Vintage Rolex

[Beachkid23]

It can't be serviced through Rolex; it's too old. There is a guy who specializes in vintage watches. I'm going to take it to him to look at. Remember, I can't do anything until my friend gets back from NY to look at it. Rolex recommended I take it to an independent appraiser. I know where I can get a good recommendation; I think it's $75. I may go that route.

I told you about the one guy who bought My watch for $1000 when the other guy offered less than half of that. I can get you his contact information he's an authorized Rolex repair guy.

 

[mugsisme]

Beach, I just posted to the vintage Rolex forum mentioned above. I may not take it to the local guy. I may just wait until Monday, which is sooo hard to do. You can PM the information for me to have. I appreciate that.

 

[Iron Patch]

The best thing you can do is take your time. The only way it will decrease if you hurry things along and the first offers are very rarely the best. Not to mention you do have some decisions to make about repairs etc.

 

[Beachkid23]

The best thing you can do is take your time. The only way it will decrease if you hurry things along and the first offers are very rarely the best.

Good advise!

 

[mugsisme]

The best thing you can do is take your time. The only way it will decrease if you hurry things along and the first offers are very rarely the best. Not to mention you do have some decisions to make about repairs etc.

Awesome advice! I do feel like I have a lot of information, and I trust Dee, the jeweler who said he will help me 1000%. He will not guide me wrong, and he is not out to get anything for himself, which is why I know I can trust him.

 

[diggummup]

Sweet watch, the WW2 military connection makes it that much better and adds to the value in my opinion. Nice crossover collectible. Congrats.

 

[mugsisme]

Sweet watch, the WW2 military connection makes it that much better and adds to the value in my opinion. Nice crossover collectible. Congrats.

Diggum, the jewelers I've been talking to all tell me it makes no difference, unless it's General MacArthur. (I disagree; I think what you think.)

 

[Iron Patch]

Diggum, the jewelers I've been talking to all tell me it makes no difference, unless it's General MacArthur. (I disagree; I think what you think.)

I tend to agree with them. If it's on the common side, needs work etc., the collector value won't really be that much and the interesting history might add a little, but since you're already on a low end for value it won't be much. And if it's rare and quite valuable, then the value will be in the watch alone, and the collector who buys it will look at the history as just a little added bonus. That's why it's very important to get things right because in this case all the value is what you can touch, not the story behind it.

 

[bigcaddy64]

I've tried. There is a lot of grime on there.

This watch is so totally cool. I found out a drop more on the guy. He was on a Destroyer in 1941 as a commander then. He is L.J. Stecher, sr. He has a son, L.J. Stecher, jr, who also served. He served around the time I was born, almost 50 years ago.

Stecher Jr. was Commander of the USS Melville from 12/27/40-12/20/42. The ship was a destroyer tender that aided with mine sweeping duties off the coast of normany and helped repair the damaged land/amphib based vehivles used in the invasion

That's a killer find and worth spending the money to make it work again

 

[silverdollarbill]

Great find! Am I the only one dying to know what else was in the jewelry box?

 

[Jimbo^]

I, uh, got it in a jewelry box from Good Will. If I told you what else was in the box, you would all move here and stalk my GWs.

I'm going to the jeweler tomorrow to have him open it for me, and we can see if it is 14K.

Rolex Serial Numbers & Production Dates Lookup Chart | Bob's Watches

 

[gunsil]

I can't wait for the morning now! Look what I found:
14k PG Rare Vintage Rolex Oyster Perpetual, Ref. 3795 | J&P Time Pieces
Mine is obviously not museum quality. Capt. L.J. Stecher graduated in the class of 1914. His son became a capt as well, and he named some system, AEGIS. I can't find more information on the father.

That is only an asking price, not a sold price, and no, Rolex does not have a lifetime warranty. I took a 1960s stainless steel one to their NYC office and they told me it wasn't worth repairing. I am sure your gold one is probably worth repairing or may bring a nice price as is, but most folks who collect old watches prefer them without personal inscriptions. It is indeed a super find at a GW!!!

 

[dogteam]

Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious...I don't know much about watches...but I do have a Rolex of similar vintage. I was stumped at first as to how to wind it...was convinced it was broken. You know the stem "locks", right? Turn CCW (if I recall) to "unlock" the stem and it pops out, then you can wind. Pull out one more stop, and you can set the time. Like I said, maybe everyone knows this already...but I didn't so just thought I'd mention! Nice find!

 

[mugsisme]

Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious...I don't know much about watches...but I do have a Rolex of similar vintage. I was stumped at first as to how to wind it...was convinced it was broken. You know the stem "locks", right? Turn CCW (if I recall) to "unlock" the stem and it pops out, then you can wind. Pull out one more stop, and you can set the time. Like I said, maybe everyone knows this already...but I didn't so just thought I'd mention! Nice find!

I didn't know that. I am just setting this sucker aside for right now. I am waiting for my friend to come back from NY before I do anything. I am famous for breaking or ruining things. I'm the doofus who cut the tag off a Yurman, thinking, who is stupid enough to put a 14K tag on a sterling necklace? Luckily, the jeweler caught it, and wouldn't let me scrap it. I ended up paying $20 to have them solder it back on.

 

[diggummup]

Maybe he was in some kind of liaison position for the Navy, with that company. Onsite project management, inspector, expert, something like that. No way the US Navy is going to buy a Rolex for a contractor, however if the Capt was instrumental in getting the firm its E, then they may well have given it to him in thanks (as he probably helped them make a ton of money). Might even have come from the pres. of the company, J.A. Lagoe himself-

 

[blindbug]

Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious...I don't know much about watches...but I do have a Rolex of similar vintage. I was stumped at first as to how to wind it...was convinced it was broken. You know the stem "locks", right? Turn CCW (if I recall) to "unlock" the stem and it pops out, then you can wind. Pull out one more stop, and you can set the time. Like I said, maybe everyone knows this already...but I didn't so just thought I'd mention! Nice find!

This is known as a screw-down crown. In this case, the watch OP has does look to be a screw-down crown. This is because you can see the threads under the crown, AND because this particular watch has a nautical provenance. The screw-down crown helps seal the inside of the watch from the elements (in this case, water) and is most often found in dive watches or watches of high caliber. From the pictures that OP posted, it appears that the crown has been unscrewed, but possibly not all the way. When you unscrew the crown, a spring inside should push the crown out just a bit so that the stem can then be winded in a clockwise direction... be careful about going counter-clockwise too much because, depending on the watch, it can have negative affects on the gears. Wind the crown clockwise for 10-20 turns, or until you feel resistance in the crown. Once you are done windining, push in on the crown to seat the stem on the threads and turn the crown until it seats to the watch like a nut on a screw. On a watch this old of this caliber, it's typically a manual wind every 24 hours with a power reserve between 24-48.

 

[mjm579]

Here is a little bit of info I found in a book I own about watches. It's curious to me that there isn't a ROLEX symbol on the face. Maybe I'm missing it.

 

[mjm579]

I've read stories of Allied pilots referring to their Rolex watches during WWII. Not issued, but personal purchase during the War. Does anyone know the name/style of the models then, and/or have photos of what those watches look like?
Answer:
for members of the Armed Forces when they purchased a Rolex
watch. The ads read "Rolex Oyster - Used by more R.A.F. pilots
than any other watch". Names included (not limited to) the
Oyster Raleigh, Oyster Commander, Rolex Oyster Perpentual
Self-Winding, Rolex Oyster Chronometer, Sky Rocket, Victory,
Wellington, The Royal, Seaforth, London Chronometer, Commander,
Centregraph, Lincoln, Regent, Lipton, Recorda, Pioneer, Royalite
and Pall Mall.

 

[batcap]

Capt. L.J. Stecher won a contest for naming the (ASMS) missile system, calling it the "Aegis", which means shield of Zeus. The watch/case has more than scrap value, I'm sure you can do better than that.

 

[diggummup]

Capt. L.J. Stecher won a contest for naming the (ASMS) missile system, calling it the "Aegis", which means shield of Zeus.

That was his son.