Rolex Oyster Swiss 1927 Rare Gents Vintage Cushion Watch, 32mm, Serviced

Description: Circa 1927 Art Deco period Gents Rolex Oyster Swiss hand winding cushion wristwatch. Featuring a rare dial carrying wonderful patina. A nice "all original" piece from the year ‘Mercedes Gleitze’ swam the channel wearing a similar Rolex Oyster cushion watch. Recently benefited from a service by a Rolex specialist watchmaker, keeping accurate time ready to treasure & enjoy! This Rolex gents cushion watch made in the time when watches were being made small to show off their watchmaking skills however this piece is housed in the larger 32mm case instead of the more common 28mm case. Powered by the 15 jewel hand winding movement signed Rolex. The original steel nickel case is rare and fitted to a new leather band. The Original Dial: Signed Oyster below ‘12’ with Swiss at the very bottom below ‘6’. Unique luminous aged Arabic numerals along with an applied outer chapter ring with hour and minute markers. Blue steel pointed ‘Cathedral’ lume filled hands. Fully functional subsidiary seconds dial. Dial has marks commensurate with age and wear.. Original Crystal: Acrylic dome crystal in good condition. Original Case: 32mm cushion case with a fluted bezel. Has surface scratches all over commensurate with age and wear. Lugs are in solid condition. Please observe photos closely. Original Case Back Cover Outer: Screw back milled edge polished case. Serial numbered 20307 saying to 1927 on the Rolex date register. Has surface scratches commensurate with age and wear associated with base metals. The case back cover screws and fits perfectly flush - Please observe photos. Original Case Back Cover Inner: Signed Oyster Watch Co Geneva Swiss Great Britain Patents 260554/1925 274788 - 274789 Swiss Patents 114948 120848 120851 122110 French Patents 638179 638180 U.S.A PATENT 1661 232 German Patent 443386. Numbered 29 1069. In solid condition fits perfectly flush with case, has period service markers present. Original Movement: Caliber 59 - Signed Rolex Geneve under the dial with Oyster Watch Co Switzerland 15 Jewels on the outer. Rare movement in good working order, recently serviced by Rolex specialist keeping good time, running superbly. Original Onion Crown/Winder: Fully functional crown, has some signs of wear commensurate with age. 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 almost 100 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.’ HW 1914. (140)

Price: 1950 GBP

Location: Birmingham

End Time: 2024-12-11T19:39:58.000Z

Shipping Cost: 63.41 GBP