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Beaumont Miller II · 12 March 2010, 03:16 AM

My collection of Rolex watches has grown in two directions, vintage and new. For me, each vintage watch has a story to tell, and when you compare the vintage next to the new, you can see the evolution of the reference. Like a woman with too many shoes, I have to decide which one to wear each day. The Submariner ref. 1680 comes to mind. I love this watch for so many reasons: matte dial and acrylic crystal, simplicity when compared to other watches, date function, uniqueness you don't see one everyday, and the price point. This is why I ended up with a few 1680's. The only problem was that I liked the weight of a 16610 Submariner on my wrist, the 1680 being not as heavy. Hence the reason for my purchase of the Submariner ref. 16610 from Springer, a well respected seller on this forum. I enjoy wearing this watch but my desire for a matte dialed daily wearer went unquenched. At this point an idea occurred to me: how about a Submariner ref. 16800? Matte dial, vintage, date function, should weigh about as much as a 16610, sounds great. My only problem: I promised my wife only two new watches this year, and three weeks ago I bought a Panerai. The other purchase will have to wait till much later this year. For these reasons and because I have a very understanding wife, I was able to talk her into allowing me to buy a bezel insert and dial from a 16800 Submariner and put them on the 16610. I was also curious to see where this trip would take me.

Here is the 16610 that I purchased from Springer:

Next, I bought a great looking faded bezel insert from Mr. Mulholland and using Jocke's tutorial put in the watch:

:

Oh yeah, the pearl didn't match the hands. So I took off the insert and put the 16610 pearl in the 16800 bezel insert. Then reinstalled the insert.

Finally, I impatiently scoured the internet for a matte dial 16800 in good to very condition with tritium plots to match the hands on the watch:

Then I put the dial on the watch, and the project was completed:

This may not be the solution for everyone, and if I get bored, for the cost of bottle of wine in a restaurant the dial can be swapped back out. I hope you enjoyed the journey.

Hawk99 · 12 March 2010, 04:20 AM

Well done. Looks great!

adam78 · 12 March 2010, 05:20 AM

Is the 16800 not as heavy on the wrist as the 16610? Otherwise the result looks pretty much the same (i.e. nice).

lek0708 · 12 March 2010, 05:42 AM

I love the matte dial myself, but I'm loving your faded bezel even more! I'd swap in a faded black GMT bezel on my 1675 GMT I think because I like the look so much. But come to think of it, I never really see faded black GMT bezels that look gray/silver...

Tools · 12 March 2010, 07:04 AM

Looks good..............

The 16800 was the precursor to the 16610 and pretty much exactly the same in construction.......

I think that they pretty much just restamped the extra "0" when they went to 904 steel, then stamped again with 16610 when they installed the 3135 movements.....

mike · 12 March 2010, 08:52 AM

Looks nice.

That you have the original dial makes putting it back to original easy if you desire. Should a 16800 present itself you can decide which dial (original or the one you have is better).

The main difference is the 3035 vs. the 3135 and of course 316 vs. 904. The 168000 introduced 904. Rolex didn't have the 3135 quite ready so the extra 0 indicated the new steel.

RLX-lvr · 12 March 2010, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike

Looks nice.

That you have the original dial makes putting it back to original easy if you desire. Should a 16800 present itself you can decide which dial (original or the one you have is better).

The main difference is the 3035 vs. the 3135 and of course 316 vs. 904. The 168000 introduced 904. Rolex didn't have the 3135 quite ready so the extra 0 indicated the new steel.

Yes, they added the extra 0, and the "rugby" mark ;)

springer · 12 March 2010, 12:59 PM

Doc, you're the best. Now send my watch back now, I'll give you what you paid.

I like what you did...enjoy.

jmin · 12 March 2010, 05:51 PM

What a great idea. It looks great. Well done.

Lowflight · 12 March 2010, 07:19 PM

Change the Datewheel and you will be set

Renoir · 13 March 2010, 12:38 AM

Looks great!

Gotta love the matte.

sakuraba · 13 March 2010, 01:27 AM

That's a brilliant idea!

The watch looks awesome!

Beaumont Miller II · 14 March 2010, 10:35 AM

Thanks everyone for your input. It was a fun little project. Adam, the 16800 should weigh about the same as the 16610. It is the 1680 that feels less heavy than the 16610 and the reason for the project. John, I know you will understand if I keep the watch as I am having way too much fun to return it to you.

carlhaluss · 14 March 2010, 11:04 AM

Great project! It turned out to look excellent. Love the faded look with the matte dial.
Cheers

,
Carl

datejust1 · 14 March 2010, 11:08 AM

OMG!!! LOVE IT!!!!! It's amazing!! REALLYYY!!! MY CONGRATS TO YOU! :)

12 March 2010, 03:16 AM	#1
Beaumont Miller II "TRF" Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 2,615	What will you do for matte? My collection of Rolex watches has grown in two directions, vintage and new. For me, each vintage watch has a story to tell, and when you compare the vintage next to the new, you can see the evolution of the reference. Like a woman with too many shoes, I have to decide which one to wear each day. The Submariner ref. 1680 comes to mind. I love this watch for so many reasons: matte dial and acrylic crystal, simplicity when compared to other watches, date function, uniqueness you don't see one everyday, and the price point. This is why I ended up with a few 1680's. The only problem was that I liked the weight of a 16610 Submariner on my wrist, the 1680 being not as heavy. Hence the reason for my purchase of the Submariner ref. 16610 from Springer, a well respected seller on this forum. I enjoy wearing this watch but my desire for a matte dialed daily wearer went unquenched. At this point an idea occurred to me: how about a Submariner ref. 16800? Matte dial, vintage, date function, should weigh about as much as a 16610, sounds great. My only problem: I promised my wife only two new watches this year, and three weeks ago I bought a Panerai. The other purchase will have to wait till much later this year. For these reasons and because I have a very understanding wife, I was able to talk her into allowing me to buy a bezel insert and dial from a 16800 Submariner and put them on the 16610. I was also curious to see where this trip would take me. Here is the 16610 that I purchased from Springer: Next, I bought a great looking faded bezel insert from Mr. Mulholland and using Jocke's tutorial put in the watch: : Oh yeah, the pearl didn't match the hands. So I took off the insert and put the 16610 pearl in the 16800 bezel insert. Then reinstalled the insert. Finally, I impatiently scoured the internet for a matte dial 16800 in good to very condition with tritium plots to match the hands on the watch: Then I put the dial on the watch, and the project was completed: This may not be the solution for everyone, and if I get bored, for the cost of bottle of wine in a restaurant the dial can be swapped back out. I hope you enjoyed the journey.

12 March 2010, 05:20 AM	#3
adam78 "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,829	Is the 16800 not as heavy on the wrist as the 16610? Otherwise the result looks pretty much the same (i.e. nice). __________________ Cheers, Adam

12 March 2010, 07:04 AM	#5
Tools TRF Moderator & 2024 DATE-JUST41 Patron Join Date: May 2007 Real Name: Larry Location: Mojave Desert Watch: GMT's Posts: 43,049	Looks good.............. The 16800 was the precursor to the 16610 and pretty much exactly the same in construction....... I think that they pretty much just restamped the extra "0" when they went to 904 steel, then stamped again with 16610 when they installed the 3135 movements..... __________________ (Chill ... It's just a watch Forum.....) NAWCC Member

12 March 2010, 12:59 PM	#8
springer 2024 Pledge Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Real Name: jP Location: Texas Watch: GMT-MASTER Posts: 17,196	Doc, you're the best. Now send my watch back now, I'll give you what you paid. I like what you did...enjoy. __________________ Member of NAWCC since 1990. INSTAGRAM USER NAME: SPRINGERJFP Visit my Instagram page to view some of the finest vintage GMTs anywhere - as well as other vintage classics.

13 March 2010, 01:27 AM	#12
sakuraba "TRF" Member Join Date: May 2009 Real Name: Jib Location: SJ, California Watch: sun dial Posts: 8,189	That's a brilliant idea! The watch looks awesome! __________________ F 14000 AirKing black F 16710 GMT Pepsi F 16570 Explorer II white T 16600 SD D 16610 LV "fine quality is remembered long after the pain of spending money" -Steve Mulholland

12 March 2010, 04:20 AM	#2
Hawk99 "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: BC Posts: 388	Well done. Looks great!

12 March 2010, 05:42 AM	#4
lek0708 Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Real Name: Lauren Location: NC Watch: 1969 GMT Posts: 174	I love the matte dial myself, but I'm loving your faded bezel even more! I'd swap in a faded black GMT bezel on my 1675 GMT I think because I like the look so much. But come to think of it, I never really see faded black GMT bezels that look gray/silver...

12 March 2010, 08:52 AM	#6
mike "TRF" Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 22,683	Looks nice. That you have the original dial makes putting it back to original easy if you desire. Should a 16800 present itself you can decide which dial (original or the one you have is better). The main difference is the 3035 vs. the 3135 and of course 316 vs. 904. The 168000 introduced 904. Rolex didn't have the 3135 quite ready so the extra 0 indicated the new steel.

12 March 2010, 05:51 PM	#9
jmin "TRF" Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: -- Watch: TOG,2DJ,1680,5513 Posts: 148	What a great idea. It looks great. Well done.

12 March 2010, 07:19 PM	#10
Lowflight Banned Join Date: Jan 2008 Real Name: Harold Location: On The Far Right Posts: 1,106	Change the Datewheel and you will be set

13 March 2010, 12:38 AM	#11
Renoir "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Real Name: Renato Location: New York Posts: 2,396	Looks great! Gotta love the matte.

14 March 2010, 10:35 AM	#13
Beaumont Miller II "TRF" Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 2,615	Thanks everyone for your input. It was a fun little project. Adam, the 16800 should weigh about the same as the 16610. It is the 1680 that feels less heavy than the 16610 and the reason for the project. John, I know you will understand if I keep the watch as I am having way too much fun to return it to you.

14 March 2010, 11:04 AM	#14
carlhaluss "TRF" Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Real Name: Carl Location: Vancouver, Canada Watch: Rolex Explorer 1 Posts: 1,780	Great project! It turned out to look excellent. Love the faded look with the matte dial. Cheers , Carl __________________ Those who possess a sense of entitlement are seldom satisfied.

14 March 2010, 11:08 AM	#15
datejust1 Banned Join Date: Sep 2009 Real Name: G Location: N/A Watch: N/A Posts: 6,042	OMG!!! LOVE IT!!!!! It's amazing!! REALLYYY!!! MY CONGRATS TO YOU! :)

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