Rolex Oyster Prima Octagonal, 1930’s Rare Gents Vintage Watch, 32mm, Serviced

Description: Circa 1930’s Art Deco period Gents Rolex Oyster Prima Octagonal hand winding wristwatch. Featuring a wonderful original Rolex Oyster signed dial with beautiful patina. Recently benefited from a service by a Rolex specialist watchmaker, keeping accurate time ready to treasure & enjoy! The Rolex Oyster Octagonal is a vintage model that stands out due to its unique, eight-sided bezel, setting it apart from the more traditional rounded Oyster designs. Introduced around 1930, this model showcases Rolex’s early innovations in waterproof design, featuring the brand’s pioneering “Oyster” case, which was among the first to offer resistance to water and dust. The octagonal shape gives this watch a distinctive Art Deco feel, making it a collectible item, especially prized by vintage watch enthusiasts. This Rolex gents watch made in the time when watches were being made small to show off their watchmaking skills however this piece is housed by the larger 32mm case as oppose to the more common 28mm case. Powered by the 15 jewel hand winding movement signed Rolex Prima. The original steel/nickel case fitted with the much sought after fluted bezel is rare and has fixed bars fitted with a new leather band. The Original Dial: Signed Rolex Oyster Prima. Silvered dial with unique applied numerals along with an applied outer chapter ring with hour and minute markers. Blue steel spear hands. Fully functional subsidiary seconds sub dial. Dial has patina and marks commensurate with age and wear. Please observe photographs carefully. Original Crystal: Acrylic dome crystal in good condition. Original Case: Rare 32mm octagonal case with a fluted bezel. Has surface scratches and tarnishes all over with signs of heavy wear. Overall the case and lugs are in solid condition. Original Case Back Cover Outer: Screw back milled edge steel case. Case has surface scratches commensurate with age and wear. Has been previously polished. The case back cover screws and fits perfectly flush - Please observe photos. Original Case Back Cover Inner: Signed Oyster Watch Company Geneva Swiss GREAT BRITAIN PATENTS 260554/1925 274.789 SWISS PATENTS 玉114.948 玉120.851 120.848 122.110 French Patents 638.179 638.180 U.S.A Patent 1.661.252 German Patent 443.386. 1030. In good condition fits perfectly flush with case. Original Movement: Signed Rolex Prima Swiss Made 15 Jewels Timed 6 Positions For All Climates. Rare movement in good working order, recently serviced by Rolex specialist keeping good time, running superbly. Original Crown/Winder: Signed Oyster Patent with the Brevet cross in relief. In good working order. Strap/Band Buckle: New good quality unauthentic aftermarket leather strap fitted to a aftermarket steel buckle. *Please observe photographs carefully as they form part of the description* Please note this Rolex is over 90 years old. Shipping DHL insured registered post World wide buyer responsible for any taxes or duties due which may delay or hold up your shipment at destination port. Additional Information; ‘The greatest triumph in watch making, the Rolex Oyster. The wonder watch that defies the elements.’ The headline from the front page of the Daily Mail newspaper, November 24th, 1927. Hans Wilsdorf (founder of the Rolex watch company) had succeeded in producing a truly waterproof watch and took the whole front page to advertise his achievement. Following years of striving to improve the ‘wristlet’ or wristwatch, Wilsdorf patented the Oyster case in September 1926. Consisting of three parts, bezel, ring and back that were all threaded to screw together, ensuring the case was water and dust proof. A month later he filed a patent for the screw thread and crown, which would hermetically seal the watch. (This had originally been filed by Paul Perregaux and Georges Peret (their one and only patent) in October 1925. Wilsdorf saw the great potential and bought the patent and subsequently filed for the British patent; 260.554.) Wilsdorf saw a great marketing opportunity when 26-year-old Mercedes Glietze swam the English Channel in October 1927. He presented her with an Oyster watch, which she wore on a chain around her neck. After the swim, lasting 15 hours and 15 minutes, the watch was found to be running and telling the correct time! He followed this triumph with window displays of aquariums with Oyster watches submerged inside, an idea he had registered in November 1922. ‘We must succeed in making a watchcase so tight that our movements will be permanently guaranteed against damage caused by dust, perspiration, water, heat and cold. Only then will the perfect accuracy of the Rolex watch be secured’ HW. Continuing his strive for the best, Wilsdorf patented seven more improvements in the next ten years. The Perpetual movement was patented in 1931. This was seen as the best automatic movement, an area where other companies had tried but not succeeded. Wilsdorf was a marketing genius, he raised the profile of Rolex watches with endorsements from sportsmen to explorers; Malcolm Campbell & Edmund Hillary. He presented the 100 000th Oyster watch to Winston Churchill, a gold Rolex Datejust. He also presented the 150 000th watch to Dwight Eisenhower, who later became president of The United States. The ‘Oyster’ name (derived when Wilsdorf had difficulty opening an oyster at dinner) continues to be on the majority of Rolex watches sold today. ‘We want to be the first in the field and Rolex should be seen as the one and only – the best.’ (152)

Price: 2650 GBP

Location: Birmingham

End Time: 2024-11-22T14:47:31.000Z

Shipping Cost: 63.06 GBP