Restoration of Rusty Rolex - Water damaged 1996 GMT Master II│ Nicholas Hacko Master Watchmaker

RUSTY Rolex Restoration - 1996 GMT Master II

A full 3 weeks of restoration, recording, and editing. The upload to YouTube
itself took almost two days.

You will notice the difference: Michael's videography is simply next level.

A bit of background: this 1996 Rolex GMT Master II suffered badly. Soaked in water, it spent two years in a drawer. The amount of rust was unbelievable. Actually, apart from the case and bracelet, only 8 of close to 100 internal parts were preserved.

But the core challenge was to preserve the mainplate: the very base of the
watch that holds all components together. The main plate bears the Rolex serial number and preserves the very identity of the watch. If the mainplate is replaced, that GMT Master II is no longer the same watch.

Of course, Rolex would not bother with any of the restoration that I
undertook. They would simply replace the entire movement. Even a
half-brained monkey can do that kind of 'restoration'. Instead, I've spent a
whole week soaking the mainplate in vinegar, dissolving and removing the
rust, brushing it off, reaming out broken screws, inserting new jewels and
posts. Finally, the mainplate was rhodium plated and you, the viewer, will
have a hard time believing it is the same component.