1940's Rolex WWII British Military Vintage Antique Mens 50mm Pocket Watch Nickel
By Rolex
Located in Suwanee, GA
. 1940's ROLEX WWII British Military Vintage Antique Mens 50mm Pocket Watch - Nickel Please All-Original
Other
Rolex Stainless Steel and Yellow Gold Oyster Perpetual Wristwatch Ref 6565
By Rolex
Located in Stamford, CT
Rolex stainless steel and 18k yellow gold Oyster Perpetual wristwatch, circa 1945, self-winding
Yellow Gold, 14k Gold, Stainless Steel
Rolex Steel Bubble Back with Romabic Dial 1940's with Original Ladder Bracelet
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Rolex Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Oyster Perpetual / Reference 2764 METAL
Vintage Rolex 6634 Oyster Perpetual 14 Karat Yellow Gold Capped, 1942
By Rolex
Located in San Diego, CA
Face: Acrylic Case Size: 34mm Includes: -Rolex Service Box -Certified Appraisal -6 Month
14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel
1940s Rolex Precision unusual Gold Shell and Steel back Manual wind Wrist Watch
By Rolex
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 1940s Rolex Precision Wrist Watch, 35 M.M. 2 piece Gold Shell case with Water Resistant
Gold, Steel
Rolex Oyster Chronograph Silver Dial Anti-Magnetique 4048 Manual Wind Watch 1942
By Rolex
Located in Central & Western District, HK
Brand: Vintage Rolex Model: 4048 Year: 1942 Serial number: 20xxxx Reference: OT1063 Model 4048 is
Steel, Stainless Steel
Rolex Ladies Rose Gold Stainless Steel Art Deco Manual Wind Watch Ref 3911
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Rolex Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Art Deco / Ref. 3911 METAL / MATERIAL
Rolex Ladies Rose Gold Stainless Steel Art Deco Manual Wind Watch Ref 3911
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Rolex Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Art Deco / Ref. 3911 METAL / MATERIAL
Rolex Precision 1940's Vintage Platinum "Star Dial" ladies Watch Extremely Rare
By Rolex
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Rolex Precision 1940's Vintage Platinum "Star Dial" ladies Watch Extremely Rare Vintage Ladies
Diamond, Platinum
1948 Rolex 14k Gold Oyster Perpetual Bubble Back Mid Size Wrist Watch 5015
By Rolex
Located in Montclair, NJ
This gorgeous, vintage, Rolex Oyster Perpetual wrist watch is mounted in a 32mm case crafted in
14k Gold
Rolex Steel Tudor Sky Rocket Geneve with Original Luminous Dial and Hands 1940's
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Tudor Watch Company / Rolex Geneve STYLE / REFERENCE: Sky Rocket METAL / MATERIAL
Rolex Falcon Stainless Steel with Original Dial and Hands from 1944 or 1945
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Rolex Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Falcon / Ref.4070 METAL / MATERIAL
Rolex Steel Tudor Sky Rocket Geneve with Original Luminous Dial and Hands 1940's
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
SERVICE COMMITMENT This early Sky Rocket was produced by Rolex as their Tudor Series. The dependable
Mens Rolex Precision Ref 4282 14ct Solid Gold Manual Wind 1940s Swiss RA234
By Rolex
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Luxurious classic, men's Rolex Precision ref.4282 solid 14ct rose gold manual wind, c.1944
Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
Rolex Prince 1/4 Quarter Century Club Eaton 1490 Vintage Watch 14 Karat Gold
By Rolex
Located in Berlin, DE
Historic collector's watch. Presented to "Benjamin Hunt". Manual wind Rolex movement. Of course
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex Ladies 18Kt Rose Gold Art Deco Watch with Cord Band from 1940's Hand Made
By Rolex
Located in Long Beach, CA
FACTORY / HOUSE: Rolex Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Art Deco / Reference 4211 METAL / MATERIAL
Rolex Yellow Gold Bubbleback Wristwatch
By Rolex
Located in Miami Beach, FL
This is a beauty from the 1940's. This solid 14kt yellow gold Rolex Bubbleback from 1946 is in
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex Rare Stainless Steel Chronograph Wristwatch Ref 2916
By Rolex
Located in Miami Beach, FL
This is an early and rare Rolex hooded lug chronograph wristwatch, reference 2916, which almost
Stainless Steel
Rolex Stainless Steel Monobloc Chronograph Wristwatch Ref 3525
By Rolex
Located in Miami Beach, FL
This is a beautiful example of a stainless steel Rolex Monobloc chronograph wristwatch, Ref. 3525
Stainless Steel
Rolex Stainless Steel Extra Precision Wristwatch circa 1940s
By Rolex
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Rolex stainless steel Oyster Extra Precision wristwatch in beautiful condition, an original salmon
Stainless Steel
Rolex Stainless Steel King-of-Wings Wristwatch Ref 4125
By Rolex
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Very rare Rolex Oyster King-of-Wings Precision wristwatch in stainless steel with a salmon
Rolex Stainless Steel Monobloc Chronograph Ref 3525 circa 1940s
By Rolex
Located in Miami Beach, FL
This is a beautiful example of a stainless steel Rolex monobloc chronograph wristwatch, Ref. 3525
Rolex Rose Gold Stainless Steel Chronometre Wristwatch Ref 3372
By Rolex
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Rolex Chronometre Ref 3372 in stainless steel with a rose gold engine turned bezel and original
Rose Gold, Stainless Steel
Rolex Stainless Steel and Rose Gold Chronograph Wristwatch Ref 4500 circa 1940s
By Rolex
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Rolex stainless steel and rose gold chronograph wristwatch, Ref. 4500. This watch has some light
Rose Gold, Stainless Steel
Rolex Bucherer's Stainless Steel Tank Wristwatch
By Rolex
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Elegant Rolex Tank style wristwatch for Bucherer's with a nicely aged sector dial with seconds
Stainless Steel
Vintage Rolex Bubbleback Reference 5050 Stainless Steel Watch, 1949
By Rolex
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
1949 Vintage Rolex Bubbleback Ref. 5050 Stainless Steel watch with a Two-Tone Black and Silver
Rolex Stainless Steel and Yellow Gold Bubbleback Wristwatch circa 1949
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex stainless steel and yellow gold Oyster Perpetual Bubbleback wristwatch, circa 1948. 32mm
14k Gold, Stainless Steel, Yellow Gold
Rolex Datejust 69173, Black Dial, Certified and Warranty
By Rolex
Located in Miami, FL
Rolex Datejust Reference #: 69173. Womens Automatic Self Wind Watch Stainless Steel Black 26 MM
Sold|$10,427
Rolex Vintage Platinum
By Rolex
Located in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire
Ref: COM1899 Manufacturer: Rolex Model: Vintage Model Ref: N/A Age: Circa 1940's Gender: Ladies
Platinum
Rolex Stainless Steel and Yellow Gold Bubble Back Wristwatch Ref 5009
By Rolex
Located in Houston, TX
Brand: Rolex Model: Bubble Back Ref.:5009 Metal: Stainless Steel and Yellow Gold Year: circa
18k Gold, Stainless Steel
Sold|$5,890
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 6569
By Rolex
Located in Surfside, FL
Vintage Rolex Oyster Perpetual with engine-turned bezel with cream dial & baton hour markers. Auto
Stainless Steel
Rolex Yellow Gold Dress Model Wristwatch 1940s
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Scarce design Rolex dress model ref 4029 9K gold circa 1940’s. Very pleasing sculpted design
Sold|$5,250
ROLEX PG Bubbleback Ref 3131 c1947
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex 14K PG Bubbleback ref # 3131 circa 1947. 32mm diameter tonneau shaped case with smooth bezel
14k Gold
Sold|$4,153
1942 Rolex “Sky Rocket” Total Restoration
By Rolex
Located in Raleigh, NC
A RARE ROLEX SKYROCKET SHOCKPROOF WATCH FROM THE 1940-1949 PERIOD. But first a commerical message
Stainless Steel
Vintage Rolex Bubbleback Reference 3065 Watch, 1945
By Rolex
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
1945 Vintage Rolex Bubbleback Reference 3065. 14K Rose Gold & Stainless Steel case. 32mm wide
Sold|$3,350
Rolex Stainless Steel Dress Model Wristwatch
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex Stainless Steel Dress Model Wristwatch circa 1940’s. Man’s small size 30 x 39mm snap back
Stainless Steel
Rolex Stainless Steel Bubbleback Chronometer Wristwatch
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex Stainless Steel Bubbleback Chronometer Wristwatch circa 1940s. 32mm diameter Oyster case with
Stainless Steel
Sold|$3,650
Rolex Gold Man's Dress Model c1950s
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex 14K YG dress model circa 1950's square case 27 X 38mm with fancy lugs. Beautifully restored 2
18k Gold
Vintage Rolex Bubbleback Two-Tone Watch, 1948
By Rolex
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
1948 Vintage Rolex Bubbleback Ref. 4392 Two Tone 14k Yellow Gold Machined Bezel and Stainless Steel
Vintage Rolex Viceroy Reference 3116 Watch, 1940
By Rolex
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
1940 Vintage Rolex Viceroy Ref. 3116 Stainless Steel watch with Salmon Color Dial with Luminous
Sold|$18,500
Rolex Steel Hooded bubbleback circa 1940's.
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex SS Hooded bubbleback circa 1940's. Fabulous rare original subseconds sector luminous dial
Stainless Steel
Sold|$4,450
Rolex Rose Gold Square Dress Wristwatch
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex 14K Rose Gold Square Dress Wristwatch circa 1940s. Square case measuring 26 x 35mm with horn
14k Gold, Rose Gold
Sold|$3,250
Rolex Steel Bubbleback ref# 2940 circa 1946
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex SS Bubbleback ref # 2940 31 x 38mm tonneau shaped case with smooth bezel circa 1946 with very
Stainless Steel
ROLEX Steel Bubbleback California Dial circa 1946
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex SS Bubbleback ref # 2940 31 x 38mm tonneau shaped case with smooth bezel circa 1946 with very
Stainless Steel
Rolex Stainless Steel Wristwatch, Ref 4417, 1945
By Rolex
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rolex dress model wristwatch, reference 4417. This super rare Rolex is from 1945, made of stainless
Stainless Steel
Sold|$1,750
Rolex Stainless Steel Speedking circa 1940's
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex SS Speedking circa 1940's 31mm diameter Oyster case with screw down period crown and caseback
Stainless Steel
Sold|$4,750
Rolex Rose Gold Top Bubbleback circa 1940s.
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex Pink Gold top, Stainless Steel back Bubbleback circa 1940's. Beautiful condition case with
18k Gold
ROLEX Stainless Steel Bubbleback Wristwatch Ref 2940
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex stainless steel Bubbleback, Ref. 2940, circa 1946, 32mm diameter tonneau shaped case with
Stainless Steel
ROLEX Yellow Gold Bubbleback Wristwatch circa 1940s
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex 14K yellow gold automatic Bubbleback wristwatch circa 1940s. 32mm diameter tonneau case with
18k Gold
Rolex Steel & Gold Bubbleback ref #2764 circa
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex SS/PG Bubbleback ref #2764 with warmly patina'd original luminous salmon dial circa 1940's
Stainless Steel
Rolex Stainless Steel Oversized Wristwatch circa 1940s
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex stainless steel oversized wristwatch, circa 1940s, 35 x 40mm case with extended lugs and
Stainless Steel
Rolex Stainless Steel Precision Wristwatch circa 1940s
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex stainless steel manual-wind dress model wristwatch, Ref. 4051, circa 1940s. Scarce and great
Stainless Steel
Rolex Boy's Stainless Steel Oyster Raleigh Wristwatch
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex Oyster Raleigh Wristwatch serial # 177,xxx circa 1944. 31mm boy's size model with original
Stainless Steel
Rolex Vintage Prince Unisex Yellow Gold Watch
By Rolex
Located in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire
Xupes Reference: COM002503 Manufacturer: Rolex Model: Vintage Model Variant: Model Number: Prince
Yellow Gold
Rolex Rose Gold Bubbleback Wristwatch Ref 3131 1946
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Great looking 14K rose gold Rolex Bubbleback ref 3131 circa 1946. Featuring 32mm diameter Oyster
Rolex Yellow Gold Chronograph Wristwatch circa 1945
By Rolex
Located in Paris, FR
Rolex 18k yellow gold chronograph wristwatch, circa 1945, manual-wind movement, antimagnetic, with
Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
Rolex Yellow Gold French Case Dress Wristwatch
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex 18K Yellow Gold dress model featuring highly stylized French made case circa post war 1940’s
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
While the rise in popularity of vintage Rolex watches is of no surprise to aficionados, collectors and industry experts, when it comes to contemporary luxury wristwatches, Rolex is also often the first brand that springs to mind. Not only is the company revered for its precision timekeeping and impeccable craftsmanship, but its name was designed to be memorable.
Rolex's enviable worldwide recognition can be credited in part to the genius of company founder Hans Wilsdorf. When the German-born watch dealer and his brother-in-law, Alfred Davis, set up their London enterprise, in 1905, they called it Wilsdorf & Davis, according to the traditional formula.
But Wilsdorf was determined to come up with another name that was short, would look good on a watch dial and was easy to say and remember in several languages. In 1908, he trademarked the name Rolex, and by 1920, he had moved the company to Geneva and redubbed it as Montres Rolex S.A.
But the main reasons for the brand’s success are its aforementioned commitment to precision and unflagging pursuit of innovation. In 1926, the company introduced the aptly named Oyster model. With a screw-down crown and case back, both fitted with rubber gaskets, this was the first truly waterproof watch.
Five years later, Rolex upped the ante with the Oyster Perpetual. That model’s patented Perpetual movement contained a rotor mechanism enabling it to self-wind. In another trendsetting move, in 1945, the brand debuted the Datejust, with a date window prominently displayed on the dial.
The company’s two most iconic models are sports watches. Although the Submariner, which debuted in 1953, was developed as a dive watch, its waterproof case, solid construction and good looks made it a favorite of adventurers and urbanites alike, including James Bond, who wore it in classics like Dr. No and Goldfinger. The Daytona, the racing chronograph made famous by Paul Newman, is especially sought after by collectors. Newman’s personal Daytona, which hit the auction block in 2017, sold for $17.8 million.
Find vintage Rolex watches, bracelets and more on 1stDibs.
Antique, vintage and luxury wristwatches have captured the hearts and minds of all manner of watch collectors as well as the watchmakers themselves — it's time you found your own.
Certain vintage watches for men and iconic watch designs for women are sought after not only because of their graceful proportions or innovative materials but also because of the illustrious histories of the houses that created them, histories that they stylishly embody.
Bulgari’s legendary Serpenti watch was on everyone’s list after the collection’s bold bracelet, which technically debuted after the timepiece, graced the wrist of actress Elizabeth Taylor. If anything, elaborately crafted timepieces — the unmistakably boxy silhouette of Cartier Tank watches, the elegant and minimal Calatrava designed by legendary Swiss house Patek Philippe — are even more effective than the shape we associate with traditional wristwatches.
Form watches — the all-encompassing moniker bestowed upon non-round watches — are making headlines and completing contemporary fashionable ensembles the world over. At the same time, both casual fans and careful collectors are drawn to the unbeatable charm of vintage styles, such as the icons designed by Omega that even James Bond can’t resist.
In the early days of watchmaking, watches were fragile enough that they necessitated protection from the elements. Now, wristwatches made of gold and steel can withstand the harshest climates — even 100 meters underwater, in the case of Rolex’s Submariner. Designer Gérald Genta, whose range of clients included Rolex, created for Audemars Piguet the first luxury sports timepiece to be made from stainless steel. First introduced in 1972, the Royal Oak was a perfect choice for blending the form and function that are now synonymous with sports watches.
Are you shopping for a wristwatch? It’s good to keep your needs as well as your specific personal style in mind: A smaller, subtle timepiece is a good fit for small wrists. When will you be wearing your new accessory? There’s a versatile model out there for everyday wear, while a rugged, feature-heavy watch is a safe bet if you’re prone to embarking on all-weather activities in the great outdoors.
Find antique, vintage and luxury wristwatches for sale on 1stDibs.
The watch has transformed several times over, but it’s still undeniably a classic.
This is perhaps the least subtle version of the Submariner.
If you think this looks like the Rolex Kermit, you're correct.
This model was designed for lefties.
Learn the devious techniques that counterfeiters use to sell inauthentic pieces at authentic prices. Of course, you don't have to worry about that on 1stDibs, where every seller of Rolex watches is highly vetted.
From understanding the models to choosing among vintage, pre-owned and new watches, here’s our expert advice on finding the best Rolex for you.
As the cache goes on display at London’s Design Museum, we speak to its enigmatic owner about some of his rarest acquisitions.
These companies have stood the test of time, making exceptional pieces for generations.