New watch, Amazing Dial... Thoughts? (Pics)

[Shark1207]

Hi everyone. New to the forum (hope I’m in line!).

I acquired a 16030 Datejust from 1984. The watch is a nice blue dial, but I’m afraid there is some moisture damage on the hands and dial edges.

Any tips what to do with the watch? It was serviced in 2017 and runs phenomenally. Just cosmetically not in the best shape.

Any thoughts or input would be highly appreciated!!

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[Dan S]

Welcome. The most obvious and conservative thing to do would be to have the lume in the hands stabilized from behind so that it doesn't deteriorate further. You could of course have the hands relumed entirely, with a compound that matches the lume on the dial. Your choice.

Really nothing to be done with the dial except live with it and enjoy it as is. Keep it dry, obviously.

[Shark1207]

Originally Posted by Dan S

Welcome. The most obvious and conservative thing to do would be to have the lume in the hands stabilized from behind so that it doesn't deteriorate further. You could of course have the hands relumed entirely, with a compound that matches the lume on the dial. Your choice.

Really nothing to be done with the dial except live with it and enjoy it as is. Keep it dry, obviously.

Thanks! Is polishing the hands and indices a possibility? They’re pretty tarnished and partly blackened from moisture. Anything that can be done about that?

And would you recommend a total dial and hand replacement, if all fails? Thanks.

[GTS Dean]

I had Rolex put a new blue dial and hand set on my 25 year old OQ years ago. The champagne dial and hands were better than yours, but the factory-new parts still look fabulous 12 years later!

[Dan S]

Originally Posted by Shark1207

Thanks! Is polishing the hands and indices a possibility? They’re pretty tarnished and partly blackened from moisture. Anything that can be done about that?

And would you recommend a total dial and hand replacement, if all fails? Thanks.

I am getting the sense that you would prefer a watch in pristine condition. Your best option may be to sell the 16030 to someone who enjoys the aged look of a vintage watch, and put the funds towards a newer watch, which is more likely to be pristine.

[southtexas]

OP- I like the look of your blue dial. The damage is evenly spread over the dial. If you can come up with a fun name for it in lieu of “damaged” or “ruined”, you can market it for thousands more than its non-degraded counterparts.

“Smurf sneeze”
“Blue nights”
“Oceans16030”
“Blue sands”


The hands are easily replaceable. They’re too delicate to attempt a meaningful refurb to the metal. The dial indices can be carefully cleaned, the dial surface “is what it is”. And my kidding above aside- that dial will be attractive/desirable to a segment of the market. Personally I like it.


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[GTS Dean]

I would agree about the uniqueness of that dial. The even dispersion of whatever is on it make it look a little like a Speedmaster Moonphase with the 'starfield' dial. I can't recall exactly what the proper name for it is, but really interesting.

[zapokee]

Originally Posted by GTS Dean

I would agree about the uniqueness of that dial. The even dispersion of whatever is on it make it look a little like a Speedmaster Moonphase with the 'starfield' dial. I can't recall exactly what the proper name for it is, but really interesting.

Agree. Some deteriorating dials are just trashed, but the even speckling on this one makes it awesome. I'd leave it exactly as it is.

[GTS Dean]

I remembered a couple hours later - it's aventurine quartz I'm thinking of. I've never heard of Rolex using this stone for a dial, but perhaps you have a very rare, unpolished one as your dial material? If that's the case, the indices could be lightly restored, with a new set of hands and a factory refinish of the case & bracelet. It would be an amazing watch I'd really like to see again after it's done!

Check out post #9 of this thread:https://www.rolexforums.com/showthre...ght=aventurine

Rolex stone dials:
https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=613448

[swish77]

Not that it matters much, but I believe that dial would have originally come in a two-tone DJ.

Dials for 16030s aren't that expensive. I'd swap the dial and hands.

[TuRo]

I like it as is, and the bezel is plain lovely - I dress like catweazle most of the time mind, and like as close to original, 600 year old (ruiness to finances), abodes…. so the bit of wear and patina is in my wheelhouse.

[77T]

Originally Posted by GTS Dean

I remembered a couple hours later - it's aventurine quartz I'm thinking of. I've never heard of Rolex using this stone for a dial,

Rolex stone dials:
https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=613448

Aventurine is the 3rd dial mentioned in the 2nd link you shared.

But I think this flecked blue dial DJ is a result of long term storage and decayed gaskets. As a result, this allowed air to pass into it at some time in its life and set up the random pattern.


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[3wheeler7]

Here's a 15210 OPD with a similar dial, currently for sale on Ebay UK.

[Shark1207]

Thanks all! Appreciate the feedback.

A local watchmaker told me the indices and crown at 12 are plated in a lacquer, and cleaning them would not work. Is that true? How would indices on a vintage dial be cleaned?

[TuRo]

Yes trying to clean them is a fools errand - fraught with risk!

[Toronto Soup King]

I've had RSC in Toronto replace two dials; one on a 1018, one an 1803. Not cheap but the results look good. Ask RSC's local outpost and see what they have available! Or, you might be able to find another DJ dial and handset online. They aren't exactly rare after all. Anyway good luck

[TuRo]

Originally Posted by swish77

Not that it matters much, but I believe that dial would have originally come in a two-tone DJ.

Dials for 16030s aren't that expensive. I'd swap the dial and hands.

See your thinking Aaron, gold writing and gold block indices... but there are blue/gold out there on full steel 36mm 1603/1601 and 34mm 6694/6426 eg.

Rolex Datejust 36
£3,845
https://chrono24.app/rolex/rolex-dat...GB&SETCURR=GBP

[swish77]

Originally Posted by TuRo

See your thinking Aaron, gold writing and gold block indices... but there are blue/gold out there on full steel 36mm 1603/1601 and 34mm 6694/6426 eg.

Rolex Datejust 36
£3,845
https://chrono24.app/rolex/rolex-dat...GB&SETCURR=GBP

Yes, but is that an original example? That dial might have been switched. I always thought that no full SS DJs came with gold lettering or indices on the dials. Perhaps I'm mistaken.

[Shark1207]

Originally Posted by TuRo

See your thinking Aaron, gold writing and gold block indices... but there are blue/gold out there on full steel 36mm 1603/1601 and 34mm 6694/6426 eg.

Rolex Datejust 36
£3,845

That's almost like my dial! Although the indices seem rounded-off here.

So what's the verdict... did Rolex actually produce SS Datejusts with gold hands/indices, or are all these examples redials? Because I'm almost certain the dial wasn't touched on my example.

[swish77]

Originally Posted by Shark1207

That's almost like my dial! Although the indices seem rounded-off here.

So what's the verdict... did Rolex actually produce SS Datejusts with gold hands/indices, or are all these examples redials? Because I'm almost certain the dial wasn't touched on my example.

It might not have been "touched," but perhaps it began life in a different watch. Not uncommon to switch dials on a DJ.