Originally Posted by
walkerwek1958
Thankfully the bizarre madness of vintage Rolex sports watches leaves me completely cold, so there's no danger of me getting sucked in. For those less fortunate than me, apart from saying 'don`t do it', the best advice is to buy from the most reputable sources such as Mike Wood at the oldwatchshop in Southport, or Haywood Milton. There are others. Worst way to buy is off ebay or from a dealer who is trying to pass a watch off as something it isn`t.
Part of the problem is the buyers themselves. The current market has been created by the so-called collectors/elitists and their obsession with having exactly the right bezel insert, dial, and even the right font on the date wheel. Originality has been taken to a crazy level, with hundreds/thousands of pounds invested in the crumbling lume on a handset or the font on a worn out datewheel. It's little wonder that fake patina'd dials are out there, or hands that are made to look old, the obsessive buyers have created the market and demand is being met!
Parts got replaced on these watches for a very good reason. Bezel inserts got scratched and battered, lume started dropping off dials and hands, date wheels were replaced because the bloody teeth were damaged........not simply because some repairer fancied swapping them! Very few of the folks who fawn over these things have ever tried removing a handset with lume that's turned to dust and watched it start to crumble as soon as the hand is touched......it certainly focuses the mind!
I`m not a philistine, I like old watches to be original (where practicable) and I own some nice old Omegas myself. However, I think there's a certain type of madness around old Rolex sports. I can see the appeal of a nice example in great condition, but the sheer obsession with bezel fonts etc goes over my head. Maybe the sensible way into it is to deliberately buy something that isn't quite right and pay a lot less money. Provided the watch presents well, has a good case, runs well, has a dial and handset that match, who cares whether it's absolutely correct, it's a nice watch to own and wear. Leave the true 'collectors grade' examples for the purists and be thankful you're not one of them!
Be careful out there.