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Flyjet601 · 2 October 2006, 09:25 PM

Was surfing ebay and I came across this.....
Did Rolex really make one these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Extremely-Rare-R...QQcmdZViewItem

Gedanken · 2 October 2006, 09:36 PM

My first inclination would be to say no, but the Japanese market is a bit odd. All the way back when, they were the only market to receive the Explorer with a dial marked Space Dweller, so I would not out this piece's authencity out of the realm of possibility.

s7horton · 2 October 2006, 09:41 PM

I was thinking the same thing until the evngraving on the back popped up. I would assume that if Rolex did produce 150 of those, they didn't engrave any of them. Could be wrong though.

Gedanken · 2 October 2006, 09:45 PM

Hmm - I didn't take the time to look at the other photos. That caseback looks odd to me. Now if I recall correctly, David (Subfiend) has an Explorer that has a caseback engraved by Rolex to celebrate the Explorer Club's 100th anniversary. He'd be the guy to look at that engraving and say yea or nay.

Looking at how shiny that caseback is, though, I'm starting to have my doubts.

mike · 2 October 2006, 10:05 PM

Actually this is one of those odd ball things that pop up on various fora from time to time.
It's a real watch, but was never sanctioned by Rolex or Gen. Yeager.
Orginally done in 1997, "The Real McCoy" is/was a company that made a lot of hommage pieces involving American Flight.
The company is no longer in business in Japan, but I believe still operates in NZ.
There were three seperate runs of this watch made by the company totallying I believe 250 pieces.
200 were 16710s and 50 were 16700s.
There were actually two seperate case bace engravings.

I don't know if Rolex would service it or not.

padi56 · 2 October 2006, 10:24 PM

Well myself have never heard of the Chuck Yeager GMT so a bit sceptical The case back engraving looks quite poor,and not up to Rolex standards.And why a 98 watch,perhaps a 97 watch yes 50 years after.Well its true that in 1947 Chuck Yeager first broke the “Sound Barrier” in a Bell X-1 and did so wearing a Rolex Oyster. But it was the same one he had worn all through World War II, and certainly not a GMT model, they did not come out till 1953-54.Now Pete Knight on October 3, 1967 set a new speed record of 4,534 mph in a X-15 he wore a GMT.But again Rolex have done some crazy things in the 50s-70s but in the 90s got my doubts.And don't think if it was done, it was sanctioned by Rolex themselves

mike · 2 October 2006, 11:32 PM

Some additional info
As noted,these are NOT authorized by Rolex.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/20759...ad/1069690891/

Flyjet601 · 2 October 2006, 11:43 PM

....so are these real authentic Rolex GMT's that he stamped the dial and engraved the case back, or are these fakes???

Not going to buy one, just expanding my horizons!!!

padi56 · 2 October 2006, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike

Some additional info
As noted,these are NOT authorized by Rolex.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/20759...ad/1069690891/

Well Mike would think of it more as a novelty,than collectible and IMHO not worth anywhere the asking price.Its a bit like you or myself sticking our names on a vintage dial then advertising it as one of a kind.Now Rolex authorised named products, royal families or retailers dials,thats another story.

mike · 3 October 2006, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by padi56

Well Mike would think of it more as a novelty,than collectible and IMHO not worth anywhere the asking price.Its a bit like you or myself sticking our names on a vintage dial then advertising it as one of a kind.Now Rolex authorised named products, royal families or retailers dials,thats another story.

Absolutely padi.

Any work done by Rolex would be at the cost of the dial and caseback rendering the watch as valuable as any other GMT.

Goodwatch · 3 October 2006, 01:45 AM

The Real McCoy's (notice the s) was a company that could only exist in Japan. The Rolex is just a tip of the iceberg. Together with Buzz Rickson’s, the mainstay of high quality replica gear producers indeed largely oriented at WWII. They owned lavishly decorated stores in Tokyo but this, together with an economical downfall in Japan in 2001/2002, was what I think the reason for their bankruptcy. As a collector of replica flight jackets I own one of their jackets, a 1945 American Pad & Textile L-2, the first nylon flight jacket in service. As with their other products immaculate in every detail. One of their heroes was Steve McQueen and they sold a whole range of Steve McQueen memorabilia, including his complete outfit from the movie ‘The Great Escape’. Copied to the last thread of cotton. The outfit currently active in New Zealand is a daughter company that carried on the Real McCoy’s name after the demise of the Japanese company. Below is a picture from their 2001 Steve McQueen Special, as you can see the Rolex pales compared to the items shown here. Yes, a replica of his 1973 Porsche!

JJ Irani · 3 October 2006, 03:29 AM

Nice pics and info, Frans. Thanks!!

2 October 2006, 09:25 PM	#1
Flyjet601 "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Hong Kong Watch: All of them Posts: 2,789	Anybody ever seen one of these Was surfing ebay and I came across this..... Did Rolex really make one these? http://cgi.ebay.com/Extremely-Rare-R...QQcmdZViewItem

2 October 2006, 09:36 PM	#2
Gedanken "TRF" Member Join Date: May 2005 Real Name: Sir Location: Melbourne Watch: F-series SD Posts: 8,589	My first inclination would be to say no, but the Japanese market is a bit odd. All the way back when, they were the only market to receive the Explorer with a dial marked Space Dweller, so I would not out this piece's authencity out of the realm of possibility. __________________ You buy a Casio to make sure you're on time; you wear a Rolex because you don't have to be on time.

2 October 2006, 09:45 PM	#4
Gedanken "TRF" Member Join Date: May 2005 Real Name: Sir Location: Melbourne Watch: F-series SD Posts: 8,589	Hmm - I didn't take the time to look at the other photos. That caseback looks odd to me. Now if I recall correctly, David (Subfiend) has an Explorer that has a caseback engraved by Rolex to celebrate the Explorer Club's 100th anniversary. He'd be the guy to look at that engraving and say yea or nay. Looking at how shiny that caseback is, though, I'm starting to have my doubts. __________________ You buy a Casio to make sure you're on time; you wear a Rolex because you don't have to be on time.

2 October 2006, 10:24 PM	#6
padi56 "TRF" Life Patron Join Date: Jun 2005 Real Name: Peter Location: Llanfairpwllgwyng Watch: ing you. Posts: 52,261	Well myself have never heard of the Chuck Yeager GMT so a bit sceptical The case back engraving looks quite poor,and not up to Rolex standards.And why a 98 watch,perhaps a 97 watch yes 50 years after.Well its true that in 1947 Chuck Yeager first broke the “Sound Barrier” in a Bell X-1 and did so wearing a Rolex Oyster. But it was the same one he had worn all through World War II, and certainly not a GMT model, they did not come out till 1953-54.Now Pete Knight on October 3, 1967 set a new speed record of 4,534 mph in a X-15 he wore a GMT.But again Rolex have done some crazy things in the 50s-70s but in the 90s got my doubts.And don't think if it was done, it was sanctioned by Rolex themselves __________________ ICom Pro3 All posts are my own opinion and my opinion only. "The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop. Now is the only time you actually own the time, Place no faith in time, for the clock may soon be still for ever." Good Judgement comes from experience,experience comes from Bad Judgement,.Buy quality, cry once; buy cheap, cry again and again. www.mc0yad.club Second in command CEO and left handed watch winder

3 October 2006, 01:45 AM	#11
Goodwatch "TRF" Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Real Name: Frans ® Location: Rotterdam Watch: the sunrise... Posts: 10,230	The Real McCoy's (notice the s) was a company that could only exist in Japan. The Rolex is just a tip of the iceberg. Together with Buzz Rickson’s, the mainstay of high quality replica gear producers indeed largely oriented at WWII. They owned lavishly decorated stores in Tokyo but this, together with an economical downfall in Japan in 2001/2002, was what I think the reason for their bankruptcy. As a collector of replica flight jackets I own one of their jackets, a 1945 American Pad & Textile L-2, the first nylon flight jacket in service. As with their other products immaculate in every detail. One of their heroes was Steve McQueen and they sold a whole range of Steve McQueen memorabilia, including his complete outfit from the movie ‘The Great Escape’. Copied to the last thread of cotton. The outfit currently active in New Zealand is a daughter company that carried on the Real McCoy’s name after the demise of the Japanese company. Below is a picture from their 2001 Steve McQueen Special, as you can see the Rolex pales compared to the items shown here. Yes, a replica of his 1973 Porsche! __________________ Member# 127

2 October 2006, 09:41 PM	#3
s7horton "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Real Name: Seth Location: Grand Rapids, MI Watch: 16613LB, 126610….. Posts: 994	I was thinking the same thing until the evngraving on the back popped up. I would assume that if Rolex did produce 150 of those, they didn't engrave any of them. Could be wrong though.

2 October 2006, 10:05 PM	#5
mike "TRF" Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 22,683	Actually this is one of those odd ball things that pop up on various fora from time to time. It's a real watch, but was never sanctioned by Rolex or Gen. Yeager. Orginally done in 1997, "The Real McCoy" is/was a company that made a lot of hommage pieces involving American Flight. The company is no longer in business in Japan, but I believe still operates in NZ. There were three seperate runs of this watch made by the company totallying I believe 250 pieces. 200 were 16710s and 50 were 16700s. There were actually two seperate case bace engravings. I don't know if Rolex would service it or not.

2 October 2006, 11:32 PM	#7
mike "TRF" Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 22,683	Some additional info As noted,these are NOT authorized by Rolex. http://www.network54.com/Forum/20759...ad/1069690891/

2 October 2006, 11:43 PM	#8
Flyjet601 "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Hong Kong Watch: All of them Posts: 2,789	....so are these real authentic Rolex GMT's that he stamped the dial and engraved the case back, or are these fakes??? Not going to buy one, just expanding my horizons!!!

3 October 2006, 03:29 AM	#12
JJ Irani Fondly Remembered Join Date: May 2005 Real Name: JJ Location: Auckland, NZ Watch: ALL SOLD!! Posts: 74,320	Nice pics and info, Frans. Thanks!! __________________ Words fail me in expressing my utmost thanks to ALL of you for this wonderful support during my hour of need!! I firmly believe that my time on planet earth is NOT yet up!! I shall fight this to the very end.......and WIN!!

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