In 1908, before anyone had uttered the term multinational, Wilsdorf trademarked the word Rolex, a name that's easily pronounced in different languages and short enough to fit on a watch dial. Note the sharp bezel and all edges. It took a while to get the parts but the wait was worth it. As many dials during their lives have been re-lumed (newly added luminous due to water damages or because customers wanted to see it light up in the dark again as tritium has a lifespan of 12.5 years and looses its brightness ) we often see theall over patina is not matching. Today I dont want to debatethe dangers of early radiumnor the legal impact radiation had for the swiss watch companies. Bubbles and the Bubbleback. Around 1962we see the exclamation mark, the little extra dot at 6 oclock added on top of the dial is most probably a first sign of the dial maker to show Rolex(US Canada?) A overnieuw from one of the most successful references Rolex ever made, the Submariner ref 5512/3 from 1959 till mid 80-ies.. Below some NOS (New Old Stock) Rolex and Tudor dials that have a rich patina due to the fact they where stored in the dark and havent seen the light for many years, The coming of the seventies chanced the dial surface from glossy to a modern matte surface, here a Ref 1016 Explorer with nicely aged tritium luminous. With a Rolex this could be the original Rolex warranty papers that state the reference number and in some cases the serial number, the COSC chronometer certificate that state the serial number and movement number, the original receipt stating the price and article description, later service papers confirming the serial and reference numbers. Up close a early Ref 6204 with black Honeycomb dial, split logo ( Submariner & Perpetual) pencil hands and slightly visible, the OCC sign at 6 oclock. Besides that, given the fact that this is also a swiss radium dial, we dont see any corrosion on top of the gilt hands, done by the radium dust. Each bezel coveys a unique story with either a smooth, engine-turned style or hooded lugs; while the slight diameter of some Rolex Bubbleback timepieces reveal Rolexs expansion into the ladies watch market in 1941. The Rolex Oyster Perpetual 'Bubbleback' was in reality the first waterproof self-winding watch ever produced, but not the first self-winding. Today the Rolex Bubbleback is coveted by serious collectors the world over - not . First, we have the standard size, then we have the ladies size, and lastly came the Bib Bubbleback. What is your vintage Rolex really worth now? FAKE! Beginning with reference 1002 until 1038, Oyster Perpetual models were equipped with either fluted or engine-turned bezels. Another typical detail we seeis the 6 oclock marker being more bright then the rest of the radium plots. please research my ebay id chinbubblebackclub, am a platinum level power seller in ebay, it is always in my best interest to offersome very collectable vintage rolexes for all collectors with a very reasonable pricetag, beinga collector myself, watches needed to be screen through by my qualityfilters before i will call a buy, and with my vast experiences as aninternational buyer, iam fully aware of allthe concerns u mayhavebuying online, as well asthe ways and tactics to getthe watchto usafely, therefore, be sure each transaction with me will be a pleasant one, i will take care of your interest as whati would like to be treated when am a buyer. Besides the time factor a lot of more awareness and media has been published about collecting vintage watches and their up going value. Search for similarities but again, this needs to be done precisely. Rolex. Although its having the minute track and its marked only with Swiss at 6 oclock, the luminous is not radium but already later Tritium hence the geiger is below 0.25 mSv as you can see.. Any watchmaker who serviced a watch made his marks engraved in the case back, spotting many of those individual codes will tell you it has been serviced a lot. At the company's Geneva headquarters, Rolex's craftsmen, dressed in white laboratory smocks, pull up to ergonomically designed workstations, then execute minute operations in near silence. What made Rolex so resilient? It also has the super balance which can be staffed maybe once, if your're extremely careful the first time. Rolex 82 32mm Mens Watch Features: Brand: Rolex Gender: Mens Condition: Excellent Case Material: Stainless Steel Materials: Leather Dial/Markers: Black Movement: Automatic . Whether we speak of " Ovetto " or " Ovettone " (Jokingly Italian for "Little egg" and "Big egg"), we always refer to the Rolex Bubbleback, which can be translated to Italian as " domed back ", from which they both take their name. Case diameters are relatively small and typically hover around 30 mm to 32 mm for the classic mens models. The watch trends and their trend for collectability is certainly close connected with the car world. 12 mm Size guide: Other: Small seconds: Description: . The matte parts will tell you if a watch has been polished or not. Although later refinements to case and movement designs eliminated the need for a curved, protruding case-back, Bubble Back watches are emblematic of a time when nearly all watches required manual winding, and automatic movements were first starting to emerge from the different timepiece manufacturers. In most cases when a case welder has done his job, he merely focuses on the lugs and chamfers with newly added bevels. Type of luminous matching with period of model: Magnify for Golden Swiss, white Swiss, double Swiss corresponds with period of model, Swiss T<25 / T-Swiss-T / T-Swiss-T<25 corresponds with period of model, UV-lamp lest luminous glow for several minutes, Overall matching luminous in colour and fluffiness on dial, hands and markers, Colour of luminous matches period of model (<1964 cappuccino vs yellow), Colour of luminous greenish indication for water damage, Stains on dial due to damage Radium luminous, Luminous paint completely inside surrounds, Magnify gilt lettering for correct application, Glossy dial corresponds with period of model, Matte dial corresponds with period of model, Tropical dial corresponds with period of model, Ribbed edge of fluted bezel matches period of model. It has retained its accuracy in subzero arctic temperatures, the scorching Sahara and the weightlessness of outer space. 0 = Smooth/Domed A burned Big Crown dial that due to humidity, dry storage and lots of UV light chanced color and cracked in the surface, Below you see how the moisture the radium chanced to green spots around the luminous dots on the dial. The Rolex Oyster Bubbleback gets its distinctive rounded case from the unusually thick movement and rotor that, turning on a pivot, sets the winding of the hairspring in motion. I strongly advise you when you want to buy at an auction, always to make sure you check the actual watch ( preferable in daylight ) before the salestarts. Rolex's big breakthrough came in 1926, when Wilsdorf developed a case that was impervious and waterproof. The next one, a 4 line Submariner small crown ref 5508. By changing the original patina you destroy the vintage value for ever. Find below a direct link to each of these databases where you can enter the info of your vintage Rolex to find out what a average sales price is in the market since last years. Check also following studies: Many more interesting articles I have shared with you in the past you find in my RPR Archive. Registered Design & Model Depose engraving still clearly readable on this pink gold Rolex Killy.. Fresh hall mark on the sides of this unpolished pink gold Padellone ref 8171, The Rolex stamps & 18 carat hall marks spread over the 3 of the 4 lugs insides. 116508. Heres a picture of a Rolex. Side view of a 5512 SCOC Underline dial with a close up of the tritium plots. A Big Red Daytona Cosmograph with nicely voluminous tritium dots.. Certainly a trigger to look for replacement parts. It was during the 1930s that Rolex first began fitting their watches with automatic movements, rather than the manually wound calibers that had been traditionally used in their watches. However, it was not the first self-winding watch. Many times, use the rope to complete the rope. What we often see when we analyze any watches on its condition, is that the all over patina is not matching. The Rolex Bubbleback was launched in 1933 (following the advent of the self-winding Perpetual movement in 1931) and it featured the first auto-rotor. 955_Rolex 1525 NEW.pdf. Magnify small screws for tarnish and if they have been used. On the same token, the popularity of Rolexs professional models has soared. Like most authentic vintage Rolex timepieces a Bubbleback is sure to spark the hearts of vintage watch collectors. To complete my earlier RPR post: A brief introduction into the world of vintage Rolex and Patek Philippe collecting I now like to add my vintage Rolex Buyers Guidance to analyze original vintage Rolex or any kind of vintage watch brand in general. Duringservices Rolex cleaned the movement, pressure tested the case and changed the gaskets and often changed also the hands so these become luminous again. By the time the dust had settled, more than half of Geneva's watch manufacturers had gone under. Magnifique If you consider the historical importance of these watches, its not very surprising. Rolex started placing serial numbers on their products around the 1920s. Always believe your eyes and never the story you get told! The tritium luminous on the dial is a bit toned and is the same as the tone of the hands. And being a private company without external shareholders, Rolex can better afford to remain aloof to fads than many of its counterparts. Among the wide range of dial and case designs that appeared over the 20 years of Bubbleback production, bi-metal watches were always a rarity, but if you are looking to emulate this years two-tone explorer you need a bi-metal bracelet to go with it. 3230 used in the larger models. Next we see a first generationBig Crown Ref. Its with the matte parts where you can determine if a watch is polished or not. After all, when it comes to watch collecting, the hunt is a big part of the thrill. Basically you as a buyer need to be sure that you want to bid on something that has your interest. In case you are not sure how a certain reference should look like unpolished, take a close look at the matte part of the watch with a suitable magnifier. x1 = Unknown/Unused Tool watches like the Daytona or dresswatches like the DateJust and Daydate did not have chamfers. Cold Proof. It has shrugged off plane crashes, shipwrecks, and speedboat accidents, broken the sound barrier, and been ejected from a fighter jet at 22,000 feet. To rest my case, following pictures is of an early 1956 Big Crown with 4 lines coming for sale in NY soon. 3x = Black Rolex is committed to offering you first-class after-sales service. Early Bubblebacks featured a three-piece case. If the bevel looks brand new, while the dial is not, something is wrong. It seems most pop up in Europa, at the moment, thesource might come from Germany and the UK but quickly they are also offered in the US and Asia. Below you see is a first owner barn find Rolex Paul Newman where all luminous dots are still in tact and the luminous of the hands are matching the dial. Every dial, bezel and winder will be checked and double-checked for scratches, dust and aesthetic imperfection. Its more like the early 1959 Submariner 5512 thin fingers coronet.. And the Oyster Perpetual, Rolex's most basic watch, fits the bill.Mar 21, 2019, With the smaller format, comes the calibre 2232, which is effectively equipped with the same technology as the cal. 6085 Stainless Steel Watch ( 14080), Bubble Back 3131 18k Yellow Gold 32MM Men Automatic Watch, 1953 Explorer 6098 Oyster Perpetual Stainless Bubble Back - 3/6/9 Explorer, Vintage ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL Bubble Back Automatic Bombay Watch c1948 Ref.5018, Speedking 6056 Bubbleback 30mm Vintage 1952, 36mm Vintage Bubbleback Circa 1957 White Dial Fluted Bezel YG on Bracelet 6605, Oyster Perpetual Ref 6105 in SS and gold with bubble back and caliber A260 from 1963, 1952 Vintage Rolex Oyster Perpetual Reference 6084 Stainless Steel Watch ( 13636), Bubble Back Oyster Perpetual Chronometer Military Watch 2940, Oyster Perpetual Date Automatic Chronometer Solid 14K Gold/SS Bubble Back Vintage Ref.6105, Vintage S/Steel & 18k ROLEX Bubble Back Automatic Watch Ref 5015 c.1949 SERVICED, Bubbleback Vintage 6305 Men's Automatic Watch 18k Two-tone 36mm, Bubble Back 14k Gold Arabic numerals dial gold 1947 era, Oyster Perpetual Ref 6106 in SS bubble back with caliber A260 from 1962, 1952 Vintage Rolex Oyster Perpetual "Big Semi-Bubbleback" Ref. 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