Rolex Back from first service in 21 years

[SubmarinerDiver]

Bought this Rolex Submariner 16613 on 31st January 1992 and just got it back from its first service today 13th December 2013. The watch was worn every day during this time and just kept going. The watch has been on many dives with me to over 50 meters (on trimix I should add for the divers out there).

Great to get it back, it is looking superb (Photo attached). I will not let it go so long before I next get it serviced!

[ilovethiscity]

Looking nice and fresh.. Thanks for sharing the story it's such a testament to the quality of these beautiful watches and their movements!

[Cc1966]

Great story!!! Thanks for sharing mate. Hope you get another easy 21 years of service!

[Urosfan]

Looks clean and fresh

[RollieVerde]

Here's to 21 (or so) more excellent years with a loyal companion. Trimix? Yikes! That dark and cold territory.

[viper9669]

Superb!!

[mjclark32]

Sweet!

[brandrea]

That's a great story. You'd better keep it quiet though as Rolex headquarters trolls this site and now they know you saved on 4 service intervals .....

[hchj]

Did the RSC charge you more than what u paid for the watch back in '92?

Sent from my GT-I8160 using Tapatalk 2

[sea-dweller]

Looks great!

[SubmarinerDiver]

Hi,

The RSC did the service for £250. I told him it was long overdue and had not been serviced for over 20 years. When I collected it he said it was very dry and was in real need of a service, when I left it in we could both hear the rotor whirring when the watch was shaken.

Anyway, have it back now and it looks great and is going well, hope to get it down to 60 meters soon, as this is what it is meant to do and where the Submariner is at home (I use it as a backup decompression timer on deep dives).

[sebastien1975]

Any picture before / after ?

Merry Christmas from a fellow diver in South East Asia.
Great decompression / wreck dives to be done around here :)

[kcmo]

Amazing! Continue to enjoy it for many more years to come!

[Gaijin]

Congratulations! Looks great!

[red wrx]

Any close up photos? Looks nice!

[mr.president1]

Great Story!

I'm sure they did an impeccable job!

[Lucky777]

Beautiful classic

[Hairdude1]

Very nice

[pokerpot]

Wow, only one service and it was 250 pounds... that's awesome.

Would love to see some close up pics of it. Did they give you a breakdown off what was done?

[DCgator]

Congrats on your trusty tt Sub. I bought a R serial tt Thunderbird in 1990 and had it serviced in 2012. More than anything it needed oil. Service cost was $700, but well worth it I think. Passed it to my oldest son after AD watchmaker service.

[robertgrom]

Looks new :)

[gr33n]

Hello submariner diver, it is very interesting!

I own a 16610LV, with the same gaskets than yours.

So from 1992 to 2013, it had the same gaskets... may I ask e few questions, i would be very pleased if you could answer:

-how many dives has it seen?
-did it dive / has it seen water in the last 5 years?
-dit you shower / went to sauna with it?

The nitrile (black) gaskets are not a problem ; but I saw an old post with a cracked crystal gasket at about 8 years old.. so if your watch has seen hell until its 21th year, then the "pressure test it every two years" is useless.

I ask it because I will move to La Réunion (east of madagascar) in a few months, with every day baths and dives: and the "pressure test it if you dive" bothers me a lot: I bought this watch to forget it and to wear it everywhere without worrying, as soon as I am in the "5 to 7 years servicing interval".

Could you put a closest photo?
Has it been polished with service?

Wear it in good health!

[dysondiver]

is that a kiss or a meg ,,, ??

[gr33n]

@Dyson Diver:

Are you referring to what I said? I'm French, so my English is sometimes approximative

[dysondiver]

Originally Posted by gr33n

@Dyson Diver:

Are you referring to what I said? I'm French, so my English is sometimes approximative

hi , no i was looking at the breather ,, [rebreather]
i have a couple of 16613s , i love them for what they are , but i dont take them swimming or diving , i know its an age old topic on here ,, can i go swimming / diving / flying , or even eat foreign food with my sub ,,, all i will say , is that if its freshly serviced with good o rings no wear on any of them and freshly pressure tested ,,, then why not ,, if your not sure about any of those why on earth would you , water is the death of anything nice , let alone salt water.
just my thoughts ,,, buy a twenty quid watch you dont mind loosing.

[Jetcop 20]

Nice,doing the same with my Submariner 18kt/SS bought new May 2001 giving it to my son after buying myself a 18kt Yachtmaster MOP Diamonds& Sapphires. Likewise my Sub has done almost daily duty over that time ( working narcotics,gangs and vice and sliding into retirement in patrol) The watch has been with me on dives/snorkeling in Hawaii and thru-out the Caribe..its still flawless...but 13 years ITS time for the AUTHORIZED ROLEX cleaning...the WATCH DOCTOR said about a month....good luck

[Rags]

Wow 21 yrs with out a service. I don't know if I would have gone that long especially if you're diving. I'd like to see some before & after shots if you have them.