To the Oysterquartz specialists

[aasubo]

Hey fellow TRFers,

I have collected quite some Datejusts over the past years and now all of a sudden I stumbled across the OQ, I never liked and thought not worthy.

Now after reading oysterinfo.net I understand it’s a killer movement and I sort of dig the case with the bracelet of the 17000.

I want the blue Dial the most, but now my question.

I know that the 17000 received a movement upgrade in 81/82 and was built like this until 2001. are the differences over the years, especially when it come to Dial design and the open 6/9 date wheel?

Really looking forward to some insights or facts, as I would love to have an open 6/9, but I fear with mint condition and blue Dial, there will not be too much out there...

Thanks a lot!
BR
Torsten

[aasubo]

213040D0-4AF8-49D0-8AE4-0B81ED9ED53F-21052-00000D14D42B7870.jpg

That’s how the beauty shall look like, borrowed from another forum


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[aasubo]

I know it’s not main stream, but maybe some of the OQ fans can chime in please

Thanks
Torsten


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[Old Expat Beast]

Open 6/9 ended around 1990, but they get replaced during service by Rolex unless you tell them not to. This happened to me and I had to go back and have them restore the old one on my 1977 MKI dial 17000.

[aasubo]

Thanks oldespatbeast, so I have to look in the timeframe of 81-90, as I somehow prefer the dial of the mk2 17000...

It will the be a tradeoff between open 6/9 and state of the case, as there could be some younger models with a better case, but with closed numbers. My dream would be a NOS 17000 with blue Dial, but I guess, that’s nearly impossible, isn’t it?

[Old Expat Beast]

Not impossible but very hard to find.

[77T]

I’m not aware of a change in the 5035 OQ movement between the ‘70’s and ‘80’s - but there was a process change and dial change.

The original 5035 movement in the 17000’s were not sent to COSC. So it was “uncertified” but really no different than the latter 5035’s made in the ‘80's when it was sent to COSC to be certified for the remaining years.

Due to an un-certified movement, the first dials only have the three lines. The later certified movements had Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified added. That is one way to discern an ‘80’s 5035 movement was installed.

Of course, like Adam said, parts got moved around in error (and for other reasons, too) so you’d need to be looking for a documented 17000 if you want the best collectible.

Lastly, the bracelets can be a “tell” on whether you’re looking at a frankened original. The OQ bracelets shared the same ref. # as the watch, 17000. After the first run of 17000’s, Rolex updated the bracelet ref. # to 17000B.

Some people have noted that the early bracelets had pins instead of link screws. (I can’t say why Rolex went backwards on the bracelets because the earlier mechanical movement DJ had link screws.).

But there are also 17000B bracelets found with pins. Odd but has been reported on OQ collector websites. Not making your job easier, huh?

Good luck on your quest.


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[aasubo]

Originally Posted by 77T

I’m not aware of a change in the 5035 OQ movement between the ‘70’s and ‘80’s - but there was a process change and dial change.

The original 5035 movement in the 17000’s were not sent to COSC. So it was “uncertified” but really no different than the latter 5035’s made in the ‘80's when it was sent to COSC to be certified for the remaining years.

Due to an un-certified movement, the first dials only have the three lines. The later certified movements had Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified added. That is one way to discern an ‘80’s 5035 movement was installed.

Of course, like Adam said, parts got moved around in error (and for other reasons, too) so you’d need to be looking for a documented 17000 if you want the best collectible.

Lastly, the bracelets can be a “tell” on whether you’re looking at a frankened original. The OQ bracelets shared the same ref. # as the watch, 17000. After the first run of 17000’s, Rolex updated the bracelet ref. # to 17000B.

Some people have noted that the early bracelets had pins instead of link screws. (I can’t say why Rolex went backwards on the bracelets because the earlier mechanical movement DJ had link screws.).

But there are also 17000B bracelets found with pins. Odd but has been reported on OQ collector websites. Not making your job easier, huh?

Good luck on your quest.



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Wow, I knew about the update of the 5035 movement with the oscillator having A fork shape and the Dial change hereinafter, but was not aware about the bracelet, so thanks for the info.

Indeed, it seems I will have some hunting to do, to find that kind of timepiece for my collection.

Thanks again
Torsten

P.s. if you someone with a NOS 17000 blue Dial, let me know with PM

[wm82]

The circuit boards have changed throughout time, Ive seen 3 different variants from memory. Otherwise nothing changed over time. The open datewheel is really easy and inexpensive to source (i have 10s of them), if you just want the look. I'd go for the best case/bracelet condition over anything else to be fair.

[77T]

Originally Posted by aasubo

Wow, I knew about the update of the 5035 movement with the oscillator having A fork shape and the Dial change hereinafter, but was not aware about the bracelet, so thanks for the info.



Indeed, it seems I will have some hunting to do, to find that kind of timepiece for my collection.



Thanks again

Torsten



P.s. if you someone with a NOS 17000 blue Dial, let me know with PM

I think you are conflating the old predecessor 5100 movement that did not have a forked resonator.

The 5035 always had a forked resonator. There was no architectural change between the early 5035’s (they weren’t submitted to COSC) and those that were later sent to COSC. So it was only a process change that led to the chronometer certification being added to the dial.

But many components did change over the years as Rolex chose different suppliers. These changes did not merit a new caliber designation nor a “Mk” number.


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[77T]

Originally Posted by wm82

The circuit boards have changed throughout time, Ive seen 3 different variants from memory. Otherwise nothing changed over time.

I agree the basic architecture didn’t change. Also many components inside the CMOS would have changed as better quality ICs came along.

René LeCoultre helped Rolex design a modular architecture to allow for switching certain components without redesigning the whole caliber. It also used many similar components to the mechanical moment driving the earlier DJ’s.

Several other parts supplied by various subcontractors were switched. For example, initial forked quartz resonators came from Japan (NDK) in early 5035’s - but were later switched to a Swiss supplier (Statek) who ironically was already supplying ETA. Nobody made a model change or caliber change for these differences in new watches being produced. Rolex was just happy to survive as 70+% of their peers perished in the quartz revolution.

None of these changes make any particular OQ engine more desirable than another. That because a 1st Gen 5035 using an NDK that needed a new resonator in 1985 would have been given a Statek at the RSC.

My advice to OP is not to try going to extremes finding some unicorn 17000 that has this or that component inside the 5035...



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[aasubo]

Thanks to all for terrific detail knowledge and advice!!!!

I’m so happy to see that there is still the TRF spirit of sharing and discussion amongst the true members and not just discussion about price development and scarcity;-)

I will look for a 17000 with mint/NOS condition from a case and bracelet condition, irrespective of movement and date configuration and then change the date wheel, as I just like the looks of it!!!

Again, my gratitude!!

BR
Torsten


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