does it really matter THAT much if the dial is original or not? This isn't a collector's piece or anything. The watch itself is real. You either like the dial or you don't.

 

that looks like one of the early dials. if my memory is correct the very early serti dials were light silver. the slate versions were later version dials. saphires have the most variation in color of all the natural gemstones they are a natural gem and colors in the blue spectrum vary from almost opaque black/blue to transparent corn flower blue. I have seen factory serti-dials with varying colors of blue saphires.

 

Wow, little heat in a watch for sale thread who would have guessed. Oak is right about the sapphires they vary from watch to watch, but one identifying mark of serti sapphires is that they generally have lighter well matched color with a certain amount of transparency. The high end fakes (which are quite good replicas)have synthetic sapphires and have no tansparency, they are more opaque blue. So the dial on the watch Stryke has here has real sapphires. Also, the fake bands have a sharper edge, less rouned on side of each link. This band is genuine also in my opinion.

 

i don't think anyone was questioning whether the watch was real. we were just wondering if the dial was aftermarket.

looks like a great watch either way. i have thought about going with an aftermarket dial on my two tone sub, but i dive with the watch and i'm nervous about having it taken apart. i'm sure having it filled with salt water is generally a bad thing

 

I obviously am not trying to mislead anyone. The watch is 20 years old and has no history other than what I have been told. I have seen sun fade do crazy things to watches. I just did not like having my integrity challenged as if I had an ulterior motive. For the sake of avoiding confusion I will take this watch off the market!

 

Just making sure that what someone gets is what that think they are getting thats all Gil.... Good Luck With your Sales...

 

exactly my thoughts...

 

Not about being a "collectors" piece its about buying a ROLEX with an Original Dial which retails for over 2k vs. a Dial some guy re-painted and added sapphires and cheap diamonds in his basement for a total cost of 200.00. Didnt mean to insult anyone, as anyone can make a mistake but in this caliber of a watch its nice to pay for something as 100% original instead of "thinking"you are buying something 100% original and later on finding it you actually have a fake/aftermarket 200.00 dial instead of the Real 2k dial.

 

I was ready to buy a similar watch from a friend who assured me it was 'real'...I had to taken to a Rolex dealer who took the off the dial and determined it was originally a silver Sub and converted to a two tone...there was something about the dial that looks like this one...my friend had no idea this was the case...He bought it from Palisades jewlers in NJ who sold it all as 'original'...it does matter....a lot...at least to me..

 

The only people on this board that can say anything about Gil's work are those that have done business with him. I have personally purchased watches from Gil and a few of my business associates have as well. Always 100% satisfaction. I know many other members have done business with him as well and I've never heard of any issues.

 

It is an original TT. I removed the bracelet and checked the serial # on the case which is a 98XXXX which is from 1987. I also checked the model number between the lugs and it is a 16803 which is a TT Sub. A 3 at the end on a Rolex indicates TT. A steel would end with a 0, a yellow gold with an 8 and a white gold with a 9. It is an original TT. The item questioned here was the dial and as I said, on a piece of this age no way to know for sure if the dial was replaced or not, again, why I priced it the way I did and not $1K higher.

 

I don't think anyone here is calling Gil's integrity into question. The fact is, the watch is almost 20 years old so it is constructive to entertain different viewpoints as to the originality of all the components. Certainly no one thinks Gil specifically bought a fake dialed watch and is selling it to be real. It is possible though that he took a piece in trade of unknown providence and therefore others are trying to help him and the perspective buyer know what is actually there.