1655 service dial, but is the bezel?

[Porsche958]

I know this dial is a service dial and hand set, but I have a couple of questions...

1) Is the bezel a service bezel as well?
2) Assuming RSC replaced the dial, hands, and bezel what would that place this 1655 at, value wise?
3) Should I abandon this entirely being the dial has been replaced, it's likely a project or had been a beater watch?

Apologies for the horrible picture...



Thanks in advance!

[HERITAGE82]

Depends on what you want... It's a beautiful, functional and classy watch. However, if you want "all original with patina then it's not for you.

[pablofields]

Originally Posted by HERITAGE82

Depends on what you want... It's a beautiful, functional and classy watch. However, if you want "all original with patina then it's not for you.

x2

Looks like a service bezel but hard to tell for sure with that pic...the difference between a Mark IV and service dial can be hard to tell, at least for me.

[Porsche958]

Originally Posted by pablofields

x2

Looks like a service bezel but hard to tell for sure with that pic...the difference between a Mark IV and service dial can be hard to tell, at least for me.

That's what I was thinking. Honestly I'm torn, I can get into it rather cheap at ~$10k or so but wondering if I'll be happy with it...

[Max72]

I would...
Is a beautiful watch and if you're going to wear it everyday you'll appreciate the luminova

[pablofields]

Originally Posted by Porsche958

That's what I was thinking. Honestly I'm torn, I can get into it rather cheap at ~$10k or so but wondering if I'll be happy with it...

Well, I can only tell you my experience based on my preferences. I like to wear my 1655 often and on occasion in the pool, ocean, skiing, so I didn't want to risk the original very nice tritium dial n hand set. So I sold them years ago, went to service dial n hands ( kept original mark II bezel though), had the lume colored, and couldn't be happier. Again, goes to what you want with the watch. No right or wrong IMO. I

[pablofields]

Obligatory lume shot

[Porsche958]

Originally Posted by pablofields

Well, I can only tell you my experience based on my preferences. I like to wear my 1655 often and on occasion in the pool, ocean, skiing, so I didn't want to risk the original very nice tritium dial n hand set. So I sold them years ago, went to service dial n hands ( kept original mark II bezel though), had the lume colored, and couldn't be happier. Again, goes to what you want with the watch. No right or wrong IMO. I

That is gorgeous Pablo! I would be trading a M serial Daytona 116520 for it, which is a fair trade I feel.

[Vincent65]

Originally Posted by pablofields

Well, I can only tell you my experience based on my preferences. I like to wear my 1655 often and on occasion in the pool, ocean, skiing, so I didn't want to risk the original very nice tritium dial n hand set. So I sold them years ago, went to service dial n hands ( kept original mark II bezel though), had the lume colored, and couldn't be happier. Again, goes to what you want with the watch. No right or wrong IMO. I

So, just to clarify - you sold the original dial and hands of this specific watch, and put in service ones to 'preserve' the original ones... and sold them? As you said, it's all down to personal preferences and requirements, and there's no judgement here, but I've never heard of this before. The $ value of the vintage watch was as a whole. Unless you made huge money on the dial and hands (I can't see it being even close to the consequent relative drop in market value to the watch), why would anyone split up a complete vintage watch with perfect dial and hands? I assume that doesn't bother you, which of course is your business, and I can sort of see some logic in terms of functionality and lume visibility etc. if the original parts were also kept, but even then your concern about a flooding incident is still a perceived risk. If it's got a good crystal and seals and crown, and is serviced and pressure-tested, the potential for water ingress is tiny, and the same regardless of which dial is inside. Just seems a big shame to me to part out a great original vintage piece.

Having said that, as long as you're happy with it, then great!

[samuelhuntington]

Originally Posted by Vincent65

So, just to clarify - you sold the original dial and hands of this specific watch, and put in service ones to 'preserve' the original ones... and sold them? As you said, it's all down to personal preferences and requirements, and there's no judgement here, but I've never heard of this before. The $ value of the vintage watch was as a whole. Unless you made huge money on the dial and hands (I can't see it being even close to the consequent relative drop in market value to the watch), why would anyone split up a complete vintage watch with perfect dial and hands? I assume that doesn't bother you, which of course is your business, and I can sort of see some logic in terms of functionality and lume visibility etc. if the original parts were also kept, but even then your concern about a flooding incident is still a perceived risk. If it's got a good crystal and seals and crown, and is serviced and pressure-tested, the potential for water ingress is tiny, and the same regardless of which dial is inside. Just seems a big shame to me to part out a great original vintage piece.

Having said that, as long as you're happy with it, then great!

Agree. Although I would think original dial had some kind of damage and watch then could be had at a nice discount. Therefore adding a service dial and hands would make a lot of sense for a daily wearer.

[pablofields]

Originally Posted by Vincent65

So, just to clarify - you sold the original dial and hands of this specific watch, and put in service ones to 'preserve' the original ones... and sold them? As you said, it's all down to personal preferences and requirements, and there's no judgement here, but I've never heard of this before. The $ value of the vintage watch was as a whole. Unless you made huge money on the dial and hands (I can't see it being even close to the consequent relative drop in market value to the watch), why would anyone split up a complete vintage watch with perfect dial and hands? I assume that doesn't bother you, which of course is your business, and I can sort of see some logic in terms of functionality and lume visibility etc. if the original parts were also kept, but even then your concern about a flooding incident is still a perceived risk. If it's got a good crystal and seals and crown, and is serviced and pressure-tested, the potential for water ingress is tiny, and the same regardless of which dial is inside. Just seems a big shame to me to part out a great original vintage piece.

Having said that, as long as you're happy with it, then great!

Since you asked for clarification: I didn't sell the tritium dial n hands to "preserve" them. I knew I was never going to sell this watch and I didnt want to worry about tritium flaking and break down over time. I could have kept them in a safe but they would not be doing me or anyone else any good there. By contrast, selling them (just under 3k--very good condition and straight hand) brought me money back and will allow that set to find a suitable home in some nice period correct case that has a poor dial n handset and an owner that wants to own an all vintage 1655. If my service dial n hands somehow get damaged no worries as I have 2 spare sets of each I've acquired over the years.

I'm not a total philistine on these matters, though. My 6238 is in excellent original condition with all original hands. Some of the tritium plots are deteriorated but I'm wouldn't touch them and love it in pure vintage condition. I do NOT swim in nor do I even clap my hands. Lol!

[Porsche958]

Originally Posted by pablofields

Since you asked for clarification: I didn't sell the tritium dial n hands to "preserve" them. I knew I was never going to sell this watch and I didnt want to worry about tritium flaking and break down over time. I could have kept them in a safe but they would not be doing me or anyone else any good there. By contrast, selling them (just under 3k--very good condition and straight hand) brought me money back and will allow that set to find a suitable home in some nice period correct case that has a poor dial n handset and an owner that wants to own an all vintage 1655. If my service dial n hands somehow get damaged no worries as I have 2 spare sets of each I've acquired over the years.

I'm not a total philistine on these matters, though. My 6238 is in excellent original condition with all original hands. Some of the tritium plots are deteriorated but I'm wouldn't touch them and love it in pure vintage condition. I do NOT swim in nor do I even clap my hands. Lol!

...That actually makes a lot of sense to me. I have a 1680 that's all original, gorgeous but the hour hand has a small crack in the tritium that I'm often afraid of knocking loose. It would be nice to have a vintage Rolex I don't have to worry about in that manner.

[Vincent65]

Originally Posted by pablofields

Since you asked for clarification: I didn't sell the tritium dial n hands to "preserve" them. I knew I was never going to sell this watch and I didnt want to worry about tritium flaking and break down over time. I could have kept them in a safe but they would not be doing me or anyone else any good there. By contrast, selling them (just under 3k--very good condition and straight hand) brought me money back and will allow that set to find a suitable home in some nice period correct case that has a poor dial n handset and an owner that wants to own an all vintage 1655. If my service dial n hands somehow get damaged no worries as I have 2 spare sets of each I've acquired over the years.

I'm not a total philistine on these matters, though. My 6238 is in excellent original condition with all original hands. Some of the tritium plots are deteriorated but I'm wouldn't touch them and love it in pure vintage condition. I do NOT swim in nor do I even clap my hands. Lol!

I see, thanks for that! When you said "I didn't want to risk the original very nice tritium dial n hand set" I naturally thought that's exactly what you meant. I see now that your concern was the future possibility of loose flakes of Tritium inside the watch. As you're never selling the watch and you got the set-up and colour/functionality you want, then great!

[Vincent65]

Nice 6238, BTW! Yes, the little lume plots are very prone to falling off on those - best not to clap, I agree!

[pablofields]

Originally Posted by Vincent65

Nice 6238, BTW! Yes, the little lume plots are very prone to falling off on those - best not to clap, I agree!

Thanks. Yes, clap only "virtually"!

Cheers,

[fusionstorm]

Looks like a service bezel to me. If the dial and hands needed replacing for cosmetic or functional reasons, then it's likely the original bezel needed to be replaced (they were highly prone to scratching and the black ink wearing/fading).

What serial is this 1655?

[Porsche958]

Originally Posted by fusionstorm

Looks like a service bezel to me. If the dial and hands needed replacing for cosmetic or functional reasons, then it's likely the original bezel needed to be replaced (they were highly prone to scratching and the black ink wearing/fading).

What serial is this 1655?

I am not sure but I want to say he stated '77/'78, could be wrong.

[rdragon]

Originally Posted by pablofields

Well, I can only tell you my experience based on my preferences. I like to wear my 1655 often and on occasion in the pool, ocean, skiing, so I didn't want to risk the original very nice tritium dial n hand set. So I sold them years ago, went to service dial n hands ( kept original mark II bezel though), had the lume colored, and couldn't be happier. Again, goes to what you want with the watch. No right or wrong IMO. I

I like what you did. I have a few questions as I'm researching this model. So, if I wanted to have lume like this, does RSC still provide service dials/hands for this watch or do you have to source it elsewhere? Also, if you wanted to wear it regularly and ensure it is waterproof, should crystal be replaced and are service crystals still around? Thanks.

[pablofields]

Originally Posted by rdragon

I like what you did. I have a few questions as I'm researching this model. So, if I wanted to have lume like this, does RSC still provide service dials/hands for this watch or do you have to source it elsewhere? Also, if you wanted to wear it regularly and ensure it is waterproof, should crystal be replaced and are service crystals still around? Thanks.

Thanks. I sourced mine elsewhere but in looking around the web at 1655's for sale I have seen a couple that have been overhauled by an RSC as recently as this year and had the service dial and hands installed. That leads me to think that at least as of 2015 they are still available at RSC. Of course if you go the RSC route you will need to have a genuine dial and hand set you are willing to part with since they only operate on a trade in basis. So generally people only do it with a damaged dial and hand set.

[rdragon]

Originally Posted by pablofields

Thanks. I sourced mine elsewhere but in looking around the web at 1655's for sale I have seen a couple that have been overhauled by an RSC as recently as this year and had the service dial and hands installed. That leads me to think that at least as of 2015 they are still available at RSC. Of course if you go the RSC route you will need to have a genuine dial and hand set you are willing to part with since they only operate on a trade in basis. So generally people only do it with a damaged dial and hand set.

I see, this is helpful. What about ensuring it's waterproof if you want to wear it regularly? Is this something that can be done with these older watches or is it not recommended? Just starting to dip into older vintage watches so I'm not too familiar. Thanks.

[pablofields]

Originally Posted by rdragon

I see, this is helpful. What about ensuring it's waterproof if you want to wear it regularly? Is this something that can be done with these older watches or is it not recommended? Just starting to dip into older vintage watches so I'm not too familiar. Thanks.

After a service with a new crystal etc. and pressure testing that shouldn't be a problem. That's why I went this route.

[rdragon]

Originally Posted by pablofields

After a service with a new crystal etc. and pressure testing that shouldn't be a problem. That's why I went this route.

ok, glad to hear.