Introduced in the 1930s, the “Bubble back” got its moniker from the distinctive case back which was domed to accommodate the thickness of the winding rotor. Laying its foundation for future Rolex timepieces, it was the first wristwatch from the crowned brand to combine three of their prominent features into a single timepiece, “Oyster” being water proof, “Perpetual” being self-winding, and “Chronometer” for precision. Long lived for over 22 years until the mid 1950s, it was one of Rolex’s most important model in its history and was one of their best-selling model during the time. Available in a vast range of metals, sizes and dial variations, the demand of “Bubble back” skyrocketed in the 1980s with the fiercest competition from Japanese collectors.

The present specimen from circa 1940s is the reference 3458. Featuring a well-preserved and attractive threaded engine-turned bezel, the dial with luminous Arabic numerals have aged together with an appealing vintage charm. Compacted into a 32mm diameter stainless steel “Bubble back” case, the pairing of a bead-of-rice bracelet elevates its presence on the wrist by miles. It is fair to say that you won’t be able to find such essence from modern watchmaking that comes close to the rare charm of the Rolex “Bubble back”.