Rolex 6511 Presidential Repair with Calibre 1055 movement Repair & Service
Service and Repair
Servicing the Rolex 6511 with its Calibre 1055 movement required careful attention, especially due to the known sensitivity of the day-change mechanism. The movement was fully disassembled, and cleaned in a 5 jar automatic cleaning machine.. Special care was taken with the day wheel mechanism, which is notoriously finicky on the 1055—delicate adjustments were made to ensure the day advanced properly at midnight without hesitation. The movement was then reassembled and lubricated using high-quality synthetic oils for optimal performance. After timing and regulation, the watch performed reliably, with smooth calendar transitions and strong timekeeping, restoring this rare early Presidential model to dependable running condition.
How to Initiate the Repair of a Vintage Rolex
If you would like to initiate the repair of your vintage timepiece contact me directly, or visit getting started.
For additional information on watches we work on please visit these pages: Vintage Rolex repair— Vintage Breitling repair —Vintage Omega repair — Vintage Heuer repair —Bulova Repair, and Pocket Watch Repair. See my FAQ for additional information, and visit Watch Repair Case Studies.
History of the Rolex Presidential
The Rolex reference 6511, introduced in 1956, was the first Rolex Day-Date, a model that would become known as the “President” or “Presidential.” This reference debuted both the day of the week fully spelled out at 12 o’clock and the date at 3 o’clock, a world first at the time. It was designed to reflect prestige and innovation, aimed at influential figures and world leaders.
Housed in an 18k gold case with a fluted bezel, the 6511 set the visual and functional standard for future Day-Date models. It was powered by the Calibre 1055, an automatic chronometer-rated movement featuring a date and day complication. The Cal. 1055 was relatively short-lived, as it was known to be somewhat finicky and was quickly replaced by the improved Cal. 1555 in the ref. 1803.
Because of its limited production run and its role as the original Presidential Rolex, the 6511 is now a highly sought-after by collectors. See Bob’s Watches for more information.
