fakemaster Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 People are suckers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadweller4000 Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 People are suckers. Very wise and thoughtful comment. Thank you. Anyway, I don't think Rolex has reference information going back almost 30 years. Maybe you could find out with the reference number when you can spot the release month with it. Keep in mind that a lot of "reds" were transfered into "whites" during service without asking their owners. so if that happend to your watch, a switch back wouldn't be bad at all for 18 grands, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarini Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 Amazing values no doubt ... again i agree with all pretty much ... this dial makes sense only in restoration of gen watch or white to red transformation ... buying this for any Frankenstein is pointless IMHO. Kind regards Laz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolex001 Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 Uh oh - don't mix up stuff here... transforming a GWSD into a DRSD is a point, but one still lacks the proper caseback and the serial number must be a match. There is a transitional DRSD and a transitional GWSD, true - but these were built in a small serial range and there is a range among collectors that is to be believed. Among collectors, every DRSD with a GWSD caseback is questionable at first sight, there is evidence Rolex did change some casebacks - but these are rare bees and mostly well documented. This is a Mark IV dial - nothing that special really. It's in good condition, but it's nothing anywhere near the Antiquorum stuff. There are three other dial versions that are considerably rarer and much more expensive making a 200K$ tag believeable - but def nota Mark IV DRSD. The price of this dial was okay (a little on the high side), but only because the Dollar is extremely weak at the moment. Installing it in a worn down 1665 wouldn't be a wise idea. Maybe somebody has a documented Mark I DRSD and has had the dial exchanged fora Lumi replacement at Rolex in error - and now he installs the Mark IV as an early service dial from the late Seventies. Makes the watch pricier again, still, nowhere near a full Mark I. Still, the only thing I could think of making sense. Installing it in a worn down Mark IV watch (even with papers) - the investment of 18K wouldn't pay off most probably. The story about a GWSD service dial and shifting it back to DRSD is a good point, but still, the dial was probably too expensive, it would most likely only pay off if the watch is in NOS condition with all B&P. The shown Mark IV with papers for 37,5K€ is a bit expensive... and will most likely not sell. Dial codes are difficult - Stern did use a sort of dial code, Beyeler didn't to what is known. Singer, sometimes. When Rolex entered dial making, they did use a code, but among collectors I have never seen anyone understand the codes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 Well, here are a couple of new theories. The dial isn't going into a watch. Either someone just wanted a spare or wants it to put it in a frame and put it on the wall as art. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stilty Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 I thought Rolex no longer authenticated watches. I too could be wrong. They still do, but I think it is up to your service agent to decide if he wants to contact Geneva. And also if your service agent has a good relationship and is well known with Geneva. As with everything in life, it is "who you know". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolex001 Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 Indeed - especially at Rolex UK one sometimes hears stories about Kamal (a big collector) walking in being welcomed personally and discussing service wishes etc. Yes, there are people that Rolex listens to when it comes to service or detail info. But I bet the guys at Rolex UK learnt a lot from Kamal - who definitely knows more than Rolex. To be safe, never ask Rolex to authenticate, ask the big collectors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 Well, here are a couple of new theories. The dial isn't going into a watch. Either someone just wanted a spare or wants it to put it in a frame and put it on the wall as art. Either is a good possibility. But with Rolex parts values consistently heading skyward for the past several years, it is also possible that the dial was purchased solely as an investment. Barring any cataclysmic worldwide event, I can imagine the value of that dial quadrupling in 10 years. So that 18k paid the other day could well be worth $70-$100 (or more) in 2018. But I would still put my money on the dial ending up replacing a GW dial in a watch that gets resold (on the gray or black market) for $80,000-$120,000, which is not a bad return on your investment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guanaco Posted July 21, 2008 Report Share Posted July 21, 2008 Woo-hooo! J'ai gagn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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