Local 16660: good deal or stay away?

[rmassony]

Hi folks,

I found this 16660 locally, and I'm not that familiar with this reference so I'd appreciate your thoughts and collective wisdom.

It's a 841xxxx serial. No box or papers. Seller claims that it's 100% original. Apparently serviced by a "Rolex-trained technician" two years ago. Asking $5.25k.

A few questions:

• Is this serial too early for a glossy dial?
• What do you think of the case? Looks pretty fat around the crown guards, but not sure about the other surfaces. The lug holes look big to me.
• Do the hands look like they're tritium? Seems like they have a somewhat different look from the hour markers.
• And of course, what do you think of the price? Seems on the high end based on condition, no B&P, etc.

Thanks so much!
Richard

[landroverking]

If your looking for vintage, look elsewhere.

[swish77]

Good-looking SD, but confirm that the dial, hands and bezel pearl are the original and matching tritium parts. They look super white in the photos. That might be OK, but worth confirming. Shining a flashlight on it and taking it into a dark room would help tell the story. No glow or a brief dull glow of the same intensity is a good sign.

Looks like the original date wheel. Case looks polished but decent, except for that ding on the 1 o'clock lug. Any service history? This serial number would be around the transition time for the matte dial to glossy dials on the 16660s, from what I've read, so I think this is accepted as OK as a glossy dial. OK price if all authentic and in good shape, although you could always try to bargain down. Good luck.

[jdmi32]

Hard to tell what kind of patina the dial and hands have based on those pics. A glossy dial in that serial number range would be ok for me.

[rmassony]

Originally Posted by swish77

Good-looking SD, but confirm that the dial, hands and bezel pearl are the original and matching tritium parts. They look super white in the photos. That might be OK, but worth confirming. Shining a flashlight on it and taking it into a dark room would help tell the story. No glow or a brief dull glow of the same intensity is a good sign.

Looks like the original date wheel. Case looks polished but decent, except for that ding on the 1 o'clock lug. Any service history? This serial number would be around the transition time for the matte dial to glossy dials on the 16660s, from what I've read, so I think this is accepted as OK as a glossy dial. OK price if all authentic and in good shape, although you could always try to bargain down. Good luck.

Thanks for your thoughts, very helpful. Still not sure that I want to follow up on this because I'm worried it'll be too big of a hunk of steel on my wrist.


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[Guitarfan]

Looks like a late eighties/nineties dial to me and the hands are probably the same age. The insert is likely a replacement too as the early tritium pearls tend to go a very deep yellow/amber.

My guess? It started as a gloss dial but the dial spidered and it was replaced by RSC around 25 years ago. Happened to a lot of them I believe.

[rmassony]

Originally Posted by Guitarfan

Looks like a late eighties/nineties dial to me and the hands are probably the same age. The insert is likely a replacement too as the early tritium pearls tend to go a very deep yellow/amber.

My guess? It started as a gloss dial but the dial spidered and it was replaced by RSC around 25 years ago. Happened to a lot of them I believe.

Interesting, thanks. I agree that the dial and hands look really "fresh" and bright. I would have been much more interested if the lume showed some aging.

[swish77]

Originally Posted by rmassony

Interesting, thanks. I agree that the dial and hands look really "fresh" and bright. I would have been much more interested if the lume showed some aging.

Not all tritium ages the same, especially if worn consistently and exposed to the sun. I've seen Subs and GMTs from the '70s with white tritium. That SD 16660 could very well be all original. I'm not saying it is for sure, but I wouldn't use the lack of patina as the main criterion in judging it.

[Dr DRW]

8 mil was the transition period matte to glossy with WG surrounds , they had some 1665s matte , 16660 matte , and next 16660 glossy in 8 mil serial.. I actually own a matte 1665 with 8 mil serial. This watch could have come with a matte dial and been replaced or come with the glossy with marker surrounds originally, with this dial this 16660 is really no different from a 16600 except model number so should not be worth more than a 16600
that said 5K not bad for a tritium 16660 or 16600 in good shape. if it was a 16660 with matte dial it would go for twice that.