cazalea[Seiko Moderator]
17304
Navy SEALs and their Watches, Part 4
Apr 21, 2015,11:40 AM
This is the final segment of my study of the Rolex, Seiko and Tudor watches worn by US Navy SEAL team members (retired). I will conclude with some watches that belong to gentlement I don't know well. I have taken photos of their Rolexes while servicing them.
To conclude the post I'll share a few photos of Navy submarines, carriers and other combat vessels.
BOB
These two belong to Bob. He rides a Harley and has both an intimidating physical presence and a nice personal manner when I talked with him.
The DateJust was purchased with his own money in Nassau around 1958. Bob brought me the original box and the Chronometer certificate, so as I cleaned up his watch, I could adjust its accuracy to original spec! (These SEAL guys can be very detail-oriented, and occasionally unrealistic.) In his case, the watch ran well but not quite to original spec.
As you can see below, the bracelets "show some stretch".
In the photo below I notice that we found a new repro watch bracelet (still wrapped in plastic) for Bob's Submariner. Being a Navy pensioner, he was not interested in trying to buy a new (or reconditioned) original Rolex bracelet for ether watch.
I remember the conversation went like this:
"How %^^(*& much? That's 10 times the price of the watch when it was new! No (&$*% way am I paying that for a bracelet."
Sharp-eyed Rolex experts will notice that the hands have been changed at some point, as they are much brighter than the rest of the lume on the dial.
(Gary's watch is the one on the left).
LEN
I believe the following watch came from Len. He's a bit of a "bull in a china shop" sort of guy and his watch has had a few hard knocks as a result. Such as the time he dropped it 8 feet onto a tile floor in the golf clubhouse, then an hour later hit a 250-yard drive. The crystal cracked. He told me that it should be covered by warranty (mine):
"Neither impact should have caused a problem - it's an F-ing Rolex!"
Yes, but a very old one and he should take better care of it.
The case was slightly dented by the impact and I could not get a newer glass crystal into it.
Normally these watches are only cleaned carefully and adjusted. The SEALs don't want NEW parts, they like the patina, but also want to be able to read the time through a relatively clean crystal. Luckily it's easy to polish up an acrylic crystal.
BROWNIE
Here's a quote that my wife's 82-yr old uncle gave me yesterday. He was an Air Force captain and fighter pilot, not a SEAL, but he shares some of those detail-oriented personality traits! Since he's a relative and interested in watches, I was happy to include his watch (although we need a better picture).
"The orders for my reassignment were cut on June 15th, 1960. My last flight in the F-100 was on June 22nd, ( I accumulated 750 hours in it). Saying auf wiedersehen to my friends and squadron mates, I was transported to Rhein-Main Air Base—now Frankfurt International Airport—for my flight home. At the duty-free shop I purchased a Rolex watch for $160. Fifty-plus years later I still wear the same timepiece.
The original watch dial had a light green color. I once sent it off to New York to get it cleaned and overhauled, and they sent it back with this face. It took them so long to get it back to me, I did not have the patience to send it back and tell them to put it back the way it was. I'm very sorry I didn't do that."
Since I am running out of Rolex photos to share, I'll conclude with a few candid photos of SEALs and some random vessels in my area.
Cheers,
Cazalea
Please let me know if you enjoyed this series. I might be able to expand on it, if encouraged ...
I wonder what they are doing? (above with small boats, below with big ships) Just sitting around in the water going every which way.
This looks much meaner.
Time for me to go fishing. Cazalea
This message has been edited by cazalea on 2015-04-21 18:31:51