1680 Red Sub - Expert Opinions Please

[tymonster]

Hi. Looking to possibly purchase a grail piece. Wondering if the experts here could provide some feedback on this 1680 red sub. Appears to be in rough condition but the bracelet that comes with it (not pictured) seems correct stamped 9315 with 380 end links. 1974 example.

Thanks everyone.






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[tymonster]

Also - this is a 3.68xxx serial. Per my research based on the Closed 6 Feet first. Mark VI dial. I can't tell if the 6 in the photo is "closed" vs "open".

[dhknola]

I would say price is critical here. I like em to show wear and not be babied, but bezel is rough. 6's appear closed and correct for serial. Again, boils down to the $$$

[tymonster]

Price is < $15,000


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[Eric88]

Originally Posted by tymonster

Price is < $15,000


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That's a bargain for a red Sub if it is genuine. Sometimes they say if something is too good to be true...I am sure the real experts on these will arrive to help.

[Nunez. Jacob]

dial looks relumed

[Kingface66]

Originally Posted by Nunez. Jacob

dial looks relumed

You can tell that from blurry low-rez photos?

[RedSub]

Need MUCH better pics, especially at that price…

[tymonster]

He said it was relumed in the 80s. I might need to just pass and move on. Does seem too good to be true despite the details lining up.


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[MrChamfers]

It looks like the crown guards have been polished hard from the limited pics.

[btinl]

Pass based on the relumed dial alone.

[MrChamfers]

Originally Posted by btinl

Pass based on the relumed dial alone.

Does reluming remove at least 50% of the value?

[Paul]

Originally Posted by btinl

Pass based on the relumed dial alone.

More so than in the past, I'm happy to consider watches with relumed dials now. Pickings are getting slimmer each year and the price of splendid examples of vintage sports Rolex is way beyond my budget now. If a good watch with a hefty discount due to a mediocre relume came available I'd happily pick it up. No problem at all for someone like James Hyman to work his magic and achieve a top quality relume.

[btinl]

Originally Posted by MrChamfers

Does reluming remove at least 50% of the value?

The bulk of the value in this watch is in the dial, so I would say yes, it is possible that 50% value could be lost depending on the relume extent and quality.

[zapokee]

As cheap as 15k for a Red Sub? Original examples in good condition are approaching double that now, so 50% sounds about right if you like it.

Bear in mind it will be more difficult to sell if you ever decide to move on. Personally I'd keep looking, but everyone's mileage varies.

[springer]

I think the table has been refinished. Love the hand pic too!

[JustinK]

Tough to tell anything about the lume from those pics. It’s cheap as I see decent examples going over 20k. The bracelet can be refurbished and adds value as well.

If you can get better pics to authenticate the dial and case and live with any lume issues it might be worth it. It will be tough to find one cheaper.

[baumare]

Originally Posted by springer

I think the table has been refinished. Love the hand pic too!

It took me a full minute to get it

[karleone]

Photos are crap. Price is too good to be true. Unless you are an expert and you know exactly what you are buying I would pass. If you want to buy a vintage Rolex you need to learn a lot plus buy from a reputable and well known vintage dealer.

[swish77]

Originally Posted by zapokee

As cheap as 15k for a Red Sub? Original examples in good condition are approaching double that now, so 50% sounds about right if you like it.

Yes, double, and in some cases triple and above nowadays. Crazy.

https://tropicalwatch.com/watches/gfou

[zapokee]

Originally Posted by swish77

Yes, double, and in some cases triple and above nowadays. Crazy.

https://tropicalwatch.com/watches/gfou

Yes, you're right.

The one in the link is over 50k! It's meters-first, which is of course different territory from the OP's. Tropical dial MFs in particular go for crazy money now.

I remember trying on a chocolate dial meters-first Red Sub in super condition @ around 12k not that many years ago. I didn't buy it because I didn't want to pay 4k extra just for a brown dial rather than a black one (about 8k at the time). It would probably go for 60k+ now.

And don't even start me on the Patek 5711 purchase I didn't go ahead with a few years ago @ around 25k...

[Eric88]

Originally Posted by zapokee

Yes, you're right.

The one in the link is over 50k! It's meters-first, which is of course different territory from the OP's. Tropical dial MFs in particular go for crazy money now.

I remember trying on a chocolate dial meters-first Red Sub in super condition @ around 12k not that many years ago. I didn't buy it because I didn't want to pay 4k extra just for a brown dial rather than a black one (about 8k at the time). It would probably go for 60k+ now.

And don't even start me on the Patek 5711 purchase I didn't go ahead with a few years ago @ around 25k...

I can so relate to this. I was in SF about 6-7 years ago and spent about an hour with Jacek and his staff in HQ Milton while I was there. He pulled out pretty much all the Subs and Sea Dwellers he had in the case and I was checking out all of them. At this time, regular 1680s were going in the $6-8k range and the red ones were $12-15k. He had a really lovely one I was really close to buying around $14k and at that time it was kinda crazy money. He had several SD 1665s for $10-12k as well, if memory serves.

The one that really took my breath away was Jacek's daily wearer at the time - a gilt 5513 with a rivet bracelet that had an expanding/flexible feature (I can't remember what that's called). He let me wear it and would have sold it to me if I'd really wanted it. I think $15k. Jeez, if only I'd been thinking straight that day. LOL.

[Nunez. Jacob]

Originally Posted by kingface66

you can tell that from blurry low-rez photos?

yes

[Kingface66]

Originally Posted by Nunez. Jacob

yes

That is a talent

[zapokee]

Originally Posted by Eric88

I can so relate to this. I was in SF about 6-7 years ago and spent about an hour with Jacek and his staff in HQ Milton while I was there. He pulled out pretty much all the Subs and Sea Dwellers he had in the case and I was checking out all of them. At this time, regular 1680s were going in the $6-8k range and the red ones were $12-15k. He had a really lovely one I was really close to buying around $14k and at that time it was kinda crazy money. He had several SD 1665s for $10-12k as well, if memory serves.

The one that really took my breath away was Jacek's daily wearer at the time - a gilt 5513 with a rivet bracelet that had an expanding/flexible feature (I can't remember what that's called). He let me wear it and would have sold it to me if I'd really wanted it. I think $15k. Jeez, if only I'd been thinking straight that day. LOL.

Oh, well. Hopefully many of us have also picked up some nice watches that have done well along the way.

If we could predict how markets will go, we'd all be sitting on mega-yachts funded by Apple stock and Bitcoin rather than messing around with wrist candy.

[1675-David]

Originally Posted by Nunez. Jacob

yes

Anything else I’ve missed that only you can see?

[TuRo]

Originally Posted by springer

I think the table has been refinished. Love the hand pic too!

Yes agree with Springer, and it makes it a bit of unusual taste on the palate for the Lignophagia lovers amongst us !

[Traveling]

Originally Posted by 1675-David

Anything else I’ve missed that only you can see?

Grab micrometer and measure the lume. I can see inconsistencies.

[hutch300]

It’s a project that in the end will cost you more than you want. Most expensive things are the cheap version of the thing your after. I’d pass unless it was much less. MUCH less.

[Kingface66]

Originally Posted by 1675-David

Anything else I’ve missed that only you can see?

Nyuk nyuk