Sub Question

[mgm]

Greetings, all. First time poster. I've about worn myself out searching through the forum, catching interest here and there until I realized how much time is disappearing; I think I'd better ask my questions directly.

I have a 1984 Rolex 5513, given as part of the Rolex sponsorship of the '84 US Olympic Sailing Team. It went to an RSC around 2000, and now requires maintenance again... thus I found this forum as I am searching for a recommended service person.

After searching through many files, I now have a couple of questions I didn't know I had: The dial on my watch is glossy, not matte, with hour markers outlined. Is this the original dial on my watch, or did the RSC trade it out?

You can tell I've paid a lot of attention to the watch. No, really, I love it, but I had no idea how much there is to know about these things...!

[WatchTimes]

You should have gotten a work order which would have told you exactly what they did when it was serviced???

[mgm]

Originally Posted by JYogi

You should have gotten a work order which would have told you exactly what they did when it was serviced???

Thanks for the reply, JYogi; I'm sure you're right... but after several transitions, that paperwork no longer exists. I have the RSC box it came back in, but no paperwork attached. I've striven to keep my obsessions (and the attending issues) to as narrow a bandwidth as possible. I love good machinery, and could get involved in any or all of it. Current favorite is below.

After reading as much as possible on this site about Subs, I'm left with the impression that the 5513 was not manufactured with the gloss dial. I'm trying to establish whether or not that's true. Thanks!

[Tools]

In the early 80's the 5513 went to WG surrounds on the matte dials, but then changed to gloss about the year you say yours is..

So, it might be impossible to tell, except, in 2000 Rolex had gone to the Luminova dials... If they changed it at service at that time, it would be Luminova.

My guess, If yours has a gloss trit dial, it is likely the original..

[mgm]

Thank you for that, Tools. I was wondering if I had not noticed the change; seems sort of unlikely as I'm visually oriented, but you never know. What a lot of subtle shifting!

Thanks so much!

[stevemulholland3]

Originally Posted by Tools

In the early 80's the 5513 went to WG surrounds on the matte dials, but then changed to gloss about the year you say yours is..

So, it might be impossible to tell, except, in 2000 Rolex had gone to the Luminova dials... If they changed it at service at that time, it would be Luminova.

My guess, If yours has a gloss trit dial, it is likely the original..

spot on

[SLS]

If you are sending watch into the same RSC, they will know the service history and if you get a nice tech, they will tell you what was done in 2000.
~Scott

[mike]

The transition period from matt to gloss/WGs is felt to be the 1984-85 timeframe by most collectors. Your dial should say "SWISS T<25" at the bottom indicating tritium.

If your asking if the dial is original it might be hard to say. If changed it would be period correct with no impact on value. If changed now it would be luminova--that would have some effect on value.

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by mgm

Thanks for the reply, JYogi; I'm sure you're right... but after several transitions, that paperwork no longer exists. I have the RSC box it came back in, but no paperwork attached. I've striven to keep my obsessions (and the attending issues) to as narrow a bandwidth as possible. I love good machinery, and could get involved in any or all of it. Current favorite is below.

After reading as much as possible on this site about Subs, I'm left with the impression that the 5513 was not manufactured with the gloss dial. I'm trying to establish whether or not that's true. Thanks!

WOW!! DOUBLE WOW!! TRIPLE WOW!!! What an absolute knockout!!

[mgm]

I'm inordinately fond of that car, JJ Irani; thanks for liking it. Kind of looks like a good Rolex! And thanks for all the helpful answers, guys. Is there a balance of sentiment preferring service at the RSC, or are are the independents preferred for maintenance?

I guess the follow up question is: Will the RSC change things out without asking, or do they notify us about the scope of the work they plan to do?

[mike]

Originally Posted by mgm

I'm inordinately fond of that car, JJ Irani; thanks for liking it. Kind of looks like a good Rolex! And thanks for all the helpful answers, guys. Is there a balance of sentiment preferring service at the RSC, or are are the independents preferred for maintenance?

I guess the follow up question is: Will the RSC change things out without asking, or do they notify us about the scope of the work they plan to do?

Most might favor an RSC, but either will do wonderful service. RSC will notify prior to any work being done.

[mgm]

Thank you, Mike. That's very helpful. I've read criticism of the RSCs, but it does not seem to be criticism based upon any actual problem but a perceived "too many watches to do a good job on yours" theory. I presume any good watch repair station is also a busy watch repair station.

[mgm]

Hey, all. I've spent some time percolating what you've told me and what I've learned from rummaging about the site. The dial of my Sub says SWISS T>25, so it's a tritium dial. The watch is from '84, the dial glows but the hands are dead, so the dial was most likely replaced but not the hands... an interesting choice but at least it makes more sense than that the hands were never illuminated! Someone here mentioned intereste in seeing old workhorses, and here is one that has been in constant service for twenty-four years. The crystal is needing replacement, but other than that things aren't too bad. I have put it through hell, believe me. Good ol' Sub.

[Mike B]

That's a nice looking watch ! The Luminescence in your watches hands are likely faded out. Just replace the hands, and she'll shine like new :)