82 - Rolex - Bubble Back

Rolex - Bubble Back (*) A rare vintage wristwatch - chronometer Ref. 5011, Cal. Hunter, Case No. 645933, Dimensions 32 mm, circa 1948, Origin Schweiz, Accessories, gold original clasp Case: 18 K gold, screw back with marking 5011, screwed "Rolex Oyster" winding crown, reeded bezel. Dial: Gilt, applied dart indexes with luminous dots, sword-shaped luminous hands. Movm.: Automatic. The age-appropriate signs of wear by no means diminish the attractiveness of this wrist chronometer. The relatively small 32 mm size lends it an unobtrusive but nevertheless appealing presence on the wrist. The dart indexes and the sword-shaped hands filled with luminous mass in particular are strong eye-catchers. The case and bezel are in very good condition, as is the OCC dial. The Rolex Oyster crown is also in excellent condition. The Hunter calibre is very clean and starts running straight away – all in all, a fantastic watch. The Rolex Bubble Back is one of the more unusual Rolex models; it takes its name from the large case back that protects the tall rotorwind movement. The first Bubble Back was launched in 1933 and production continued for about 20 years; the model was largely responsible for making Rolex a brand that was known for reliable watches – the relatively high number of Bubble Backs in perfect working order that are still around today attest to it. The most popular versions of the Bubble Back are Steelium (in stainless steel), Rolesor (gold and steel) and Gold (9 K, 14 K, 18 K red or yellow gold). The names Steelium and Rolesor were created and patented by Rolex. Changes in the case were for example smooth bezels or those with an engine-turned pattern or bezels with concealed lugs. The dials also offered some variations: silvered, black, pink or white, two-coloured 24 hour dials in a military design or the "California Dials" with Roman and Arabic numerals. Case: very good, slightly worn. Dial: very good, slightly oxydized. Movm.: very good, capable of running, cleaning recommended. Please note that leather straps made from endangered or protected species - such as alligator, crocodile, or lizard - are used in our catalogue or on our website for illustration purposes only. For customs-related reasons, such straps cannot be shipped outside the EU.