# 1954 Exploer 1 And Original Longines Legend ... Advice Apreciated



## Gsyjon (Jul 2, 2010)

Dear Watch Forum,

(RE: Not for sell these are part of my childhood)

I have two watches given to me by my dad: -

1) A 1954 Explorer 1 made for the Canadian market so appears that it had been gold plated as an after thought by Rolex and given a honey-combed cream face. It's engraved with my dads name and dated 1954 on the back. He wore it at work and he was an engineer, so in a very sorry state. The face has mildewed. I have gone through the family Jewelers who have sent it to a Rolex specialist. The questions is do I have the face reprinted? I would like to have the watch restored to how it was so I can pass it down.

2)A 60's Longines Super Compressor ... My dad dived as a hobby and so he only wore it when diving so it has only seen the light of day on a couple of hundred dives. Unfortunately, about 20 years ago I had been working on the Herm ferries and had been running for the boat. The glass of the watch clipped the railings and popped off! I chased the bezel as it rolled along but it went over the edge into St. Peter Port harbour. Luckily I marked the spot and got it back at low tide. After that I kept it safe. Finally I have taken it out again and it's currently with Longines to see if they can fix it. I have not had their reply but when I do would like to seek advice.

The first time I saw my dad strap a big black stainless steel watch to his wrist when about to dive (I was 4) I thought it was the coolest watch in the world! I still do and it's nice to know that I am not the only one. When I get it back I will of course take a few picks and post them.

Kind regards

Jon


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## Watch-nut (Oct 31, 2009)

Pictures would help John.

If the rolex dial is unreadable then it maybe better to get it restored and by all means drop me a line if you need a lead on a dial restorer. Is the Rolex dial a superlative chronometer dial or a precision dial? do you have a case model number as sometimes you might be able to pick up an original dial without having to get yours refinished.


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## sam. (Mar 24, 2010)

Hi,you have some lovely heirlooms,i love the explorer model,i would add that if the dial is flaking bits off then its time for a repaint as you don't want bits of dial in your movement,but you only want to repaint as a last resort,as Watch-nut said a replacement dial is another option,is it at all possible you could post a picture of it so we can get a better idea?.


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## Gsyjon (Jul 2, 2010)

sam. said:


> Hi,you have some lovely heirlooms,i love the explorer model,i would add that if the dial is flaking bits off then its time for a repaint as you don't want bits of dial in your movement,but you only want to repaint as a last resort,as Watch-nut said a replacement dial is another option,is it at all possible you could post a picture of it so we can get a better idea?.


The dial is readable. I don't know enough about watches to give intelligent answers as to whether it's a precision or superlative. However I will go back to my Jewellers with the points raised. I should be able to get the model number for you. It had been obscured by the gold plating. But where the gold plating had worn off the Jeweller had been able to read enough of the number to date the watch to 1954. The watch is currently in the UK with a specialist so a bit difficult to get a picture sometime soon (Sorry for not being helpful). The tired old face was one of the reasons I fell in love with this watch and lucky for me all my brothers though I was mad.

Apparently the specialist who has got it has been repairing Rolex watches for some 50 or so years and says he has never seen one like it. Ok, so Canada is not close so maybe nothing to write home about. I can say the hour and minute hand pointers are gold and the second hand is blue steel. My dad had bought it in Edmonton, Canada and originally the strap had been gold plated also.

I will speak to my Jewellers and let you know more when I get a reply.

Many thanks for your time, thoughts and advice (and again sorry for not being too helpfull so far)

Jon


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## Watch-nut (Oct 31, 2009)

Gsyjon said:


> sam. said:
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> > Hi,you have some lovely heirlooms,i love the explorer model,i would add that if the dial is flaking bits off then its time for a repaint as you don't want bits of dial in your movement,but you only want to repaint as a last resort,as Watch-nut said a replacement dial is another option,is it at all possible you could post a picture of it so we can get a better idea?.
> ...


Did it look anything like this? you dont see many of these around at all.

Dave


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## Gsyjon (Jul 2, 2010)

Watch-nut said:


> Gsyjon said:
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Hi Dave,

Beautiful watch but I think no. The face on mine is cream and honey-combed. When the Jeweller showed me under the manifying glass the face was impressed with very fine 4 sided diamond shapes of gold ... hard to see with the naked eye. The bezel part (forgive if my description shows my ignorance) is plain. I think the face was 3 - 6 - 9 with a gold crown but not raised ... instead I think impressed gold leave maybe. The screw down cap also has a crown on it.

I promise to post pictures as soon as I get it back (3 weeks if I go through with the restoration) and I will follow up with getting the serial number tomorrow.

Kind regards

Jon

PS The body on my watch is a standard 'James Bond' type explorer 1 I believe. It seems to me that Rolex just Gold plated it as an after thought and just gave it a different face and hands. Yours looks alittle more special as you have a cool patterned effect around the bezel part of the body.


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## sam. (Mar 24, 2010)

Gsyjon said:


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Yes keep us posted,cant wait to see what it is now. :thumbsup:


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## Gsyjon (Jul 2, 2010)

Hi Just a quick update, First serial numbers for my Rolex are as follows, Inside 6298 and on the outside of the body 9287-52

I have heard back from Longines who tell me the Dive watch can be repair but will take 25 weeks!

Kind Regards

Jon



sam. said:


> Gsyjon said:
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## Chromejob (Jul 28, 2006)

No pics from OP. C'mon, take some pics. There's a sticky post from the mod on including images if you've never done it on a bbs before....


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## Gsyjon (Jul 2, 2010)

Hi David

I will take some pics and post them as soon as I get my watch back (It's in the UK and I'm in Guensey). I am going through with the restoration. The dial has been reprinted but the watch is striped down and awaiting parts from Rolex. I don't know how long that will take but hopefully just a couple of weeks.

Kind regards

Jon


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## sam. (Mar 24, 2010)

Gsyjon said:


> Hi David
> 
> I will take some pics and post them as soon as I get my watch back (It's in the UK and I'm in Guensey). I am going through with the restoration. The dial has been reprinted but the watch is striped down and awaiting parts from Rolex. I don't know how long that will take but hopefully just a couple of weeks.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the update Jon,lots of us have been through the waiting process,i had to wait 6weeks for mine,which is not really a long time in service terms,but it seemed like 6 months to me!,cant wait to see the picks,shame you didn't take some picks before you sent it off so we could have "before and after" shots,but hindsight is always 20 20! ^_^

Regards

Sam. :cheers:


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## Gsyjon (Jul 2, 2010)

Hi

I finally have my watch back and have some photo's. How do I post an image?

Kind regards

Jon


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## Stinch (Jul 9, 2008)

Gsyjon said:


> Hi
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> I finally have my watch back and have some photo's. How do I post an image?
> 
> ...


Jon. The second item down in the Watch Discussion Forum covers how to upload pictures. (Basically you will need to upload your pictures to an Image Hosting site such as Photobucket and then put the IMG link from that into your post on here).

Roger


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## stefano34 (Sep 27, 2009)

I had the same problem in posting images on several sites, try the sticky posted on here and if thgat don't work try this;

1. Upload your pictures to your computer save in date order so today would be *sun14pics *or similar, than right click on image use *open with* and *microsoft picture manager* (best to play around with this program if you have it to get used to it but it is simple enough to use)when you are happy with the image go to resize image and choose *predefined width x height* and choose *web-large (640x480px)*

2. Join a picture image hosting site (they are free)I prefer 'tiny pic', uploading pics is easy on tiny pic just click *upload more* on the right then click the top *browse* box then select *recent places* in the box that will pop up and choose the pictures you require, double click to transfer the images one at a time into the tinypic browse boxes, when you have got all 5 boxes full click the green *upload *button and wait a short while for them to upload.

3. Write your text/message on here or other site and when you want to insert an image go to your tinypic page or chosen hosting site and open up your chosen image by double clicking it then where it says *grab your code* left click on the second one down *IMG Code for Forums& Message Boards* to highlight it then right click *copy*, then paste this where you require it in your text,then upload your message as normal.

4. I find you can upload 4 pictures in this way per message and they are a good size.


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## Gsyjon (Jul 2, 2010)

Stinch said:


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Hopefully this will work. Please let me know if you can view the image.










Kind regards

Jon


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## gaz64 (May 5, 2009)

that worked nice watch


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## sam. (Mar 24, 2010)

Well what a stunning Rolex,

very nicely done indeed(dial restore)

Should be alright for another fifty odd years now!,

i think your dad would be well pleased with the result!

Enjoy it Jon,and look after it,its a very special thing,to have an heirloom like that,

i have a 1957 Rolex Oyster Royal,from my grandfather,that i had restored,(dial didn't need painting though)it was well worth doing,and its very special so me,as i know yours is to you.

Sam. :cheers:










i keep it with his ring,and the original crown,in a nice box on display,with other heirlooms.


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## harryblakes7 (Oct 1, 2010)

Thats a great watch Sam and the other refinished dial is good as well, just bear in mind old Rolex Subs and GMT's must not have the dials refurbed as it will totally trash their value in my humble opinion.........


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## sam. (Mar 24, 2010)

harryblakes7 said:


> Thats a great watch Sam and the other refinished dial is good as well, just bear in mind old Rolex Subs and GMT's must not have the dials refurbed as it will totally trash their value in my humble opinion.........


Thanks Harry. :cheers:


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