937Σ︎
Rolex
Ref. 3372
Oyster Perpetual "Bubbleback"
A fine and attractive yellow gold wristwatch with center seconds and non-luminous black gilt dial
Full-Cataloguing
- Attractive non-luminous black gilt dial paired with gold indexes and dauphine hands
- Retains its Rolex + Oyster Brevet Crown
- Strong hallmarks and crisp numbers between the lugs
The Rolex Bubbleback reference 3372 was introduced to the market in the early 1940. At the time its appearance was rather unusual yet striking with its now famous chased and engraved bezel featuring baton and dot hour markers.
Rolex’s Oyster Perpetual "Bubbleback” is one of the most iconic and recognizable wristwatches ever produced. The Bubbleback has earned a prominent place in horological history for the innovative self-winding movement it was fitted with. Rolex perfected automatic winding and cemented its pivotal role in the success of the wristwatch. The convex shape of the case back used to house the new automatic winding system gave the watch its nickname.
Cased in an array of metals and fitted with a variety of dials, "bubbleback" watches were in production for over 22 years, from the early 30s to the mid 50s. For many years, the "Bubbleback" wristwatch was Rolex’s best selling model.
Compactly sized at 33mm and cased in 18K yellow gold, this "Bubbleback" has a masculine presence on the wrist with its gold black combination. Its early dot hour marker bezel is well-preserved with its engined turned details shimmering in gold. Its dial is the rarely seen black gilt dial paired with applied indexes, coronet and dauphine hands with the benefit from absence of luminous material. Strong hallmarks can be seen both on the caseband and behind the lugs. With raising demands for Bubbleback in recent times, this is a wonderful opportunity to obtain one kept privately in a collection for years.
Rolex
Swiss | 1905Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.