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Old 16 September 2016, 11:03 AM   #1
goldfixer21
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Needing info on 1675 root beer nipple dials

I've been looking at a few 1675 root beer nipple dials, and I've seen matte finish ones and gloss ones. What years would each one be correct for?
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Old 17 September 2016, 09:55 AM   #2
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The root beer dial is ref 16753, not 1675. I believe Rolex switched from matt to glossy around 1986.
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Old 17 September 2016, 12:15 PM   #3
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The root beer dial is ref 16753, not 1675. I believe Rolex switched from matt to glossy around 1986.
Brown dials -root beer dials - were made long before the 16753. The 1675 GMT could be purchased with brown nipple dials.
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Old 17 September 2016, 12:42 PM   #4
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Brown dials -root beer dials - were made long before the 16753. The 1675 GMT could be purchased with brown nipple dials.
Would a 1975 model have a gloss or matte dial?
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Old 17 September 2016, 02:14 PM   #5
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The matte nipple dial 1675/3 was until late 70s when it was replaced by the gloss/satin nipple dial. The 16753 then replaced the 1675/3 around 1980 which continued with a similar gloss/satin dial but with a printed crown instead of the applied crown. The root beer dial changed to the non nipple dial version around 1985.


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Old 17 September 2016, 02:47 PM   #6
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Would a 1975 model have a gloss or matte dial?
My dad has a 75 rootbeer gmt master and its matted
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Old 17 September 2016, 08:03 PM   #7
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Needing info on 1675 root beer nipple dials

Here's my 1984, (827XXXX) 16753 'tiger eye' dial with non-nipple markers. The transition from nipple to lager plots must have been pre-'84, but it was certainly about that time. But I'm no expert on dials.

Of note: I have been chastised for calling the early darker brown/purple dials 'root beer' -- I'm told the correct identifier is 'tiger eye' or 'tigerauge'; the term 'root beer', (so I'm told) is better reserved for the bronze dial which showed up around '91 ish.





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Old 17 September 2016, 09:26 PM   #8
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Here's my 1984, (827XXXX) 16753 'tiger eye' dial with non-nipple markers. The transition from nipple to lager plots must have been pre-'84, but it was certainly about that time. But I'm no expert on dials.

Of note: I have been chastised for calling the early darker brown/purple dials 'root beer' -- I'm told the correct identifier is 'tiger eye' or 'tigerauge'; the term 'root beer', (so I'm told) is better reserved for the bronze dial which showed up around '91 ish.





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I haven't heard that before. What's this then?

I'd say this is certainly a root beer.

I'd consider any two tone brown gmt as a root beer personally - matte, satin, gloss whatever.


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Old 17 September 2016, 10:45 PM   #9
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A Cousin say hello !


Cheers!
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Old 17 September 2016, 11:10 PM   #10
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A Cousin say hello !





Cheers!


Nice! I'm assuming the insert is from a sapphire model? Thinking there is a gap between the insert and crystal?


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Old 17 September 2016, 11:14 PM   #11
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I am a big fan of the 16753.... Here is my black nipple dial with an insert from a root beer :)
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Old 17 September 2016, 11:47 PM   #12
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Nice! I'm assuming the insert is from a sapphire model? Thinking there is a gap between the insert and crystal?


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Insert is right for the acrylic model, no gap


Cheers!
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Old 18 September 2016, 12:06 AM   #13
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One of my favorite pics I've ever taken...
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Old 18 September 2016, 12:33 AM   #14
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Insert is right for the acrylic model, no gap





Cheers!


Ah ok, must just be the pic. Nice piece!


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Old 18 September 2016, 05:09 AM   #15
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Needing info on 1675 root beer nipple dials

Quote:
Originally Posted by waspy1 View Post
I haven't heard that before. What's this then?

I'd say this is certainly a root beer.

I'd consider any two tone brown gmt as a root beer personally - matte, satin, gloss whatever.


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Well, I'd say that was a root beer too! Has that had a replacement dial? I've never seen a nipple satin brown dial -- but like I say, I'm no expert on dials! Where's Orchi when you need him :(

To be honest, I've always thought of the 16753 (brown/bronze) as a root beer; but I have been told that the purple-ish dial (not tones of brown/bronze) should be known as the 'tiger eye' because the dial is different from the later dials (even though the reference stays the same). I just understood from this guy that the bronzy/brown dials tended to come later -- near '91. But I know that matt and satin browns were also the very earliest 16753 brown/bronze dials; then, I think, the purpley 'tiger eye' cropped up around the late '70s and into the '80s when it was again replaced by the brown dials in and around '87/'88. Again, I'm no dial or history expert -- I'm just going off what I've seen.


So, if I get this guy right, this is a matt brown nipple dial -- not a root beer and not a tiger eye:


This is a root beer:
and so is this:
and so is yours.

But these are 'tiger eye' dials:




I think, though, that this specific nomenclature is a bit redundant in that it's only a term used by us to really differentiate the brown and bronze 16753 from the black and gold 16753. So, in some respects, you could claim any brown/bronze 16753 to be a root beer. I think the chap just wanted a further taxonomy to distinguish dial colours: matt brown; matt purple; satin/gloss purple (tiger eye); satin/gloss brown (root beer). His argument was that the post '91 dials will never sun fade to the purpley/red colour of the 'tiger eye', but he admitted that the reddish/brown seen in the earlier tiger eye dials was, to some degree, a function of the sun. He also said that it was an early Rolex marketing phrase -- something that came out when they gave one to Eastwood; I don't know anything about that either, but I have heard and seen the phrase 'tiger eye' or 'tigerauge' on forums and at dealers a lot.


Curiously, when I spoke to my AD about a new dial (to have lume work again), he said that only the browny bronze dial is available -- he wasn't able to source a purpley/red (matt or glossy) from RSC.


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Old 18 September 2016, 10:21 AM   #16
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Well, I'd say that was a root beer too! Has that had a replacement dial? I've never seen a nipple satin brown dial -- but like I say, I'm no expert on dials! Where's Orchi when you need him :(

To be honest, I've always thought of the 16753 (brown/bronze) as a root beer; but I have been told that the purple-ish dial (not tones of brown/bronze) should be known as the 'tiger eye' because the dial is different from the later dials (even though the reference stays the same). I just understood from this guy that the bronzy/brown dials tended to come later -- near '91. But I know that matt and satin browns were also the very earliest 16753 brown/bronze dials; then, I think, the purpley 'tiger eye' cropped up around the late '70s and into the '80s when it was again replaced by the brown dials in and around '87/'88. Again, I'm no dial or history expert -- I'm just going off what I've seen.


So, if I get this guy right, this is a matt brown nipple dial -- not a root beer and not a tiger eye:


This is a root beer:
and so is this:
and so is yours.

But these are 'tiger eye' dials:




I think, though, that this specific nomenclature is a bit redundant in that it's only a term used by us to really differentiate the brown and bronze 16753 from the black and gold 16753. So, in some respects, you could claim any brown/bronze 16753 to be a root beer. I think the chap just wanted a further taxonomy to distinguish dial colours: matt brown; matt purple; satin/gloss purple (tiger eye); satin/gloss brown (root beer). His argument was that the post '91 dials will never sun fade to the purpley/red colour of the 'tiger eye', but he admitted that the reddish/brown seen in the earlier tiger eye dials was, to some degree, a function of the sun. He also said that it was an early Rolex marketing phrase -- something that came out when they gave one to Eastwood; I don't know anything about that either, but I have heard and seen the phrase 'tiger eye' or 'tigerauge' on forums and at dealers a lot.


Curiously, when I spoke to my AD about a new dial (to have lume work again), he said that only the browny bronze dial is available -- he wasn't able to source a purpley/red (matt or glossy) from RSC.


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The dial I posted is the current bronze luminous replacement dial for the 1675/3. The purple / red dial often (always?)?degrades with the top lacquer coming off which results in the red base coat coming through so I can understand why they stopped making it.

I've always considered that the root beer naming stems from the bezel colours similar to the coke and pepsi and continues the soft drink theme. Any dial which came with the two tone bezel I'd consider a root beer. But since none of this is official Rolex terminology i don't suppose it matters.


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Old 18 September 2016, 10:54 AM   #17
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The dial I posted is the current bronze luminous replacement dial for the 1675/3. The purple / red dial often (always?)?degrades with the top lacquer coming off which results in the red base coat coming through so I can understand why they stopped making it.

I've always considered that the root beer naming stems from the bezel colours similar to the coke and pepsi and continues the soft drink theme. Any dial which came with the two tone bezel I'd consider a root beer. But since none of this is official Rolex terminology i don't suppose it matters.


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Yeah, I think you might be right! Perhaps we are talking about the name inspired by the bezels. In which case, root beer works for all these brown/bronze bezels.

Yours is a lovely watch -- what's the story on the solid brown bezel? I think your dial is what I have been told is available for mine if I wanted a new one -- but I think mine must have been re-lumed at some point with Superluminova, as the lume is mint and it is still working. Must have been a factory job though, as the pots are very tidily done; no marking on the back of the dial, though! Either way, my lume works -- so it's either the last of the replacement tritium dials in that colour, or a re-lume.


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Old 18 September 2016, 12:48 PM   #18
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Yeah, I think you might be right! Perhaps we are talking about the name inspired by the bezels. In which case, root beer works for all these brown/bronze bezels.

Yours is a lovely watch -- what's the story on the solid brown bezel? I think your dial is what I have been told is available for mine if I wanted a new one -- but I think mine must have been re-lumed at some point with Superluminova, as the lume is mint and it is still working. Must have been a factory job though, as the pots are very tidily done; no marking on the back of the dial, though! Either way, my lume works -- so it's either the last of the replacement tritium dials in that colour, or a re-lume.


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I bought my watch a few years ago and it came with this bezel which matches the dial perfectly. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have been original - probably a pretty recent service part but I've rarely seen this colour of bezel which a much more copper colour than the typical brown one. I've heard people say that the all brown bezel could have been an option on the two tone gmt but officially it's for the all gold 1675/8.


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Old 18 September 2016, 12:59 PM   #19
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To my knowledge there are roughly four variations of 1675 Brown/'Root Beer' dials.

A) The earliest variant of brown 1675 dial was made specifically for the earliest YG 1675's: no crown guard and 'Concorde' models. The dial is distinctive from other variants as there is a hyphen between GMT-Master and the surface has a gloss hue as it is enamel. Specific to YG 1675's with serial numbers under 2 million.

B) The second variant is the most commonly seen brown dial on TT and YG 1675's. It is simply matte brown in color.

C) Third the iridescent 1675 brown dial. I have only seen this dial on YG 1675's. The dial has an iridescence to the paint and a sunburst type of texture.

D) Lastly is the "T SWISS T' service dials. These dials are easily spotted due to their copper color, rather than brown.

There may be a more recent luminova service dial variant, and if so it would be marked 'SWISS'.

Hope this helps.

Michael
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Old 18 September 2016, 01:09 PM   #20
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Needing info on 1675 root beer nipple dials

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Originally Posted by waspy1 View Post
I bought my watch a few years ago and it came with this bezel which matches the dial perfectly. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have been original - probably a pretty recent service part but I've rarely seen this colour of bezel which a much more copper colour than the typical brown one. I've heard people say that the all brown bezel could have been an option on the two tone gmt but officially it's for the all gold 1675/8.


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Yeah! I've never seen this colour bezel either! It's lovely and it really does pick up the dial. So you didn't have the bezel fitted, then?

I really want this bezel:

See how the darker brown is almost the same colour as the dial?

I've tried contacting the guy who owns the watch photographed above (he goes by the name of Hypophyse on some photo sharing site), but I have never heard back from him. I've also looked everywhere for such a bezel and can't find one -- I'm told that there's just the all brown or brown and bronze.


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Old 18 September 2016, 01:44 PM   #21
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Needing info on 1675 root beer nipple dials

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael M. View Post
To my knowledge there are roughly four variations of 1675 Brown/'Root Beer' dials.

A) The earliest variant of brown 1675 dial was made specifically for the earliest YG 1675's: no crown guard and 'Concorde' models. The dial is distinctive from other variants as there is a hyphen between GMT-Master and the surface has a gloss hue as it is enamel. Specific to YG 1675's with serial numbers under 2 million.

B) The second variant is the most commonly seen brown dial on TT and YG 1675's. It is simply matte brown in color.

C) Third the iridescent 1675 brown dial. I have only seen this dial on YG 1675's. The dial has an iridescence to the paint and a sunburst type of texture.

D) Lastly is the "T SWISS T' service dials. These dials are easily spotted due to their copper color, rather than brown.

There may be a more recent luminova service dial variant, and if so it would be marked 'SWISS'.

Hope this helps.

Michael


So the burgundy purple wasn't available or fitted to the 1675/3, Michael? What do you know about the dial options for the 16753?


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Old 18 September 2016, 03:34 PM   #22
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Old 19 September 2016, 01:05 AM   #23
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So the burgundy purple wasn't available or fitted to the 1675/3, Michael? What do you know about the dial options for the 16753?


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Correct. To my knowledge the burgundy purple dial seen on 16753's was never fitted to a 1675/8 or 1675/3.

Off the top of my head, the dial options were black and brown/burgundy (with a sunburst finish). However, I've observed throughout the years that the brown dials are susceptible to color change, so you may see several variants in color.
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Old 19 September 2016, 08:03 AM   #24
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Off the top of my head, the dial options were black and brown/burgundy (with a sunburst finish). However, I've observed throughout the years that the brown dials are susceptible to color change, so you may see several variants in color.
Ahhh, I see. Is it the case that the top coat always degrades? Mine does not appear to have yet -- and it is fairly old. Also, when (roughly) did Rolex run out of the red/burgundy service dials? Mine has an excellent quality superluminova re-lume (I am guessing), but there are no service marks on the back of the dial.
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