Found this in my parts cabinet!! C+I for Daytonas

[panerai153]

Looking through all my old bracelets, bracelet parts clasps, etc., and happened upon this little jewel. I don't remember when I bought it, or for which watch. I've had a few Daytonas over the years and I'm sure it was for one of them. Probably sold the watch and the buyer didn't want to pay for a gen bracelet! Put it in a zip lock and stuck it in my bracelet parts drawer. I was looking for a replacement to go on the 6238 that I have for sale, and came across this one.

It's a 19mm C+I bracelet made in the USA. According to the research that I have done, back in the 60's and 70's Rolex was getting hit pretty hard with customs and excise taxed on watches being brought into the USA. They decided to manufacture replacement bracelets in the USA to escape the customs duty. They imported the watch heads from Switzerland and added the bracelets here.  What makes these bracelets unique is that many of them do not have any numbers on the endlinks, no bracelet model number and very simple stamping on the clasp. They also differ from the Swiss made bracelets in that the rivets have hollow heads , whereas the Swiss made Rivets have a solid rounded head. I expect that these were also offered as lowed cost replacement  alternatives to the Swiss bracelets. Another interesting aside to the story were the "Hecho en Mexico" bracelets that still turn up from time to time. Many of these are also stamped Joske's. Joske's was a big department store in San Antonio Texas that sold everything. They were a Rolex AD as well as other watch brands and fine jewelry. Their wares ran the gamut from Rolex watches and women's fashion  to saddles,  ranch supplies, boots and firearms. They were the complete one stop shopping experience!!  Joske had bracelets made in Mexico, probably for the same reasons  Rolex USA was making bracelets in the USA, Joske could just make them cheaper in Mexico.

While the C+I bracelets are probably not as desirable as the Swiss made bracelets, like everything else Vintage Rolex, they are not cheap. I have seen recently 20mm C+I bracelets in good condition selling for over 2000.00 USD. the 19mm bracelets are not as expensive, but ones in really nice shape are selling for 700-800 USD !!   

 

Just a little trivia related to obscure Rolex "stuff"

[automatico]

"While the C+I bracelets are probably not as desirable as the Swiss made bracelets, like everything else Vintage Rolex, they are not cheap. I have seen recently 20mm C+I bracelets in good condition selling for over 2000.00 USD. the 19mm bracelets are not as expensive, but ones in really nice shape are selling for 700-800 USD !!"

Good find!

Times sure have changed.  I remember in 1972 when 19 and 20mm C&I bracelets were $59 new at a rolex AD about 20 miles away and when I bought a new watch from them they gave me one free.  Another AD in our home town had similar bracelets with a coronet of a sort on the clasp but not signed rolex and they were $29.  I still have one somewhere (stretchy type), that I wore it on a 1603 DJ.  Iirc the stretchy models were a few bucks more.  They were hair pullers though, after wearing one for a week your arm would be slick as a high school Cheerleader's leg.     (Is it against the law now to say that?)

Here is one like it:   http://picclick.com/Vintage-Very-Rare-Rolex-Oyster-Style-Cromwell-Rivet-222300324810.html

 

[panerai153]

So true Sir. I couldn't remember what these sold for back in the 70's, I was thinking around 50 bucks. It's just amazing how vintage parts have accelerated in the past few years. No end in sight either, as these old parts get scarcer and scarcer, they can only go one way UP!!! 

[Sogeha]

What was 50 USD worth back then? My Dad bangs on about how much his first car cost and so on, but he seems to forget he was only earning GBP15 a week in 1965 and was better paid than most of his friends.

Not having a go, just curious 

[jmb]

In the early 70s I was making $5.25/hr and could still easily find 57 Chevies cheap and Ford T-Birds that needed some TLC for a Grand...

[automatico]

"What was 50 USD worth back then?"

About $290.00

 

"In the early 70s I was making $5.25/hr and could still easily find 57 Chevies cheap and Ford T-Birds that needed some TLC for a Grand..."

Bought a dark metallic blue/white top 1955 Chevrolet ragtop in 1964 with 265, four barrel (Carter WCFB), and 'three on the tree' for $200. I made $1.25 an hour bagging groceries and borrowed the $$ from a local bank where a cousin was a loan officer. 

The Carter WCFB was a dud.  I called them 'Washout Carter Four Barrels' because when you stomped the gas, the car would jump ahead, the fuel would run up the back of the float bowl, the car would starve for gas (wash out), and fall on its nose.  Hot Rod guys put some sort of baffles in the float bowls.  Then the Carter AFB (Aluminum Four Barrel) started showing up.  They were Ok.  I called them Carter 'Awful F'n Big' four barrels.

I admit it...I might have been a Gear Head.

[panerai153]

Those were the days!!! 35 cent gas, muscle cars and rock and roll! What more could you ask for?


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[freddy333]

I remember $23/gal gas, you got a set of glasses with a fill-up & the uniformed station attendant pumped the gas & washed your windows to boot. Your tv, while small, was completely free of the whizzing, whirring & flashing adverts that soil our screens today. A trip to the movies included 3 features, $0.10 candy, no ads & you had the option of staying in your seat & seeing it all again. High schoolers routinely carried rifles to school (the kid across the street carried his openly over his shoulder), there was no such thing as 'mass shootings' or the need for 'gun free zones' & most people safely slept with their front doors unlocked.

Oh & nice C+I by the way.

[panerai153]

Thanks freddy, those were the good old days I suppose. Everybody carried rifles or shotguns in their vehicles, not for protection, for hunting. After school, walk a slough and jump shoot a few ducks, maybe pot a couple of squirrels or rabbits! We were outside every waking moment, and we didn't need 3D video games to keep us busy, our dads saw to that!! And you best not think about getting in trouble in school, first the principal was and expert at corporal punishment, and then when you got home, you faced the wrath of mom and pop!!


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[freddy333]

1 hour ago, panerai153 said:

And you best not think about getting in trouble in school, first the principal was and expert at corporal punishment, and then when you got home, you faced the wrath of mom and pop!!

& therein lies the missing link in today's maternalized, indiscriminate PC society.

[Mike on a bike]

30 minutes ago, freddy333 said:

& therein lies the missing link in today's maternalized, indiscriminate PC society.

I was so scared of my ex Marine (combat Korea) Dad I dared not and you know I can not remember him ever laying a glove on except once. At 15-16 got caught drinking beer behind a factory with a few guys the night watchmen wanted us hauled in (we were), cops just take your beer and let you go as a rule back then but he pushed it. Well off to the pokey we went no charges just called our parents: well they brought me out Mom and Dad there, right in front of police desk he levels me. Sgt turns to other cop who brought me in "will not see him again".......(how do think cops would react now).............. and they did not. By the way when Dad cooled off in a few days told me " I didn't hit you for drinking beer you can drink beer at home you got caught by the cops and hauled in for it, never embarrass the family again like that." Now we have safe spaces,councilors and fucking ponies because Trump got elected, hopefully we are not lost.

[Nanuq]

You know, if we could only make stupidity painful it would solve a lot of problems. I guess that's what our dads were (are) for. Oh, and our best mates too. I'd not want to get crosswise of nikki6 after a couple weeks with him in the Isle of Man! He'll sort you for sure.

Now how about that C&I band? Who'll have it?