Day Date Feedback Needed

[sportfisher]

I finally found the 18078 that I have been looking for with the Bark band and the Bursa wood face. The place I bought it from has a 7 day return policy and encouraged me to have it checked out when it arrived so my local watch guy was the first person I took it to today.

Here is his feedback. Overall the watch looks good, a little stretch but nothing abnormal for its age. Case looked good and numbers checked out, it was loosing about 10 seconds which is why I had him open it up because I was going to have him adjust it. Another reason I had him take the watch apart is there seemed to be a bit of uneven space between the case and the dial and I wanted to check it out. When he opened it he found that the little feet on the dial are missing and the dial seemed to be glued with tape on the movement. He also said that the dial didn't seemed to fit perfectly for this watch, almost like it came off a different watch or was aftermarket.

Before I got back to him I wanted to check on the forum and get peoples thoughts. Is there anything normal about what he has come across and I shouldn't be concerned or should I have him close it up and I will return it?

It is from 1982. Any feedback and thoughts are welcome. I love the wood dial and it is the primary reason for choosing this watch in particular.

Thanks in advance.

[CaveDweller]

Some Rolex dials will only fit specific models, so if it’s held in with sellotape – something’s wrong

The watches timekeeping should be closer to +2 secs per day, so 10 secs is telling you it needs a service. It’s not as simple as adjusting it, the whole mechanism will need taking apart, re-oiling, and then testing for timekeeping. The “old oil” is more than likely the cause of bad timekeeping.

If you take it to Rolex for a service, they will advise you that you have the incorrect dial, and refuse to work on it unless you let them put the correct one in there. The cost of both is about 1000 bucks to 1500 dollars, depending on what else is held in by sticky tape.

If you let an independent work on it, you will still need a replacement dial, but at least you get to choose which one – any watchmaker worth his salt is not going to re-use that same dial and put fresh sticky tape in a Rolex. The cost is likely to be about the same, maybe a couple of hundred less, but pretty close.

Or – you can return the watch – depends what you paid for it at the end of the day ……

[MorningTundra]

These bark finish refs are rare. If you got it cheap enough to put right, it’s worth keeping and invest in. If not, send it back.

Did the seller claim it was all correct? If so, you might be able to get some money back towards correcting things.


Sent from my cracked, broken hand wound phone. IG @morning_tundra

[joli160]

Plenty good original dials for sale, if the rest checks out ask seller for a compensation

10 seconds of means nothing. Rolex was -4/+6 and these extra four seconds out of line can be regulated.
A real watchmaker will be able to tell you if it requires a full service or not by measuring all kind of things.
Your go to "watch guy" does not sound very solid in my ears if he did not yet analyse the watch for its technical condition. I'd go somewhere else

Condition of bracelet is key, refurbishing bark bracelets is very hard if at all possible and I no of nobody who does this.
Regular President bracelets are no problem.
Ask member Rolliworks who is in this line of business

[77T]

The term Bursa wood isn’t familiar to me - but does the dial look similar to this one?




If so, it is possible the dial was from an earlier DD with a non-quickset and didn’t fit the 3055 inside yours. The feet got clipped and some handiwork done to make it stay put.

If you want to improve the security of the dial and don’t mind looking past the Franken-ness of the watch, plan to make friends with a watchmaker who has a parts account but won’t be too finicky about authenticity.

Otherwise, I’d exercise the return policy option.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[MorningTundra]

There is a watchmakers tool for resoldering feet if you like the dial. Is it the correct diameter?


Sent from my cracked, broken hand wound phone. IG @morning_tundra

[zapokee]

Balsa wood?

[crowncollection]

Originally Posted by sportfisher

I finally found the 18078 that I have been looking for with the Bark band and the Bursa wood face. The place I bought it from has a 7 day return policy and encouraged me to have it checked out when it arrived so my local watch guy was the first person I took it to today.



Here is his feedback. Overall the watch looks good, a little stretch but nothing abnormal for its age. Case looked good and numbers checked out, it was loosing about 10 seconds which is why I had him open it up because I was going to have him adjust it. Another reason I had him take the watch apart is there seemed to be a bit of uneven space between the case and the dial and I wanted to check it out. When he opened it he found that the little feet on the dial are missing and the dial seemed to be glued with tape on the movement. He also said that the dial didn't seemed to fit perfectly for this watch, almost like it came off a different watch or was aftermarket.



Before I got back to him I wanted to check on the forum and get peoples thoughts. Is there anything normal about what he has come across and I shouldn't be concerned or should I have him close it up and I will return it?



It is from 1982. Any feedback and thoughts are welcome. I love the wood dial and it is the primary reason for choosing this watch in particular.



Thanks in advance.

It is a burl wood dial. It should have feet it’s was not available on 1800 series only bamboo wood. It is fir a 18000 series. Someone’s messed with it