Vintage Rolex

[bigcaddy64]

It was hard to find info on them both but if anybody is interested, the L. J. Stands for Lewis Joseph. It took me a long time to track down the ship info and that was for Jr, not Sr.

 

[diggummup]

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

It was hard to find info on them both but if anybody is interested, the L. J. Stands for Lewis Joseph. It took me a long time to track down the ship info and that was for Jr, not Sr.

Stecher Sr. was the commander of the USS Melville. He is the one pictured in the photo presenting the award to HRL Machine Works in reply number 35. At this time Jr. was just getting out of the Academy and that is not the photo of a 24 year old man.

Capt. Lewis Joseph Stecher Jr. was also a captain in the navy. He was the captain of the USS Columbus from 03/04/1966 - 10/05/1967. He was born 18 Jan 1919 in Annapolis, Ann Arundel Co., MD. He died 19 Mar 1988.



Lewis J. Stecher Sr. served as a captain on a submarine during WWI and later becoming a commander in the U.S. Navy and was the superior officer of the USS Melville by 1941. At Annapolis Naval Academy he joined the Naval wrestling team, winning the national intercollegiate championship in the light heavyweight class in 1915 and the national intercollegiate heavyweight title in 1916. He also could claim a win over the great Nat Pendleton. His two sons, Robert and Lewis Jr, both graduated from Annapolis in the early 1940s.
Stecher Sr.'s brother Joe was a world champion wrestler.

 

[Jayers]

How did something like this end up in goodwill? I just can't imagine a family like this would let it get tossed out.

 

[CladSpends2]

How did something like this end up in goodwill? I just can't imagine a family like this would let it get tossed out.

This is VERY true. Unless the family has died out, I can't imagine this was supposed to end up at Goodwill. Perhaps, you can find and contact the family and your reward for returning it to the family would be larger than any amount you would get from selling it or putting money into repairs. The satisfaction of doing so would be simply immense, unmeasurable, and priceless. I wouldn't be able to put a value on how good that would make me feel.

T.

 

[Beachkid23]

This is VERY true. Unless the family has died out, I can't imagine this was supposed to end up at Goodwill. Perhaps, you can find and contact the family and your reward for returning it to the family would be larger than any amount you would get from selling it or putting money into repairs. The satisfaction of doing so would be simply immense, unmeasurable, and priceless. I wouldn't be able to put a value on how good that would make me feel. T.

The only thing I see about that which is fine. But if you were to go this route I would not say you found them at Goodwill. Any thrift store, okay but if you throw out there you bought it at Goodwill they're going to want to know where. Then your honey hole will be gone! That store will be a good will online store as well. Personally I have never had any good experience trying to return something to somebody. That I have bought like this. Giving a guy his wallet with all his money and it was a bad experience too. Giving another lady a bag full of diamonds she lost that was a good experience but other than that I have never had much luck returning something to somebody and them being nice about it. I can understand if it was stolen and I stole it they would be mad. But if they're not looking for it... It's probably not lost...

 

[mugsisme]

I've googled the family name. I believe that if they were army/navy, they would have lived out in VA Beach/Norfolk, which makes sense why it ended up where it did. I have an offer from a collector for $2300. My jeweler friend said it is fair and to take it. Before I accept, I am running it by the guy at the other jeweler who also collects Rolex and see what he offers. He originally said between 2-3K. BUT, he said he wishes it wasn't engraved; he doesn't care about the history. The first guy does.

 

[billn1956]

Let us know how it turns out..good luck

 

[dumpsterdiver]

I've googled the family name. I believe that if they were army/navy, they would have lived out in VA Beach/Norfolk, which makes sense why it ended up where it did. I have an offer from a collector for $2300. My jeweler friend said it is fair and to take it. Before I accept, I am running it by the guy at the other jeweler who also collects Rolex and see what he offers. He originally said between 2-3K. BUT, he said he wishes it wasn't engraved; he doesn't care about the history. The first guy does.

First, I want to say I think the inscription is pretty cool. If the buyer wanted to wear it nobody would see the inscription. I think it provides a good provenance. Tell that second guy to watch a few episodes of Antique Roadshow. I would never consider getting rid of it.

I'm sure I'll catch some flack for this but someone who know how to use a lapidary wheel could have that engraving gone very quickly. This would include most serious jewelers. Adding the age back would just take some time.

I have no idea about the actual value but that line about being upset about the inscription is just negotiation.

 

[dumpsterdiver]

The only thing I see about that which is fine. But if you were to go this route I would not say you found them at Goodwill. Any thrift store, okay but if you throw out there you bought it at Goodwill they're going to want to know where. Then your honey hole will be gone! That store will be a good will online store as well. Personally I have never had any good experience trying to return something to somebody. That I have bought like this. Giving a guy his wallet with all his money and it was a bad experience too. Giving another lady a bag full of diamonds she lost that was a good experience but other than that I have never had much luck returning something to somebody and them being nice about it. I can understand if it was stolen and I stole it they would be mad. But if they're not looking for it... It's probably not lost...

I was in charge of a large lost and found in a previous job and found many similar experiences. I've returned many wallets with hundreds of dollars and at most you get $5 or $10 tip. The majority of the time people will thank you for returning their wallet. A few will ask you how much money was in the wallet. That didn't really bother me but only honesty drove me to continue the process. Iphone users may or may not thank you. Some so rude at the cell phone return I wish I would have thrown it in the trash. Almost accusatory; how did you get this? You lost it. That is how I got it. I have to say that the best thing I ever got was from a man who lost a diamond ring, he wore on a necklace from his mom, and he wrote a page and a half letter to my boss. I kept that letter for many years it was well written, heartfelt, meaningful and ultimately more valuable for my career than any monetary tip. I did go through quite a bite of searching to find the ring. All these experiences were at a job where I regularly received much larger tips for much less effort.

 

[mugsisme]

I have no idea about the actual value but that line about being upset about the inscription is just negotiation.

He tried to tell me how it was going to cost a lot of money to fix it. I wasn't in the mood for his wheeling and dealing. This other guy is very nice; we are going to talk on the phone this week. I have a good feeling about it. He really does appreciate the history. I know it sounds nuts, but some of these pieces I find ... I just can't bring myself to scrap them. I have that Mikimoto pin that won't sell. How can you scrap that? He likes the watch BECAUSE of the history, not in spite of it. I'll let you know what happens.

 

[Beachkid23]

I think I would let it sit on eBay for five years before I were to scrap it for just gold price. That's crazy I've never heard of scrapping a Rolex watch!!

 

[mcb66]

I have heard of it. People do stupid things! A couple of years ago on a whim I stopped by one of these cash for gold places to check for classic watches. "I get a few as a matter of fact I just sent one off" he said, " I saved the action though, your welcome to it." It was a 1940's Omega 18! I gave him my card and asked him to please call when anything like that came in. Never heard from him.

 

[mugsisme]

sold the watch for $2300 plus we are spitting shipping. Didn't go through ebay or pay pal. Yay.

I have friends who will scrap anything rather than be bothered selling on Ebay.

 

[OldSowBreath]

Great deal, Mugs!

Regarding inscriptions - I have a Rolex two-tone, with all the box and papers. Bought it about 30 years ago from a guy at a gun show. He needed quick money, so I got a great deal. He needed the money right then because he walked over a few tables and bought a Bowie knife (he knew his knives) owned and/or designed by Rezin Bowie (brother of our dead Texas martyr). He let me hold it for a while. The Rolex had the guy's initials on the back. My jeweler said he could grind those off. I said don't, because I always want to remember the story.

In my vintage watch collection, I have many that have inscriptions (and the most common event date being Christmas). I wouldn't dream of buffing them off because of the provenance they lend to the item and the story they tell.

 

[dogteam]

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.

The watch I have is an Oyster Pioneer (no Rolex name on the face). It was sold only in Canada, I believe, commonly at Base Exchanges to servicemen going overseas during WWII that wanted a quality timepiece that would not quit on them. It has the "screw-down" crown that protected the works from the elements.

(Google Oyster Pioneer and look at "Images" , it will bring up lots of examples. Had a hard time getting info online on these just a couple years ago, seems to be lots now.)

 

[gino22]

Kind of off-topic, but 99% of lost big-ticket items are lost to negligence or pure indifference. I feel a small effort to return found items with identifiable owners is appropriate in most cases, but speaking as someone who has never misplaced anything I've been able to miss (typing this from a 4-year-old iPhone), I think die-out of the family or indifference to Grandpa's "old junk" are the most likely culprits in this item's Goodwill pit-stop. No shame in enjoying this find, IMO.

 

[tamrock]

Good job on the find and sale of the Rolex there Mugs. You got a great target price IMO.