Manufacturer: Rolex Year: 1942 Reference No: 3599 Movement No: 95'747 Case No: 218'530 Model Name: Oyster Perpetual "Bubbleback" Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Automatic, cal. 9 3/4''', 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Leather Clasp/Buckle: Rolex pin buckle Dimensions: 32mm. Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
Catalogue Essay
Amongst one of the most sought after variants of the legendary "Bubbleback" series, the present reference 3599 with rigid, hooded lugs stands out.
It is blessed with an attractive combination of a stainless steel case, stunning black dial with Arabic numerals and white text and presence of the retailers’ signature of Giudici, Milano.
Reference 3599 is defined by its most unusual case design, featuring a completely flat cylindrical bezel of considerable width and hoods covering the normally open space in between the lugs. The so-called "hooded Bubbleback" could feature different surface finishes to their hoods ranging from smooth to ribbed, from engine turned to vertically striped. The visual impact should not be under-estimated, and as can be seen on the present example, the watch grows in size and presence, rendering an even more striking appearance.
Founded 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.