Chromatic Fugue
1903
Two very different watches…
… but I must choose one. The one on the right is a Cermit that I bought new from an AD a couple of years ago. The one on the left is a circa 1984 16660 that I have proposed to buy as part of a trade for the Cermit. The Cermit is one of the most comfortable watches I’ve ever owned, but the thrill of wearing it has subsided after two years. The 16660 is a cool watch in great condition for its age with personality, but I do wish it were 2 mm thinner; it sits a bit high on my wrist. The obvious solution is to hunt for a vintage Sub, but the odds of finding one at this price point, with the same lovely patina and excellent overall condition, seem small. As always, curious for this group’s thoughts. Thanks!
Collection
Discover Baron - Mr Red's Rolex Sea-Dweller Ref. 16660 with remarkable patina, completing his collection. Explore insights on this vintage reference.
28 replies5303 views
Discussion
Explore the Rolex obsession: collectors share their deep dives into specific references like the Sea-Dweller, GMT-Master, and Submariner. Discover what drives their passion.
25 replies5716 views
Collection
Explore the Rolex Sea-Dweller Ref. 16660 'triple six' with vintage charm and rugged character. See how it looks on NATO and leather straps.
24 replies4604 views
Two very different watches…
… but I must choose one. The one on the right is a Cermit that I bought new from an AD a couple of years ago. The one on the left is a circa 1984 16660 that I have proposed to buy as part of a trade for the Cermit. The Cermit is one of the most comfortabl...
I would keep the Kermit as I am not so vintage. I feel you should let
the two go for your perfect vintage Sub.
I've become partial to the 1665
If you don't need red text on the dial, those older Sea Dwellers are relatively good value, and I find the high domed plexi *extremely* charming. They are thick by the numbers, but so much lighter than later models with sapphire that I find them to wear r...
I wore a 16660 everyday for over a decade, personal attachment aside I would take a modern sub without thinking twice 🙄
Loved my 16660 at the time but the world has moved on and I'm not a vintage guy so maybe a one sided opinion but I appreciate the build quality of the modern watches, happy to leave the old hollow endlinks and stamped clasps to the vintage collectors.... ...
I would stay with the cermit.
Seems you are used to the cermit’s larger dial and lume. The 16660 will seems small and no lume at might would be an inconvenience to you. I would agree to go with the vintage 1665 if you wanna dive into the vintage world.
Thanks for the replies so far!
A few additional thoughts: 1. The smaller apparent diameter of the vintage Rolex models is actually an advantage for me: I have very thin wrists (see photo). 2. I have owned many new-model Rolexes and have sold most of them. I have never owned a vintage R...
I would keep the Cermit, due to the solid built quality, and I also feel that if you buy the vintage, after a couple of years you’ll get bored of that as well!
Instead, create your own vintage by wearing your watches all day long and mark your own stories on them…🥂
Plan B…
Thanks for all the great responses. I decided not to buy the triple six, mainly because, as a Sea Dweller, it’s thick and sat too high on my thin wrist. I’m now looking at a good condition 16800 (mid 80s): same cool vintage vibe, lower wrist profile. This...