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

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Related Items

  • £13,999 Stock number: 12-52-009

    • One 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.

    £13,999
    Stock number: 12-52-009

  • £15,999 Stock number: 52-63-008

    • Extraordinary 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
    £15,999
    Stock number: 52-63-008