Photo:
Spotted on the wrist of James Bond, Steve McQueen, Eric Clapton, and an innumerable list of other notable figures, the Submariner is patently Rolex’s most talked-about watch. The Submariner reference 6024, the first reference in the series, was launched in 1953 and, prompted by its indomitable looks and functionality, was a sensation in the realm of deep-sea diving from the start. In 1954, at the Swiss Watch Fair, the Sub was introduced to the public. Since then, the Submariner has undergone countless changes in terms of size and shape, but Rolex has still preserved many iconic aspects of the design, such as the uni-directional bezel and the easily identifiable Mercedes hour hand.
Today, I’ve got a story for you, something that occurs once in a blue moon. Imagine stumbling upon a Rolex as you hike through Spain’s Pyrenees Mountains. Yeah, wouldn’t that be great? Well, it actually happened.
A close friend of Nick Gabarro, a prominent Spanish collector, was on a high-altitude hike in the Pyrenees when he found a 5513 that was seemingly untouched by human hands. The watch was, in fact, originally discovered with the crown unscrewed, allowing debris from the environment to enter and shatter the movement. After approaching Rolex on multiple occasions with the intention of servicing and restoring his find, he realized that the price of the service would far surpass the value of the watch. So instead of pursuing this costly servicing endeavor, he gifted the Rolex to Nick.
The watch sat in a drawer in Nick’s home for the better part of the 80’s. When Nick made the decision to give his once junk-drawer watch some wrist time, he called up a Rolex-certified watchmaker, the only watchmaker willing to take a look at the watch. Many components in the movement were replaced, along with the hands and dial. Luckily, Nick’s watchmaker placed each and every original part in a bag and kindly gave it to Nick.
Watch collecting in the 80’s and 90’s was drastically different than it is now. Collectors’ concerns were geared toward the purposeful alteration of the dials, crystals, and such, more so than with the originality of these parts. In many cases, patinated dials would be swapped for service dials or repainted. Also, many collectors did not look at acquiring watches from an investor’s standpoint. But those who did, saw massive returns on those watches.
It wasn’t until twenty years later that Nick removed the watchmaker’s replacement parts, opened the bag o’ original parts and inserted the original bezel, dial, hands, and “super-dome” acrylic crystal. Nick may have spent $600 on a costly service in the 90’s, but it was all worth it in the end. His no longer “broken Rolex” is now a significant piece in his collection.
What's your story?
