Rolex
Founded in 1905 in England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, the partnership became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915 and moved to its new Geneva headquarters in 1919. The success of the wristwatch can be largely attributed to many of Rolex’s innovations which made the company one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These have included its famous “Oyster” case — the world’s first water-resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and its “Perpetual” — the world’s first reliable, self-winding movement for the wristwatch, launched in 1933. These would form the foundation for Rolex’s Oyster Perpetual collection which included the Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956. Also and equally importantly, Rolex is known for its sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
Description
A rare Rolex Oyster Royal Precision in a 9ct gold Oyster case from 1950. This watch is a very fine, robust, water-resistant, 9ct yellow gold gents/unisex wristwatch, carrying a highly accurate 18 Jewel, adjusted to 6 positions, Chronometer grade movement. At 29mm, this is a very small watch by gent’s standards today and so is perhaps more suited as a ladies watch, even though this may have been sold as a gent’s watch originally. This is a highly elegant Rolex which is in immaculate condition.
The Dial
The ivory cream dial, is furnished with 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 standard Arabic numerals interspersed with alternating ‘baton’ hour indices. These are matched with the original restored ‘Leaf’ hands.
The dial has a beautifully simple, clean and elegant ‘art deco’ look, which is very easy to read in almost all lights. The lens has been replaced with a new Rolex original and so this is completely clear and unmarked.
This is the original dial which has been restored to the highest standards by our dial restorers who are considered to be the best in the UK.
The Movement
The watch is fitted with its original highly accurate Cal.10, 18 Jewels, adjusted to 6 positions Chronometer grade, super balance movement, all of which means this watch is highly accurate and very reliable, making this watch perfectly suitable for everyday use.
The movement has been fully overhauled which involves dismantling the movement to all its component part, ultrasonic cleaning, inspection by microscope of each of its critical surfaces and replacement where required with only with new original parts, before careful reassembly and oiling ready for final testing and careful calibration. The watch is now running perfectly having been calibrated and timed at +7 seconds per day which has been confirmed by our electronic timegrapher. It also has a 48 hour power reserve when fully wound and is now ready for many more years of reliable service.
The movement has been restored by our vintage Rolex specialist watchmaker and we are confident in offering this watch with a 12-month warranty*, which can be extended if required.
*Note – The 12 months’ warranty is only included if the list price is paid.
The Case
The 9ct yellow gold case measures 29mm in diameter, excluding the original Rolex Oyster screw-down crown. The case, case-back and plain bezel are all in superb condition with no marks or scratches visible to the naked eye. The watch case has seen only very light use and has been very well cared for so following close inspection, the case has simply been gently hand-polished to bring the watch to almost new condition once more. The outside of the case-back, importantly, has never been engraved and equally importantly it is of its original thickness.
Inside the case-back, the markings are all correct for a Rolex Geneva Swiss made case. It is signed ‘Brevette Rolex SA Geneve Suisse’ and carries the legend: 31 Victories, Haute Precision. R.W.C. Ltd., along with the model number 2595 and the correct Swiss Geneva 9ct gold hallmarks. All of which date this watch to 1950. Externally the case carries the serial no. 57309.
The case has the screw-down Rolex Oyster crown and screw-down case-back, each complete with new rubber seals. Although this watch was specified as waterproof when new, this has not been tested and it is not guaranteed.
As ever, our standard advice applies, vintage watches should be kept clean and dry at all times.
The Strap & Buckle
A new, high-quality dark brown Crocodile strap has been fitted, along with a plain gold-plated buckle. However, if a different colour or style of strap is preferred, please let us know and we will do our best to oblige free of charge. We carry tan, conker, dark brown and black in stock in plain padded leather, crocodile skin or lizard skin. We can also obtain most types and colours of strap, from our partners at ‘Watch Obsession’ within 48hrs. Please take a look at their huge range of 15mm straps if you wish, here.
The Box and Papers
Although there are no original papers with this watch, the reference numbers, markings, signatures and hallmarks are all correct, dating this watch to 1950. Detailed particulars will be included with the receipt, along with our 12 months’ warranty*. A separate insurance valuation for the replacement value of this watch will also be provided at the time of sale, along with our unique ‘Lifetime Authenticity Guarantee’ which states: “If this watch proves to be anything less than totally authentic, or not as described, Vintage Gold Watches of London will offer you a full refund at any time”.
The Rolex presentation box as shown in the photographs is included in the sale.
In Conclusion
This is a truly first class example of an early 1950s vintage Rolex Oyster Royal Precision which is ready to wear and completely practical for everyday use. If treated with care, it will make an excellent investment or heirloom piece and even though vintage gold Rolex prices have risen markedly recently, we still feel excellent examples such as this, are still undervalued. As each year goes by and the world market for vintage gold Rolex watches continues to expand, prices will continue to climb ever higher.
A word about our prices – We always try our hardest to acquire the very best quality watches we can find before restoring these to the highest possible standards. We then offer these at the fairest prices we can, taking into account our pre and post sales care and service. This approach inevitably means we will never be the cheapest, but nor will we be the most expensive. Indeed there are a number of well known stores in West London which are very successful, charging between two to three times the price you see here. We therefore consider our prices to be fair, given the quality of watches we have to offer.
We are happy to accept PayPal as this is the quickest method of payment. However, if you choose to pay by UK bank transfer, we will be pleased to pass on a 3% transaction saving to you. Please contact us to reserve the watch and request our bank details. Similarly, if you wish to pay by International SWIFT or International Bank Wire Transfer, we will provide you with our BIC / Swift number and our IBAN number.
Please note, we welcome part exchanges and if you have a watch or small collection for sale, please contact us as we will be happy to discuss this.
We will be happy to Service, Repair, or Restore your watch, all at ‘sensible’ prices. Please see here.
If you have any questions, please call on 0207 727 7095 or if calling from overseas on +44 207 727 7095
We will be happy to answer any questions and offer advice about this or any of our watches listed for sale. If you would like some general advice regarding any aspect of vintage watches, including buying, selling, or collecting, we will also be very happy to hear from you. We await your call!
Finally, please enjoy some time spent viewing our other fine Vintage Gold Watches!
Thank you.
Andrew M via feefo 
3rd December 2024 
JLC1891 
