This is the answer to the question asked yesterday!

This is the answer to the question I posted on Instagram yesterday.
The features of this Perpetual Date are...




・There is black decoration in the center of each index bar ・The luminous part of the hands is black ・There is no luminescence around the outer circumference of the index

Perpetual Date, Oyster Perpetual,
Dress-type Rolex watches such as the Air King,
Vintage watches come in a variety of dial patterns.

The length of the index,
The scale is unusually long,
Precious metals are used in the index.
The shape of the index is a diamond cut, or two bars are overlapped,
The index and hands are too thick,
The color of the dial looks blue-gray or purple,
Large logo etc.
Although there are actually various patterns,
It doesn't matter in a world where people don't pay much attention to it (lol).

The first Rolex I bought was an Air King Ref.5500 gray dial.
I actually wanted an old Explorer, but
It's not something a kid around 20 years old can afford.
I worked hard at my part-time job,
My first Rolex was an Air King, which was sold to me by a friend.
That's why I became interested in Air King's lineage and similar designs,
As a result of looking and researching,
I started liking Rolex dresses.

Now, regarding this perpetual date,
I think I came across this detail several times in the past.
I was curious and asked someone who was familiar with the matter at the time.
I heard that the black part of the index is made of onyx.
I thought that the "σ" mark made of precious metal would be on the 6 o'clock side.
That is if the index is a precious metal.
This is different because it uses onyx for regular indexes.

Also, the luminous part of the hands is usually white.
It will burn and turn creamy or brownish, but
This is black no matter how you look at it.
The reason for this is that there is no night light around the outer circumference,
Do not use night light on the hands.
Even with the current Air King and the Oyster series that occasionally arrive,
There are some that do not have night light on the outer periphery,
In that case, use a flat one with no space for the night light to enter the hands.
I was curious about that part, so I asked about it.
Since the night light does not enter the outer periphery, it does not enter the needle either.
So it's just black paint to fill space? It seems so.

To be honest, I haven't done any ingredient testing, so I'm not sure if it's true or not.
At that time, Rolex dials did not have the same standard as they do now.
It is said that there were three producing countries, so
Differences in standards for parts and paint depending on the country,
Brands weren't what they are today, so
It is likely that there were some rough spots, both good and bad.

Even though it's just speculation, it's possible to have a variety of opinions and thoughts.
One of the fun things about vintage watches.
Whether that is right or wrong is determined by listening to various people and interpreting it.
That was the way vintage watches used to be,
People who knew the information at that time passed away due to their age,
Materials can no longer be found, etc.
As time passes, the accuracy of information decreases.
This is not limited to watches;
In a sense, this can be said to be the fate of vintage items.

I just don't want you to misunderstand.
The judgment of each manufacturer is not correct.
Each brand only performs repairs according to "modern standards".
In other words, we have "compatible genuine parts manufactured to modern standards",
Even if it's old, it's just a matter of repairing it.
If the brand's response is not correct,
The information provided by the person at the counter is not always correct,
Furthermore, my repair skills are not that advanced.

For example, if you have a Toyota 2000GT,
Should I request repair from a Toyota dealer or head office?
If it were me, I would never do it.
The reason goes without saying.

By the way, if you bring this watch to Rolex Japan,
Complete exterior replacement will be required.
Dial, hands, windshield, crown, tube, case,
Plus overhaul and internal parts.
The amount is...about 400,000 yen? It will be a shiny new product that meets modern standards.
For the manufacturer, it doesn't matter whether it has a vintage feel or not.

It's a little difficult to compare vintage items with current items, including from this perspective.
Vintage items are vintage items,
Current products each have their own charms, so
There's no point in comparing them.
But if you keep your mind a little flexible and think about things,
You will find that vintage items are interesting items regardless of genre.
Now that I think about it, I can't imagine that the dial standards are different.
This watch may be the last one in this world.
The fun of vintage items is that they can be interpreted in this way.

As a final aside,
If this dial is really onyx,
Onyx is said to have a talismanic effect.
If so, maybe this watch will protect you from something bad (lol)

Considering that, it's not a bad watch at all!