Vintage Rolex GMT master, any good sources?

[ferret 0]

Someone pawned one of these (vintage, awesome old dial and plexi crystal) and I fell in love with it, so naturally I want a fake one

 

I saw a nice one with a jubilee bracelet on Josh's site, but I'm looking for a mess around pricepoint

 

Found this:

http://www.dearwatches.com/rolex-gmt-maste...al-p-11130.html

but isn't this a scam site? It looks decent enough, but uhhhhhh

 

Any help is appreciated :3

 

 

PS or should I just get a Steve Mcqueen explorer and make it blatantly obvious it's a rep?

Edited May 25, 2010 by ferret

[KBH 7]

I can't say that's a scam site. The prices and description are not bad, but Mary or most any of the recommended dealers can get the same watch for you. There's never been a great vintage GMT rep made but most people would never know the difference.

 

Just be aware that should you go to an unknown dealer to purchase, if you get junk or even nothing, the admin and mods here will not be able to help you solve any problems. You'll be on your own.

[AllergyDoc 40]

RolexAddict knows a lot about these watches. I think he had a thread somewhere here... Maybe it was on the old RWG.

[sconehead 5]

Shoot JoeyB a pm if he doesn't reply in this thread, I know he's into vintage GMT's big time and may be able to offer you advice...

[JoeyB 0]

The problem with 'vintage' Rolex GMT Master is the dial. It is wrong for that watch which is supposed to be a 1675. The best bet is the 'Retro'. It is considered very good right out of the box. It is modeled after the 16710 with case holes from 2003.

 

So far none of the dealers has the correct dial for any of the 'vintage' GMT Master models.

[RolexAddict 1]

The problem with 'vintage' Rolex GMT Master is the dial. It is wrong for that watch which is supposed to be a 1675. The best bet is the 'Retro'. It is considered very good right out of the box. It is modeled after the 16710 with case holes from 2003.

 

So far none of the dealers has the correct dial for any of the 'vintage' GMT Master models.

 

One more coat about GMT 1675 :

All these "vintage" GMT with the vrong domed plexi sold by many dealers are coming from the same factory : its a Sub case with a Sub bezel ring and the case and caseback are engraved 5513...

Here, one of mine modded : that's the best you can obtain after a lot of work consisting to use a lathe to re-work the bezel ring to accept a gen 4mm wide insert like the gen 1675. Also remplace the domed plexi for a gen tropic 116, and drill the lug holes at 1,3mm diameter.

Look a little better, but the dial sucks. I relumed it and also hands to give it a eggs shell color patina

 

What is interesting about this rep case, is that he has the same dimensions as the gen case especially the slim aspect, the case is very thin like the gen. I will investigate as it could be possible than Rolex used the same case for the Sub 5513 and the GMT 1675. Just changing the bezel ring construction and the crown guards aspect as the 5513 has thinner crown guards due to the crown thickness

 

First, a gen :

 

That's one of mine, pix were taken last year, the OYSTER PERPETUAL DATE sucks. Dots and hands relumed, gen 4mm wide insert adapted on a recut bezel ring

The side with enlarged lug holes and the tropic 116 plexi

 

Just a precision :

The regular dial model - as they have many options- sold by Yuki is vrong, the painted dots and stick markers enclosed by a printed circular border has never existed.

Also the rep case will not accept a gen or aftermarket dial with Rolex specs. as the rep rehaut diameter is to wide

Edited May 26, 2010 by RolexAddict

[ferret 0]

Damn, yeah that looks nice!

 

I'll have to do a little more research into that then, might just go with a little cheapy red submariner or something, or the explorer since it's so far fetched anyway. It'd drive me nuts to wear a completely incorrect rep :x

 

Thanks for the tips!

[AllergyDoc 40]

That's a nice looking GMT, RA. Do you still have that?

[RolexAddict 1]

yes, I have 2 and a special "El Corninõ" - pointy crown guards, like bull horn - in progress, pics later tonight, let me the time, its almost 20pm local here,

let me to 22 -23pm local time, it will be lunch/siesta time in CA,

 

I can offer a mod concept for an affordable price for those who have these cheap GMT with the vrong domed plexi and dots looking like yellow plastic, what is interesting is that these cheap watches have the Asian low bits movement whitch is correct

[RolexAddict 1]

just a problem with Imagecave right now, pics tomorrow, sorry

[AllergyDoc 40]

White don't you buy a few, mod them, and sell them. I'd be up for 1. Unless it's trouble to get more than a few watches shipped into France at one time.

[ebzen02 341]

White don't you buy a few, mod them, and sell them. I'd be up for 1. Unless it's trouble to get more than a few watches shipped into France at one time.

 

+1

And some vintage 1680's or 5512's while you are at it.

[RolexAddict 1]

White don't you buy a few, mod them, and sell them. I'd be up for 1. Unless it's trouble to get more than a few watches shipped into France at one time.

 

White don't you buy a few, mod them, and sell them. I'd be up for 1. Unless it's trouble to get more than a few watches shipped into France at one time.

 

+1

And some vintage 1680's or 5512's while you are at it.

 

 

O.K,

That's could be a big and good project, I am thinking on this since a long time.

 

The GMT 1675 :

Today, I know exactly what can be modded and where to find plexies, inserts and springbars. If interested members accept flaws like : OYSTER PERPETUAL DATE on the dial and the case engraved 5513 instead 1675, also vrong serial numbers on end links, I can launch.

2 options for this : members buy a new modded watch, or members send me theirs and i mod.

 

The Subs 5512/13 and 1680 :

I start to seriously think about. It should be easier, as those sold by our dealers seem to have correct dials and case markings -I suppose- So the job would be to give more character and natural patina, reluming dial and hands and eventually replacing plexies if inacurate, etc. etc.

 

The target would be to improve a cheap vintage rep using affordable aftermarket replacement parts to produce something closer from the real thing for a normal price Prices should not excess a certain amount. Not expensive franken level, but may be there is a demand for franken ?

But to build franken using gen parts like tubes, crowns etc, is a hassle -financial and technical- and i don't want to dive deep and get screwed in sharp anal considerations. I have seen on repgeek a franken 5512 or 13 -I don't remember - a member has said that the watch cost was around 3500 us$ -its still a rep... frankly, at this level, personally I buy a gen. In Paris you can get 5512/13 and 1680 starting at 4000€

 

I could be wrong and/or out of this market in my project, just give an opinion.

 

On another way :

Discussing by mail with dealers is problematic as they want to sell watches first, not to convert in grocer's shops selling parts. And buy complete watches, even cheap, to just save a bracelet or a bezel ring, its to expensive, imagine you need almost 3 watches to finally produce one correct.

 

Take the Josh's exemple : When I buy a watch i can get an extra part for free. If i mail to him and say "I want a Sub case + caseback, how much for this ?" He will repply : "Buy a watch and I will drop a free case set for you". They can have parts, but they are not interested by this kind of business;

I think to may be fly to China could be an issue to buy parts by quantity, see makers direct, no middle parasite people, to get direct sources there for parts.

[AllergyDoc 40]

I wonder if some of the smaller dealers could help. Maybe Luthier could get Mary to round up some parts for you. Or someone like Offshore, who seems to have a toe in the parts business.

 

I think there's a big enough market but I worry about you getting reimbursed adequately for your time. You'll probably need to talk to Greg about becoming a dealer here. You could be our BK.

[RolexAddict 1]

Why not, I was thinking the same about Luthier and Mary,

 

The effective problem is, as you pointed out, the time spent to mod parts and the value of labor, may be the Rolex GMT is not a good track, may be vintage Subs have a better issue, like vintage Daytona. These are easy with David's connection,

 

Right now, just thinking and calculate -What, when, how, how much...etc.-

[AllergyDoc 40]

You could always make a trial batch of each and see which gets the most attention.