Buying a Rolex or Chronosport

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Higgins (aka Bondtoys)
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#46 Post by Higgins (aka Bondtoys) »

This thread is far too silent!

I am presently in Hongkong and have been Rolex-Shopping for an entire day! Besides of the ca. 70 authorized dealers here, there are masses of second-hand-watches dealers with a lot of gems. I have seen several COMEX Subs and old Milgausses in incredible condition together with diamond-encrustered Franck Muller Tourbillons etc.

I am still trying to find the perfect 1675 for me buy my main focus is for a Submariner LC as I want to do something like this

Image out of a beaten-up one.

That would be the ultimate recent James Bond Submariner imho - for some people, it's a sacrilege!

What are your thoughts Styles Bitchley?

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Styles Bitchley
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#47 Post by Styles Bitchley »

I used to live in HK. Probably more watch stores per capita than anywhere else on earth. The Chinese generally love to show their wealth and power, and what better way?

That sub with the strap, rather than the bracelet, actually looks quite nice. I've even seen one with a nice rubber strap that looked really cool. I'm pretty open minded! I'd forgotten that Sean Connery's Submariner had a strap. So as long as you're shopping for one, be sure it has a buzz saw!

Image

I don't recall ever seeing a GMT Master with a strap. I expect it would look pretty nice actually. If it were the right choice.
"How fiendishly deceptive of you Magnum. I could have sworn I was hearing the emasculation of a large rodent."

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Higgins (aka Bondtoys)
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#48 Post by Higgins (aka Bondtoys) »

Ok, I did it: I purchased a PERFECT 16610 (including papers) from 2002 with a brand new bracelet in HK for around US$ 4.350,-- I have to get a Maxidial and then get the case customized.

The shop there was definitely the best - quality and price and reputation - and I also fell in love with this:

Image

That one will be around US$ 4600,--

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Styles Bitchley
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#49 Post by Styles Bitchley »

Feel free to share the name/address of the shop for any of us who might pass through. It's probably one of the cheapest places to buy a watch, but you have to deal with someone reputable.
"How fiendishly deceptive of you Magnum. I could have sworn I was hearing the emasculation of a large rodent."

- J.Q.H.

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Higgins (aka Bondtoys)
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#50 Post by Higgins (aka Bondtoys) »

Sure,

Pak Lee Trading Co. It's in a side street from Nathan road.
Just follow the street (forgot the name) between the Peninsula and the Kowloon Hotel in the eastern direction and you'll find it.

I have been meeting with a member of the W-U-S forum, who lives there since 2 years and deals a lot with vintage Rolexes. It was his recommendation and I am more than happy with my purchase - and this says a lot!


Now, should I get that 1675 also?

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rubber chicken
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#51 Post by rubber chicken »

Thanks for the excuse to explore Hong Kong. :) I think this is it?

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Higgins (aka Bondtoys)
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#52 Post by Higgins (aka Bondtoys) »

yep, spot on!

Who else would have been able to find it than our location boyscout RC

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Pahonu
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#53 Post by Pahonu »

Styles Bitchley wrote:I used to live in HK. Probably more watch stores per capita than anywhere else on earth. The Chinese generally love to show their wealth and power, and what better way?

That sub with the strap, rather than the bracelet, actually looks quite nice. I've even seen one with a nice rubber strap that looked really cool. I'm pretty open minded! I'd forgotten that Sean Connery's Submariner had a strap. So as long as you're shopping for one, be sure it has a buzz saw!

Image

I don't recall ever seeing a GMT Master with a strap. I expect it would look pretty nice actually. If it were the right choice.
Not to be snarky, but does anyone actually dive with these watches. I have two dive-watches myself, an older Seiko and a newer Casio, both with rubber straps, and I've beat the crap out of them diving over the years. It seems like one or the other always needs some attention. Hence the two of them, but they are pretty sturdy watches that take alot of abuse. I actually lost one (Casio, I think) snorkeling in the coves in Laguna Beach here in SoCal. I retraced my path and found it in the rocks about an hour later! If it had fallen in the sand I never would have found it. The strap springbar had broken. I would hate to foot the repair bills for the Rolexes!
Last edited by Pahonu on Thu Apr 07, 2011 6:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Higgins (aka Bondtoys)
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#54 Post by Higgins (aka Bondtoys) »

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Last edited by Higgins (aka Bondtoys) on Fri Apr 08, 2011 4:10 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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#55 Post by Higgins (aka Bondtoys) »

I am swimming and diving with my Rolex GMT II.

For a good reason, Rolexes have stainless steel springbars - not to be compared with the brass-based ones from cheaper watches. But you can upgrade to stainlss steel springbars in any good watch shop.

I regularly clean the bracelets with ultrasonic and get the watch pressure-tested and after being in salt water, I rinse it under normal water to get the salt & sand off.

I dislike a wide range of Omega Sports watches ( Seamaster and Planet Ocean) as their metal bracelet are held together with friction pins and after some time of wear, these pins simply fall out due to wear on the fixing tubes.

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Pahonu
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#56 Post by Pahonu »

Bondtoys.de wrote:I am swimming and diving with my Rolex GMT II.

For a good reason, Rolexes have stainless steel springbars - not to be compared with the brass-based ones from cheaper watches. But you can upgrade to stainlss steel springbars in any good watch shop.

I regularly clean the bracelets with ultrasonic and get the watch pressure-tested and after being in salt water, I rinse it under normal water to get the salt & sand off.

I dislike a wide range of Omega Sports watches ( Seamaster and Planet Ocean) as their metal bracelet are held together with friction pins and after some time of wear, these pins simply fall out due to wear on the fixing tubes.
I believe I have stainless springbars in one or both of the watches. Both have had these replaced over the years as well as several straps. I guess I'm just hard on watches and wouldn't want to have to pay the repair bill on a Rolex.

I wasn't referring to swimming in a pool. I meant scuba diving and snorkeling on the coast here in Southern California. They're always in salt water. Poking around in the rocks and tide pools, my watches get scratched and banged up. The reason I asked is I've never run in to someone diving with a Rolex, and I've been doing it for over 15 years.

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#57 Post by Styles Bitchley »

Pahonu wrote:I wasn't referring to swimming in a pool. I meant scuba diving and snorkeling on the coast here in Southern California. They're always in salt water. Poking around in the rocks and tide pools, my watches get scratched and banged up. The reason I asked is I've never run in to someone diving with a Rolex, and I've been doing it for over 15 years.
I've been diving several times with my submariner. But using it to time the dive isn't very important these days with dive computers being so commonplace. That said, back when computers were less common I used to turn the bezel and use it the way it's supposed to (The GMT bezel isn't for timing, so it really wouldn't be much use beyond telling the time). In reality though, I'm only an occasional sport diver and I've never had to test it to see how it performs at its 660 foot limit! Knowing that it could perform way beyond what you would use it for is part of the allure. Basically, it signals that - yes, I'm a normal guy, but part of me is Magnum PI with a little bit of James Bond, so I could be called on at any point to save the world from a mad man. And for that, I would need a Swiss made precision instrument (for timing bombs, etc.).

A buddy of mine is a commercial diver in British Columbia. He's envious of my watch, but given the amount of work he has done on his watch, he'd probably be broke by now. He has a decent mechanical diving watch (can't remember the brand) that has been bashed about and virtually everything on it has been replaced at some point. Perhaps a Rolex wouldn't break as often though...

Thanks for the tip on the shop Bondtoys and thank to RC for pinpointing the shop! As for buying the 1675, obviously your pockets are deeper than mine! Go for it.

After seeing the streets of Kowloon, I'm longing for some real Chinese food!
"How fiendishly deceptive of you Magnum. I could have sworn I was hearing the emasculation of a large rodent."

- J.Q.H.

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#58 Post by Higgins (aka Bondtoys) »

Sorry, Styles to disappoint you.

I have been checking this lovely GMT again. It's from 1971, so far too early for an MPI model and you can see this at the ends of the bracelet. In the 70s, they had these "end-caps" which almost covered the next link, the MPI watch has different end links.

So for now, I still looking for a 1675 from 1980 or so.

Had real chinese food today and a huge watch fleamarket in Hongkong. I may have seen around 50 brand new steel Daytonas, can't count the Subs and GMTs but no 1675 from the right age :(

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Styles Bitchley
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#59 Post by Styles Bitchley »

For those looking for a reason not to buy a Rolex, I just got a bill for a full cleaning and inspection on my Submariner. My son inadvertently opened the crown before I went swimming in the ocean a few weeks ago so I had to get the moisture out before any damage was done.

I'll tell you, for a guy whose bank account looks more like Thomas' than Robin's, a 1,000 Swiss Franc repair bill is like a punch in the gut!
"How fiendishly deceptive of you Magnum. I could have sworn I was hearing the emasculation of a large rodent."

- J.Q.H.

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#60 Post by brunoffrance »

Finally wondering if the TM rolex were a real one or only a replica for the TV.... Spending so much money for a watch you don't see details .... why not a replica as I'm sure there was some in the 80's....
Very american 4 a french...

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