Identification and needed refurbishing

[johan_sweden]

Hi!

When my father passed a few years ago, I inherited an old Rolex who he inherited from his father.

I think it is a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust from 1967. It looks to be 33mm or 34mm wide. It says "Registered Design 1603" on one side of the watch and serial number "1665510" on the other (with an imperfection on the first of the fives).

I don't really know what to do with it. Should I refurbish it? What would you guess it would take and cost?

It is not in great visual shape, but does seem to work well. It does not have a bracelet nor a box or any certification. From my amateur point of view, it probably needs:

- General service, I suppose
- Deep cleaning
- Replacement of front-glass (lots of small scratches and sightly yellow tint)
- Replacement back of the watch (two big scratches)
- A bracelet of the same make and production year

Is it worth anything? Is it worth refurbishing? What would you guess it would cost to fix it up and would it be worth the investment?

I appreciate any thoughts on the matter!

Thanks,

Johan

[joli160]

Movement service at RLX will cost around 800. Add a new crystal and you end up close to 1K.
Pro’s it comes backing looking new and you get a warranty card of your watch valid for two years.
But they may force you to replace the dial as well. That I would not agree with.
Sending it in you will get all the answers. They provide a must do and a recommended list.

Otherwise an independent is your only choice. Going this route I would skip on polishing the case. Usually a bit cheaper.

At Rolex they don’t repair bracelets but swap them for new. Around another 1K.
Alternatively these can be refurbished in Norway (Klokkeland) or Hong Kong (Michael Young) for a lot less. Some good places in the US, UK, GER as well.

[Widows Son]

You can't put a price on a family heirloom. It's not doing anyone any good sitting in the sock drawer. I would find an independant watchmaker who specializes in vintage watches. Have the movement serviced, replace the crystal, and have the case LIGHTLY polished. The bracelet can be sent out for refurbishing. Michael Young in HK or Rolliworks here in the states. Or, sit tight on the bracelet and put it on a leather strap. The trick will be to keep it as original as possible.

[77T]

Originally Posted by johan_sweden

- General service, I suppose
- Deep cleaning
- Replacement of front-glass (lots of small scratches and sightly yellow tint)
- Replacement back of the watch (two big scratches)
- A bracelet of the same make and production year

Is it worth anything? Is it worth refurbishing? What would you guess it would cost to fix it up and would it be worth the investment?

Johan
Welcome to the forum and I think you’ve done a great job outlining and picturing your grandfather’s Datejust. Perhaps add a photo of the caseback to see the two scratches?

Rolex produced these for decades before your grandfather bought one - and will likely produce them a century from now. It’s a 36mm case and I have one like yours but with a black index dial. Yours has a “doorstop” element at 6 & 9 o’clock.




Now that it’s in your hands, the first question is better asked this way: What do you want to hand down to your grandchildren? The answer to that will guide you best.

From my own experience, it will cost money - but much less now than if you let it sit untouched for one of your grandchildren. For me the answer is “yes” it’s worth doing.

You also didn’t say if you’d be wearing it yourself. If you will only wear it occasionally, then perhaps skip the expense of a Rolex bracelet. Just get an authentic leather/alligator strap.

The scratches on the acrylic crystal might be DIY polished with simple compound like “polywatch”. You can find some tutorials on YouTube.

The caseback might be corrected by professional polishing. You can replace both front and back but you will pay a lot to replace the stainless steel back. Perhaps leave the back alone as original.

Rolex Service Center is a route, but you can also look for good vintage watchmakers here on TRF. Hopefully you can afford to preserve this family heirloom and this will inspire your interest in buying a watch or two yourself to grow a collection for future Johan generations.

Hope you can keep us updated on what you do and how you get it done.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Dan S]

It is generally desirable to keep the original parts of watches like these, so replacing the case-back is not recommended. Some scratches on the back are not necessarily a big deal, but if they really bother you, they can be repaired by laser welding. Otherwise, the watch probably just needs a full movement service, during which the case will also be cleaned. The crystal can easily be polished, or replaced for a fairly small cost.

As for a bracelet, you should decide whether you prefer a new replacement or a period-correct folded link bracelet (don't worry too much about the exact year). And a 1603 can take either a jubilee or oyster, so you will need to look at both to decide which one you like more.

BTW, your ruler seems a bit wonky, since this is a 36mm case.

I have a similar watch, but with different markers.

[Richard Carver]

With a fresh Rolex service and an adequate bracelet, 5K US is a reasonable estimate of value. The lume on your dial looks good and Rolex may or may not require replacement. Some have been known to buy worn dials and have it installed locally prior to sending it to Rolex to make sure they can retain the original dial. Changing dials is not rocket surgery .:)

Your watch is certainly worth he effort to repair.

Here's my '68 1603.

[Wahlberg]

The condition looks REALLY good.

The only thing I would do is get it serviced, NO polish and wear it on a leather strap or order a jubilee bracelet from a Rolex AD.

[johan_sweden]

Thank you all so munch for your valuable input!

Given that the family heirloom seems to have a significant monetary value - and that I would like to pass it on to my children and grandchildren - investing in refurbishing does seem like the way to go.

We are currently in the beginning of a big house renovation, so spending the 1-2k right now is not optimal. I will fix the watch as soon as the renovation is done and share the result with you.

Thanks again!