Drsd 1665 1972 mk?

[Perku-t]

My New watch full set original certificat and paperworks and bills from services in 1989 and 2004 at Rolex Geneva. It is in the familly since its purchase in 1975 in Paris.



serial #352XXXX





with old serviced parts, I may put back the ghosted ring and take care of the folded link bracelet

[southtexas]

Wow very cool, what a nice family heirloom. You can swap the bezel with insert yourself with just a credit card, or you can pop out the inserts and insert it into whichever bezel you want (that requires a new pencil with full eraser and a credit card).


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[dbfagan]

Congratulations, very cool

[KY..]

Not much is better than family owned and operated since 1972…

[Styles Bitchley]

Magnifique !

[Dan S]

Looks great.

[pereztroika]

Those engravings between the lugs are fake. "Orig Rolex Design" in the 3.2 million range? No way, Jose!

Cheers
Jose

[Kingface66]

Originally Posted by pereztroika

Those engravings between the lugs are fake. "Orig Rolex Design" in the 3.2 million range? No way, Jose!

Cheers
Jose

Oh, dear.

[TuRo]

Sorry to agree - should be REGISTERED DESIGN as Jose says. Bit odd Rolex not picked it up at service.
http://www.drsd.com/more-info/regist...n-vs-orig.html

[jedly1]

Prior to the introduction of 4.4 as the serial of replacement cases , it was quite common for Rolex to re engrave the serial of an original case back on to a replacement case , so from time to time you see things like that , an orig rolex design case ( post about 1981/2 ) when the registered design fell off … with an earlier serial number on .

It’d be interesting to see the bill from the 1989 service

[Styles Bitchley]

Suddenly a much more interesting post than it appeared at first glance!

[Modiferous]

Originally Posted by jedly1

Prior to the introduction of 4.4 as the serial of replacement cases , it was quite common for Rolex to re engrave the serial of an original case back on to a replacement case , so from time to time you see things like that , an orig rolex design case ( post about 1981/2 ) when the registered design fell off … with an earlier serial number on .

It’d be interesting to see the bill from the 1989 service

Why does the ORIG ROLEX DESIGN engraving look newer or different from the 1665 just below it? If the whole case were factory reissue wouldn't all of the engraving look the same?

I like your explanation though, just trying to make over all sense of what I see.

Or, did Rolex keep some of these new cases with the ORIG ROLEX DESIGN already engraved on them, and then the new engraving at a different time was the model and serial, both, which would explain the mismatched look?

[pereztroika]

Originally Posted by jedly1

Prior to the introduction of 4.4 as the serial of replacement cases , it was quite common for Rolex to re engrave the serial of an original case back on to a replacement case , so from time to time you see things like that , an orig rolex design case ( post about 1981/2 ) when the registered design fell off … with an earlier serial number on .

It’d be interesting to see the bill from the 1989 service

I know which type of engravings you're referring to but I've never seen them in combination with Orig Rolex Design. This is an interesting case since the mk3 dial seems to be alright. Let's see if op can provide more info to shine light on this mystery.

Cheers
Jose

[Filipão]

3,5 million is 1974 production.

And, yes, "REGISTERED DESIGN" would be the correct.

[baumare]

MY 3.56xxxx with REGISTERED DESIGN

Also I thought that 3.5 millions mean 1972...

IMG_3955.jpg

IMG_3954.JPG

[Kingface66]

Originally Posted by Filipão

3,5 million is 1974 production.

And, yes, "REGISTERED DESIGN" would be the correct.

1974 is surely way too late for 3,5m. I’d think 4,0m is about right.

[jedly1]

Originally Posted by pereztroika

I know which type of engravings you're referring to but I've never seen them in combination with Orig Rolex Design. This is an interesting case since the mk3 dial seems to be alright. Let's see if op can provide more info to shine light on this mystery.

Cheers
Jose

Dials fine , hands , insert , date disc are all fine but service parts …. So some work at service has certainly been done .

The case itself looks ok on its own , the fonts of the serial and ref number look ok on their own , the original rolex design looks ok on its own ….. it’s just the combination that’s off …. But a rsc geneva service with replacement case at the 1989 service would explain that ….. as the bills are stated to be present by OP , should be an easy one to resolve . …… Original poster … back to you ?

[jedly1]

Or, did Rolex keep some of these new cases with the ORIG ROLEX DESIGN already engraved on them, and then the new engraving at a different time was the model and serial, both, which would explain the mismatched look?[/QUOTE]

Exactly

And it can be a lot worse than this example , places like the Phillipines RSC were still doing this well into the 2000’s instead of using 4.4 cases , and using awful fonts for the serials they were putting on … they used to cause an awful lot of debate

[Filipão]

Originally Posted by Kingface66

1974 is surely way too late for 3,5m. I’d think 4,0m is about right.

From the letters I've received in the early 90's from Rolex, 3.259 is Spring 1973 and 3.566 is Autumn 1974's production.

[Styles Bitchley]

Why would the OP ghost? Really interested in more details.

[baumare]

Originally Posted by Filipão

From the letters I've received in the early 90's from Rolex, 3.259 is Spring 1973 and 3.566 is Autumn 1974's production.

Oh yes, I remember you posted some letter you received from Rolex answering questions about your watches…

[Perku-t]

Thanks all for your expertises
I will scan the documents I got from the 2 services in 1989 and 2004 put none of them deals with case replacement as both state case polishing and I don’t remember atm witch one is mentioning complete movement replacement.
What I can say is that this watch standed on my father’s wrist for 30
years non stop and as he was not a desk worker but an unstoppable artisan this seadweller took a lot of abuse. The bracelet was replaced twice this bracelet is the third one.

The services does not mention the plexi acrylic replacement neither but I am certain it must have been done.

[Arnozerosix]

Originally Posted by Perku-t

Thanks all for your expertises
I will scan the documents I got from the 2 services in 1989 and 2004 put none of them deals with case replacement as both state case polishing and I don’t remember atm witch one is mentioning complete movement replacement.
What I can say is that this watch standed on my father’s wrist for 30
years non stop and as he was not a desk worker but an unstoppable artisan this seadweller took a lot of abuse. The bracelet was replaced twice this bracelet is the third one.

The services does not mention the plexi acrylic replacement neither but I am certain it must have been done.

your case 's serial is not original rolex.
It should be engraved with font Type A. this case is either fake or re engraved with wrong font...

[Arnozerosix]

Originally Posted by pereztroika

Those engravings between the lugs are fake. "Orig Rolex Design" in the 3.2 million range? No way, Jose!

Cheers
Jose

I am more concerned about his watch having wrong type font.....different type font serial, and model number (6 VS 12 o'clock) ....

[swaini3]

Originally Posted by Arnozerosix

your case 's serial is not original rolex.
It should be engraved with font Type A. this case is either fake or re engraved with wrong font...

Serial looks like a Typeface B, which is acceptable period wise... Typeface C is also possible.

[Arnozerosix]

Originally Posted by swaini3

Serial looks like a Typeface B, which is acceptable period wise... Typeface C is also possible.

you're right, i misexplained myself certainly...
I meant, i never saw a vintage watch with type A/B at 6 o'clock and type C at 12 ....

Have a look between the lugs on the photos OP posted...

[swaini3]

Originally Posted by Arnozerosix

you're right, i misexplained myself certainly...
I meant, i never saw a vintage watch with type A/B at 6 o'clock and type C at 12 ....

Have a look between the lugs on the photos OP posted...

Usually yes, i agree. But there has been some cases of Rolex re-engraving serials. One is mentioned by jedly at Philippines RSC and a known font is used.
Older/ newer service cases have also been discussed showing different font types.

This one is an odd one though with the missing STAINLESS STEEL and the later ORIG ROLEX DESIGN.

[Arnozerosix]

Originally Posted by swaini3

Usually yes, i agree. But there has been some cases of Rolex re-engraving serials. One is mentioned by jedly at Philippines RSC and a known font is used.
Older/ newer service cases have also been discussed showing different font types.

This one is an odd one though with the missing STAINLESS STEEL and the later ORIG ROLEX DESIGN.

good to know, i thought the font difference on the same case was not possible...

[Perku-t]

UpDates / only polishing are mentioned an complete service of the movement.
regards

[jedly1]

So that leaves the possibilities that ,:

1. There’s another service you don’t have the paperwork for . If the back is opened there will be RSC service marks that should marry up with the two you know about , and possibly more …

2. They may have even changed the case without the owner even knowing , maybe they screwed up threads or polishing , or over the years I’ve come across several 3.5 area drsd cases that are like Swiss cheese and porous and won’t come close to passing pressure test , bad batch of metal or problem in the manufacturing process I don’t know , but I do pay attention around there ….