Hand engravings on interior of case back of 6239 Daytona ??

[Manifestoonline]

Hi all,

On the interior of a 6239 Daytona case back, aside from the punched serial number and "Montres Rolex" etc there are some additional hand engravings.


What i want to know is, are they engraved like that when they leave the factory or when they return for a service by the watch maker?

And, is the presence of these evident of a previous service?

[Mbalce]

Originally Posted by Manifestoonline

Hi all,

On the interior of a 6239 Daytona case back, aside from the punched serial number and "Montres Rolex" etc there are some additional hand engravings.


What i want to know is, are they engraved like that when they leave the factory or when they return for a service by the watch maker?

And, is the presence of these evident of a previous service?

Be easier with a pic but normally those would indicate a service after the watch left the factory. To be honest I don’t know if the RSC does it or if only independents do. Can you make out a date? If so you at least have a clue as to it’s history. Most (not all) of my vintage watches have service marks. Some Rolex, some not - but we won’t talk about those here.

Can you post a pic of them?


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[swish77]

Originally Posted by Manifestoonline

Hi all,

On the interior of a 6239 Daytona case back, aside from the punched serial number and "Montres Rolex" etc there are some additional hand engravings.


What i want to know is, are they engraved like that when they leave the factory or when they return for a service by the watch maker?

And, is the presence of these evident of a previous service?

The case back should not have a punched serial number on its interior. There's a model reference number and Rolex markings, but serial numbers on the inside of case backs were only on some 1665s. Yes, watchmakers often make marks on the inside as a record of service, but it's usually just a date or other notation, either scratched or with a marker. Here's a photo of the inside of the case back from my 6263 Daytona. (The name scratched in there is of the watch's original owner.)

[Fredrik]

Some special order watches also got the serial number punched in the case back. I had a 1625 with it from approximately 1973.

[vintagewatch]

Originally Posted by Manifestoonline

Hi all,

On the interior of a 6239 Daytona case back, aside from the punched serial number and "Montres Rolex" etc there are some additional hand engravings.


What i want to know is, are they engraved like that when they leave the factory or when they return for a service by the watch maker?

And, is the presence of these evident of a previous service?

This 6239 below has hand engravings I would think are from a watchmakers service. The exterior case back of this particular 6239 is inscribed "Drive Carefully Me"

[77T]

Watchmakers used to make awl scratchings for their own reasons. With time an inner caseback would later have no room for new scratchings.

That practice was superseded by the sharpie pen markings that could be removed with acetone.

AFAIK, Rolex didn’t engrave anything on inner casebacks - a jeweler (non-AD) could do so upon request methinks.


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[Mark020]

I had a Dutch delivered 1680 which had Dutch service marks scratched. My watchmaker could even tell which employee did it ;-)

[roh123]

Without seeing pics it is hard to say but as Fredrik already said special orders sometimes did have the whole serial stamped in the caseback.

Here’s an Asprey example from Pucci Papaleos Ultimate Daytona book.



Here’s an example of the inner caseback courtesy of Rolex Passion Report.



When just hand engraved which I think this case could be I would just believe it to be the service center marking it to know which watch the caseback is for.

[Manifestoonline]

Thanks all,

Very helpful indeed!

Keep safe