1957 6542

[Runnin' Rebel]

What do you guys think ?

Besides bracelet and what about roulette Disk can you tell and should it be black/Red Just courious why red wasn't shown unless its after market or not original for this and only black

Anything else ??














Case looks a little to good ?

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[Runnin' Rebel]

I'm thinking that's not even close to correct font on date wheel....

[Alexwwjd]

I like it Mark. Do you own it or planning on buying it?


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[Runnin' Rebel]

Hi Alex..

I don't own one yet but I keep looking... trying to learn, huge buy ! I could by a Porsche Caman with the price of a good example of this. Actually perhaps a GTS model lol


Now if I said I bought it I'd get a ton of responses

[incontrol]

I wish I knew about these watches. I am really learning with you by the questions you are asking, Mark. Vintage watches are so hard to buy, many details to be concerned with.

This would be a helluva purchase, the cost and the Bakelite bezel would have me too scared to wear it. It would be an amazing investment if bought in proper condition.

Best of luck in the hunt.


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[Runnin' Rebel]

Originally Posted by incontrol

I wish I knew about these watches. I am really learning with you by the questions you are asking, Mark. Vintage watches are so hard to buy, many details to be concerned with.

This would be a helluva purchase, the cost and the Bakelite bezel would have me too scared to wear it. It would be an amazing investment if bought in proper condition.

Best of luck in the hunt.


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Hi Kevin and thanks,

But I can flat out tell you I know maybe 3% of a little something and 97% of nothing on these. I found there're just so cool. Just the bezel alone is quite a story and then the elusive white dial one.. I think they used 3-5 different movements in the 6 year run and the 1959 transitioned later in '59 to a 1675 reading showed me. uggg If I ever did find one that was right for me it wouldn't be a daily that's for sure. GTG only watch lol

Be nice if an expert come on here went through everything. Maybe that's happened and I need to search

[MikeB2620]

My bet is that it was serviced by Rolex. These watches were recalled in the early '60's because of high radiation from the dial. The dials were replaced and at service Rolex put in all black date wheels, replacing the stock roulette wheel.

[saskmh]

Originally Posted by MikeB2620

My bet is that it was serviced by Rolex. These watches were recalled in the early '60's because of high radiation from the dial. The dials were replaced and at service Rolex put in all black date wheels, replacing the stock roulette wheel.

The dials were fine. It was the early bakelite bezel inserts (just a few hundred of them that made it to the U.S.) that contained strontium 90 which was really bad stuff. There are original recall documents posted on here regarding the bezel inserts. Only the inserts were changed. The dials and date wheels had nothing to do with the recall.

[saskmh]

Of the original 6542's that I have seen from respected collectors with the original bakelite insert, every one of them had a very flat finish to the insert. Not the bubbled look like the one in the op's photo. I have seen a company with "aged" aftermarket inserts that have this bubbled look as well. One of them in particular is even using radioactive material in their fake lume so that it glows under a UV light like the originals. I know others on here may argue this but in my opinion these bubbled 6542 inserts are fake.

Also, the original colors of the insert were red and blue. Never red and black until the 16760 was introduced in about 1983. The blue in the original bakelite inserts however has aged to a very dark blue/almost black color. In some old photos it can look black but that is just due to lighting/exposure/ etc.

and, as you've mentioned...that case looks mint. Not exactly fitting the condition rest of the watch.

[MikeB2620]

You are correct about the dials not being radioactive. My post was incorrect. But what I do know for sure is that if Rolex serviced these watches in the '60's, they replaced the roulette date wheel most of the time with all black.

I know this from experience. My 6542, which was my Dad's, was serviced by Rolex and the date wheel was replaced with a black one
. Who knows why. Rolex tends to replace some parts when they service these watches.