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Old 14 March 2011, 11:59 AM   #1
Lancette
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1945 Oyster Perpetual

Hello,

I am new to vintage watches, and recently purchased a 1945 Rolex Oyster Perpetual. I am looking for any info on the watch.

Style 4220

Case serial number 292913

Thank you!






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Old 14 March 2011, 12:58 PM   #2
SPARTAN2161
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Did you just by the on ebay?
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Old 14 March 2011, 01:12 PM   #3
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Is it just an illusion or is the crown symbol below the 12:00 marker lopsided?
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Old 15 March 2011, 02:03 AM   #4
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Is it just an illusion or is the crown symbol below the 12:00 marker lopsided?
Well, this is a refinished dial, so don't blame Rolex...
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Old 15 March 2011, 05:16 AM   #5
Andy B
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Hello Lancette,

I'm sorry to have to break this to you but,

the watch you have appears to be a genuine Rolex but there is one real problem, that problem is the dial. The dial is a re-finished dial and not original to the watch. This in itself isn't too bad, some collecters don't mind a restored dial that brings the watch back to the state it was in when it was new, but some collectors prefer the original dial in an untouched state. Aesthetically, it's a matter of personal taste. In terms of value, untouched dials have more value. The problem with yours though is this, your re-finished dial is wrong. The term "Perpetual" when written on a Rolex watch refers to an automatic movement, yours is handwinding. The original dial would never have had "Perpetual" written on the dial. I'm afraid this mistake will have a big impact on the value of the watch, I would seriously consider having the dial re-finished again.

Sorry.

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Old 16 March 2011, 01:46 PM   #6
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I have never seen a horizontal "stick" marker at the 6 o'clock position, but rather all vertical.
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Old 17 March 2011, 12:39 AM   #7
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I have never seen a horizontal "stick" marker at the 6 o'clock position, but rather all vertical.
Well, then you haven't seen a real Roman-Arabic or "semi-California" dial...



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Old 17 March 2011, 02:51 AM   #8
Michael M.
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Nice peice, looks like it was produced sometime in the 1940's, the dial has definteley been refinished though.
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Old 25 May 2011, 05:17 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lancette View Post
Hello,

I am new to vintage watches, and recently purchased a 1945 Rolex Oyster Perpetual. I am looking for any info on the watch.

Style 4220

Case serial number 292913

Thank you!









I have serial number 280xxx. The "2" is identical to your "2" !! It is smaller than the other numbers and incomplete.

Are you sure that's a "2"? Or a hallmark of some kind? 80xxx and 92xxx puts these watches at 1939. Plausible for both.

I don't know why that first number is "sawed" off.

The 1946 inscribed date, however, is a clue that it is a 2, and both watches were made in late '44.
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Old 25 May 2011, 08:29 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by SPARTAN2161 View Post
Did you just by the on ebay?
Ebay is good because it plays an important role in bringing us to many of the watches that we have not seen, during our life-time. While eBay is good, the same cannot be said about all the watches, listed there.

On eBay, we can get some good original watches. On eBay, we can get 'frankens'. On eBay, we can get fakes. If you do not have enough experience and exposure, regarding vintage-watches, be prepared for surprises (the horrible ones, unfortunately). While most of the eBayers are good and respectable, there are the bad and the ugly ones, too.

It is always best to bring to the attention of the watch lovers in this forum of your potential dream-watch, before you part with your hard-earned $!
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Old 25 May 2011, 10:51 PM   #11
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Ebay is good because it plays an important role in bringing us to many of the watches that we have not seen, during our life-time. While eBay is good, the same cannot be said about all the watches, listed there.

On eBay, we can get some good original watches. On eBay, we can get 'frankens'. On eBay, we can get fakes. If you do not have enough experience and exposure, regarding vintage-watches, be prepared for surprises (the horrible ones, unfortunately). While most of the eBayers are good and respectable, there are the bad and the ugly ones, too.

It is always best to bring to the attention of the watch lovers in this forum of your potential dream-watch, before you part with your hard-earned $!
Yeah, ebay can be a minefield if you haven't done your homework. But it's also one of the few places where a family or estate watch can be sold or bought at a decent price without a lot of commission--with a huge auction audience. That makes it a popular place.

My rules for watches: stay away from anything new or foreign.
For vintage watches, look at the movement and the serial number, plus the feedback record of the seller. I also avoid watches not working. They might be non-fixable--rust heaps inside.
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Old 25 May 2011, 11:09 PM   #12
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Here's the serial on my Oyster with that same funny first digit "2"?
Haven't seen an explanation of it, but I've seen it in other Oysters of that period.
With all the Canadian Oysters, there are so many variations you could write a book just about these wartime Oysters.

Oops. You can't see the serial very well here. But you can see the smaller first number on the left end.



Oyster3.jpg
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Old 26 May 2011, 12:51 AM   #13
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nice watch

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lancette View Post
Hello,

I am new to vintage watches, and recently purchased a 1945 Rolex Oyster Perpetual. I am looking for any info on the watch.

Style 4220

Case serial number 292913

Thank you!






It isn't unusual to have such an old watch include a refinished dial. Unless you were hoping to have bought a museum piece, this thing is a nice pick up.

Is it going to be a safe queen or daily wearer?
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Old 26 May 2011, 11:03 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by slcbbrown View Post
It isn't unusual to have such an old watch include a refinished dial. Unless you were hoping to have bought a museum piece, this thing is a nice pick up.

Is it going to be a safe queen or daily wearer?

Agreed. I never buy a vintage with a dirty or worn dial. I also never buy a personally inscribed piece, like this one. Except the date 1946 tells you something about when the watch was made and purchased. That is an important piece of information for a collector.

If you own a half dozen watches, most are in the jewelry case most of the time.

When I do something active, I wear my G-Shock.
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Old 28 May 2011, 11:15 AM   #15
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I just want to add that seeing this watch has been very educational, since my Oyster has a very similar serial number, with the same small first digit. No doubt authentic. Though I still haven't seen an explanation!

These wartime Oysters are wonderful history. I just bought Imai's book on "3621 Rolexes".
He shows color pics of many Oysters from the 30s and 40s.
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Old 28 May 2011, 02:10 PM   #16
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I just want to add that seeing this watch has been very educational, since my Oyster has a very similar serial number, with the same small first digit. No doubt authentic. Though I still haven't seen an explanation!
Probably just a stamping idiosyncrasy or defect. Nothing terribly unusual. Or maybe a bit was polished off over the years.

cf. my Raleigh, on which the "2" is complete.
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Old 28 May 2011, 02:15 PM   #17
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Agreed. I never buy a vintage with a dirty or worn dial. I also never buy a personally inscribed piece, like this one. Except the date 1946 tells you something about when the watch was made and purchased. That is an important piece of information for a collector.

If you own a half dozen watches, most are in the jewelry case most of the time.

When I do something active, I wear my G-Shock.
Look, it's one thing to have a refinished dial, but it should at least be done correctly. The one the OP showed was terrible. It's a manual wind Rolex with "Oyster Perpetual" on the dial, the coronet is off-center, and the minute track extends over the numerals. The hands are also incorrect (most likely). One shouldn't forget, however, that any refinished dial has a significant impact on the value of a Rolex (moreso than most other brands), even if a perfect replica of the original.
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Old 29 May 2011, 12:08 AM   #18
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Look, it's one thing to have a refinished dial, but it should at least be done correctly. The one the OP showed was terrible. It's a manual wind Rolex with "Oyster Perpetual" on the dial, the coronet is off-center, and the minute track extends over the numerals. The hands are also incorrect (most likely). One shouldn't forget, however, that any refinished dial has a significant impact on the value of a Rolex (moreso than most other brands), even if a perfect replica of the original.
I think my dial is refinished, though the previous owner says no. He bought it at an estate auction, and maybe it was refinished before then. You can see at the bottom (below the "30") with a loupe that the black border has been redrawn--maybe brushing out the "swiss made" below it. Also, a plain Oyster signature is uncommon. Usually Oyster or Rolex Oyster, with another name below it. The latter may have been brushed out.

There were a lot of different Oysters made in this time period--different dials, etc. And it's hard to sort them out.
I suspect many of the parts were interchangeable.

Oyster4.jpg
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Old 29 May 2011, 12:17 AM   #19
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Probably just a stamping idiosyncrasy or defect. Nothing terribly unusual. Or maybe a bit was polished off over the years.

cf. my Raleigh, on which the "2" is complete.
I swear it's a "7" on mine with a loupe. Yours is clearly a "2". Mine is identical to the other Oyster here, so it can't be a case of wear. The "1946" engraving is important. It tells me these are '44-'45 watches, so the "7" must be a "2". Very complicated. And a nice bit of history here.

Your serial no. dates to '42, a year or two earlier than the others (assuming the first digit is a 2). I wonder if the convention changed in the latter part of the "2xxxxx" production?
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