Rolex Bubbleback 5010

[Zwayludlow]

Can anyone fill me in on exactly what I have here? I can't seem to find much about 5010s in comparison to other bubblebacks. Based on the serial number 656XXX it looks like c. 1948

[adam78]

Well, I can tell that the dial has been refinished (long ago).

[R.W.T.]

I'd say 1950.

As Adam said Refinished dial.

This reference is interesting in the fact that it was one of those transition ideas...before they changed the whole crystal bezel set up. Prior to this the steel and gold versions had been a 2 piece case-bezel affair with the bezel screwing into the middle case just like the caseback did only it was never supposed to be removed...it had a fixed gasket and was more or less permanently screwed into the mid case. Now of course when Rolex was still servicing these watches regularly, at least in Geneva they would or could remove the bezel and replace the gasket if it leaked...due to corrosion....later they wouldn't bother they simply would return the watch saying it was no longer water resistant.

Your watch however is more like a solid stainless bubble back...the crystal, like they all did up to this time, expands into the bezel rehaute to create the seal at that entry...the difference here being instead of having a separate bezel that screws into the case..you bezel snaps OVER the built in rehaute and is decorative rather than functioning in any way regarding the crystal seating.

I hope that makes sense..it is sort of difficult to describe in layman's terms.

You will notice that if you look inside your watch toward the dial...the ring is stainless...but you have a gold engine turned bezel.

This did I believe continue into the 6xxx models until they switched everything over to bezel over the crystal with the rehaute flange built on the case going inside the crystal.

Your movement is the standard period correct version of the 630NA. Serial number moved to the back of the main plate and the little notch cut in the auto bridge to show it. Serial number of the autowind is now on the auto bridge rather than the rotor weight.

All very typical of 1950. Not so much for 1948. 48 the movement number is still on the front and is 4 digits and there is no window cut for it in the auto bridge. Your style probably came on somewhere in 1949..but my chart shows that serial to be 1950.

I have my father's one owner 1948 Nov watch....it starts with 505xxx.

[Zwayludlow]

Wow. Amazing.

Thank you both for the wealth of knowledge.

Out of curiousity- what's the giveaway that it's refinished?

[R.W.T.]

No SWISS MADE or SWISS at the bottom of the dial.