Posted 13 years ago
mrstomcrews
(7 items)
This belonged to my Father, and was presented to him by his Company, Co. B 350 Infantry. He tried several times to get it repaired, even sent it to Rolex in Geneva and they responded with a beautiful letter that basically says "unrepairable" But that was also in 1985, before the internet and ability to reach millions more people~so if anybody knows anything about the history of this model, the value, and if you know of any repair sources, that would be fantastic! I figure at the very least, Ineed a bezel for it...any idea how much one of those might run? Thanks in advance!! This is a really great website!!!
I have a friend that have a similar watch, she uses it even that is ""unrepairable".
Maybe you want to so the same : )
Good look!
Hello! Can you contact me about this watch? My email is pavan.lorenzo @ gmail . com
Rolex is not in the business of repairing watches. They sell and service newer model watches and this is where it ends. You can contact a good Rolex aftermarket repair man and I am sure he can get it running if the parts are still available. It would be well worth it.
thank you so much for good advice...I will check it out! I have thought about just wearing it as "unrepairable", so good to know someone else has same ideas!! : ) I'll keep you posted on what I find out...thanks again!
What's wrong with your Dad's watch? Does it run at all? Can you (gently) manually wind it? Can you set the time by pulling and turning the crown (the knob on the right-side of the case)?
I believe the dial has been replaced at some point, but still a very nice piece. It's a model 6202, the precursor of the Rolex Submariner and powered by either the A.296 or A.260 calibre, depending on the watch's production date.
As has been said, Rolex will no longer service these, but there're many Rolex-trained, independent watchmakers (with Rolex parts accounts) out there who can. Check your local telephone book for "Watch & Clock Repair" (or similar) and ask if the watchmaker has a Rolex parts account (having a parts account requires that the watchmaker meet Rolex's very stringent requirements). Rolex doesn't work on these due to the scarcity of parts and insurance liability in case something gets broken or lost during repairs (some parts are nearly impossible to find and those that are available aren't cheap!). Most of the value in your Dad's watch is in the dial, which appears to be a later, service replacement, but still nice & collectible, so don't let anyone repair or change it. Same goes for the hands and case. Were it me, I'd just have the movement disassembled (with a new mainspring fitted during reassembly!), cleaned, lubricated and adjusted for proper timing. Have the crown, tube and caseback seals replaced; and either polish the crystal (this is a rare watch, so don't wear it in or around water!!) or, if it can't be polished to clarity, replace it with a genuine Rolex Tropic crystal (Rolex crystals are still available for the 6202, but I can't remember the crystal model number at the moment???).
As you may've guessed, I have some experience with watches (I just finished overhauling a similar watch earlier today), but I'm strictly an amateur and, unfortunately, I don't have a access to a Rolex parts account. These watches are very basic and easy for any Rolex-trained watchmaker to work on (as long as they have access to any parts that may be needed).
Anyroads, good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Sorry, re the crown, I meant to say unscrew and then pull the crown out to set the time (i.e., move the hands).
Re the bezel: These come up for auction from time-to-time on ebay, but, in reasonable condition, it's likely to cost a grand or more (there's one on there now, which looks to be in decent condition - 320949059453). There're also many aftermarket bezels being sold as genuine, so be very careful when bidding for Rolex-anything on the 'bay.
dynhm6, thank you so very much on all the info! From what I recall, the watch will run, but sporadically stops and has to be reset. Guess that sort of ruins the whole "perpetual motion" concept....LOL! Wow, $1K for a bezel is probably beyond my budget, but will keep that in mind. If the bezel is that much, I could only imagine what the repair bill might be?! Might have to leave that for when I win the lottery! Thanks again and I will keep posting if anything new comes up.