Seeking guidance on servicing/refurbing this 60s Explorer

[ShamRockNRoll]

Hello gents,

I recently came into possession of the below Explorer. It belongs to my father in-law who hasn't worn it in probably a decade or two. He showed it to me after learning from my wife that I was into watches, and made an offhanded comment that he'd still wear it if it was in working order. I would really like to have the watch serviced/repaired and present it back to him around the holidays as a gift.

I know nothing about vintage, but have done some research online and think I've figured out that this is a mid-late 60s 1016. As you can tell, it's been worn hard – my father in-law used to wear it daily while working on his ranch. Given that, I think he must have had the bracelet replaced with an aftermarket bracelet which is unfortunate, but the current bracelet doesn't have any Rolex markings.

While I'd like to get it appraised out of curiosity, I'm really just looking to get it in working order and to have it serviced in such a way that it maintains what's left of its originality and vintage character to preserve whatever "value" it may have, even though if the watch ever came back to me after returning it to my father in-law I would never think to sell it. It's mainly about wanting to preserve it as a family time capsule rather than attempt to completely refurbish it to look more "new."

Any feedback from the vintage experts here about how best to pursue those ends would be welcome, as I've never bought, serviced, or owned a vintage watch before.

Example of some of the guidance I'm looking for: the dial has obviously been through some things, lol... is this a "screw it, just have it cleaned" situation or a "dont' touch it, that's considered appropriate aging and key to maintaining value." situation? How would I go about finding a period correct bracelet, and does anyone know what that typically runs? What is the deal with the numbers/markers around the dial – does it look like someone tried to clean them up thereby altering the full vintage aesthetic, or do they normally age in that way?

Thank you in advance to anyone who can help me piece this puzzle together.

[Dan S]

Send it to one of the recommended independent watchmakers often recommended on the forum (do a search) and have them service/repair the movement. There's really nothing to be done about the dial, it's just damage from moisture and other effects of age. It appears to be mainly damage to the lacquer. Unfortunate, but it is what it is.

It's hard to say much about the bracelet from those photos, could be legit with a replacement clasp. We'd need better photos to say. Depending on the actual year of the watch (we'd need the serial to confirm), various bracelets could be correct, ranging in price from about $1k to $2500, or you can purchase a more modern oyster bracelet as an appropriate replacement.

Overall, instead of trickling out information bit by bit, I'd suggest posting comprehensive photos and information about the watch to receive the best feedback. Include photos from all angles, including between the lugs. If you can remove the back and post photos of the inside, that would also be helpful.

[Apdl]

I want to see where this goes

[Dan S]

As an alternative to a bracelet, you could put it on a stingray strap, which would match the dial perfectly. :-)

[ShamRockNRoll]

Thanks, Dan – The dial is where most of my questions lie. I'm not really "worried" about the damage to the dial, was just kind of curious what "kind" of damage it was... if it was normal aging, if something happened to it (such as moisture, like you suggested), and why the numbers/hour markers don't seem to have that bubbling around them.

The bracelet I'm not worried about, I'm pretty convinced it's fully aftermarket - it has an engraving on it that says Hong Kong, but I am going to try to source a correct one when the time comes.

In the meantime, I am not confident enough to open it up on my own, I've never disassembled any part of a nice watch before, but when I find the right watchmaker to look at it I will update this thread as the journey progresses.

[Dan S]

The photos aren't great, but I have the impression that we are seeing tiny blisters in the lacquer layer, which is often due to moisture. If unchecked, these can gradually worsen and lead to flaking. If you post some macro photos of the dial surface, we could probably check my hypothesis.

No idea why the damage looks different around the lume, but chemical interactions with lume often affect the dial in various ways. It's also possible that someone cleaned the old lume plots and re-applied lume on the numbers. Again, macro photos and UV shots would help.

[offrdmania]

Send it to the Ridleys for a tasteful overhaul

[Mark020]

Perhaps ask this guy what he can do for you: https://www.instagram.com/p/C37L0JIrjD2/

[ShamRockNRoll]

Thanks for the recs!

[gates]

i had Phillip Ridley refurb a 1665 MKII for me and it turned out very well, id give him a call and discuss - Phil is in Mesa AZ

[Vedea]

I had my '78 1603 serviced by Mike and the crew at Rolliworks, out of Miami. They had it for about 4 months, but it returned back to me looking like a brand new watch. While I understand that is not your objective with your watch, I would still highly recommend they for the service of your watch

[jatco]

I concur with all the previous recommendations.. A whole brand 'new' dial, may not be the most desirable/authentic scenerio.. but definately have it serviced and cleaned up. The bracelet too could/may need some work..or maybe not.. hard to tell from the pics. - but that looks like a pretty damn good looking Explorer imo..!