Vintage watch experience 古董手錶: February 2023

Sunday 19 February 2023

The Rolex Big Bubbleback series leading to the Datejust part 2

The Rolex Big bubbleback series leading to the Datejust consists of the following

Rolex ref 4467 (solid Gold from year 1945-1949)
Rolex ref 5030 (Solid gold) , Bi colour steel and gold 5031, 5075, 6031 (from year 1949 - 1950)，
Rolex ref 6075, 6074 (Bi colour from year 1950 - 1953) also some 1960-64
Rolex 6104, 6105 (Bi colour modified A296，from year 1951 - 1953) some from the 1960s
Rolex 6304 , 6305, 6309 (Pre ThunderBird) (A296，from year 1953 - 1956)
Rolex Datejust 6604, 6605, 6609 (Thunderbird), 1600, 1601,1603, 1607, 1625 (Thunderbird) (from 1959 - 1977 onwards using Butterfly movement calibre generation features cal. 1065 and later cal. 1565 and 1575.)

These are the early Rolex Big bubbleback with Date function:

劳力士DATE JUST于1945年推出的第一个型号是4467，4467是现在所有DJ的鼻祖，是世界上第一只自动上弦，带有瞬跳日历的手表（日历在夜里瞬跳切换）。4467是一只大三针手表，日历在3点位，注意当时还没有日历放大镜。4467只有黄金壳型号，尺寸36毫米

Rolex 6031 & 4467- in solid gold

进入到1950年之后，劳力士推出了4467的后续型号，5030, 5031, 5075, 6031。5030和5031, 6031 开始，就增加了钢壳和间金型号。

Rolex 5031 in yellow gold bezel and crown from 1947

Rolex 5075 in rose gold bezel and crown from 1947

Rolex 6031 yellow gold bezel and crown

Rolex 6031 in yellow gold bezel and crown from 1947

Rolex 6031, 5075, 5031

Of all the Big bubbleback, I love the straight lugs best as it truly replicate and represents the original bubbleback design from 1947

Rolex 6075 yellow gold & steel

Rolex 6075 rose gold & steel with small crown

Rolex 6075 rose gold & steel

Rolex 6104 in rose gold bezel and crown

Rolex 6105 in yellow gold bezel & crown from 1953

Rolex 6105 in rose gold bezel & crown

Rolex 6305 in rose gold

Rolex 6309 in rose gold

Rolex 6605 from 1958

Rolex 6605 (fluted bezel) Steel and yellow gold Datejust

Rolex 6605 Steel and white gold Datejust

Rolex ref 6605 in 18k gold from 1957

Rolex ref 1601 Wide Boy in 14k gold from 1966

https://www.ancienne.es/en/blogpost/story-vintage-datejust-watches/

L to R : Rolex 6105, 6031,5075,5031

Source: https://www.vetroplastica.it/rolex-datejust-22.html

Types of Rolex Bubbleback

These are the many different kinds of Rolex bubbleback. The real Big Bubbleback are those pre Datejust as there are some who has mistaken the 6084, 6085 Semi bubbleback models without date as BIG bubbleback.

To clarify, there are ;

1. the small bubbleback often called 一粒糖and these are boy size around 30mm,

2. the medium Bubbleback 32-33mm,

3. the Semi Bubbleback 34mm and finally the

4. Big Bubbleback at 36mm.

The Big Bubbleback are rare and the costliest.

Friday 3 February 2023

Vintage Omega Constellation 168.005 Pie pan dial 天文台,紅金八卦面,烏蠅字

This is a usual Omega Constellation with pie pan gold dial and in stainless screw back case that has created controversies as some forum collectors think it’s a fake or franken. In Hong Kong, it is called 天文台,紅金八卦面,烏蠅字 .

The Omega Constellation case has a similar case design with the vintage Omega Seamaster 14363 as below

I have owned the Seamaster 14363 before. Even though the case looks similar, it has a snap back case. It comes with both subsidy seconds and sweeping second.

Many watch collectors will scream fake or Frankenstein upon seeing the Stainless steel constellation with pie pan dial in a forum. When I posted in the Thai forum, most collectors have a more open mind.

In fact, there are some differences between the Seamaster 14363 versus the Omega constellation case. The Constellation case is a screw back case versus the snap back case for Seamaster 14363. It is not usual for watch brand to use similar design. For example, Tudor submariner is similar in case design as the Rolex Submariner where only the movement is different. For watches from the early period, the core brand positioning is not as well defined as todays.

The Constellatiom shows a concave case to allow the back case to be screwed inwards

The Seamster 14363 case shows a protruding convex case to allow the snap back case to be snapped

Some forum members were commenting that one could perhaps squeeze the movement in and squeeze a screw back case into the omega Seamaster case. By squeezing it in, one would need to sand down the steel protrusion first and then dig a grove for the screw back back case … But my question is, if after sanding down the protrusion, it will not have much space left for the rotor to move around.

I think it’s not possible. The thing about vintage watch is that in the earlier days, there were many variations and perhaps by having an open mind, one could see more things. I think Hong Kong watch collectors are one of the top notch ones as I have seen many unusual watches kept by these low profile collectors. Anyway, since I have no intention of selling it and the collector who sold it to me is ready to take back any time, let me find out from other collectors what they think… after all , vintage watch collecting is only a hobby..