Rolex Zephyr Reference 1008 White Dial dial

This may look like a simple normal time-only Rolex Oyster Perpetual, but it’s not. It’s a Rolex Zephyr, which is one of the more rare and under rated vintage Rolex models around. I have found a Rolex Zephyr Reference 1008 in black dial in January 2020 and I have to trade an IWC blue dial plus cash top up for it.The watch comes in a leather belt and I have managed to find a metal bracelet for it afterward.

Last weekend, I went to Mr. Wong shop and saw a very nice condition Rolex Zephyr Reference 1008 in White dial. There is an added attraction of having the original two tone bracelet.  As I have promised myself to control the size of my watch collection, I have decided to have to trade away some watches before I can get a new one. I

During lunch time, I have managed to meet Mr. Wong at Causeway Bay MTR during lunch time and traded a Rolex Royal plus a Girald Perragaux HF plus top up cash for this beauty. I am happy with it as I have managed to follow my one in one out (this time two out!) policy. Moreover, I have received a refund for a vintage pens owing to problem in shipping. With the spare cash, I have decided to invest in a vintage watch instead.

The Rolex 1008 Zephyr is one of the most under rated vintage Rolex as it has a unique Bezel and dial plus using the work horse 1560 movement that was used in the Rolex Submariner and Explorer. Rolex Zephyr offers a great blend of sport and luxury.

The Rolex Zephyr is a particular style of vintage Oyster Perpetual watch that sports a distinct dial design and bezel style. The Zephyr dial features a cross-hair motif that divides the dial into four different sections. Since the Oyster Perpetual is a time-only Rolex model, void of any date windows, the dial is beautifully symmetrical and appealing simple. Another characteristic of the Zephyr dial are the small tritium lume plots that act as hour markers, accompanied by the “T SWISS T” label just above 6 o’clock. Other typical markings on a Rolex Zephyr dial include the “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified” designation, in addition to the “Oyster Perpetual” label underneath the Rolex name and gold crown logo.

Aside from the instantly recognizable dial, another important detail of a Rolex Zephyr is an engined-turned fluted bezel accented with facets.There are three generations of Rolex Zephyr.

Rolex began producing the Oyster Perpetual Zephyr in the mid-1950s, beginning with the ref. 6582, powered by the Caliber 1030 self-winding movement. Typical of the era, the dial included dauphine-style center hands.

This was followed up with the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Zephyr ref. 1008 in the late 1950s. This version was powered by the upgraded Caliber 1560 automatic movement and includes a smaller winding crown.

Finally, in the late 1960s/early 1970s, Rolex introduced the Oyster Perpetual Zephyr ref. 1038.  Rolex eventually discontinued producing the Zephyr in the 1980s.

It’s also worth noting that Rolex did also produce an Oyster Perpetual Date 1512 with a Zephyr style dial around the same time.