<p>We promise to invest our time and experience into understanding your needs and desires. We won’t &#8230;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>Expect you to have lots of knowledge</li>
<li>Drown you in more detail than you need</li>
<li>Try to push a sale on you</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Our aim is to make you feel relaxed and welcome, and to enjoy the Oakleigh Watches experience from start to finish.</p>
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The oakleigh promise

It began as part of the Seiko brand but since 2017 it has become an entirely separate entity.

Is Grand Seiko part of the Seiko brand?

The Grand Seiko spring drive movement is the most technologically advanced mechanical movement in the world.

Are Grand Seiko movements good quality?

Where are Grand Seiko watches made?

The quality of a Grand Seiko watch equals that of the best Rolex watch. However, it all comes down to personal preference.

Is Grand Seiko better than Rolex?

Grand Seiko watches are a genuine good value alternative to even the best Swiss luxury brands.

Is Grand Seiko a luxury watch brand?

New Grand Seiko watches tend to depreciate quite quickly but their values then hold steady. So, if bought pre-owned, they can be a sound financial decision.

Is Grand Seiko a good investment watch?

Are Zeno watches a good investment? Zeno watches are great value for money but not normally bought as investment pieces.

Are Zeno watches a good investment?

They produce many different types of watches including – sports, dress and fashion. Something for everyone, they have a great sense of creativity and fun styling.

What type of watches do Zeno produce?

View All Insights

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Can I go swimming in a luxury watch?

“Can I go swimming in a luxury watch?”

This is a question that I am often asked by our clients. Of course what they are referring to is whether their watch is water resistant – will it leak and ruin the movement, dial and hands?

There are usually three areas that need to be considered when the water resistance of a watch is under examination;
<ul>
 	<li>the caseback</li>
 	<li>the glass</li>
 	<li>the crown</li>
</ul>
During testing, these three components are checked for condition and damage or corrosion. Next the seals fitted between the component and the case are inspected and often replaced. The watch is then pressure tested using a purpose built piece of equipment. When it passes – voila! Your watch is waterproof.

So yes, if it passes the test, you CAN go swimming in a luxury watch. But hang on, there’s another question that needs to be asked ……

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8735" src="https://cms.oakleighwatches.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Swim2.jpg" alt="" width="943" height="530" />

<strong>“SHOULD I go swimming in a luxury watch?”
</strong>
All the watches that we sell here at Oakleigh Watches are superb examples of their type and are all of course very valuable.

I can’t imagine a more hostile environment for a luxury watch than a beach with its salt and sand, or a swimming pool full of chlorine, steel and ceramic tiles. And that’s before you even mention the water! So our advice would be – “yes you can swim in a luxury watch but NO, you probably shouldn’t.”

If you’re at the pool or the beach – relax, forget about the time! Or, if you’re like me and feel a bit lost without something stylish on your wrist, switch your luxury time piece for a much more practical G-Shock!

Oakleigh Watches works alongside local Rolex and Omega service agents <a href="https://www.michlmayr.com/?_ga=2.204148883.2033394945.1721402847-623201293.1721402847">Michlmayr &amp; Co.</a> All of our luxury pre-owned watches are tested to ensure they are water resistant and comply to COSC spec. Some of our more vintage stock will not be water resistant and this will be made clear in the description.

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The-Tudor-Big-Block-listing

In 1970 Tudor entered the chronograph market with a watch that was very different from its Rolex Daytona brethren – The two incarnations of the ’Monte-Carlo’ were bold, bright and colourful and occupied their own place in the Rolex family lineup, as a slightly inferior model to the Daytona.

Then in 1976 there was a shift and the ‘Big Blocks’ were born. Far from establishing a point of difference from the Rolex Daytona by continuing with the ‘fun’ slightly ‘junior’ theme, Tudor made a watch that was similar to the Daytona and in one key way, actually superior….

As well as toning down the colour palette and producing monochrome chronographs (although exotic-dialed 9000-series ‘Big Block Monte Carlos’ were made), Tudor adopted the Valjoux 7750 movement, not only adding an extra chrono sub dial but also a quick set date and an automatic movement. This automatic movement made the Big Block the first self-winding chronographs from the Rolex group – it would take Rolex themselves well over ten years to make an automatic Daytona and 25 years to make one with an in house movement.

As well as an advanced set of features, the Valjoux movement brought with it the necessity for a deeper case than its predecessors to house the self-winding mechanism and rotor, hence the nickname “Big Block”.

The first Big Blocks were the 9400’s consisting of three references that gave the option of three different bezels:
<ul class="ul1">
 	<li class="li1">9420 with an acrylic tachymeter bezel</li>
 	<li class="li1">9421 with a 12-hour calibrated rotating bezel</li>
 	<li class="li1">9430 with a steel tachymeter bezel</li>
</ul>
In the late 1980’s, the 9400 series was replaced by the 79100 series of Big Blocks and again, there were three references with three bezel types:
<ul class="ul1">
 	<li class="li1">79160 with a black plastic tachymeter bezel</li>
 	<li class="li1">79170 with a black graduated 12-hour rotating bezel;</li>
 	<li class="li1">79180 with a steel tachymeter bezel.</li>
</ul>
<p class="p1">By the mid 1990’s Montres TUDOR S.A. was 50 years old and they started to made decisive moves to differentiate themselves from their Rolex brothers. As a consequence the direct references to Rolex were steadily disappearing from the cases, winding crowns and bracelets of Tudor watches to be replaced with own brand alternatives and the day of the Big Block was over.</p>
<p class="p1">An important watch and often overlooked, the Big Blocks are one to watch that’s for sure</p>

The Tudor ‘Big Block’

Understanding Watch Model & Serial Numbers

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Rolex-16570-Polar-2010-listing

Rolex have made several versions of the Explorer II since its launch fifty years ago but here we are mainly concerned with The Rolex Explorer II 16570. We will cover other references but this blog is designed to help you understand why you really should be considering a 16570.

When I first thought of writing this blog piece in the autumn of 2020, the Rolex Explorer II 16570 was one of the most overlooked and undervalued of all modern Rolex sports watches. A few months later I realised that the correction had already begun so I thought I had better get on with the piece

<strong>The Rolex Explorer II 1655 – 1971-1984</strong>

So firstly, let’s deal with this ‘Steve McQueen’ thing. The first incarnation of the Explorer II was the 1655 and at some time after its launch in 1971, it gained the nickname ‘Steve McQueen’. As no photo has ever come to light of ‘The King of Cool’ actually wearing a 1655 (he was a 5512 man), the reason why remains a mystery.

However, here are a few things that we do know about the 1655:
<ul>
 	<li>It was launched in 1971</li>
 	<li>It was designed mainly for cavers or ‘spelunkers’, hence the massive luminous GMT hand that told you not only the hour but splits of 2 1/2 minutes too, even in the dark.</li>
 	<li>Unlike the Submariners of the time, the Explorer II had a 39mm case.</li>
 	<li>Despite having the same movement as the GMT Master, a pattern that continued until 2011, the 1655 only told the time in one time zone. The ‘GMT’ hand was fixed with the hour hand so it told the same time, just REALLY clearly.</li>
 	<li>Its other nickname is ‘Freccione’ from the Italian word ‘Freccia’ meaning ‘arrow’.</li>
 	<li>Production was discontinued in 1984</li>
 	<li>There were five different dial variations over the 13 year production run</li>
 	<li>It was a popular watch in Germany and the USA but apart from that it was thought a bit of an ugly duckling and sales were disappointing (Great news for collectors and those who have had them from new….)</li>
</ul>
The Rolex Explorer II 16550 – 1984-1989The 16550 is what the watch world refers to as a ‘transitional model’ although to be honest, I’m not sure that the description really fits the bill. While it wasn’t made for very long in Rolex terms, it was made for almost five years so that’s not really a transition.

The thing that makes the 16550 particularly interesting is the dial – for the first time the Explorer II was available with the option of either a black or white dial and while the black dials were fine, the white ones were nearly always faulty. Instead of staying a lovely bright white as Rolex intended, most of them turned a creamy colour, giving them the nickname ‘Panna’ (Cream in Italian). A LOT of these have been replaced by Rolex with lovely shiny white ones, making the remaining cream ones highly collectible and valuable.

There are also some ‘Rail Dial’ examples out there – a Rail Dial is one where the words “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified” line up perfectly with an even gap through the middle – like train tracks. These are rarer still and command a higher price.

The hands were changed from the ‘unusual’ design of the 1655 to the more ‘normal’ Mercedes style and this helped to create a look that was more acceptable to the masses.

Again using the GMT Master movement, this time the 3085 from the 16760, the 16550 now had an independent GMT hand so that it was a two time zone watch. The case was made from 316L steel as was the norm in the day and this makes it slightly less bright than the later models – the cases were also made slightly fatter than the later ones to accommodate the 3085 movement.

By the end of the 1990’s Rolex had a new movement and were working with improved 904L steel so they took the opportunity to fix the dial issues and launch a new model.

<strong>The Rolex Explorer II 16570 – 1989-2011</strong>

This is where things get interesting and lead us to the purpose of the piece that I alluded to way up there in the introduction.

The Rolex Explorer II 16570 is a very similar watch to the 16550. It has a slightly slimmer case that’s made from a different type of steel and an improved movement but apart from that it’s basically the same watch but less than half the price and that’s a situation that’s unlikely to last for long.

16550s aren’t going to get any cheaper so when the price gap closes, and it will, it will happen through an increase in the price of the 16570.

So, there are four main types of 16570, all available with either a black or white dial:
<ul>
 	<li>1989 to 1998 Tritium dial – expect to pay between £9,000 and £12,000. These are the early watches and prices have already risen alot recently – there’s lots more room yet though.</li>
 	<li>1998 to 1999 Swiss only dial – expect to pay between £8,000 and £10,000. These are the rarest of all Explorer IIs and again, prices are rising sharply.</li>
 	<li>1999 to 2007 Swiss made dial with 3185 movement – expect to pay between £8,500 and £10,000. These are the bulk of 16570s as production numbers were higher in the 2000s and they were made for eight years.</li>
 	<li>2008 to 2009 Swiss made dial with 3186 movement – expect to pay between £10,000 and £12,000. These watches have the updated GMT movement and engraved rehaut and are sought after by those who like the most recent versions of things.</li>
</ul>
<strong>The Rolex Explorer II 216570 – 2011 to date.</strong>

Also available with both black and white dials like the 16550 and 16570, the 216570 is something of a fusion of old and new.

The 216570 still has the fixed bezel that Explorer IIs have always had and now they have brought back the oversized orange ‘GMT’ hand – so that’s the old. The new is that the GMT hand moves independently and the case size has been increased to 42mm in keeping with modern tastes.

This brings us to the statement made at the beginning of the piece about how the Explorer II 16570 is a classic, appreciating asset.

You see, the 1655 isn’t to everyone’s taste, it’s properly vintage and it’s priced well out of most people’s reach.

In January 2022, a nice 1655 Full Set will set you back something north of £20,000

In its original Panna form, a Full Set 16550 Rail Dial costs over £25,000 these days and even a nice Full Set Polar with a replacement dial can be £17,000 or so (admittedly, black ones are less) and prices are still rising.

Prices of the last 16570s made with the engraved rehaut and the 3186 movement have risen sharply too but the ‘standard’ 16570s, whether Tritium or Superluminova are still great value – it won’t last long though as these things have a way of correcting themselves so if you fancy one then my advice would be not to hang about….

To see the Rolex watches in our current collection <a href="https://www.oakleighwatches.co.uk/brand/pre-owned-rolex">click here</a> and you can see the current range of new Rolex watches <a href="https://www.oakleighwatches.co.uk/shop/new-in?pa_brand=170">here.</a>

The Rolex Explorer II 16570

Once you have chosen your watch, it’s of THE utmost importance that the bracelet fits! Our wrist measuring guide will make sure your Oakleigh sourced watch fits you straight out of the box. Comfort, style, and safety should be your key priorities.

Scan your eyes down the page for our expert advice on how to measure your wrist, all designed to help your watch withstand the test of time.

The easiest way to measure your wrist size is with a flexible measuring tape. If you don’t have access to a measuring tape, you can improvise with a narrow piece of paper or a piece of string and a standard ruler.

Ps. Most watch strap measurements are given in millimetres.

<strong>Wrist Measuring Guide – 4 Top Tips
</strong>
<ol>
 	<li>Because your body retains water throughout the day, your wrist is going to be a little larger at the end of the day as opposed to the beginning.</li>
 	<li>Your wrist is also going to be slightly larger when your hand and palm are open as the wrist bone adjusts when you make this movement.</li>
 	<li>It will also be a little larger when you’re warm than it is when you’re cold</li>
 	<li>You will need to consider your preference when it comes to where you like to wear your watch on your wrist and measure that section accordingly. Also give a little thought to whether you like it to be snug or with a little movement.</li>
</ol>

Let’s get started …..

Wrist Measuring Guide Step one:

<strong>Measuring tape Method</strong>

With your palm open and the underside of your wrist facing up, take your tailor’s tape, place the end with the metal tip in the centre of your wrist, and pull the tape over your wrist till it fits the way you would want your watch to.

Line up the tip of the metal with the measurement that sits the closest to the tape. You may find it most comfortable to loop the tape, slide it over your wrist and then pull the tape down to the metal tip. Write this measurement down in millimetres.

<strong>Paper or String Method</strong>

If you do not have a measuring tape, improvise with a thin piece of paper or string. Wrap the paper or string around your wrist as above and mark with a pen or marker where the two pieces overlap. Then take your piece of paper or string and measure with a ruler.

Wrist Measuring Guide Step two:

Share with us your watch measurement in the notes box on the shopping cart form. We are more than happy to adjust Oakleigh preowned watches to fit your wrist.

Many watch bracelets seem to come from the factory with far too many links for a normal wrist – if your watch is preowned, it’s likely that when we bought it, the excess links that were removed initially will have become lost. Rather than adding to your cost by supplying extra links that you don’t need, we just make sure that all of our watches fit a normal to large size wrist – for instance a sports Rolex will fit a wrist of around 20cm or 8 inches.

Some of our watches will come with additional links which is great especially if you need the strap increased in size. However, if not, and your wrist is over 20cm, we can often supply additional links – these vary in cost depending on the brand and the material but a typical stainless steel link for a Rolex or Omega will be between £50 and £75.

If you are purchasing a preowned watch from us on a leather or Nato strap, for the best fit, you should add an extra 2-2.5 centimetres to your wrist measurement.

If you are interested in an Oakleigh preowned watch on a leather or Nato strap, while we can’t adjust the strap to fit, you can email your wrist measurement and the watch you are interested in to us via our <a href="https://www.oakleighwatches.co.uk/contact-us">Contact Us</a> enquires box and we can certainly double check the size.

BEST fit – Wrist Measuring Guide

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Vertex MP45

Availability

Brand

Model

What's Included

Condition

Reference

Years

Papers

Movement Type

Movement

Diameter

Dial Colour

Case material

Bracelet/Strap

Gender

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<p>The Vertex MP45 is a direct descendant of the watch worn by the WWII soldiers who defused unexploded bombs during 1945.  The manual winding mono-pusher watch embodies the philosophy of the Vertex brand : Purity of Purpose.</p>
<p>This is serial number 0004 - the fourth Vertex MP45 ever made.</p>
<p>It has a 40mm, brushed steel case that gives the whole thing a very practical feel and a clear black dial with luminous hands.</p>
<p>This Full Set is in excellent condition. It comes in a purposeful plastic case with an unused rubber Vertex strap and THREE unused Vertex NATO straps along with the strap changing tool.</p>
<p>It also comes with a Vertex stainless steel bracelet which is an unusual twist as there seem to be very few of those out there.</p>
<p>Just tested by watch specialists <a href="https://www.michlmayr.com/">Michlmayr &amp; Co</a>  this Vertex MP45 is running within COSC spec.</p>
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The Vertex MP45 is a direct descendant of the watch worn by the WWII soldiers who defused unexploded bombs during 1945. A Full Set.

Vertex MP45 | 2021 | Full Set

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Vertex MP45

£2,450