Posted [a few years ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/s/5tvBB128qJ) about options on repairing my father's burnt Datejust and some of you had the great idea of trying to get the watch restored to working condition but keeping the same burnt dial, hands, etc. The watch has huge sentimental value for me since it feels to represent my father's tenacity and personality. This was a watch he wore daily regardless of the occasion. Work, sleep, carpentry, cutting firewood, hunting, quite literally never took it off. So to have it represent that felt very cool and personal. 

After some thought I decided I would try to do just that. I reached out to Wristwatch Revival and got zero response. A few of you even DM’d me offering to take on the project yourselves, which I really appreciated, but I just wasn’t comfortable mailing something with this much sentimental value, even to Wristwatch Revival. So, after some research I found a local watch repair shop that was willing to take on the job.

I brought the watch to Watch Repair, Inc in June of 2025 knowing that it would take quite a while to fix. The horologist and I both wanted to keep the watch 100% authentic and that would be difficult with a Rolex from 1991. I really just wanted the watch finished by June 2026 so I could wear the watch on my wedding day. 

Once the watch was opened it turned out that the entire movement was completely toast (literally). Nothing but the case and possibly the dial was salvageable. So the hunt began for an authentic Caliber 3135.

I called the repair shop every few months to check on the watch and was always met with the same response that they were scrounging the market for a movement. Much to my dismay the watch was not ready for my wedding. I decided to pick up a [Frederique Constant Classics Premiere FC-301S3B5](https://frederiqueconstant.com/watches/collection/men/men_classics/men_classics_premiere/fc-301s3b5/?v=77e0cc5ce1c2) as my wedding watch and was (and am still) very happy with it.

Or so I thought...

During our first look my now wife had one final gift for me. 

Lo and behold it was the Datejust. In complete working condition. Just how I had envisioned it. 

Needless to say it was a very emotional experience for me since it was the last thing I expected and very personal for me. 

Turns out my wife and the watch repair shop were working together behind the scenes for months, convincing me the watch would take a few more months to finish so they could surprise me on our wedding day. 

Shout out to Watch Repair, Inc. for this wonderful craftsmanship and repair, and of course to my pretty cool wife.

(Yes, my dad is still alive and kicking as a old stubborn Finnish man)

[Rolex Datejust] Restored my father's burnt 1991 Datejust