Old Rolex - Fake or Real

Gorteen

I lived in the UK years ago and I have an old Rolex with only half a bracelet. I've never been sure if it's real or fake because I bought it in a car boot sale. I wore it for years before the bracelet broke and had forgotten about it until I recently found it.
It has lots of wear and tear on the glass. There are no markings or serial number on the back. Does this mean it's fake? I wonder if it's worth having it assessed?

Gorteen

Here it is



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Gorteen

OmegaGene wrote: »

I’m no expert but it looks real to me and you should get it checked out, if that’s real it’s worth big money
Wish you luck with it

:eek: Big Money? It's very scratched and there's only half a bracelet! I wonder would it be nice to get repaired, although you have me worried that repair might also be big money!

Clareman

Check at the 6 o'clock position to see if you can make out a serial number there, a google of the number should flag if it's a fake very quickly. This site might be useful for you https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-serial-numbers

Clareman

Gorteen wrote: »

:eek: Big Money? It's very scratched and there's only half a bracelet! I wonder would it be nice to get repaired, although you have me worried that repair might also be big money!

Depends what you classify as big money, I know people that are horrified at the thought of paying ~€500 every decade to get a watch serviced. If that is a genuine model then you'll have the nice option of either getting it repaired or sold (dips first shout at buying it if you want to sell it )

Gorteen

I found the serial number after I took off the (remaining) bracelet.

https://est1897.co.uk/serial-numbers-check-year-of-manufacture-online

It may be real! Year of manufacture either 1949 or 1957/1958. If it's real, does this make it valuable?

893bet

In bought in car boot it’s most likely fake but.......it looks real enough!

If real it’s a rare one! Reference 1019!

Get someone to open the back and the movement will reveal all its secrets!

https://www.chrono24.com/rolex/ref-1019.htm#gref

Gorteen

893bet wrote: »

In bought in car boot it’s most likely fake but.......it looks real enough!

If real it’s a rare one! Reference 1019!

Get someone to open the back and the movement will reveal all its secrets!

https://www.chrono24.com/rolex/ref-1019.htm#gref

What does Reference 1019 mean?

893bet

Gorteen wrote: »

What does Reference 1019 mean?

1019 is the model number or reference number of the watch.

Fingers crossed!

Gorteen

Many thanks for all the advice and info

Can someone recommend any place where I can get an honest appraisal as to it's status (real or imitation), cost of repair versus current market value?

bren2002

Nobody has asked yet, does the second hand tick in a stop start every second sense or is it more of a sweep that's could be described as 5 ticks per second.

bren2002

Gorteen wrote: »

Many thanks for all the advice and info

Can someone recommend any place where I can get an honest appraisal as to it's status (real or imitation), cost of repair versus current market value?

Where are you based?

Gorteen

Midlands

per aspera ad astra

bren2002 wrote: »

Nobody has asked yet, does the second hand tick in a stop start every second sense or is it more of a sweep that's could be described as 5 ticks per second.

This...

bren2002

It's difficult for me to tell (I'm not an expert on old stuff) but at first glance it's not an obvious fake. The $20 fakes you can spot a mile away. The $100 fakes are harder from a few photos but you know when holding it generally.

The crown on the face looks raised and the face looks high quality (when you look past the wear damage)

bren2002

Gorteen wrote: »

Midlands

Not a recommendation, just a search result.
But as above, if its a 1 per second tick, its a fake. Doesn't mean a sweep hand isn't a fake, but it just puts more ticks (so to speak) in the real column.

Gorteen

per aspera ad astra wrote: »

This...

The watch is stopped at the moment. It's been at the bottom of a box if bits & bobs in my shed for about 14 years :rolleyes:

It might benefit from a service (if it's the real deal)

per aspera ad astra

bren2002

If its the real deal it could pick up from where it left off if you wind it or even carry it around in your pocket for a few hours (I assume the strap is broken)

The real deal doesn't use a battery.

893bet

Gorteen wrote: »

The watch is stopped at the moment. It's been at the bottom of a box if bits & bobs in my shed for about 14 years :rolleyes:

It might benefit from a service (if it's the real deal)

Give it a small wind and then a shake and see if it moves!

If real then a service and request to keep the watch as original!

This chap comes well recommended!

http://thevintagewatch.net

First port of call is to get the watch back off!

Pawwed Rig

Can someone increase the intrigue and give a rough valuation on the assumption it is real??

Gorteen

OmegaGene wrote: »

Look at the link to chrono24 posted earlier
If it was me I’d be sending it to fellows for auction once it all checks out of course

Would you get the work done or let it go "as is"?

Wibbs

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Can someone increase the intrigue and give a rough valuation on the assumption it is real??

In working cleaned condition, I'd reckon it could fetch around 15 grand(that would be more an auction price, dealer prices would be higher of course).

Wibbs

Gorteen wrote: »

Would you get the work done or let it go "as is"?

Depends on the cost of the work required G. You need proper expert advice on this as Rolex themselves will often devalue a piece by replacing visible parts that collectors want with age and originality. Though if I recall rightly, lately they don't do that at least without permission. I'd reckon if the work required to improve it aesthetically is around a thousand euros you'd get more for it come sale time. Pity the other half of the bracelet is missing. That hurts the value. Rolex bracelets alone can go for many thousands. It's a good time to sell mind you as the Rolex market has never been so buoyant. There's a feeding frenzy on most, but particularly some vintage and rarer pieces. A 50's Milgauss like yours is one of them.

KERSPLAT!

Gorteen wrote: »

The watch is stopped at the moment. It's been at the bottom of a box if bits & bobs in my shed for about 14 years :rolleyes:

It might benefit from a service (if it's the real deal)

In the first two photos the seconds hand is in different positions... So not completely stopped?

Gorteen

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

In the first two photos the seconds hand is in different positions... So not completely stopped?

You're right. It moves when I give it a shake. It's neither a very clear tick motion nor a sweeping motion, if you know what I mean

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Old Milgauss is a very collectable watch. I would get it to an expert for evaluation, congratulations on a good find.

sparrowcar

Thread followed....

aaakev

Man i hope this is real! Best of luck OP, fingers crossed for you

Wheety

I haven't a clue about watches but was intrigued when I saw this on the front page.

In my completely uninformed opinion, it looks like the bottom of the crown is thicker on the OP's watch then the one's in the link above?

Pawwed Rig

Wibbs wrote: »

In working cleaned condition, I'd reckon it could fetch around 15 grand(that would be more an auction price, dealer prices would be higher of course).

Great stuff. This thread could give us the climax we have all been waiting on since the safe thread !!!!

Wibbs

Gorteen wrote: »

You're right. It moves when I give it a shake. It's neither a very clear tick motion nor a sweeping motion, if you know what I mean

Sounds correct for a watch that hasn't run for years G. For non watch nuts the "sweeping motion" of most non high beat(and even there) mechanical watches seems a little jerky to the untrained eye. Depends on the eye too. For me 24000 beat movements look a little jerky, high beat much less so, but I can still see it, tuning forks running at around 300hz are much smoother, though even here I can see the occasional hesitation. The Seiko Springdrive is the smoothest secondhand I've ever personally seen. A stepping motor quartz movement(the vast majority of them) is a very clear tick tick tick once per second as the secondhand moves around the dial*.






*There are a few very rare mechanical movements that have a similar "quartz like" one beat per second. Dead beat complication I think it's called? Rolex had one around the same time as G's watch. The True Beat IIRC? Also IIRC it was in a very similar case to this one, though it said it on the dial. Recently JLC had one, the "true second" which did the same. Didn't sell well though. I suppose because to a casual observer it looked like a "cheap quartz".

somesoldiers

Wheety wrote: »

I haven't a clue about watches but was intrigued when I saw this on the front page.

In my completely uninformed opinion, it looks like the bottom of the crown is thicker on the OP's watch then the one's in the link above?

Me too, it’s like when Del Boy found The Lesser Watch

Gorteen

Amirah Magnificent Pastrami wrote: »

Old Milgauss is a very collectable watch. I would get it to an expert for evaluation, congratulations on a good find.

Can you recommend someone who is an expert in evaluation?

Wibbs

Embedded this pic in the original post.

Mitch Buchannon

Gorteen wrote: »

Can you recommend someone who is an expert in evaluation?

I would give two people a shout. Both are in the UK and both would be top in their knowledge of Vintage Rolex.
Haywood Milton - https://www.miltonaires.com/about
Mike Wood - http://www.theoldwatchshop.com

Both of the above are very well known in the vintage Rolex world. Both have collections so amazing that they would make baby Jesus cry.

Whatever you do, take lots of pictures. I would be very wary of letting people near this until you know what you got.
If this is legit, both of the above can recommend who to send this to for a service. As mentioned by Wibbs, Rolex have a tendency to just refinish cases, replace parts etc without talking to the owner . This may have changed , but just be careful. If legit and you decide to sell, most of not all possible buyers / collectors want originality.

I really hope this is the real deal and I will
Be following eagerly.

Gorteen

Update!

The watch is genuine Rolex.
It is model 1019
I misread the serial number. It has 7 digits, not 6. Year of manufacture 1967
Caliber 1580 (I think this is the mechanism)

The glass is being replaced. The bracelet is not beyond repair. The watch is running again. I'm as happy as a dog with two tails!

Now the dilemma! To keep or sell...

Gorteen

OmegaGene wrote: »

Great stuff, I’m happy for you

You can Email fellows in the uk and they will send you an estimate if the watch went for auction with them
I’ve done it in the past just out of curiosity

I'm being emailed by one company in UK. I sent them pics of the damaged watch. I will send them pics after the repair & servicing and see what they suggest.

StupidLikeAFox

HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH!?!??!?!

dr.fuzzenstein

I'm deaf now...

Gorteen

StupidLikeAFox wrote: »

HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH!?!??!?!

I don't know.... yet!

If I decide to sell, I guess the buyer will determine the price

Henryhill2

Does fitting new glass affect the value or how does this work with old watches?

delly

+1 thread follow from someone who knows as much about watches as I do propulsion of a space rocket, but just waiting for that antiques roadshow moment.

Gorteen

Henryhill2 wrote: »

Does fitting new glass affect the value or how does this work with old watches?

Time will tell... No pun intended

Working class heroes

tick tock tick tock....

btkm8unsl0w5r4

StupidLikeAFox wrote: »

HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH!?!??!?!

20 - 30k

Henryhill2

Amirah Magnificent Pastrami wrote: »

20 - 30k

Ok but how do you fix the bracelet and glass without devalueing it?

endacl

Swop for anything in my ads?

Pawwed Rig

Great stuff. Not bad for something you forgot you had.

893bet

Gorteen wrote: »

Update!

The watch is genuine Rolex.
It is model 1019
I misread the serial number. It has 7 digits, not 6. Year of manufacture 1967
Caliber 1580 (I think this is the mechanism)

The glass is being replaced. The bracelet is not beyond repair. The watch is running again. I'm as happy as a dog with two tails!

Now the dilemma! To keep or sell...

Congrats. Who looked at it for you? Urge you to contact miltons or woods as linked in an earlier post by some one. Is the glass cracked or just scratched? These are plexi from what I can see so perhaps refurbishment may be an option rather than replacement.

Oral Surgeon

Don't touch it... Sell it as is!!