Introduced in the 1930s, the “Bubble back” got its moniker from the distinctive case back which was domed to accommodate the thickness of the winding rotor. Laying its foundation for future Rolex timepieces, it was the first wristwatch from the crowned brand to combine three of their prominent features into a single timepiece, “Oyster” being water proof, “Perpetual” being self-winding, and “Chronometer” for precision. Long lived for over 22 years until the mid 1950s, it was one of Rolex’s most important model in its history and was one of their best-selling model during the time. Available in a vast range of metals, sizes and dial variations, the demand of “Bubble back” skyrocketed in the 1980s with the fiercest competition from Japanese collectors.
The present specimen from circa 1940s is the reference 3458. Featuring a well-preserved and attractive threaded engine-turned bezel, the dial with luminous Arabic numerals have aged together with an appealing vintage charm. Compacted into a 32mm diameter stainless steel “Bubble back” case, the pairing of a bead-of-rice bracelet elevates its presence on the wrist by miles. It is fair to say that you won’t be able to find such essence from modern watchmaking that comes close to the rare charm of the Rolex “Bubble back”.
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.