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Old 28 February 2017, 06:17 AM   #1
JFman
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A 6066 and a 777 mystery

Hi all,

First ever post, so apologies if I get anything wrong here.

When I cleared my late father's house and my late aunt's house I came across several old watches. I almost threw them out as they were in a terrible state and didn't look particularly attractive, but then I noticed the 'Rolex' name on both and thought I'd investigate. I'm trying to understand if there's a chance they could be genuine, and even if they ARE, should I get all excited that I've found my fortune, at last?!

My late aunt's watch (or it could have been my uncle's) is marked with a '6066' and a '692955' on the other side. It's about an inch/3cm across the face. The strap is old (a Filo Flex) but I doubt it came with the watch.

My dad's watch is in a far worse state. Battered, no strap, but looks considerably older. It's rectangular and has a '777' stamped on the back and another four digit number, which could be '2691', but the first two digits are unclear.

Now, my Dad spent some time in the Far East during WW2, so were 'fakes from the Orient' commonplace back then? It's a possibility, as my Dad would NOT have had the money to buy an expensive watch back then or since.

I took a few photos, but I'll need to find somewhere to host them before I can share them here (so used to drag and drop).

Thanks for you time. I hope you are as interested as I am in the watches' history.
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Old 28 February 2017, 09:43 AM   #2
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You can post pics by clicking on "go advanced" just under the comment window. Then scroll down a bit and click where it says "manage attachments" then you can upload your pics to your post.
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Old 1 March 2017, 06:29 PM   #3
JFman
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Thanks. I'll give it a whirl...
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Old 1 March 2017, 06:43 PM   #4
JFman
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First batch of 777 shots...
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 777.1_crop.jpg (239.8 KB, 211 views)
File Type: jpg 777.2_crop.jpg (95.0 KB, 208 views)
File Type: jpg 777.3_crop.jpg (109.9 KB, 209 views)
File Type: jpg 777.4_crop.jpg (151.0 KB, 213 views)
File Type: jpg 777.5_crop.jpg (140.4 KB, 213 views)
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Old 1 March 2017, 06:44 PM   #5
JFman
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Second batch...
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File Type: jpg 777.6_crop.jpg (108.4 KB, 211 views)
File Type: jpg 777.7_crop.jpg (110.0 KB, 212 views)
File Type: jpg 777.8_crop.jpg (212.9 KB, 212 views)
File Type: jpg 777.9_crop.jpg (239.9 KB, 214 views)
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Old 1 March 2017, 06:55 PM   #6
JFman
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6066 shots...
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File Type: jpg 6066.1_crop.jpg (163.3 KB, 210 views)
File Type: jpg 6066.2_crop.jpg (125.6 KB, 209 views)
File Type: jpg 6066.3_crop.jpg (139.5 KB, 209 views)
File Type: jpg 6066.4_crop.jpg (129.2 KB, 210 views)
File Type: jpg 6066.5_crop.jpg (101.2 KB, 213 views)
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Old 1 March 2017, 06:56 PM   #7
JFman
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Second lot of 6066 shots.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 6066.6_crop.jpg (290.0 KB, 211 views)
File Type: jpg 6066.7_crop.jpg (138.5 KB, 212 views)
File Type: jpg 6066.8_crop.jpg (262.1 KB, 210 views)
File Type: jpg 6066.9_crop.jpg (125.3 KB, 213 views)
File Type: jpg 6066.10_crop.jpg (247.1 KB, 211 views)
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Old 1 March 2017, 06:57 PM   #8
JFman
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Hope the shots help.

They're phone pics, let me know if you'd need SLR shots (no macro lens unfortunately).
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Old 4 March 2017, 03:11 AM   #9
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The 6066 has red and black date numbers, if that helps at all with the mystery.
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Old 5 March 2017, 04:17 AM   #10
JFman
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Am I to assume from the radio silence that these are nothing to trouble myself over?
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Old 6 March 2017, 02:33 AM   #11
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The silence may be to the fact that no one is sure of what you have. Give it a while and I'm sure eventually someone will chime in with an opinion.
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Old 6 March 2017, 04:50 AM   #12
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Icon7

Thanks Ron. Was worried I'd laid an egg.
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Old 7 March 2017, 05:19 AM   #13
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I'm thinking you have genuine Rolex items there ...

Hi JFman

Welcome to the forum. A few good questions in your post - here's my thoughts.

Yes, fake Rolex watches have been rolling out for many decades. Not a problem on this occassion though - I'm happy to be corrected but am thinking you have genuine items there. Any watchmaker could easily pop the back of each watch to hopefully reveal Rolex movements in there.

The 6066 - looks to me to be an early 50s Rolex OysterDate. The simple and somewhat clumsy 'ROLEX' text on the dial suggests a refinish to me. If there's no 'SWISS' or 'SWISS MADE' under the 6 o'clock plot, that would also indicate a refinish. Loose original dials can be found easily enough. The hour and minute hand might be original but the arrow-end sweep hand is a bit unusual. Looks like the original date wheel is still in place though, either 'roulette' (alternate red and black dates) or all red dates. Working from your pics (side angle only) I'm thinking the winding crown may not be original. Stainless bracelets first rolled about 1950 but many watches were still being sold at that time on leather straps.

Restoration: If the watch still runs, you are half-way there and any competent independent watchmaker could tune it up for you. Resist any temptation or offers to polish the case within an inch of its life. For collectors, the charm ... and indeed value .... for old watches, lies in originality and that includes the case, even if it is beaten up a bit.

The rectangular (1940s ?) thingee - Yip, I say it's a circa 1940s' Rolex tank watch. Could be any of a bewildering array of references being rolled out by Rolex at that time, many with similar characteristics but subtle differences. Of the two watches, if this was my Dad's watch, it's the one I'd be focussing on.

Looks like the case has lost its plating and on this occassion I'd say a sympathetic case refinish might be called for. Cases can be replated, the service will be available somewhere in your 'hood ..... but the Hong Kong or Vietnam craftsmen could possibly perform the task for a fraction of the cost that you might be quoted on your home turf.

The dial - You may find a nice enough dial under that very scratched up crystal. If the dial is toast though, it could be refinished but for me that's an absolute last option. Even for the real dinosaurs, with a bit of effort and luck, dials can be found. A quick scout around eBay with my morning coffee found a possible contender (too expensive for what it is though I say) and like I said, there's a lot of 'same but different' with old Rolex so you'd need to carefully check what you have and what you need before you go shopping. Your existing dial may be AOK anyway - hard to tell with that crystal in place but this kind of thing is out there .....



http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1920...AAAOSw~AVYm-1j

.... Be aware too, there are plenty of refinished and fake dials out there, some marketed as'all-original' or 'NOS'. A grain of salt with that eBay dial I've referenced.

Just like the 6066, if the old tank watch runs, you are half way there and a watchmaker local to you should be able to tune it up. If it's sick or dead, we have a fella on this forum (RWT) who has great empathy and skills with early references. Might be worth chatting to him if you decide to go down the restoration track.

Values: Forum rules mean we can't really discuss values. Safe to say though, you can easily spend more restoring a vintage Rolex than the value of the finished item. I'd guess that the values for what you have currently will be fairly basic - and once fully restored they won't be high ticket items. A nice bit of family history though so one or both might be worth saving
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Old 8 March 2017, 07:32 PM   #14
JFman
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Thanks a lot, Paul. You've really put some work in for me.

So happy that at first glance they 'appear' genuine; it makes any restoration effort/cost I put in worthwhile.

The photos make the watches look in a worse state than they are in the flesh, for example, the 6066 doesn't look scratched at all to the naked eye.

I'm hoping to get a macro lens for my SLR soon. When I do, I'll post some better pics, taken in natural light.

Once again, thanks for your efforts on my behalf.

One last question - you say the value will be nothing to write home about, but would they be of interest to collectors at the right price? I only ask because, even restored, I doubt I'd wear either of the watches myself, so they are just going to sit in a drawer gathering dust.
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