Creating a Stainless Steel 6611 - Expert advices needed !

[Valty]

Hello RWG,

This is a unexpected project on my side...

Dvn just sold his Day-Date in parts and you know what ? I think I am the new owner of these parts :-)

Including a case with no engravings, a 16000 back case, and an awesome 1556 caliber to fit in.

But... I do not like a case with no engraving...

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After some researches, I've found this :

http://catalog.antiquorum.com/catalog.html?action=load&lotid=37&auctionid=31

What ? A SS 6611 with a 1556 cal. from 1959 ? Sounds very good to me...

After some researches, I also found this interesting thread, with a photo of a SS 6611 case back :

http://orologi.forumfree.it/?t=55737470

In your opinion, is it genuine or not ?

So, I have sent the middle case and the case back to Phong for engraving

A new case back will be stamped for me

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My question is - what should be engraved on the case, and stamped to the case-back ?

I've also seen there is 2 models of 6611 in the market. 6611, and 6611B. The difference seems to be about the caliber (1055 vs 1055B), but here, we are talking about a 1556. So, is 6611 better in my case ?

Well, to be honest, I don't really know what to engrave on the case & the case back

About the case, my concerns are :

- Model 6611, or 6611B ?

- Does this watch should have "Registered Design" engraved, since it's not a production model ?

- Is yes, should the "Registered Design" be on the top of the model number, or the bottom ?

About the case back, my concerns are :

- Model 6611, or 6611B ?

- Should I request the "Patented" engraving, since it's not a production model ?

- Should I request the engraving of the S/N on the case back ? Or only the 3 ending numbers ?

I am currently not a Day-Date expert, especially when we are talking about a prototype...

Any advice on this project will be very much appreciated !

Cheers

R.

[Valty]

No Day-Date experts ?

[alligoat]

I don't think a 1556 is right for a 6611. I think it should be a 1055. I don't know if Antiquorum screwed up or if the watch is a one-off piece. The price is pretty high and Day-Dates rarely came in SS. A quick look thru Bing showed most 6611s to have a 1055 or 1055B movement- the B being later and improved. I did see one other 6611 w/ a 1555 in it. So maybe right at the end before the 1803 came out, they started to use a few 1555s or 1556s. Or they were installed during a service...

[Valty]

Thanks for the reply alligoat

Yes, you are right, in normal case, the 1556 is not right for a 6611, but here, it's not a really "normal" case

I don't think Antiquorum screwed up this kind of informations... Especially if we look at the sale's price

Of course, 6 models only, it will be very hard to obtain more informations about engraving of these pieces

IMHO, Rolex did not used 1556 in normal 6611s, as I am talking about a really special case (students in horlogery at Geneva)

I'm convinced these models exists, but I'm looking about more informations of this "special watches"

And I'm pretty interested about the engraving. Antiquorum knows about the circa, and the model.

So the watch is engraved. But... How it is engraved ? THAT, is the question

R.

EDIT: and if the watch is from 1959, it's absolutely plausible that the 1556 was the first caliber installed in this 6611. It was the "end" of the 6611, so why not giving old prototypes to students for working ?

I don't really know. This is exactly why I am in need of "experts"

[alligoat]

I read the part from the Italian forum that was in English just now.

Similar watches are published in "Rolex, Collecting Wristwatches", by Osvaldo Patrizzi, Guido Mon-dani Editore, Genova 2001, pp. 258-260, 264 and 385.

If you could find this book, it might help

As for the engraving, what about ORIG ROLEX DESIGN and 6611 below- since it may not be a registered design. Engraving at 6 o'clock could be Stainless Steel and a SN below.

On the inside of the case back, I'd just do the something simple like they have pictured on the Italian forum. No one's going to have a clue anyway! Patrizzi and Mondani would be the experts to talk to!

[Valty]

I read the part from the Italian forum that was in English just now.

Similar watches are published in "Rolex, Collecting Wristwatches", by Osvaldo Patrizzi, Guido Mon-dani Editore, Genova 2001, pp. 258-260, 264 and 385.

I have tried to find it, the only photos I found was face photos, with no description about engraving

The engraving of these watches - if you allow me the comparison - is like looking under the skirt of women. This is my feeling.

If you could find this book, it might help

As for the engraving, what about ORIG ROLEX DESIGN and 6611 below- since it may not be a registered design.

ORIG ROLEX DESIGN => It's impossible, it appears at the 80'

But, you have underlined a crucial thing :

- 6611 seems to do not have the "REGISTERED DESIGN" engraving

- 6611B seems to have it

It is really difficult to tell "something really true", 6611 engaving photos are quite impossible to find

The only photos I found are bellow :

Engraving at 6 o'clock could be Stainless Steel and a SN below.

Yes but... There is a little problem... Look at the place of "REGISTERED DESIGN" on the 6611B...

It's on the bottom, when the "normal" place is the top (with model number at the bottom)

So... It's almost impossible to say where (top or bottom) should be placed the "STAINLESS STEEL" engraving...

EDIT: And it is also almost impossible to know if a SS late 6611 from '59 would have "REGISTERED DESIGN". I'm tempted to say "yes", but I'm not sure...

On the inside of the case back, I'd just do the something simple like they have pictured on the Italian forum. No one's going to have a clue anyway! Patrizzi and Mondani would be the experts to talk to!

I agree with you, but I have not these kind of persons in my bookmarks

[alligoat]

i've seen old watches with the 'Registered Design' on the bottom, same w/ 'stainless steel'. It's the same old vintage rolex story- there were no rules because nobody cared. You could even leave off 'Registered Design' and 'Stainless Steel'. In this case, whatever you do is OK, there are no rules!