A watch that makes many a heart beat faster – The Rolex Bubbleback
The original Rolex Oyster Perpetual, affectionately nicknamed the ‘Bubbleback’, is one of the first watches that collectors fell in love with. Produced from 1933 until the mid-1950s, this watch became the first true ‘hype’ watch in the 1980s and 1990s; the ultimate Rolex must-have.
The name ‘Bubbleback’ refers to the round, domed back, which makes room for the then brand new 360-degree winding rotor. Instead of making the entire case of the watch larger, Rolex decided to make the back of the case curved, or bubble-shaped, outwards.
This innovation combined the two most important principles of Rolex for the first time; the Oyster Perpetual:
“Oyster” for the waterproof case (since 1926) and “Perpetual” for the automatic movement.
The Rolex Bubbleback was the first watch in the world that was both waterproof and automatic. Today, almost a hundred years later, these two words can still be found on almost every dial and define the Rolex brand.
In the approximately 20 years that the Bubbleback was produced, many variations and designs were available. For example, there were three different sizes; the standard size with a case diameter of 30.5 mm, a “boy’s size” with a diameter of 29 mm and a “man’s size” with a diameter of 34 mm. The materials used were gold, steel and a combination of these, also called Rolesor.
Also in the dials there was a wide range of designs to be found and there are examples with Arabic numerals, Roman numerals, a combination of these; the so-called ‘California dial’, or like the watch we offer, without numbers. This, together with the different colours and materials ensured that there was a Rolex Bubbleback for everyone’s taste and desire.
From the 1980s onwards, the watch became an extremely popular collector’s item. The Rolex Bubbleback was a very popular watch, especially on the American and Japanese markets, due to its unique historical value and design. Collectors were particularly fond of the large variety of models: whether it was the design of the dial, the material of the case, each Bubbleback had its own unique identity.
The Bubbleback is not only a very important item in the history of Rolex, but also marks the beginning of modern automatic watch technology; it is a piece of watchmaking history on the wrist.
The Rolex Bubbleback with lot number 543, which we are offering for auction this spring, was made around 1950 and is made of gold with a steel back.