Rolex Oyster Perpetual
The Oyster Perpetual combines an Oyster case with automatic winding. The name also appears on Rolex watches with their own model names. This page covers the lineages that carry the Oyster Perpetual name directly and have not split into their own hub: the 1950s flat-caseback generation, the four-digit time-only models, and the Date-equipped 1500 series. Early manual-wind Oysters are covered on the Bubbleback and early Oyster hub. Bubbleback and Air-King are close relatives on the same case architecture and have their own family hubs.
References in scope
| Reference | Production | Movement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1069 | Auction examples dated 1920s and circa 1930; span unproved | Manual-wind; lot-specific caliber descriptions | Early cushion-case Oyster, including Solar Aqua/Anti-Magnetic dial |
| 2136 / 2574 / 3139 / 3358 / 3359 / 4220 | 1930s–1940s | manual-wind | Early Oyster / Oyster Royal / Speedking generation, before the Perpetual rotor became standard across the line |
| 6098 / 6085 / 6084 / 6564 / 6580 | 1950s; see individual references | Varies by reference | The 1950s flat-caseback group. Catalogues document 6085 in steel, gold, and a steel-and-gold example, with waffle, black, silvered, and cloisonné Dragon dials; these are individual watches, not a complete specification. Reference 6084 is described as a transitional "Semi-Bubbleback" case; 6564 is an 18k gold example with an early "Brevet" patent marking; 6580 has documented steel honeycomb-dial examples. |
| 6106 | Auction examples dated 1951 and circa 1952 | Antiquorum identifies Cal. 645; Monaco Legend uses A260, a size-family code shared with Cal. 645 | Steel 34 mm examples with several dial layouts, including a 3-6-9 dial described as Explorer-style. Production span and dial originality are not established |
| 6567 | Auction examples dated circa 1954–1960 | Cal. 1030 in multiple Antiquorum lots and the Field Manual | Mid-size, no-date Oyster Perpetual documented in gold, steel and mixed-metal cases. Its placement within the flat-caseback group remains uncertain |
| 6548 | Individual catalogue dates circa 1942/43–1969; early estimates conflict | Auction lots attribute cal. 1130, 1160 and 1161; the dates do not establish a changeover | Small no-date Oyster Perpetual; catalogue diameters 28–32 mm; steel, gold, two-tone and platinum examples. Dorotheum and Jones & Horan list Cal. 1130 on serials 230584 and 230918, but assign dates circa 1942/43 and 1957 respectively. Dorotheum Jones & Horan Ranfft Sotheby’s Farsettiarte Cambi Christie’s Field Manual |
| 1002 / 1003 / 1005 / 1007 / 1008 / 1009 / 1018 | Group: 1959–mid-1980s; 1009 catalogue examples dated 1968, 1969 and 1972 | Cal. 1560 and 1570 across the group; 1009 lots identify Cal. 1570 | The classic 4-digit line, organised by bezel: 1002 smooth, 1003/1007/1008 engine-turned, 1005 fluted; 1009 auction catalogues describe graduated, linen-textured examples, while The Vintage Rolex Field Manual calls the bezel engine-turned. 1018 is the 36mm model in this group |
| 1038 | Auction estimates circa 1965–1970; Dr. Crott says early 1970s. Hodinkee Shop's circa-1986 listing reports an inside caseback stamped 1002; case identity is unresolved | Cal. 1570 in three catalogues; Christie's names a 26-jewel movement without caliber | Oyster Perpetual Zephyr; steel with gold bezel and 14K-gold cases; sector, black baton and printed-index dials documented; 33.7–35 mm catalogue sizes |
| 1022 | Auction and dealer examples circa 1961–1964; production limits unknown | Cal. 1560 in five sale/dealer records; Watch-Wiki and Time Connection list 1570, but no reviewed specimen confirms it | 34 mm gold examples with Florentine, textured, satin/polished, or fluted surfaces; two records report 1005 inside the caseback |
| 1024 | auction examples circa 1965/66–1985; production limits unknown | Cal. 1560 and 1570 in auction records | Gold-covered steel examples; polished smooth bezel per the Field Manual; catalogue sizes 33–36 mm; caseback stamps include 1024 and 1025 |
| 1006 | Ineichen dates one catalogue entry to circa 1962; production span unknown | Ineichen names Cal. 1560; the Field Manual lists Cal. 1570 | Ineichen describes a 34 mm steel watch, case 838,983. Its low-resolution photo appears to show an engine-turned bezel; the Field Manual lists a polished smooth bezel. The catalogue image does not show the between-lugs reference stamp |
| 1010 | Two joint 1010/1011 auction lots date to 1960 and 1962; three individually listed 1010s date circa 1962, 1967 and 1968. Worldwide Watches lists a separate 14k example dated 1963 | Cal. 1560 in auction records and the Field Manual; Cal. 1570 in an individual circa-1968 auction lot | Antiquorum contrasts the smooth-bezel 1010 with the faceted 1011. Worldwide Watches lists a 14k underline-dial example dated 1963; the 1stDibs Cal. 1560 report has a conflicting 1011 title |
| 1011 | Auctioned examples dated 1957, 1960, circa 1962 and circa 1965; production limits unknown | Auction catalogues identify Cal. 1560, 1570 and 1520 in individual examples | Cited cases measure 32–34mm. Auction text describes faceted, fluted and milled bezels; Waddington’s photo shows a smooth bezel on its Eaton’s example. The ¼ Century Club dial is a retailer-presentation variant |
| 1500 / 1501 / 1503 | Auction examples dated circa 1962–1980; production limits unknown | Cal. 1560/1570 auction labels; Rolex parts catalogues list date components under Cal. 1565/1575 | Oyster Perpetual Date. The 1500 has a documented smooth bezel; 1501 catalogues describe textured bezels; 1503 examples include gold cases and fluted bezels. Two Christie’s lots carry reciprocal 1500/1503 caseback conflicts; the linked pages record them. |
| 114300 | 2015–2020 catalogue period | cal 3132 in Rolex product material | }
This index concentrates on early, four-digit and published 39 mm plain-name references. Rolex’s current catalogue uses newer Oyster Perpetual references, including 124300 (41 mm) and 124200 (34 mm); their current specifications belong to Rolex’s product pages rather than to the vintage rows above. Where it sits across RolexThe Air-King and Explorer use related Oyster cases and movements. Compare the specific references: shared components do not make watches with different sizes, dial markings or chronometer status interchangeable. Related families
Sources
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