. This clasp is all stamped. Thus, it is a replica clasp. Not to mention that "ROLEX" engraving text is HUGE! Edited January 22, 2012 by superlative Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 I'd love to know the history of this watch.. and how a very good, and bloody expensive rep ended up for $25.. Someone has gone to a load of trouble to build this up, so clearly the builder didn't sell it so cheap.. I'm going to speculate on something.. I'll bet this watch was originally sold as a genuine by a scammer, and the owner has later on found out it's not authentic.. but probably thought fake rolex's are only ever worth $25.. hence how it ended up in the pawn shop so cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seriph Posted January 22, 2012 Report Share Posted January 22, 2012 I will speculate further by saying it is possible that some scum sucking bottom-dweller stole it thinking it was real and flogged it to his/her fellow-crims at the pawn shop. The fence.... oops sorry - 'broker' saw it wasn't authentic so didn't bother trying to sell it for big bucks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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