GMT 16760 Fat Lady--what's the deal with dial?

[southtexas]

Hello all, I'm interested in this 9.6 serial, on a 93150 band with 501 elinks. The case and band appear in great shape, the "GMT hand" is void of tritium, but other hands look good to me. It's a partial set (oyster book, red hang tag, box, Hamilton Jewelers warranty card from a long-ago service).

A few questions: The dial is cracked ("spider"?). I did some research and only found a few mentions of this occurring in this model/serial range. Is this "normal"?

Is the bezel original and/or period-correct? The ones I found online had pointed tips on the 2's.

Got these pics with my iPhone and ollo-clip. Thanks all!









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[southtexas]

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[springer]

The bezel insert has been replaced with a newer Rolex insert, the dial is in very poor condition and the end links are incorrect for the 93150 that came on the watch originally. (The 93150 when fitted to the 16760 GMT II used 593 end links.) If the price is right, the dial, end links and insert are all readily available either new or on the secondary market if you are intent on getting it back to "original." Personally, I wouldn't worry about the insert and end links if it was something I was looking at buying since many Rolexes have replaced inserts and end links that do not match the "Rolex charts."

Here is the original insert.

[CrownMe]

personally id pass....for the reasons John listed. Unless the price is very good.

[drainaps]

I'd pass as well. It's not such an old model and much better examples with a nice dial patina can be found with some patience for a reasonable price. Dial is indeed a spider in the making. Unmatched end links and insert are not deal breakers but why take the hassle of finding period-correct ones separately when chances are you can find a much better complete watch out there?

[nicispapa]

I would also pass.

wrong bracelet, wrong bezel, dial has too much patina...
Go on searching

[Vincent65]

The case looks good, and patina on dial is quite nice, despite the deterioration in the lacquer. A problem for me would be the loss of lume in the 24-hr pointer, but you could get another hand. I'd look for another, but if the price is good, it may be worth considering, then also source a good fat-font insert with serif, as shown above. Bit of a 'project,' though...

[Cc1966]

That "spider dial" in the making may cause you headaches in the future mate. I'd pass also, UNLESS the price is great.

[springer]

Originally Posted by nicispapa

I would also pass.

wrong bracelet, wrong bezel, dial has too much patina...
Go on searching

Sorry, but the 16760 did come on the 16760 GMT II. Also, the 78360 bracelet was another option.

On the warranty paper, if the style number ends in 9315, the watch came with the 93150 bracelet.

Below is a pic of the warranty paper inside the cardboard sleeve depicting the "9315" bracelet code for a 16760.

[southtexas]

Thanks all for your input and picture examples.

As to the bracelet, my research showed what Springer is saying--some 16760's came with the 93150 from the factory. However, I did not know that the correct end links should be 593--good to know!

For the record, the warranty card pictured by me was dated '88 and from a jeweler listing the watch as pre-owned and a "16760A". Don't know if that gives any clue as to the original band?

As you all saw, this one has 501 elinks. What models were those typically used on?


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[southtexas]

Answered my own endlink question--sort of. Found this chart in an old TRF thread:




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[springer]

Originally Posted by springer

Sorry, but the 16760 did come on the 16760 GMT II. Also, the 78360 bracelet was another option.

On the warranty paper, if the style number ends in 9315, the watch came with the 93150 bracelet.

Below is a pic of the warranty paper inside the cardboard sleeve depicting the "9315" bracelet code for a 16760.

This is a little confusing, so let me correct my mistake in the first sentence which should read:

Sorry, but the 93150 did come on the 16760 GMT II. Also, the 78360 bracelet was another option.

[springer]

Originally Posted by southtexas

Thanks all for your input and picture examples.

As to the bracelet, my research showed what Springer is saying--some 16760's came with the 93150 from the factory. However, I did not know that the correct end links should be 593--good to know!

For the record, the warranty card pictured by me was dated '88 and from a jeweler listing the watch as pre-owned and a "16760A". Don't know if that gives any clue as to the original band?

As you all saw, this one has 501 elinks. What models were those typically used on?


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You need the complete style number to determine bracelet. 16760A indicates the model with the bezel color.

[Tony G]

501 end piece

[shane0mack]

Originally Posted by southtexas

A few questions: The dial is cracked ("spider"?). I did some research and only found a few mentions of this occurring in this model/serial range. Is this "normal"?

Spidering on gloss dials from the mid to late 80s is...maybe not normal...but it happens. I definitely wouldn't say they're desirable though. It seemed like for a while, sellers were trying to pass them off as something special, but the truth has come around. There's a potential that they'll crack so much that small pieces can break off and get into the movement and such.

[Old Expat Beast]

Even the booklet is wrong...too new by many years.

[soundserious]

Dissenting opinion here: I think the patina is great and you ain't gonna find a much nicer case, major issue for me is the 24hr hand and finding a suitable match, bezel and endlinks are minor issues; at the end of the day it's not like there are a whole bunch of these out there ready to be bought up at a great price

[CrownMe]

this thread is old. but id still pass. ANd this was not a "Partial" set it was a "Cobbled Together" set.

[southtexas]

Oddly enough, this watch found its way to my local jeweler (where I scored the 1680). The box and other accessories got lost along the way.

He'll let me have this for $3,500. But I'm still concerned mostly about the 'sellability' of the spider dial (and the GMT hand missing tritium).


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[Old Expat Beast]

Yeah, I'd still skip it even at that price. Unless you want a project watch/fixer-upper. Too much needs replacing.

[Jason71]

For $3,500 I would buy it and sell the bracelet. Relume the hands to match the dial and you should have a really decent "daily watch" for around $3,000.