Rolex Oysterquartz 17000

[oysterquartz17000]

Did these watches come with pins or screw links? I have two OQ, this one and one from 81. This has pins rather than screws, is that correct for an early OQ?

[116710er]

I have a later OQ 17000 (1999, COSC marked dial) and it came with a pin bracelet. I had some links added through RSC and they said it was the correct bracelet for this watch. Does your 1981 have screws?

[oysterquartz17000]

Yes the 81 has screws. Typical Rolex, I resized the bracelet for my 17000 last night and it was so easy. I have resized pin bracelets for other brands in the past and been pushed to the point of a breakdown. The Rolex bracelet took a few minutes.

[shivayash]

OQ daily driver for me, 17014 with black dial. Well done. This 17000 is a beaut.

[oysterquartz17000]

Originally Posted by shivayash

OQ daily driver for me, 17014 with black dial. Well done. This 17000 is a beaut.

Thanks, I still find this watch slightly unusual. It was made in '77 and still in over ten days has not lost a single second, not even a fraction of a second.

[77T]

Originally Posted by oysterquartz17000

Thanks, I still find this watch slightly unusual. It was made in '77 and still in over ten days has not lost a single second, not even a fraction of a second.

Yours and those made in 1977 were unique for dual reasons. IIRC the OQ DJ was introduced in 1977, so that’s unique as an introduction model. Also, the movement is as unique as the non-COSC dial - it had a quartz crystal that wasn’t as good as Rolex wished. Rolex was late to making a quartz model during the craze over them among the public. But they were not late to the research scene - Rolex had issued many patents stretching back to the early 1960’s. Also, before we called it “venture capital”, Rolex has stakes in quartz oscillator manufacturers. They even bought movements from Omega in the early going. Their first foray using a Date 5100 model had a non-Rolex movement.

But then they took several years to develop their own in-house movement which your watch has. Yet, the quartz crystal wasn’t as good as they wanted - not good enough to pass COSC they thought - so Heiniger (Rolex president at the time) pushed the model out the door with the silver medallion tag - the one you got with yours. Neat marketing trick compared to the COSC tags that all other precision Rolexes came with at the time. Their time to market was to play catch-up against the first movers who were beating Rolex in accuracy and lower price.

When Rolex did a perfect the shape of the quartz crystal sometime in early 1979, the movement was then sent to COSC. After that, the silver tag was replaced with the COSC tag like mechanical movements. All 5035 movements beginning in 1979 were COSC certified until the end of its production in 2001.


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[oysterquartz17000]

Originally Posted by 77T

Yours and those made in 1977 were unique for dual reasons. IIRC the OQ DJ was introduced in 1977, so that’s unique as an introduction model. Also, the movement is as unique as the non-COSC dial - it had a quartz crystal that wasn’t as good as Rolex wished. Rolex was late to making a quartz model during the craze over them among the public. But they were not late to the research scene - Rolex had issued many patents stretching back to the early 1960’s. Also, before we called it “venture capital”, Rolex has stakes in quartz oscillator manufacturers. They even bought movements from Omega in the early going. Their first foray using a Date 5100 model had a non-Rolex movement.

But then they took several years to develop their own in-house movement which your watch has. Yet, the quartz crystal wasn’t as good as they wanted - not good enough to pass COSC they thought - so Heiniger (Rolex president at the time) pushed the model out the door with the silver medallion tag - the one you got with yours. Neat marketing trick compared to the COSC tags that all other precision Rolexes came with at the time. Their time to market was to play catch-up against the first movers who were beating Rolex in accuracy and lower price.

When Rolex did a perfect the shape of the quartz crystal sometime in early 1979, the movement was then sent to COSC. After that, the silver tag was replaced with the COSC tag like mechanical movements. All 5035 movements beginning in 1979 were COSC certified until the end of its production in 2001.


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Thanks for the awesome follow up. I dint quite realize how special my 17000 was until now. Apart from all you have said, mine is also very lightly worn and in great condition. Still keeps great time too!

[oysterquartz17000]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Does yours have the open 6 and 9 datewheel? RSC swapped mine out during service and I had to go back and ask them to put it back.

Yes mine does have open 6 and 9s on the date wheel

[gm58]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

MKI dials on the 17000 ran from around 5.2 to 5.8 serials as I recall, or 1977-78. What is yours?

Hi all, would like to find out more about this. I see a watch apparently from 1979 but has MK1 dial? Is that incorrect then?

Here is a link https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/...=oyster+quartz

It is MK1 blue dial but from 1979, is possible?

Thanks!