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Rolex Oyster ladies Art Deco cocktail wristwatch, stainless steel oyster screw back with screw down crown and seamless one part case with leather cordette cocktail strap. The fully signed Rolex movement is of superior Extra Prima grade, 17 Jewel and Timed 6 Positions. Silvered dial with painted Arabic numerals and 1930s "Baton" blued steel hands and guilloche subsidiary seconds dial.

The watch case is a good relatively early example of an Oyster Case, the famous Rolex Oyster case was first patented in July 1926 and was an important turning point in the history of the wristwatch to favour acceptance, at the time, of wearing a watch on the wrist. The Oyster case was the first to successfully accomplish protection from moisture, humidity and dust. This was achieved not only with the screwed down case but also the ability to screw down the crown.

There was initially some reluctance to believe the claims by Rolex, until the first ever woman to cross the English channel did so wearing a Rolex Oyster watch! The slick marketing worked, and by the mid 1930s the Rolex Oyster began to replace sales of pocket watches.

Serial number dates circa 1934, as does the extra prima movement and case design. Outer Diameter of Case: 24mm (just under 1 inch)

The Oyster Watch Co stamped case back is that used until WW2 for virtually all Rolex Oyster's intended for the UK market. Stamped: Oyster Watch Co, Geneva Swiss, Great Britain Patents, Swiss Patents, French Patents, USA Patents, German Patents. The internal case back is engine turned with approximately 9 separate engraving/etching marks from watchmakers and previous services.

Condition

This watch has been well used and serviced over the years and is in original fully working condition. The crown and case screw down well, the crystal is still firmly seated and clear. The crown is original to the watch but well worn from regular winding over the last 90 years, there are several small indentations on the case back and general signs of wear. The price has been adjusted for general condition.

The face is original has not been repainted and does have a considerable amount of patina and charm that certainly tells a story and does not try to hide it's age. There is a small area of missing paint to the number three and number four.

The watch is keeping good time for a small wrist watch timepiece of it's era; in a static environment after a full wind there is some gain over the first 12 hours and this is compensated for over the next 12 hours, a wind lasts approx 30hours. The watch is regulated to gain around 3 minutes over a 24 hour period when static. When being worn and subject to movement this gain will be reduced somewhat. If worn daily the watch should be wound the same time each 24 hour period.

Please note that despite being a Rolex and having the Extra Prima movement, accuracy is no match for a modern quartz watch and should not be treated the same way as a modern water resistant watch.

The strap is a new replacement leather cocktail rope watch band in the original Art Deco style and is most certainly the design style of strap that Rolex would have supplied when new in the 1930s. The strap therefore benefits from a new firm clasp and we can adjust the strap length to suit, please email us with the strap length requirement and we will adjust it before dispatch, if we have no request we will set the strap to a 6 1/2 inch wrist. The pictured jewellery case is included, which dates from the same era.

30 day warranty/return policy

Unfortunately we cannot ship this watch to the United States. Rolex hold a patent protection that applies to both new and used (including Antique and Vintage) watches bearing their logo and can and do restrict the import into the USA. The only way a Rolex can enter the USA is by way of personal import on the wrist of an individual and limited to one per person.

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