Rolex Art Deco Gold Wristwatch, 1930

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Rolex Art Deco Gold Wristwatch, 1930

About the Item

An Art Deco vintage wristwatch by Rolex made in 1930. A rare and unusually large size for a watch of this period, when the majority of watches were much smaller . Gold rectangular shaped case marked with the “RWC Ltd” lozenge for the Rolex Watch Company Ltd. The snap back gold case is hallmarked for Glasgow Import into the United Kingdom in 1930. Silvered dial with raised gold stylised Art Deco numerals. Black minute chapter and subsidiary dial for seconds. Gold fancy hands Prima 15-Jewel Chronometre movement signed Rolex and Swiss made. Prima were very high grade Rolex movements at the time. This movement also has a dust cap and an Elinvar Hairspring. Elinvar is a composite of the French words ELasticité INVARiable meaning elastically invariable. An Elinvar hairspring was used to make a movement even more efficient in timekeeping. The Elinvar metal compound was invented by a Swiss physicist Charles Édouard Guillaume who won the Nobel prize in the 1920’s for his discovery. It resists the effects of temperature change by having temperature compensation and co-efficiency. Elinvar was used primarily in balance springs for mechanical watches. A major cause of inaccuracy in watches and clocks was that ordinary steels used in springs lost elasticity slightly as the temperature increased, so the balance wheel would oscillate more slowly back and forth, and the clock would lose time. Chronometres and precision watches required complex temperature-compensated balance wheels for accurate timekeeping. Springs made of Elinvar, were not affected by temperature. . Case, movement and dial signed. Case Measurements: Length (lug to lug): 41mm Width : 26mm. All watches are given a full thorough service. They are stripped down to their individual parts, thoroughly checked for any obvious wear and tear, cleaned, re-oiled, reassembled and regulated. The final result is that the case, dial and movement are in pristine condition.

Creator:
Rolex
Case Material:
9k Gold
Case Dimensions:
Width: 1.03 in (26 mm)Length: 1.62 in (41 mm)
Style:
Art Deco
Place of Origin:
Switzerland
Period:
1930-1939
Date of Manufacture:
1930
Condition:
Pristine, fully serviced, 2 year guarantee and full after sales maintenance service.
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: 27851stDibs: LU9227978162

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Rolex

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.

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