Why internet is important for watchcollectors:
Here in xxxxx is a little watch shop,
the owner does not know a lot about high collectible Rolex watches.
About 10 years ago or more, before the internet was THE big info
center about vintage Rolex, I walked along the street
where this shop is located.
Just a short view in the shop window …… and I noticed a
golden Rolex sportwatch in the last row, very hard to see.
I: "What's that behind the thousands Breitlings and Omegas in
the last row ?"
He: "Unfortunately a marriage. I bought it in a convolute from
a guy what inherited some watches from a relative from him.
It's a golden GMT-Master from the 70s, but any idiot removed
the crownguards, No idea why, IMO he wanted copy a rare 6542.
You can have it for very cheap .........."
He made me a very good offer, but I was thinking: what should I
do with this watch ?
OK, I bought it. Just for daily wearing, nothing more .... and it was
in very nice condition.
After wearing it for two days or so I was so angry with me, I spent
money for a golden but total destroyed Rolex !!!
I began to hate it ......
Finaly, I closed the watch in my safe and tried to forget the whole story.
After a year or so we decided to install internet in our house.
A short time later I was proud member in all watch forums what exist.
Wow ! That was a real paradise !!!
One day, in the website from a well known watch dealer, was offered a golden
1675 WITHOUT THE DAMN’ CROWNGUARDS, it looks like my forgotten one !!!
In his description I read words like "interims model from the early 60s", or
"very rare" ..... and so on.
Suddenly I felt like a winner, I got nervous ..... but ..... I remember the movement was not correct !
In my watch was the cal. 1575-GMT with hackset, but in the early 60s watches
should be the cal. 1565-GMT and the hackset was introduced officially in 1972 AFAIK.
In that time (in contrast to nowadays) Rolex HQ in Genève had (!!!) the "Technical Information Departement".
I sent a question per fax to them, with all the watch numbers ....
if it's possible, that a modern movement can work in a watch from the early 60s ..... and so on.
In the answer fax was written something like:
"Your watch leave our factory in Dec 1966 …… and there was made a small batch
of the Ref. 1675, what use the cal. 1565-GMT parallel with the later cal. 1575-GMT ........".
I think you all can imagine, that this fax is stored in my safe too ……………..
Since this time I know, I have a real gem in my collection.
Thank you internet, without you I'd still believe, that in my safe sleep
a awful Rolex marriage.
c/ "O.E."
