Navy Seal Combat Worn 16613 Bluesy TT Sub ... Advice Needed

[garyk]

Great story. I would have the watch repaired at RSC and keep the dial if possible. The story, just the way you say, definitely has a ring of truth to it. A “pretty” Rolex Submariner is still a very durable dive watch to someone who is in an extreme job.

[chieftd]

Call Don Shipley to authenticate seller.

[Boopie]

One of our good friends is a Rolex-loving police officer who himself owned many Rolexes including a “Bluesey” and also got the original LV Submariner when it came out (and promptly put it in the safe). He would not wear a Rolex to work because it’s a dirty job and you could damage the watch.

Why would a combat soldier want to wear something shiny with gold in it? It’s one thing for Vietnam era soldiers to wear an original, all SS Submariner, which was considered a tool watch sold at the PX then, but yet another to wear a modern, expensive Sub. I’d be worried the crystal would break in the jungle or the desert and destroy the watch. My husband stopped wearing his black TT Sub and switched to a 16710 in large part because the Sub’s gold center link scratched too easily, and he felt more comfortable with a brushed SS Oyster bracelet for daily wearing. The TT Sub is his “special occasion” watch.

One of our neighbors was a Navy Seal. It’s not a secret. But, he didn’t kill OBL, either.

Anyway, to answer the specific question, I would switch the dial. It doesn’t look good, and detracts from the beauty of the watch. If the damage was from your combat duty, or from combat of a relative (uncle, grandfather, etc.) that would be different.

[FLAMAN]

Military combat would not have shiny objects giving away position. The moment you pull that watch out to check the time would compromise your passion. sorry

[rmagoo57]

Originally Posted by MikeMWatchFan

Question:

Say I forget the story, send it to Rolex, it’s authentic but Rolex wants to overhaul, replace the dial, replace the hands, and replace the bezel insert. What would that cost approximately? $800 overhaul + $500 dial + $150 hands + $150 bezel insert? Am I off +/- by a lot?

It's a reasonable estimate. Also buys you peace of mind and a brand new looking bluesy that you'll enjoy for many years.

[ltmgeller]

I'd be very suspect. I had been scammed by someone posing as a Navy Seal selling a fake submariner in the past. I ended up coming out ahead. I seriously doubt any professional operator would wear that watch in the field. Forget about the potential damage to the watch. It is very flashy and stands out. That alone can cost someone their life in the field.

[interestedwatcher]

https://www.thewatchbuyersgroup.com/...battle-result/

Well some Army gent wore a bluesy overseas.

And

https://www.watchprosite.com/horolog...9011.10106446/

[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by wclowe

As a former Army infantry officer who trained with SEALs and Special Forces operators I can say with certainty that the story isn’t true.

Like most professional soldiers, in the field I wore a cheap, reliable, black digital watch (Casio G-Shock) with a black strap because it was affordable, I wouldn’t mind if it was damaged, and most important: it wouldn’t give away my position to an enemy.

If the seller actually did serve as an operator then it’s most likely this watch was for garrison use only.

My two cents...


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I completely agree. I was a Navy Fighter Pilot in Desert Storm and admit to having no experience in “boots on the ground” But I HAVE been in combat. I wore a plastic Casio. Everyone I knew that went in to combat also NEVER wore a Rolex or any kind of fine timepiece. I can not see how a SEAL, doing COVERT Ops behind enemy lines would be wearing a shiny Gold and Blue SS Rolex. I just don’t believe it.

[just1time]

I call Complete BS on the combat story. Makes no sense. But what does it matter. Watch is paid for. What he sold you on to buy the watch is no longer relevant.
Enjoy your watch

[TheHulk]

FIRST..... I’m ex Navy and certainly wasn’t a SEAL but I can say with 100% certainty that one would never wear a TT gold watch EVER in any training or combat. They all wore G shock type dive watches. As far as a challenge coin goes...... anyone can have one made as there is no check of military records (DD214s). Blacking out the name to me would be VERY sketchy, perhaps stolen. I’m always in shock that people buy high end goods on eBay! Good luck as I feel you will need it.

[waterman1]

There are a lot of people claiming to be operators out there, but for what it’s worth this guy is the real deal - devgru operator. And here is what he wore;

[rallyx]

What is the color of the boathouse at Hereford?
Ronin.jpg

[jimcameron]

https://www.amazon.com/Challenge-Spe...91823681&psc=1

[maxx0ne]

Originally Posted by waterman1

There are a lot of people claiming to be operators out there, but for what it’s worth this guy is the real deal - devgru operator. And here is what he wore;

The OP story seems odd to me but I would say this it is not uncommon for tier 1 operators to wear a Rolex on deployment, many do to pass on the watch to their sons. Usually it’s a SS piece.

[winst]

R

Originally Posted by rallyx

What is the color of the boathouse at Hereford?
Attachment 1205872

What film is that - I’m trying to remember?

[Guybrush]

Hmm... I work for the Navy and have helped teach a lot of current and future SEALs and have good friends who are SEALs. For what it's worth, if you share this person's name with me, the odds are better than not that I'd at least be able to confirm for you that he is/was indeed a SEAL, but it sounds like he's withheld that information from you. That part gives me pause: SEALs do secret things, and their membership in certain groups and activities might be kept secret, but they also wear uniforms with huge trident insignias on them---it's not like someone who's a SEAL has to keep that fact a secret, like someone might who's in the clandestine service of the CIA, say. But if this guy really is/was a SEAL who was interested in keeping his identity on the down-low, I'd imagine he'd be more likely to tell you his name and less likely to tell you he's a SEAL. It just doesn't quite make sense to me.

One of my good buddies here is a soon-to-retire SEAL who served on both the enlisted and officer side, on several teams and in several regional commands. His daily watch is a two-tone Rolex---though it's a Datejust, not a Sub. We did have a conversation about Rolex once, and he did specifically mention that the Sub is the classic SEAL watch---I bet a lot of SEALs (especially former ones with post-Navy careers and expendable income) own them. If they came through the Academy, the Bluesy in particular might be a popular choice, given its color-scheme and how it matches with the school colors. So the idea of a SEAL owning a Bluesy doesn't bother me, but the above circumstances do, as does the idea that it was combat-worn. (My friend's Rolex is his office watch--the one he wears when he's in civvies or khakis, not one he'd wear on deployment.)

Obviously no one is going to be able to confirm the veracity of this story for you without additional info---and if it's true, that's certainly cool. (So a small piece of shrapnel nicked the super-hard sapphire and then sent a spray of bits onto the dial?---is that it?) But without better documentation/proof... I don't see how this adds value to the watch. The opposite may in fact be true.

[interestedwatcher]

Originally Posted by winst

R

What film is that - I’m trying to remember?

Ronin - and I don't know what colour the boat house is at hereford.

[911991]

Hmmmmm.... Was his name Brian Williams?


Williams has said on television multiple times that he flew into Baghdad with the Navy's SEAL Team Six, which was responsible for carrying out the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, about three days after the US invaded Iraq, according to The Huffington Post. He has also said he received a SEAL's knife and a piece of the helicopter from the bin Laden raid as gifts.

[Stratos]

Originally Posted by MikeMWatchFan

I did not pay a premium for it but I wasn’t expecting the imperfections in the dial.

You describe a watch that has been through hell, yet you did not expect any imperfections.

It does not make any sense.

[MikeMWatchFan]

Update!

Upon close examination under light at a specific angle I can read the pen indentations of his name and address on the warranty paper even with the black marker flat across it. The name and address match up after a Google search but the name is super common first/last so will be hard to find the actual him on Google.

I will contact Don Shipley and the TFR member above to help verify if his name is in the SEAL database. The seller told me what BUDS class he was in so should be relatively easy to someone who has access to records.

[Jmbarrack]

Originally Posted by chieftd

Call Don Shipley to authenticate seller.

This is the exact first thought that crossed my mind.

Ask for his BUD/S class number.


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[padi56]

Originally Posted by omar10213245

a Navy Seal wearing his bluesy during combat missions?

Hmmmmm....

Have to agree IMHO very highly doubtful.

[Peter B.]

I think this is a case for Don Shipley....

[Brich436]

I will chime in and say my Company First Sergeant wore a coke GMT Master 2 in the field and in combat. I was in the Marines from 1997 to 2003.

I know the 16610 was very popular with SEALs...... but I do not buy this story. Namely because the gold is too reflective and could give away your position. It’s possible this is all true but I don’t think it’s probable.


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[Jack T]

Looks like you’ve got yourself a watch there fella, hope it all works out.

[samson66]

I don't buy the story at all but the watch looks legit to my eyes. Send it to RSC to replace the dial and wear & enjoy it.

[winst]

Originally Posted by interestedwatcher

Ronin - and I don't know what colour the boat house is at hereford.

That was it - thanks for the response, it was doing my head in trying to remember it’s name!

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by rallyx

What is the color of the boathouse at Hereford?
Attachment 1205872

Unfortunately nobody told Deniro how to correctly pronounce Hereford, which kind of killed that scene for me.

[TheHulk]

Any good fraud who did his research can provide a legit BUDS class number. Years back when there was a doc series that followed a class through the whole class, that class was 233 0r 234. Ive become a professional at busting phones SEALS, also 99.9% of these guys will mention nothing about what they did or even if they were a SEAL. I’d bring that watch to an AD asap and see what you really have there....

[MikeMWatchFan]

Thanks everyone. Going to an AD today to have them look at it.