VINTAGE & COLLECTIBLE ROLEX
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£12,999 Stock number: 62-13-004Classic 1970s Rolex Explorer / Explorer 1 * with “Frog’s Foot” dial, FRESH FROM SPECIALIST ROLEX SERVICE by Steven Hale Watch Restoration Ltd. ! Various generations of stainless steel Explorer with their classic and easy-to-read black / 3-6-9 dials have been celebrated as the choice for adventurers. After a few early models like the 6150 (as issued to the Royal Navy Hydographic Survey), the Explorer model 1016 was introduced and during some thirty years in production this model earned its reputation as a classic collectible. This Rolex Explorer 1016 with 298xxxx case number has a case-back date-stamped for the first quarter of 1972. It retains its original “Mark 1” matt black / Arabic quarters “Frog’s Foot” dial, so called because the Rolex coronet is printed in a distinctive style that is reminiscent of a frog’s webbed foot. The dial is clean to the naked eye although with a 10x loupe one can find some tiny marks, and it has well-matched hands that we believe are the originals. The bracelet is the light-weight, folded steel Oyster 7836 with 358 end-links, in very nice condition. It has a Rolex 1570 calibre movement with unique movement number 236642 as illustrated in the photo-essay linked below. The movement is running well, testing at a gain of only a few second per day on average in October 2023, although this will vary slightly depending on the individual wearer. Its mid case is in fine condition with lugs that have not been over-polished, the crown and bezel are excellent and the case numbering is crisp and clear. Offered with a genuine Explorer 1016 / 1655 instruction booklet (itself a valuable collectible!), Rolex “Green-Stripe” box-set (matching inner and outers ref 06.00.06), red COSC swing-tag, plastic document wallet and chronometer translation leaflet, our own warranty card and a certificate from the ALR Watch Register confirming that we checked it with them. M.S.Milton Ltd in Birkenhead bought this watch from an individual in January 2019. It lived thereafter unworn in our safes until April 2023 when we sent it to Steven Hale Watch Restoration Limited, a fully accredited Rolex watch-maker and one of the UK’s leading vintage specialists. The watch enjoyed £1,596 worth of work including a full movement service and the fitting of new glass, flush-fit ends, rotor axle, reversers, barrel, tube, upper crown and core. A photo-essay of this watch with many more photographs is available by clicking here. This watch in its refurbished form will perhaps attract the discerning and discreet collector with an appreciation of Rolex’s 20th century history. Please note that while we have successfully tested water resistance for normal use including recreational swimming etc, we would advise that more extensive pressure testing be carried out before any significant underwater diving is considered.
* The Rolex EXPLORER in all its permutations (6350, 6150, 1016, 5504, 5500, 14270, 114270 etc) never featured the title “EXPLORER I” on its dial, but has often been referred to as that, since the introduction of the explicitly-named EXPLORER II. Through the years there have thus been many people who say we should not use the title “EXPLORER I”, claiming that no such watch ever existed. Frustrated with this, our Managing Director compiled research from the Miltons archives to prove that Rolex themselves have referred to the “EXPLORER I” for many decades — and his findings are often now quoted when the matter arises in internet discussion. If such detail is of interest to you, much of his evidence may be found by following this link.
We cannot accept cash for items of such high value. Please ask for one of our watch specialists if you would like to view the watch in our private / secure sales facility or to enquire about acceptable payment methods.
£15,999 Stock number: 12-26-002A British Army helicopter pilot’s watch : vintage Rolex 1680 Submariner Date with Mark 2 dial, box & papers! Stainless steel Rolex Submariner Date model 1680 with 6152xxx case number, its original dial being in simply outstanding condition. First purchased by Captain “P” in Singapore during December 1980, this watch retains its original punched papers, plastic document wallet bearing a sticker with the watch’s faded case number on it, YOUR ROLEX OYSTER booklet with 1980 print-code, Rolex 68.00.2 box with slotted card interior and “Création Genève” motif inside the lid, a Rolex UK service card dated June 2002 and a certificate from the ALR Watch Register confirming that we checked it with them. In early 2014 the watch was taken to a Rolex main agent who knew to direct the watch to us, and Miltons (Liverpool) Ltd bought it in February 2014. It lived thereafter unworn in our safes until April 2023 when we sent it to Steven Hale Watch Restoration Limited, a fully accredited Rolex watch-maker and one of the UK’s leading vintage specialists. The watch enjoyed £1,536 worth of work including a full movement service and the fitting of new glass, auto-drive wheel, rotor axle, reversers and barrel, while the paint on the hands was also restored. The black bezel insert was replaced previously and has what we believe to be a Luminova variant “pip.” The Oyster Fliplock 93150 bracelet with 501 B end-links has a “PJ11″ clasp code, indicating that this, too, is a replacement part from Rolex, probably not fitted earlier than 2009. The watch has a Rolex 1575 calibre movement, the bridge marked 1570 as normal, its unique movement number D856389 shown in the photo-essay linked below. The movement is running well, testing within chronometer tolerance in September 2023, although this will vary slightly depending on the individual wearer. Its case, bracelet and crown are in very good condition but we have not refinished them, allowing them to keep the character reflecting the working life the watch has led, serving Captain P as a military pilot and then with his own helicopter charter company. The case numbering is crisp and clear, the bezel insert is excellent and the bezel rim is very good. A photo-essay of this watch with many more photographs is available by clicking here .
Please note that while we have successfully tested water resistance for normal use including recreational swimming etc, we would advise that more extensive pressure testing be carried out before any significant underwater diving is considered. Many collectors of such vintage Rolex where the dial is a key part of the value wisely choose NOT to swim in them, as a simple mistake in securing the crown or any subsequent and unrecognised deterioration in sealing could see water enter the case, damage the dial and destroy significant value. If you want to emulate Captain “P” and take it up in your helicopter, go for it !
* We previously wrote a photo-essay about Rolex 1680 dials, available by clicking here
We cannot accept cash for items of such high value. Please ask for one of our watch specialists if you would like to view the watch in our private / secure sales facility or to enquire about acceptable payment methods.
£10,399 Stock number: 12-61-004Vintage Submariner, FRESH FROM SPECIALIST ROLEX SERVICE by Steven Hale Watch Restoration Ltd. Stainless steel Rolex Submariner model 5513 manufactured around 1984 with 8673xxx case number. The watch features a “SWISS-T<25” tritium dial with white metal surrounds to the hour markers. These dials were introduced on new watches around the time this watch was made, but then also used as service replacement dials for any 5513s which needed them. Codes inside the case-back suggest that this watch was serviced by Rolex UK in Summer 1989 and early 1996. Miltons (Liverpool) Ltd bought the watch in January 2017 and in Summer 2023 sent it to Stephen Hale, a fully accredited Rolex watch-maker and one of the UK’s leading vintage specialists. The watch enjoyed £1,500 worth of work including a full service and the fitting of new tube gaskets, plexi glass, 4th wheel, auto-drive, rotor axle and black bezel insert (with what we believe to be a Luminova variant “pip”), while the luminous material on the hands was also restored. The Oyster Fliplock 93150 bracelet with 580 end-links has an “S X11” clasp code, suggesting that is a replacement service part that was fitted around the millennium. The rest of the bracelet shows some signs of age and wear, but this generation of Oysters was substantial and it has many years of reasonable wear left. It has a Rolex 1520 calibre movement which is running very well after service, although it will vary slightly depending on the individual wearer. Its new glass and bezel insert are of course in perfect condition having just been replaced. The case, crown and bezel rim are in very good condition, while the case numbering is crisp and clear. Comes with period-correct Rolex 67.00.08 box-set and 1987 English Submariner instruction booklet (themselves being accessories of some value!), our own warranty card, a certificate from the ALR Watch Register confirming that we checked it with them and a copy of the invoice from SHWR listing all work carried out. A photo-essay of this watch with many more photographs is available by clicking here.
Please note that while the watch has just been restored to Rolex standards and we have ourselves successfully tested water resistance for normal use including recreational swimming etc, our default position with such vintage pieces is to advise that more extensive pressure testing be carried out before any significant underwater diving is considered. Many collectors of such vintage Rolex where the dial is a key part of the value wisely choose NOT to swim in them, as a simple mistake in securing the crown or any subsequent and unrecognised deterioration in sealing could see water enter the case, damage the dial and destroy significant value.
We cannot accept cash for items of such high value. Please ask for one of our watch specialists if you would like to view the watch in our private / secure sales facility or to enquire about acceptable payment methods.
£8,199 Stock number: 82-66-008Collectible, “full set” 1989 Submariner ! In production for just over twenty years, this is one of the earliest examples of the stainless steel Rolex Date Submariner model 16610 with black bezel insert and tritium dial on 93150 bracelet. It comes with original 16610 box set (ref 68.00.2 with cushion & wrap / cardboard outer and in exceptional condition), both ROLEX SUBMARINER and YOUR ROLEX OYSTER booklets *, both red COSC chronometer swing-tag and the numbered green “OYSTER SWIMPRUF” swing-tag, UK papers from Lepps in Warrington dated August 1989 in black document holder with translation leaflet, Rolex 1989-1990 calendar card and even the novelty “silver string” Rolex 1.000 / 300 anchor charm – accessories which on their own are worth several hundred pounds but when still accompanying the unique watch with which they were supplied add so much more ! The bracelet is in excellent condition, has correct 501 B end links and an “M11” clasp code suggesting manufacture of that part in November 1988. The watch head with L249xxx case number is in very good condition with thick lugs and only minor signs of wear to glass and bezel insert. The “SWISS – T < 25” dial is original and like many from this era it is a “spider” dial — that is to say, its gloss black surface has over time “crazed” with a fine pattern that is often hard to see with the naked eye, usually stable and resembles threads of a spider’s silk under magnification. A macro (close-up) image to illustrate this may be viewed by clicking through the main picture. It correctly has a 16610 case-back marked inside with the first four characters of the case number and a 3135 calibre Rolex movement bearing unique number 5223450. It still has the original green factory sticker, albeit quite worn, on the case-back! The larger, NEW equivalent Submariner is now £9,000 (if you can find one….) but the earlier models have proved increasingly popular in their own right and a “full set” like this is increasingly rare on the market.
* The Submariner booklet is a particularly desirable version. It has the print code “594.52 Eng – 7 – 9.1988” which indicates that it was intended for the English market and printed in September 1988. Importantly, it includes pictures / instructions for two very desirable models, the non-date Submariner 5513 and the Sea-Dweller 16660.
We cannot accept cash for items of such high value. Please ask for one of our watch specialists if you would like to view the watch in our private / secure sales facility or to enquire about acceptable payment methods. 815773-726273
SOLD
£15,999 Stock number: 42-69-010Vintage Rolex GMT-Master with original Mark 5B dial *, so-called PEPSI bezel and in outstanding condition, still in Rolex UK service stickers! Stainless steel Rolex GMT-Master model 1675 from around 1978 with 557xxxx case number. It was most recently serviced by Rolex UK in February 2017 and was then bought by S.S.Milton Ltd in Chester later that year. Still in its striped service stickers, it has lived thereafter unworn in our safes. Extensive service history may be viewed in our photo-essay (see link below). The Oyster 78360 bracelet with 580 end-links has an “O1” clasp code, suggesting that is an early 1990 replacement part. It has a Rolex 1575 calibre movement, the bridge marked 1570 as normal, its unique movement number D724674 shown in the photo-essay linked below. The movement is running well, testing close to spot on for time-keeping in July 2023, although this will vary slightly depending on the individual wearer. Its case, crown and glass are in excellent condition, the case numbering is crisp and clear, the bezel insert is excellent and the bezel rim is very good, if evenly worn. The bracelet shows some signs of age and wear, but this generation of Oysters was substantial and it has many years of reasonable wear left. The watch appears to have had little wear following the 2017 service by Rolex UK and since we bought it in September 2017 has simply sat in one of the Miltons’ safes! Comes with its original “sea-horse” Rolex box set (ref 10 001) with “50 YEARS OF THE ROLEX OYSTER” plaque, GMT-Master “clouds” booklet (itself rare and worth hundreds of pounds!), Rolex service slips from 2009 and 2017, further service paperwork from the Rolex main agent, Goldsmiths and a certificate from the ALR Watch Register confirming that we checked it with them. A photo-essay of this watch with many more photographs is available by clicking here. Look at that beautiful, original dial with matching hands! Many more macro images may be viewed by clicking that link. Please note that while we have successfully tested water resistance for normal use including recreational swimming etc, we would advise that more extensive pressure testing be carried out before any significant underwater diving is considered. Many collectors of such vintage Rolex where the dial is a key part of the value wisely choose NOT to swim in them, as a simple mistake in securing the crown or any subsequent and unrecognised deterioration in sealing could see water enter the case, damage the dial and destroy significant value. If you want to fly your ‘plane in it of course, go right ahead !
* We write more about the classification of Rolex 1675 dials and provide a link to a superb website on the subject in the separate photo-essay which is available by clicking on the gold text above.
We cannot accept cash for items of such high value. Please ask for one of our watch specialists if you would like to view the watch in our private / secure sales facility or to enquire about acceptable payment methods.
£13,999 Stock number: 12-52-009One of the most wearable vintage Sea-Dwellers available! Stainless steel Rolex Sea-Dweller 1665 from around 1975 with 408xxxx case number and straight “ROLEX” text across the case-back. Yes, those in the know will realise that the case number and case-back style prove that this watch was originally an even more highly desirable “Double Red” Sea-Dweller, but in 2004 it was serviced by Rolex UK who fitted this new “Great White” service replacement dial with Luminova markers. They also appear to have fitted a new Oyster Fliplock 93150 bracelet with 585 end-links (its “S DT4” clasp code identifying it as a service part, manufactured in April 2002). The main 1665 case and 1665 case-back both show the same, matching 408xxxx case number in full. It has a Rolex 1575 calibre movement, the bridge marked 1570 as normal, and its unique movement number D952xxx is shown in the photo-essay linked below. The movement is running well, testing on average to be + 4 seconds per day in July 2023, although this will vary slightly depending on the individual wearer. Its case, bracelet, crown and glass are in excellent condition, the case numbering is crisp and clear, the bezel insert is is excellent and the bezel rim is very good – we note a small bump on its inner rim, near the 3 minute marker. The watch appears to have had little wear after the 2004 service by Rolex and since April 2016 has simply sat in one of the Miltons’ safes! Offered with a period-correct Rolex box (ref 67.00.03), our own warranty card and a certificate from the ALR Watch Register confirming that we checked it with them. It is interesting to note that the case numbers of this batch of 1665s appear to sit adjacent to a batch of rare Submariner 5514s made for the French diving company COMEX. A photo-essay of this watch with many more photographs is available by clicking here. While we might have preferred that it retained its original and much more valuable dial, this watch in its refurbished form and with the extremely good bracelet offers much of the charm of a vintage Sea-Dweller combined with the smart look and wearable nature of a later model. Please note that while we have successfully tested water resistance for normal use including recreational swimming etc, we would advise that more extensive pressure testing be carried out before any significant underwater diving is considered.
Our extensive research and record-keeping over many years leads us to conclude that Sea-Dweller 1665s featured the word “ROLEX” written straight across the case back on all watches with case numbers below c. 520xxxx, after which “ROLEX” was written in a conspicuously curved style. That same research allows us to determine that Double Red dials were fitted in Sea-Dweller 1665s until at least the high 529xxxx range of case numbers, after which they fitted dials with text all in white. More is written about this in our photo-essay, available through the link above.
We cannot accept cash for items of such high value. Please ask for one of our watch specialists if you would like to view the watch in our private / secure sales facility or to enquire about acceptable payment methods.
Stock number:What’s this? A new section on Miltonaires for “Vintage and Collectible Rolex” ? Yes, it’s finally here !
Miltons have built a commercial reputation for selling a fine selection of modern, pre-owned Rolex, but our Watch Team’s specialist knowledge and interest extends to vintage Rolex ( click here for more details.) For some years the international specialist collector / dealer communities have seen glimpses of rare treasures that the various Miltons companies have negotiated to buy or take in part-exchange from other collectors, private sellers, former professional divers, other jewellers, auction houses, estates and so on. Some of the treasures we currently hold are SEVEN Comex Submariners and Sea-Dwellers, even more UK military-issue 5513 and 5517 Submariners, a few Submariner 5508 and 6536/1s, a host of 5513 Submariners with various gilt or otherwise interesting dials, red and white Submariner 1680s, a 16800, Double Red and Great White Sea-Dweller 1665s, a couple of GMT-Master 6542s including one with its original Bakelite bezel, EIGHT GMT-Master 1675s (including gilt dials), a GMT-Master 16750 and a SeaKing 116710LN, FIVE Explorer 1016s (1 gilt dial), THREE Explorer 5500s, an Explorer 14270 Blackout, FOUR Orange-Hand / “Disco Dial” 1655 Explorer IIs, THREE Milgauss 1019s, a Cosmograph 6263 and a Royal Navy Clearance Diver DSSD 116660.
Our intention is to start actively marketing those of which we have most examples at the more reasonable range of value — so you might expect to see 5513 and 1680 Submariners, 1675 GMT-Masters, Explorer II 1655, Explorer 1016 and similar watches, which we hope to roll out from mid-2023 as they are readied for sale. We are currently having a number of watches serviced by a major and well-known Approved (and vintage specialist) Rolex watch-maker in preparation for sale.
Would we sell some of the mega-pieces in our collection? Well, they say everything is for sale at the right price !
The watches in the attached pictures will not all be immediately available, but they give some indication of the interesting pieces to come.
In the meantime, you might like to take a closer look at some interesting old Rolex among this selection of photo-essays : click here
£15,999 Stock number: 52-63-008Extraordinary opportunity to buy an UNWORN, UK-supplied example of this discontinued GMT-Master II “PEPSI” model from 2004 — still in delivery stickers! Stainless steel Rolex GMT-Master II model 16710 T with black “SWISS MADE” dial on Oysterlock 78790A bracelet. This F380xxxx case number watch is in outstanding condition, still in its protective stickers. It comes with both boxes, GMT-Master booklet, red chronometer swing-tag, UK papers from John Pass the Jeweller dated June 2004 and even the delivery bezel protector. The NEW equivalent is now £9,350 but these previous versions, like the earlier generations of many professional-series Rolex models, are attracting great interest in their own right. An unworn and stickered example like this is an increasingly rare find.
We cannot accept cash for items of such high value. Please ask if you would like to view the watch in our private / secure facility or to enquire about acceptable payment methods. 545473
On Deposit - SALE AGREED
£9,999 Stock number: 72-56-019Bicolour Rolex GMT-Master II model 16713 “Root–Beer” with bronze-colour dial on Oysterlock 78793A bracelet. Manufactured around 2002, it is one of the last “pierced lug” models — but which correctly bears the upgraded, solid end-link bracelet. A genuine “new old stock” bezel insert originally supplied by Rolex UK has been fitted. The watch is in very pleasing condition but with some wear to the bracelet and crown. Comes with Rolex boxes, GMT-Master booklet, our own warranty card and a certificate from the ALR Watch Register confirming that we checked it with them. The nearest NEW equivalent is now £14,300 but in recent years the earlier “Root-beer” has had a market of its own.
We cannot accept cash for items of such high value. Please ask for one of our watch specialists if you would like to view the watch in our private / secure sales facility or to enquire about acceptable payment methods.
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