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Old 21 October 2018, 11:22 AM   #121
Grimm
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Love this story. Watch looks awesome man.
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Old 21 October 2018, 10:46 PM   #122
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Fantastic thread.
From the best of the forum.
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Old 21 October 2018, 10:49 PM   #123
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Old 21 October 2018, 10:56 PM   #124
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Great story, loved reading it. Regarding your gummed up 911, I've had several vintage cars and motorcycles. You may want to put a fuel additive such as Stabil in the tank. Also, buy the very best fuel available, and I'm assuming 93+ octane???
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Old 21 October 2018, 11:35 PM   #125
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Second picture captures the brown of the dial a little bit better. Can only be appreciated in direct sun. 15 years ago I recall the dial being jet black in bright sun. Let's see what next 15 does to it.

Having the original flat gilt hands on the watch totally changes the look of the piece on wrist. The gold hands, lume and gilt text are all close in color and in bright light it all takes on a golden hue. I am very grateful to LA WatchWorks for restoring the gilt hands. They offer a great service and Edvi whom I dealt with was excellent.

The NOS bezel ring was super tight when I mounted it to the watch. Would rotate minimally and with difficulty. Phillip did stellar job adjusting and now super smooth and just the right amount of resistance. It's nice having a crisp and sharp bezel ring with original Long 5 insert in place. Original bezel ring is in safe storage. It was still in very good shape and totally serviceable but this is the watch I'm taking my time and making it just how I want to leave it for the next 50 years.
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Old 21 October 2018, 11:45 PM   #126
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Widows Son View Post
Great story, loved reading it. Regarding your gummed up 911, I've had several vintage cars and motorcycles. You may want to put a fuel additive such as Stabil in the tank. Also, buy the very best fuel available, and I'm assuming 93+ octane???

Your advice is good and I do the stabil if I'm running car a lot and need to use 93 with ethanol. Motor is tuned with dual plugs and needs 93 octane. Typically I put in 90 non-ethanol fuel at local station (this one station has for boats) and mix in 116 leaded race fuel I purchase in 5 gallon drums to get to around 94 octane. Car has 26 gallon vintage correct race/rally tank. During summer it's not much fun to run car with no AC in Florida and if I use the no ethanol mix and run it at least every two weeks she is happy. Starts right up and runs smooth. Whichever gas I run I've found that the car runs better/smoother if I mix in a product called marvel mystery oil. 4oz to 10 gallons of fuel. Not sure if safe for fuel injected motors but with my 46 PMO carbs it makes a difference for the better. Give the marvel oil a try and let me know what you think.
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Old 22 October 2018, 08:34 AM   #127
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Marvel is great stuff!!! Add a bit to the gas, and the oil. I've used it in everything from cars to motorcycles, even single engine aircraft. Helps with sticky lifters and cleans fuel system. Smells good too!!!
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Old 22 October 2018, 09:41 PM   #128
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Took 73 over to friends house yesterday to watch USGP F1 race

also caught nice dial shot. Under 10x loupe in bright sun you can see brown dots scattered across dial. Would be interesting for anybody with a tropical gilt dial to look in bright sun with 10x loupe for color pattern. At least in this 5513 looks like the tropical change starts in distinct spots. Almost looks like pixels in a TV monitor.
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Old 23 October 2018, 03:05 PM   #129
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Great story & i especially love the pics with what i assume are some nice vintage VDO gauges in the background,not to mention the GT3RS in the garage.
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Old 24 October 2018, 02:50 AM   #130
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Great story & i especially love the pics with what i assume are some nice vintage VDO gauges in the background,not to mention the GT3RS in the garage.

Correct on VDO gauges. 10k tach-redline is 8200. 200mph speedo-car is geared to top out at 140 as has shortened Guards straight cut gears from 2-5. Car is basically a wing at that speed and any faster wouldn't end well.
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Old 25 October 2018, 02:41 AM   #131
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Figure out why my dad tossed the Rivet bracelet and wore this on a leather strap

A month ago while wearing the watch on the 7206 that I sourced as part of the restoration an end link separated from the bracelet. I felt it come loose and made a lucky grab catching the watch before hit hit the ground. Disaster averted. I had inspected the bracelet when I first got it and everything looked secure. With wear the folded link attaching the end link to the bracelet had separated enough for it to come apart. It is just a simple piece folded piece of steel. I would imagine this happened a fair bit back in the day which is why so many of these pieces are no longer on the original bracelets.

To avoid any future issues I sent it back to Phillip and he had the end link connectors on both sides laser welded together. You can't tell from the front side that it's been welded. Knew I wouldn't ever trust this bracelet again unless something definitive was done to secure those links. Likely devalued the bracelet but couldn't care less.

If you have one of these bracelets take a close look at the end link connectors from time to time to make sure it stays secure. The watches on these are way too valuable to be damaged in a fall.

Has anybody else experienced an issue with these bracelets?
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Old 25 October 2018, 06:03 AM   #132
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This is how it shouldn’t look. :)

I would rather recommend changing the connector than welding it. They are easy to source.

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Old 25 October 2018, 09:35 PM   #133
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This is how it shouldn’t look. :)

I would rather recommend changing the connector than welding it. They are easy to source.


That is one beat up connector link. Your advice is well taken but I wanted a fix that I'd never need to second guess or think about again.
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Old 25 October 2018, 09:38 PM   #134
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That is one beat up connector link. Your advice is well taken but I wanted a fix that I'd never need to second guess or think about again.
That was why I suggested getting a new one instead of a restored.

As long as you feel safe. No fun if it breaks again.
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Old 25 October 2018, 09:40 PM   #135
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Old 26 October 2018, 12:27 AM   #136
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wow wow wow on all accounts, this is easily what makes a watch something completely priceless with a legacy and story behind it. Also, that R gruppe is completely amazing too!
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Old 26 October 2018, 01:02 PM   #137
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Great thread
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Old 27 October 2018, 02:13 AM   #138
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Thanks for taking the time to look at this post and for all of the well wishes. It really is appreciated. I'll add some picts from time to time.

Wanted to take the time to thank LA Watchworks for the amazing job they did restoring the original flat gilt hands. The match of the lume to the dial is just perfect. Really like having the original hands back on the watch. For anybody needing to restore tritium hands LAWW has my highest recommendation.

Sending in a blank PIP I have and they will do vintage correct lume for PIP. After that there is nothing left to do other than wear it as much as I can.
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Old 29 October 2018, 09:40 PM   #139
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Old 30 October 2018, 02:20 PM   #140
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Beautiful watch and story, I really enjoyed reading it and was touched by it.
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Old 30 October 2018, 06:11 PM   #141
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Lovely watch but I’m confused at the work done to the hands? They’re now a matte yellow gold finish(almost looks like the whole hand and lume has been airbrushed over together) and were originally polished silver finish?

Someone educate me on this please?
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Old 1 November 2018, 09:38 PM   #142
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few more shots

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Old 1 November 2018, 09:51 PM   #143
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Lovely watch but I’m confused at the work done to the hands? They’re now a matte yellow gold finish(almost looks like the whole hand and lume has been airbrushed over together) and were originally polished silver finish?

Someone educate me on this please?

I had a similar question for LAWW who did the work. The original flat gilt hands were badly oxidized which is why I pulled them from the watch 15-20 years ago. I wore the watch for years and years with newer style gilt hands that were color matched to dial but not real tritium. Then found NOS color matched tritium hands but also of the later non-flat style. Always preferred the gilt colored hands in watch and wanted the original flat hands back in.

LAWW was able to restore the hands original to the watch by stripping them and re-plating them gold. There was a texture to the hands after they were stripped and LAWW said that sanding that down or filling that in would change the shape of the hands and they didn't recommend that. The brass hands were recoated as is which is why there is that texture there. It is not a powder coat or spray on. That is just how the gold reflects light with the texture below it.

Watch is 1.3M serial so hands most likely were silver finish from factory but gold hands are possible for that serial range. I have about another 40 years of use out of this 52yo watch then it will go to my daughter. For this next part of it's life I wanted the original hands to be Gilt. Though the mat finish does catch my eye in some light I still think that LAWW did a great job brining them back into condition that enhances the watch and allows me to use the parts original to the watch. At the end of the day I am enjoying the watch more with the flat hands back in and with the flat hands being Gilt.
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Old 4 November 2018, 11:20 PM   #144
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Old 4 November 2018, 11:38 PM   #145
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Love the story and restoration. Also great that you’re wearing the hell out of it. You trusting it enough to swim with it?


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Old 5 November 2018, 10:27 PM   #146
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Love the story and restoration. Also great that you’re wearing the hell out of it. You trusting it enough to swim with it?


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Trust it enough to stand next to the pool. Definitely not risking submersion. It pressure tested OK but have no need to tempt fate.

Thanks for feedback.
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Old 5 November 2018, 10:55 PM   #147
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I would like to thank Phillip for his enthusiasm over my father Mark’s 1966 Meters First Gilt-Glossy Rolex Submariner 5513. If you are interested in the history of this piece read on. If not there are plenty of pictures.



This watch has always held strong sentimental value as one of the few things I have to remember my father by. Phillip’s interest in the history of the watch and the factors that lead the dial to age has motivated me take a step back and look at the watch more objectively. While this watch sparked my interest in watch collecting I have never felt totally at ease wearing it. It has been in my possession going on 30 years but it still does not feel like my watch. In my mind it will forever be my fathers. The story of this watch is also the story of my father’s final years of life. The changes in the dial and patina are a result of the trials he put this watch through.



From 1966 through my father’s death in 1973 this watch enjoyed the hard use a Rolex Submariner is made to endure. The dial has taken on a dark chocolate brown hue and the tritium lume has aged into a deep creamy yellow. This watch was produced during a period when Rolex used a paint/lacquer on the dial with the potential for unpredictable aging. It seems that extreme UV exposure followed by years of complete darkness triggered some of the watches with this paint/lacquer on the dial to change, each in their own way. Over the past decade I have noticed the dial becoming brown and expect this to continue. Happily, the color change is very even.



The story of this watch begins with my Grandfather. After returning from serving his country in Europe during WW2 my grandfather settled into becoming a Jeweler in NYC. He was one of the early tenants of the Jewelers Exchange on 47th street. My father was born in 1947 and at the age of 17 left home to join the Airforce. He was stationed at Hickam Air Force Base on Oahu and in Japan. He returned home to Long Island after a few years of service and joined the Merchant Marines working around the NY area.



Rolex serial number 138XXXX , a gilt-glossy dialed 5513 that was to become my fathers was produced first quarter of 1966. This would have made it one of the late production gilt-glossy dialed 5513’s before they transitioned to the much more common matte dial. I do not know why my Grandfather gave his 19yo son this watch nor the specific occasion. Perhaps he felt this was one of the few watches that could keep up with my father’s activities. There were not many options for waterproof watches at that time and the Submariners reputation as a durable workhorse was already being minted.



In 1967 with the 5513 on his wrist Mark traveled west to Laguna beach to surf and enjoy everything else happening in California during the late 60’s. In 1968 he moved back to the Hawaiian Islands.



His occupations over the following 6 years included:

Diver for black coral on Maui

Salvage diver on Maui

Paniolo on the Big Island. (Hawaiian cowboy running cattle)

Deck mate of University of Hawaii research ship



Mark worked to afford his play. One activity was big wave surfing on the North Shore of Oahu during the winter season. The late 60’s were the early years for big wave surfing. In talking to his friends who were there with him, Mark was known to venture out on the bigger days when most would keep to the safety of the shoreline.



Mark was an avid offshore fisherman and was sponsored by Shakespeare fishing rods. In addition to fishing the Hawaiian Islands he fished his home waters off of Long Island as well as Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Mark’s younger brother Michael tell stories of how if the fishing wasn’t working out and the seas were high Mark would run his center console as hard as he could until Michael would get sea-sick and have to jump overboard to alleviate the nausea.



All of these activities were while wearing this watch which are a testament to the engineering and the durability of the Rolex Submariner. I doubt he ever had the watch serviced or gave any care to keeping it safe. The Submariner was designed as a tool watch and he used it as such.



In December of 1973 Mark was killed in a rollover Jeep accident while wearing the watch. The roll-bar of his Jeep collapsed crushing him under the car. Mark’s Submariner survived and his girlfriend put his 5513 in a shoe box for the next 15 years until it she gave it to me when I turned 18. Its existence was unknown to me and it was a great surprise to receive the watch. Prior to that all I had of my fathers was his hunting knife.



Mark’s watch came to me on a dry-rotted leather strap still covered in his blood from the day of the accident. I remember discarding the leather strap and cleaning off the watch. We took the watch for service where they lubricated the movement and polished the plexi which was badly gauged and scratched up. The jeweler sourced a 93150 Oyster bracelet which Mark’s watch was mounted to. I recall him recommending this choice over the year correct rivet model.



Mark’s Rolex has now traveled though 3 generations of my family. It was on my father’s wrist when I was born. I wore it to High School, College, and Medical School graduations. It was on my wrist for my important life milestones including my wedding and the birth of my daughter. However, it mostly was stored away safely in a dark place letting the dial age as it has.



One fun adventure Mark’s 5513 has joined me on was the photoshoot for Porsche Excellence Magazine on a 1973 911 hotrod that I restored. While driving the photographer snapped a picture from inside the car that was unplanned but really welcome when I discovered how it captured Mark’s watch on my wrist.



My thanks to Phillip Ridley for his expert service and for educating me on how uniquely this 5513 has aged. His service and communication were first class. Phillip was able to source a year correct 1966 stamped Swiss 7206 bracelet as well as install a vintage correct color matched bezel pearl. The original T19 crystal wouldn’t pressure test 15 years ago so a service crystal was mounted back then. Phillip fitted a correct T19 which domes more than the service ones. Additionally, NOS color matched tritium hands were sourced from a seller in England and the match to the dial is better than I could have hoped.



Someday when I am gone my daughter will take over caring for this special piece of my family history. I have already told her it will be hers. It is special that a Meters First Tropical Gilt-Glossy Dialed Rolex 5513 gets to link us. In part I have put these thoughts and memories down as a memoir to my daughter so that she can read this someday. Thank you for taking the time to hear about Mark’s 5513. The process of writing this has given me opportunity to think about my father, this Rolex and all of the related circumstances.



I'm open to questions and comments on the watch.



I will post pictures of history of the watch separately.


Thanks for sharing.



Richard B.
#16013 datejust, #216580 Explorer 2 (PVD’d), #16710 Pepsi#218238 yg President, #116610LV Hulk, #126600 Sea dweller, #126710 Pepsi
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Old 6 November 2018, 12:14 AM   #148
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Thank you for sharing such beautiful, heart warming story with us. Possibly my favorite one, since being on the forum
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Old 6 November 2018, 09:39 AM   #149
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The feedback and comments are appreciated. My thanks to everybody who has taken the time to look at the post and I hope the occasional pictures I post of the watch are enjoyed.

We have a big family event in a few weeks and Mark's watch will be on my wrist for it.
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Old 6 November 2018, 10:01 AM   #150
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This has been my favorite post in all of the forum so far. Thank you for sharing your dad's, and your story, and for the continuous updates on the restoration of the watch.
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