...I just received this 1655 from 1984. It runs 1 sec/day off, the bracelet is still as new and so on. For so little apparent wear and original, the orange hand has a bit of the Albino look. Does anyone know if they can lose color even if not used much?
Hard to beat a low mileage vintage watch!
I would trade an eXmark mower, a weed eater, 10 pounds of Hershey's Special chocolate bars, a black tomcat, and a case of cat food for it.
Plus some $$.
Faded hands...
I have some nos 1655 hands from 20 or 25 years back, always stored in a dark, dry cabinet and the 24H arrow is light orange, about the same as when I got them, far as I can tell. I have seen some 24H hands that were darker orange than my nos hands on used 'sunburned' watches and have also seen some that have turned different shades of yellow. On top of that, I have seen a few 24H hands that were more red than orange.
Do not know the stories on them though...oem, service, aftmkt, or refinished.
Besides 36mm 16xx DJs and 1016 Explorers, the 1655 is also a favorite. I have never owned a genuine 1016 or 1655 but still have a few 16xx DJs. I guess I should have bought a 1016 (or two) and a couple 1655 watches back when they were affordable but just never did.
Btw, the last 1603 D J I bought was May 12, 2015 for $575 with a black dial and original bracelet so anyone can see why I am out of the market.
I am a cheap bast***. Ha!
That's still over twice as much as I paid for the first new 1603 DJ I bought, a looong time ago.
Ended up with a few 5500 AKs, 16xx DJs, some old 'hand crankers' etc. No Explorers.