Loading...Rolex is always good for some surprises when you go back in time and look at vintage Rolex timepieces. I would say, that it is a constant learning experience.
I am sure, when you look at the between the lugs picture below at 6 o’clock of a vintage Rolex Submariner, you think: What happened to the “Stainless Steel” writing? Well, while at first you may think it is wrong without the “Stainless Steel” writing, I researched it and found out that there are quite a few Rolexes in the past which were missing the “Stainless Steel between the lugs at 6 o’clock. So that is perfectly fine and legitimate. Proof for this can be found among other on vintagerolexforum.
However, Rolex serial numbers have been engraved until late in the 2000s. Only recently have we seen stamping. Vintage Rolexes always have engraved serial numbers as far as i have seen to date. But here comes an exception which I have never seen before. The serial number below dates the watch to appx. 1972 I like to say right away.
While we thought initially this may point to a fake Rolex (case or more), it turns out that there is a story to this kind of uncommon stamping. And it is an interesting story that took some time to research. When you look at the stamping of the number 3 for example, which is agreed to have a flat head, and here has a round head, and you look at the number 4 which is open while it is closed on the regular serial number engraving, then you may think something is weird, right? That’s what we thought at first, and it took some time and work to find out the truth.
According to several collectors and dealers, there has been service centers that did this. As Eric Ku (thank you Eric for helping us on this) pointed out, he said:
“I don’t like these but it’s a rolex job for sure. I know for a fact some service centers including Manilla did things like this. The font is similar to some double red caseback engravings and some milsubs as well. To me this is a big detriment to the value unfortunately.”
Neither did we like this. And I look at it as something that may cause debate on the internet. Although, honestly, I think it does not deserve a debate after all. What is sure is that this is not a fake case, and that this is still a legitimate Rolex. Further proof beyond the history behind this comes also from the engraving of the reference number below:
So it is safe to say that this is an authentic Rolex, should you run into this, do not worry. It is a more than interesting story.
Summary:
1. Watch is authentic, despite the strange stamping of the serial number
2. The serial number stamping was done like that in the 1980s by the Rolex Service Center in Manila, although on vintage Rolexes serial numbers were always engraved and not stamped. This is probably the only exception
3. The reference number is still engraved the correct way
4. Despite the fact that Rolex is an industrial complex, there are still surprising exceptions that can prove to be correct.