1970 Submariner

[whatsthetime?]

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[1665fan]

Very nice! What type of crystal is installed?

[Dan S]

Lovely dial. What's the deal with the gloves?

[swaini3]

Looks like Rolliworks pictures

[Spoonage]

Looking good!!!

[whatsthetime?]

Originally Posted by 1665fan

Very nice! What type of crystal is installed?

Had to have a service crystal replacement due to the dome crystal being cracked and missing a piece, so it would've taken in water.

Originally Posted by Dan S

Lovely dial. What's the deal with the gloves?

These are photos from the restorer, Rolliworks

Originally Posted by swaini3

Looks like Rolliworks pictures

Indeed, they are from Rolliworks.

This is a 5512 which I posted before photos, but the posts were removed because I posted in 2 different threads. The watch isn't mine, it's a friends who thought it was valued at $1.5-3K.

After hearing him mention its value, I quickly told him his watch is worth at least $10K. He then brought the watch to my place and I sent it off to Rolliworks for a complete overhaul and removal of the stretch in the bracelet. Below are some before photos.

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[whatsthetime?]

Originally Posted by Spoonage

Looking good!!!

Thank you. Don't know why your post wasn't quoted along with the others. This platform can be sketchy at times.

[swaini3]

nice one. Looks great.

Originally Posted by whatsthetime?

Had to have a service crystal replacement due to the dome crystal being cracked and missing a piece, so it would've taken in water.

These are photos from the restorer, Rolliworks

Indeed, they are from Rolliworks.

This is a 5512 which I posted before photos, but the posts were removed because I posted in 2 different threads. The watch isn't mine, it's a friends who thought it was valued at $1.5-3K.

After hearing him mention its value, I quickly told him his watch is worth at least $10K. He then brought the watch to my place and I sent it off to Rolliworks for a complete overhaul and removal of the stretch in the bracelet. Below are some before photos.

Attachment 1136742

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[Styles Bitchley]

Quite the finished product! Just need to source a pearl. BTW, I’ll take it for $3k if your buddy’s selling. ;-)

[whatsthetime?]

Originally Posted by Styles Bitchley

Quite the finished product! Just need to source a pearl. BTW, I’ll take it for $3k if your buddy’s selling. ;-)

I had the opportunity to source the pip.
The problem was it didn't have the patina to match the dial.

[TimeLord2]

Originally Posted by whatsthetime?

I had the opportunity to source the pip.
The problem was it didn't have the patina to match the dial.

Did Rolliworks do any laser welding to the lug holes or is this the vintage polish? It looks pristine!

[Dan S]

Originally Posted by TimeLord2

Did Rolliworks do any laser welding to the lug holes or is this the vintage polish? It looks pristine!

The lug holes were cratered previously, so it seems that some laser welding must have been done.

[1665fan]

Originally Posted by Dan S

The lug holes were cratered previously, so it seems that some laser welding must have been done.

Yes the lug at 5 o’clock has a lot of new metal

[Wahlberg]

Originally Posted by 1665fan

Yes the lug at 5 o’clock has a lot of new metal

Is it possible to get the original lugs back this way?

[whatsthetime?]

Wasn't mentioned at all to me.
I'd assume I would've been billed for the laser welding, which I wasn't according to the itemized bill.

[TimeLord2]

Originally Posted by whatsthetime?

I had the opportunity to source the pip.
The problem was it didn't have the patina to match the dial.

Did Rolliworks do any laser welding to the lug holes or is this the vintage polish? It looks pristine!

[CKizzy]

+1 for Rolliworks!

[whatsthetime?]

Originally Posted by TimeLord2

Did Rolliworks do any laser welding to the lug holes or is this the vintage polish? It looks pristine!

Please read the post above yours. This watch sat in a drawer for +/-15yrs, and as I've mentioned, I'm not the owner, I did this for a friend so he wouldn't get beat for its value which he was unaware of.

[emersm]

Looks amazing! Congratulations on a beautiful piece.

[Kingsking]

I'm curious about the laser welding too, thing looks razor sharp now.

[whatsthetime?]

Originally Posted by emersm

Looks amazing! Congratulations on a beautiful piece.

Thank you. I'll pass that along to the owner. I'm not a 'vintage' anything type of guy, but when I saw the finished restoration I was immediately impressed.

[SunTzu]

That's a beautiful restoration to bring it back to the way it once was. Great dial and bezel insert too. Everything pops. You'll find a pip soon enough.

I've used RolliWorks for service and jubilee bracelet restoration on a vintage DJ and it came back lights out.

I think for the money, Mike at RolliWorks is top notch. Plus, a cool guy to converse with. He listens and does exactly what you wish. I wouldn't hesitate to send any vintage piece for whatever work needs to be done based on my experience and threads like these.

[TimeLord2]

Originally Posted by whatsthetime?

Please read the post above yours. This watch sat in a drawer for +/-15yrs, and as I've mentioned, I'm not the owner, I did this for a friend so he wouldn't get beat for its value which he was unaware of.

I'm not sure why that posted twice, and at two separate times. Thank you, I see the question was addressed. I have a similar story and a watch in similar condition. Actually I visited LAWW and saw a case where they took a little off the top to re-establish the chanfers but left it with some patina on the sides. Mine too has a little cratering around the lug holes so very interested in the outcome. Flip-flopping on whether I should do this or not. Thanks for sharing, it looks great!

[Dan S]

Originally Posted by TimeLord2

I'm not sure why that posted twice, and at two separate times. Thank you, I see the question was addressed. I have a similar story and a watch in similar condition. Actually I visited LAWW and saw a case where they took a little off the top to re-establish the chanfers but left it with some patina on the sides. Mine too has a little cratering around the lug holes so very interested in the outcome. Flip-flopping on whether I should do this or not. Thanks for sharing, it looks great!

If the lug holes are indented due to polishing, Mike will definitely recommend laser welding. How else would you address it? Mill down the sides and make the lugs thinner?

My feeling is "in for a dime, in for a dollar". If you're going to ship the watch out there and have the case refinished, you might as well use all the tools at your disposal and make it look as good as possible. Otherwise, just enjoy what you have, which is also a great option.

[TimeLord2]

Originally Posted by Dan S

If the lug holes are indented due to polishing, Mike will definitely recommend laser welding. How else would you address it? Mill down the sides and make the lugs thinner?

My feeling is "in for a dime, in for a dollar". If you're going to ship the watch out there and have the case refinished, you might as well use all the tools at your disposal and make it look as good as possible. Otherwise, just enjoy what you have, which is also a great option.

I was thinking more like sorcery and the dark arts. Kidding aside, no, i would not make the lugs thinner and your last comment is basically where I have been leaning. Lately… but it is posts like this that always make me reconsider the benefits of LASER WELDING. BTW, it may as well be sorcery given the OP did not confirm laser welding and in fact said he was not charged for it but I have no other way to address a deficit in material other than laser welding.

[whatsthetime?]

I was also on the phone with Michael more than several times, but now that I recall, the only talk about laser welding was when I asked Michael if the crown threads on the case had to be laser welded and re-threaded because they were stripped?

Michael went on to explain to me that the threads are a replaceable tube, not part of the case and never mention anything more about laser welding again, nor did Sal the jeweler who was working on the watch, whom I was also on the phone with. I'll reach out and ask Michael to be 100% sure, though.

[Styles Bitchley]

I remember seeing a post like this before that showed similar results supposedly without laser welding. It’s seems like some sort of optical illusion because the lugs actually look fatter. I’d think that if you lap the top of the case to sharpen that way the movement wouldn’t fit in the case anymore... secrets of the trade, I guess. I love the way it looks though. Don’t think I’d do it to my own watch, but a beater with service parts - for sure.

[whatsthetime?]

Update: I spoke with Michael from Rolliworks last week, and he confirmed that there was very little laser welding done. So little, that I wasn't even notified or charged for it. This explains why it's not itemized in the bill.

[swish77]

Originally Posted by whatsthetime?

Update: I spoke with Michael from Rolliworks last week, and he confirmed that there was very little laser welding done. So little, that I wasn't even notified or charged for it. This explains why it's not itemized in the bill.

Hmmm .... I'd say that if ANY laser welding was to be done that the client should have been informed ahead of time. Nothing wrong with it as long as everything is disclosed and all work has been agreed upon in advance.

There are vintage watch sticklers out there who wouldn't want any laser welding done under any circumstances.

[whatsthetime?]

Originally Posted by swish77

Hmmm .... I'd say that if ANY laser welding was to be done that the client should have been informed ahead of time. Nothing wrong with it as long as everything is disclosed and all work has been agreed upon in advance.

There are vintage watch sticklers out there who wouldn't want any laser welding done under any circumstances.

Well, it was minute, so...