Oyster perpetual help

[21hbullo]

Hello all,
I have recently inherited a Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 5016 (Please see photo attached). I've got a few questions that I would greatly appreciate someone having a stab at answering!

Does anybody know anything about this watch? I've had a search online but haven't found anything exactly the same as it, I've narrowed it down to c. 1950.

Secondly, I understand the watch may have radium on the dial. Are there any golden rules for owning radium watches (along the lines of don't wear it when sleeping/ proper storage etc.)?

Any help would be mucho appreciado

[woolshire]

Looks like a nice watch! I would say 1950 is about right.
As far as radium lume, it is only significantly dangerous if you were to breathe in dust particles from the lume…so don’t do that. Otherwise, fine to wear occasionally.

[Dan S]

Can you read the case serial number? Can you show the crown? Personally, I don't worry about wearing radium watches, but some people do. It a risk aversion thing.

[Dr.Smellody]

Love it!

[offrdmania]

Would that case shape still be considered an Oyster case or is it a fancy lug case?

[CTech]

Originally Posted by offrdmania

Would that case shape still be considered an Oyster case or is it a fancy lug case?

It is known as an Oyster Bombé (or Bombay) case because of the shape of the lugs.

[TuRo]

As you say, gets its name from bombé, a word originally used to describe the accentuated lugs found on some Oyster cases from the late 1940s through the 1950's.

The British (especially ) had a terrible reputation for anglicising just about everything foreign and this is an example.

My Grandad (and the whole British Army in the first world war) pronounced IPES in Belgium as WIPERS..., and such was the joke that some soldiers with a printing press (they'd, ahem, purloined), did a little satirical magazine for the troops called The Wipers Times !

Nice leaf hands too.

[21hbullo]

Originally Posted by woolshire

Looks like a nice watch! I would say 1950 is about right.
As far as radium lume, it is only significantly dangerous if you were to breathe in dust particles from the lume…so don’t do that. Otherwise, fine to wear occasionally.

Thats great, unfortunately I was a bit silly, didn't do my due diligence, and was wearing it full time for about a month (sleeping with it aswell), I will update you if I get super powers or grow a third arm!

[TuRo]

Ps grr.... autocorrect spell check.... YPRES not IPES.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by 21hbullo

Thats great, unfortunately I was a bit silly, didn't do my due diligence, and was wearing it full time for about a month (sleeping with it aswell), I will update you if I get super powers or grow a third arm!

Nice looking watch. The numbers you need are either on the sides between those gorgeous bombe' lugs.

As to radium, as long as you don't eat the dial there isn't enough radiation to do anything adverse to you. You get more "radiation" with a cell phone to your ear during the day, or a flight at high altitude across the country.