Value of Used Faded 16710 Bezels

[faimag]

I prefer to pay $70 at RSC and get a vibrant new one for my 16700 :)

[The Libertine]

Originally Posted by withthesword

the price that someone is willing to pay dictates their market value

Or that of a fool.

[ALF61]

Originally Posted by bobabreath

The older GMT bezels have serif fonts for the numbers. So if you have an older tritium model with a bezel that is completely destroyed, but want to replace it with a period correct bezel with natural patina to match your watch, that is where the market is. Mostly for vintage collectors trying salvage parts.

In the end, a sans serif bezel functions just as good as a serif bezel, but such details matter to crazy people.

Holy cow I think we have something here folks. Because of this post I checked may older bezels 1998 original and 2002 replacement--they have fatter numbers/fonts. Never would have noticed it.

[037]

Originally Posted by ALF61

Holy cow I think we have something here folks. Because of this post I checked may older bezels 1998 original and 2002 replacement--they have fatter numbers/fonts. Never would have noticed it.

Those would be worth more if you do go to sell them even without being faded. And, it's dumb to give them away just because the market is paying more for them. Everything is priced high right now whether we like it or not.

[ALF61]

Here you go guys, notice the fatter fonts on the original 1998 16710 Coke, over the slimmer new replacement bezels 2018.

[lee fowler]

My NOS 16700 from 1991 with the Serif fonts.

[sillo]

Originally Posted by lee fowler

My NOS 16700 from 1991 with the Serif fonts.

Do we know of a date when they switched to sans serif inserts?

Beautiful watch btw!

[ALF61]

Originally Posted by sillo38

Do we know of a date when they switched to sans serif inserts?

Beautiful watch btw!

I don´t know for certain, but I can tell you that faded bezel came from a 1998 U Serial 16710A.

I used the watch outdoors quite a bit and on the Miami beaches and ocean it only took four years for the bezel to fade that way. I ordered the replacement bezel in the watch now in 2002 and it no longer has the serif fonts with the tails in the numbers.

[037]

My 1984 16760 with an NOS '80s/early-'90s insert...

[ALF61]

Originally Posted by 037

My 1984 16760 with an NOS '80s/early-'90s insert...

That is a wonderful joy ! looks like the dial has the dots and markers patinated.

[Onikage]

x2

[lee fowler]

Originally Posted by sillo38

Do we know of a date when they switched to sans serif inserts?

Beautiful watch btw!

I have seen watches like mine without the Serif font and one owner as well and seen them on later pieces, so no not really!

[sillo]

Originally Posted by lee fowler

I have seen watches like mine without the Serif font and one owner as well and seen them on later pieces, so no not really!

Thanks. That's what I was thinking as I was scouring a bunch of the larger vintage sellers archives trying to find some pattern for the bezels on early 5 digits and couldn't really come to any conclusion.

[037]

Originally Posted by ALF61

That is a wonderful joy ! looks like the dial has the dots and markers patinated.

Originally Posted by Onikage

x2

Thanks. Yes, the dial has gone perfectly matte and hands/markers have a cream colored patina.

[037]

Originally Posted by sillo38

Thanks. That's what I was thinking as I was scouring a bunch of the larger vintage sellers archives trying to find some pattern for the bezels on early 5 digits and couldn't really come to any conclusion.

They're all over the map with serif and non-serif versions.

Here are a few examples. Bottom is a Coke from a 16760, middle is a black (faded to dark navy) from a mid-'90s 16700 and the top is a black (faded to ghost gray) from a mid-'90s 16710. All have faded naturally for any haters in the crowd.

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by lee fowler

My NOS 16700 from 1991 with the Serif fonts.

Beautiful!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[GMT Aviator]

Stupid is as stupid does!

Anyone who pays more than the new Rolex $75 asking price for a 16710 insert was clearly born yesterday. The ridiculous prices being asked for faded examples are simply unscrupulous sellers or dealers cashing in on Rolex mania stupidity.

I have four vintage GMT’s and had all the inserts re-newed at service. I think faded bezels look awful.

[MJK737]

Originally Posted by padi56

Bezel inserts are around 75$ from Rolex and there are many way to artificially fade them, so if anyone pays crazy money for them they must be sixpence short of a shilling.And seeing the 16710 did not come out till 1988/9 would hardly call them vintage.

Here here!

[037]

Originally Posted by GMT Aviator

Stupid is as stupid does!

Anyone who pays more than the new Rolex $75 asking price for a 16710 insert was clearly born yesterday. The ridiculous prices being asked for faded examples are simply unscrupulous sellers or dealers cashing in on Rolex mania stupidity.

I have four vintage GMT’s and had all the inserts re-newed at service. I think faded bezels look awful.

You're entitled to your opinion on faded versus new inserts but buying or selling anything at market value doesn't make a person stupid or unscrupulous. GMTs have doubled in price in the last two years but no one is calling buyers stupid or sellers unscrupulous. It is what it is. You either pay or you don't. Calling names doesn't change a thing.

[GMT Aviator]

Originally Posted by 037

You're entitled to your opinion on faded versus new inserts but buying or selling anything at market value doesn't make a person stupid or unscrupulous. GMTs have doubled in price in the last two years but no one is calling buyers stupid or sellers unscrupulous. It is what it is. You either pay or you don't. Calling names doesn't change a thing.

So, as per the OP’s opening post, paying $750 for a faded insert that can be purchased new from Rolex for approx $75, which in turn can be easily bleached to give it that ‘vintage’ look and feel isn’t both stupid or unscrupulous by either buyer or seller, then I would have to, with respect, disagree with you.

I also appreciate there may be inserts which have a rare font or other markings etc which may command a higher price, but the sad reality of the situation is the majority of what’s for sale out there are not those and in many cases are not even genuine inserts!

The uneducated fall fowl of unscrupulous sellers commanding high prices for such things. My post was highlighting what is regrettably the unjustified cost of such inserts, and has nothing to do with the true market value, which in most cases when it comes to faded inserts, do not correlate with what their true worth really is.

[037]

Originally Posted by GMT Aviator

So, as per the OP’s opening post, paying $750 for a faded insert that can be purchased new from Rolex for approx $75, which in turn can be easily bleached to give it that ‘vintage’ look and feel isn’t both stupid or unscrupulous by either buyer or seller, then I would have to, with respect, disagree with you.

I also appreciate there may be inserts which have a rare font or other markings etc which may command a higher price, but the sad reality of the situation is the majority of what’s for sale out there are not those and in many cases are not even genuine inserts!

The uneducated fall fowl of unscrupulous sellers commanding high prices for such things. My post was highlighting what is regrettably the unjustified cost of such inserts, and has nothing to do with the true market value, which in most cases when it comes to faded inserts, do not correlate with what their true worth really is.

Bleached or non-genuine inserts aren't what's being discussed here. I would agree with you that anyone selling either is certainly unscrupulous and anyone buying would be uneducated. But, we're talking about genuine inserts that are naturally faded and/or difficult to find due to being of a certain era or typeface.

Anyone paying 4~6X MSRP for a new insert is certainly silly, but that's in part due to Rolex USA's new policy on only selling the color insert intended for their specific watch. They've truly clamped down on what's available due to all of the fake watches out there. So, rather than jump through hoops to try and buy a new insert at $75, buyers are paying silly amounts to save time and hassle.

It's unfair to lump all of this together into one big "you're dumb for this and you're dumb for that" argument. There are differences.

[bezler]

Originally Posted by GMT Aviator

So, as per the OP’s opening post, paying $750 for a faded insert that can be purchased new from Rolex for approx $75, which in turn can be easily bleached to give it that ‘vintage’ look and feel isn’t both stupid or unscrupulous by either buyer or seller, then I would have to, with respect, disagree with you.

I also appreciate there may be inserts which have a rare font or other markings etc which may command a higher price, but the sad reality of the situation is the majority of what’s for sale out there are not those and in many cases are not even genuine inserts!

The uneducated fall fowl of unscrupulous sellers commanding high prices for such things. My post was highlighting what is regrettably the unjustified cost of such inserts, and has nothing to do with the true market value, which in most cases when it comes to faded inserts, do not correlate with what their true worth really is.

Can we leave the birds out of this? They haven't done anything wrong.

Sent from my SM-J327P using Tapatalk

[sillo]

Originally Posted by 037

It's unfair to lump all of this together into one big "you're dumb for this and you're dumb for that" argument. There are differences.

There's a lot of people who would call all of us dumb for paying large sums of money for a watch that can't keep time as well as a $10 Casio.

[037]

Originally Posted by sillo38

There's a lot of people who would call all of us dumb for paying large sums of money for a watch that can't keep time as well as a $10 Casio.

Very true. But, you can't swap bezel inserts on a Casio.

[jlovda]

Slightly off topic. My 1970 5513 (see my avatar) got scratched in 1972 going down a toboggan chute. I did get a new crystal immediately. In 1976 while in Switzerland I bought a new bezel and insert from Bucherer for $25. The old pieces were really not that bad and sat in my jewelry box. Fast forward to 2016. I sold these two scratched pieces on ebay for $800. They paid for a servicing of my GMT.

[ALF61]

Originally Posted by GMT Aviator

So, as per the OP’s opening post, paying $750 for a faded insert that can be purchased new from Rolex for approx $75, which in turn can be easily bleached to give it that ‘vintage’ look and feel isn’t both stupid or unscrupulous by either buyer or seller, then I would have to, with respect, disagree with you.

I also appreciate there may be inserts which have a rare font or other markings etc which may command a higher price, but the sad reality of the situation is the majority of what’s for sale out there are not those and in many cases are not even genuine inserts!

The uneducated fall fowl of unscrupulous sellers commanding high prices for such things. My post was highlighting what is regrettably the unjustified cost of such inserts, and has nothing to do with the true market value, which in most cases when it comes to faded inserts, do not correlate with what their true worth really is.

I appreciate what you are saying but politely disagree. "unscrupulous sellers". To me they don´t exist unless you are selling a vital first necessity commodity. This is a luxury item. A seller need a buyer so what if he finds one ? A buyer certainly has other choices and alternatives.

Also, if you bleach the insert to fade it it will not fade equally. You will not have the imperfections that come from a natural fade over the years and the elements.