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Reference:3134: Difference between revisions

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Update 3134 auction evidence, measurements, and movement variants
 
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The 3134 is a 32 mm tonneau Oyster Perpetual with a 9¾-ligne Rolex automatic. Auction catalogues document it with subsidiary and centre seconds. Three of the four auctioned examples cited here are steel; the fourth combines steel with yellow gold. The records date individual watches from the 1940s through 1957, but do not establish the reference’s production span.
The 3134 is a tonneau Oyster Perpetual documented with both subsidiary and centre seconds. Auction descriptions give movement sizes of 9½ and 9¾ lignes. Most listed cases are steel; steel-and-gold examples also appear. Auctioneers date individual watches from about 1939 to 1957; those estimates do not establish the factory production span.


==Core facts==
==Core facts==
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|-
|-
| family
| family
| Bubbleback (collector name; never official Rolex usage)
| Bubbleback (collector term; Rolex called it Oyster Perpetual)
|-
|-
| documented examples
| documented examples
| four auction catalogues date individual watches from the 1940s to 1957; not a production span
| auction records include repeat offerings; catalogued dates run from about 1939 to 1957
|-
|-
| case diameter
| case diameter
| 32 mm
| 32 mm in most records; other catalogues give 30, 32.5, and 33 mm
|-
|-
| case thickness
| case thickness
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|-
|-
| movement
| movement
| 9¾-ligne Rolex automatic; documented descriptions vary by example
| automatic; auction descriptions give 9½ and 9¾ lignes
|-
|-
| escapement
| escapement
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|-
|-
| case materials
| case materials
| stainless steel; stainless steel with yellow gold
| stainless steel; steel and yellow gold; two steel-and-gold listings with alloy unspecified
|}
|}


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The 3134 belongs to the two-digit-suffixed Oyster Perpetual references 3130 through 3135. The group includes different seconds layouts and case metals. Antiquorum's 1992 and 2013 examples have subsidiary seconds. Exclusive Timepieces lot 227 and the Luxe Auctioneers example have centre seconds.
The 3134 belongs to the two-digit-suffixed Oyster Perpetual references 3130 through 3135. The group includes different seconds layouts and case metals. Antiquorum's 1992 and 2013 examples have subsidiary seconds. Exclusive Timepieces lot 227 and the Luxe Auctioneers example have centre seconds.


The documented 3134 cases are predominantly steel. The four auction lots comprise three steel watches and one steel-and-yellow-gold watch. No solid-gold 3134 appears in the cited records.
Auction records document steel, one steel-and-yellow-gold case, and two steel-and-gold listings whose alloy is unspecified.


==Production outline==
==Production outline==


Auction catalogues date individual 3134 examples to the 1940s, circa 1945, the 1950s and 1957. The catalogues do not state a production start or end for the reference.
Auction catalogues date individual 3134 examples from about 1939 to 1957. The early end comes from Bruun Rasmussen's 2022 listing; Antiquorum and other catalogues place examples in the 1940s and 1950s. These estimates describe individual watches and leave the factory endpoints open.


Treat the dates as estimates for the individual watches; they do not define a production window. Exclusive Timepieces dates case 168751 to 1957, while Anthony Traina's 2024 Hodinkee Bubbleback guide places the end of production in the mid-1950s. The sources do not resolve that difference.
Exclusive Timepieces dates case 168751 to 1957, while Anthony Traina's 2024 Hodinkee guide places the end of Bubbleback production in the mid-1950s. That 1957 date falls after Traina's family endpoint; the available records leave 3134's closing year unsettled.


==Movement notes==
==Movement notes==


Antiquorum Geneva's 1992 lot 181 describes a self-winding 9¾-ligne movement with 17 jewels, lever escapement, monometallic balance and a self-compensating Breguet balance spring. Exclusive Timepieces lot 227 also gives a 9¾-ligne automatic. Antiquorum's 2013 lot 143 records rhodium plating, a straight-line lever escapement and a Superbalance, but does not state the winding type or jewel count.
The cited auction lots give two movement sizes. Antiquorum's 1992 lot 181 and Exclusive Timepieces lot 227 give 9¾ lignes. Antiquorum's 1995 Milan lot 161 gives 9½ lignes and describes an automatic, 17-jewel movement with a Superbalance and Breguet spring. Klöter describes the movement in lot 443 as an intact anchor movement, without naming a caliber or winding type. The 1992 lot describes a self-winding, 17-jewel movement with lever escapement, monometallic balance and a self-compensating Breguet spring. Dr. Crott's 2015 lot describes a rotor-wind movement with a "patented super balance." Its 2019 lot gives movement number 94767 but no caliber. Pestel-Debord calls its circa-1950 example automatic and chronometer-certified. Antiquorum's 2013 lot 143 reports rhodium plating, a straight-line lever escapement and a Superbalance; its entry gives no movement size or jewel count.


The lot descriptions identify automatic movements but leave the caliber number unstated. The subsidiary-seconds examples may fit Cal. 620 or the shock-protected Cal. 635; the centre-seconds examples may fit Cal. 630 or 645. These remain candidates until a movement marking or catalogue record confirms an individual watch. See [[Reference:Movements#cal-620|Cal. 620]], [[Reference:Movements#cal-630|Cal. 630]], [[Reference:Movements#cal-635|Cal. 635]], and [[Reference:Movements#cal-645|Cal. 645]].
Use the movement marking to identify the caliber. The cited auction catalogues give movement sizes and construction details but no caliber number; seconds layout alone cannot distinguish Cal. 620 from 635 in a subsidiary-seconds watch or Cal. 630 from 645 in a centre-seconds watch. See [[Reference:Movements#cal-620|Cal. 620]], [[Reference:Movements#cal-630|Cal. 630]], [[Reference:Movements#cal-635|Cal. 635]], and [[Reference:Movements#cal-645|Cal. 645]].


==Dial map==
==Dial map==


The four auctioned examples show four dial configurations.
The auction record includes several dial layouts. These are catalogue descriptions; original dial fitment remains unverified.


The matte silver dial with applied luminous Arabic numerals and subsidiary seconds appears on Antiquorum's 2013 example, case 104396. Case 168751 has a pink dial with luminous Arabic and squared numerals, an outer minutes track and centre seconds. A black subsidiary-seconds dial appears on the 1992 steel-and-yellow-gold example.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Dial
! Catalogue example
! Seconds
! Notes
|-
| Black
| [https://www.collectorssquare.com/en/watches/rolex/oyster-perpetual/ref-rolex-3134/lpi Antiquorum Geneva 1992, steel and yellow gold]
| Subsidiary
| The catalogue describes the case as having hooded fluted lugs.
|-
| Silvered, printed Roman numerals
| [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-117-161 Antiquorum Milan 1995]
| Centre
| Steel, 32 mm; 9½-ligne automatic.
|-
| Matte silver with applied luminous Arabic numerals
| [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-3134-lot-272-143 Antiquorum Geneva 2013, case 104396]
| Subsidiary
| Outer minutes track.
|-
| Pink, luminous Arabic and squared numerals
| [https://everywatch.com/rolex/oyster-perpetual/watch-9107818 Exclusive Timepieces, case 168751]
| Centre
| Patinated dial; outer minutes track.
|-
| Silvered with Arabic numerals
| [https://www.kloeter-auktionen.de/Katalog_185.pdf Galerie + Auktionshaus Peter Klöter, Auction 185, lot 443]
| Subsidiary
| Catalogue gives 30 mm and dates the watch to circa 1955; the listed alloy and case construction are not specified beyond steel/gold.
|-
| Silvered with applied indexes
| [https://uhren-muser.de/catalogues/en/Crott_91_US.pdf Dr. Crott 2015, case 529380]
| Centre
| Silver and gold case; luminous alpha hands.
|-
| Two-colour silvered, signed Beyer
| [https://uhren-muser.de/en/archives/101/50620 Dr. Crott 2019, case 126947]
| Centre, visible in catalogue photograph
| Dr. Crott calls it "Double Name"; the record gives movement no. 94767 and delivery to Beyer in Zurich with original box.
|-
| California-style, half Roman and half Arabic
| [https://www.sothebys.com/en/slideshows/10-watches-under-10000-watches-online Sotheby's 2018]; [https://www.lot-art.com/auction-lots/ROLEX-REF-3134-STEEL-BUBBLE-BACK-WITH-CALIFORNIA-DIAL-CIRCA-1945/118-rolex_3134_steel_3134-15.1.26-luxe Luxe 2026]
| Centre
| The photographs appear to show one watch offered twice. Luxe notes toning and spotting; dial originality is unverified.
|-
| Cream with railway track, applied arrowhead indexes and numerals
| [https://www.gazette-drouot.com/en/lots/8352267-rolex-vers-1950-modele-oyster--- Pestel-Debord 2018]
| Not stated
| Gold lance hands; catalogue gives 33 mm.
|-
| Black with pale markers
| [https://www.lot-art.com/auction-lots/Rolex-A-wristwatch-of-steel-Model-Oyster-Perpetual-Bubbleback-ref-3134-Mechanical/2009-rolex_wristwatch_steel_3134-30.11.22-bruun Bruun Rasmussen 2022]
| Not stated
| The catalogue says the dial and hands were relumed; operation was not guaranteed.
|}


Luxe Auctioneers catalogued one 3134 with a half-Roman, half-Arabic California-style dial, dated circa 1945. Its catalogue notes toning and spotting but does not establish that the dial is original. The lead image shows the same layout; its date is not established here. Anthony Traina notes that refinished California dials are common on Bubblebacks. Rolex filed Swiss patent CH221643 for the dial design in May 1941; the patent was issued in June 1942.
Rolex filed Swiss patent CH221643 for the California-style dial design in May 1941; it was issued in June 1942. The patent dates the design; individual dials need separate provenance.


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==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==
==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==


Documented cases measure 32 mm across. Antiquorum's 2013 lot 143 is 14 mm thick; no second source gives thickness. The tonneau case has an inclined smooth bezel, acrylic crystal and screw-down crown.
Most auction descriptions give a 32 mm diameter. Klöter's 2019 catalogue gives 30 mm; Bruun Rasmussen gives 32.5 mm; Pestel-Debord's 2018 lot gives 33 mm. These are lot measurements, not a confirmed reference-wide dimension. Antiquorum's 2013 lot 143 is 14 mm thick; it is the only source reviewed with a thickness figure. The cases are tonneau-shaped, with an inclined smooth bezel, acrylic crystal and screw-down crown.


Antiquorum's 2013 lot 143 calls the case "three body," and Exclusive Timepieces describes case 168751 as "composed of three parts." Both catalogue descriptions identify a three-part case.
Antiquorum's 2013 lot 143 calls the case "three body," and Exclusive Timepieces describes case 168751 as "composed of three parts." Both catalogue descriptions identify a three-part case.


Antiquorum's 1992 catalogue describes its steel-and-yellow-gold example as having "hooded fluted lugs," while case 168751 has curved lugs. No photograph of the 1992 watch has been located, so the hooded-lug description remains catalogue evidence rather than a visually confirmed sub-variant.
Antiquorum's 1992 catalogue describes its steel-and-yellow-gold example as having "hooded fluted lugs," while case 168751 has curved lugs. The hooded-lug distinction remains catalogue evidence because no photograph of the 1992 watch has been located. Pestel-Debord describes a domed screw-down back and an era crown; Dr. Crott's 2019 catalogue specifies a screw-down "Oyster Patent" crown on case 126947. Collectors use “Bubbleback” for this family; Rolex called the model Oyster Perpetual.
 
The side-profile photograph shows the domed caseback; the cited auction descriptions do not name that shape. The 1992 Antiquorum and Exclusive Timepieces catalogues describe automatic movements. Exclusive Timepieces and Luxe Auctioneers use “Bubbleback” in their lot titles.


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==Bracelets, end links, and clasps==
==Bracelets, end links, and clasps==


Only one documented example carries a bracelet: case 168751, fitted with a riveted steel Oyster. The catalogue does not establish when the bracelet was fitted. The Luxe example has an associated leather strap and a Rolex steel tang buckle; the catalogue does not claim either as original delivery.
Two catalogued examples carry riveted steel bracelets. Exclusive Timepieces lists one on case 168751, but its fitting date is unstated. Dr. Crott describes the bracelet on case 126947 as later. The Luxe example has an associated leather strap and a Rolex steel tang buckle; Pestel-Debord describes its leather strap as added. Treat these bracelet associations as object-specific; original fitment remains unproved.


==Case-metal suffixes==
==Case-metal suffixes==


Rolex used slash suffixes on Bubbleback references to distinguish case metals. Colin A. White's ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' documents the system and gives 1578/7 and 1578/8 as examples.
Rolex used slash suffixes on Bubbleback references to distinguish case metals. Colin A. White's ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' gives 1578/7 and 1578/8 as examples. Auction catalogues describe steel, steel-and-yellow-gold, and steel/gold 3134 cases. The two steel/gold descriptions do not specify the alloy or connect the material to a reference suffix, so the 3134 suffix map remains unconfirmed.
 
Colin A. White’s field manual gives 1578/7 and 1578/8 as examples of Bubbleback case-material suffixes. The sources reviewed here do not show how the same scheme applied to 3134. The directly documented 3134 cases are steel and steel with yellow gold.


==Auction record==
==Auction record==
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| 1992-10-17
| 1992-10-17
| 181
| 181
| n/a
| Not stated
| Steel and yellow gold
| Steel and yellow gold
| Black
| Black
| n/a
| Not stated
| Unsold
| Unsold
|-
| Antiquorum Milan
| 1995-05-22
| 161
| Not stated
| Steel
| Silvered, printed Roman numerals, centre seconds
| ITL 3,800–4,200
| Result not located
|-
|-
| Antiquorum Geneva #272
| Antiquorum Geneva #272
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| Steel
| Steel
| Matte silver, applied luminous Arabics
| Matte silver, applied luminous Arabics
| CHF 4,000-6,000
| CHF 4,000–6,000
| Unsold
| Unsold
|-
| Dr. Crott 91st auction
| 2015-05-16
| 41059
| 529380
| Steel and gold
| Silvered, applied indexes, centre seconds
| EUR 2,700–3,500
| Result not located
|-
| Pestel-Debord
| 2018-01-19
| 13
| Not stated
| Steel
| Cream, railway track, applied numerals and arrowhead indexes
| Not stated
| Result not located
|-
| Sotheby's Watches Online
| 2018-10-05
| Not stated
| Not stated
| Steel
| California-style, centre seconds
| USD 4,000–6,000
| Result not located; photograph appears to match Luxe 2026
|-
|-
| Exclusive Timepieces
| Exclusive Timepieces
| —
| Not stated
| 227
| 227
| 168751
| 168751
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| EUR 6,000–12,000
| EUR 6,000–12,000
| EUR 13,650
| EUR 13,650
|-
| Dr. Crott 101st auction
| 2019-11-16
| 329
| 126947
| Steel
| Two-colour silvered, Beyer-signed
| EUR 4,000–6,000
| EUR 7,300
|-
| Galerie + Auktionshaus Peter Klöter, Auction 185
| 2019-11-30
| 443
| Not stated
| Steel/gold; alloy and case layout not detailed
| Silvered Arabic numerals, subsidiary seconds
| Not stated
| Result not located
|-
| Bruun Rasmussen
| 2022-11-30
| 2009
| Not stated
| Steel
| Black; dial and hands relumed
| Not stated
| Result not located
|-
|-
| Luxe Auctioneers
| Luxe Auctioneers
| 2026-01-15
| 2026-01-15
| 118
| 118
| —
| Not stated
| Steel
| Steel
| California
| California
| n/a
| Not stated
| USD 3,250 hammer; USD 4,063 total reported by EveryWatch
| USD 3,250 hammer; USD 4,063 total reported by EveryWatch
|}
|}


Case 168751 sold for EUR 13,650 against a EUR 6,000–12,000 estimate. Luxe Auctioneers reported a USD 3,250 hammer for its California-dial example; EveryWatch reports USD 4,063 including fees. The Luxe catalogue notes dial toning and minor spotting and describes the leather strap as associated.
Case 168751 sold for EUR 13,650 against a EUR 6,000–12,000 estimate. Dr. Crott reports EUR 7,300 for case 126947 against a EUR 4,000–6,000 estimate. Luxe Auctioneers reported a USD 3,250 hammer for its California-dial example; EveryWatch reports USD 4,063 including fees.


Both indexed Antiquorum lots were unsold. These four lots, spread across thirty-four years, are too few to establish a market level for the reference.
Antiquorum's 1992 and 2013 lots were unsold; cases 168751 and 126947 sold for the prices above. Results remain missing for several listings, so the table is incomplete as a market sample.


== Related references ==
==Related references==


* [[Reference:3131|Bubbleback 3131]], 1936-c.1948
* [[Reference:3131|Bubbleback 3131]] (1936–c.1948)
* [[Reference:3132|Bubbleback 3132]]
* [[Reference:3132|Bubbleback 3132]]
* [[Reference:3372|Bubbleback 3372]]
* [[Reference:3372|Bubbleback 3372]]
* [[Reference:3065|Bubbleback 3065]], 1937-1950
* [[Reference:3065|Bubbleback 3065]] (1937–1950)
* [[Reference:3595|Bubbleback 3595]], 1941-1949
* [[Reference:3595|Bubbleback 3595]] (1941–1949)
* [[Reference:2940|Bubbleback 2940]], 1940-1949
* [[Reference:2940|Bubbleback 2940]] (1940–1949)


See also the [[Reference:bubbleback|Bubbleback family index]], [[Reference:Movements|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers|serial numbers by year]].
See also the [[Reference:bubbleback|Bubbleback family index]], [[Reference:Movements|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers|serial numbers by year]].
== Gallery ==


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== Sources ==
== Sources ==


* [https://www.collectorsquare.com/en/watches/rolex/oyster-perpetual/ref-rolex-3134/lpi Collectors Square index, reproducing the description of Antiquorum Geneva 1992 lot 181 and indexing two 3134 results]
* [https://www.collectorsquare.com/en/watches/rolex/oyster-perpetual/ref-rolex-3134/lpi Antiquorum, "Antiquorum Geneva #140 Lot 181 — Rolex ref 3134 steel and yellow gold, black dial, 1940s", Antiquorum, 1992-10-17]
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-3134-lot-272-143 Antiquorum, "Antiquorum Geneva #272 Lot 143 — Rolex ref 3134 steel, matte silver dial, case 104396", Antiquorum, 2013-05-12]
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-3134-lot-272-143 Antiquorum, "Antiquorum Geneva #272 Lot 143 — Rolex ref 3134 steel, matte silver dial, case 104396", Antiquorum, 2013-05-12]
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-117-161 Antiquorum, "Antiquorum Milan, 22 May 1995, lot 161 — Rolex Oyster Perpetual Chronometer ref. 3134", Antiquorum, 1995-05-22]
* [https://uhren-muser.de/catalogues/en/Crott_91_US.pdf Dr. Crott Auctioneers, "Dr. Crott 91st Auction, lot 41059 — Rolex ref. 3134, case 529380", Dr. Crott Auctioneers, 2015-05-16]
* [https://www.gazette-drouot.com/en/lots/8352267-rolex-vers-1950-modele-oyster--- Pestel-Debord, "Pestel-Debord, 19 January 2018, lot 13 — Rolex ref. 3134", Pestel-Debord / Gazette Drouot, 2018-01-19]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/slideshows/10-watches-under-10000-watches-online Sotheby's, "Sotheby's Watches Online slideshow, October 2018 — Rolex ref. 3134", Sotheby's, 2018-10-05]
* [https://everywatch.com/rolex/oyster-perpetual/watch-9107818 EveryWatch, "Exclusive Timepieces Lot 227 — Rolex ref 3134 Bubbleback steel, pink dial, case 168751", EveryWatch]
* [https://everywatch.com/rolex/oyster-perpetual/watch-9107818 EveryWatch, "Exclusive Timepieces Lot 227 — Rolex ref 3134 Bubbleback steel, pink dial, case 168751", EveryWatch]
* [https://uhren-muser.de/en/archives/101/50620 Dr. Crott Auctioneers, "Dr. Crott 101st Auction, lot 329 — Rolex ref. 3134, case 126947", Dr. Crott Auctioneers, 2019-11-16]
* [https://www.lot-art.com/auction-lots/Rolex-A-wristwatch-of-steel-Model-Oyster-Perpetual-Bubbleback-ref-3134-Mechanical/2009-rolex_wristwatch_steel_3134-30.11.22-bruun Bruun Rasmussen, "Bruun Rasmussen, 30 November 2022, lot 2009 — Rolex ref. 3134", Bruun Rasmussen, 2022-11-30]
* [https://www.kloeter-auktionen.de/Katalog_185.pdf Galerie + Auktionshaus Peter Klöter, "Galerie + Auktionshaus Peter Klöter, Auction 185, lot 443 — Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 3134", Galerie + Auktionshaus Peter Klöter, 2019-11-30]
* [https://www.lot-art.com/auction-lots/ROLEX-REF-3134-STEEL-BUBBLE-BACK-WITH-CALIFORNIA-DIAL-CIRCA-1945/118-rolex_3134_steel_3134-15.1.26-luxe Luxe Auctioneers, "Luxe Auctioneers — Rolex ref 3134 steel Bubble Back with California dial, circa 1945", Luxe Auctioneers, 2026-01-15]
* [https://www.lot-art.com/auction-lots/ROLEX-REF-3134-STEEL-BUBBLE-BACK-WITH-CALIFORNIA-DIAL-CIRCA-1945/118-rolex_3134_steel_3134-15.1.26-luxe Luxe Auctioneers, "Luxe Auctioneers — Rolex ref 3134 steel Bubble Back with California dial, circa 1945", Luxe Auctioneers, 2026-01-15]
* [https://www.collectorsquare.com/en/watches/rolex/oyster-perpetual/ref-rolex-3134/lpi Collectors Square, "Collectors Square price index — Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref 3134", Collectors Square]
* [https://robbreport.com/style/watch-collector/lists/rolex-bubbleback-watches-collector-guide-1931-1950s-1235893131/ Robb Report, "Robb Report — A Collector's Guide to Rolex Bubbleback Watches 1931-1950s", Robb Report, current]
* [https://robbreport.com/style/watch-collector/lists/rolex-bubbleback-watches-collector-guide-1931-1950s-1235893131/ Robb Report, "Robb Report — A Collector's Guide to Rolex Bubbleback Watches 1931-1950s", Robb Report, current]
* [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/the-rolex-bubbleback-and-why-it-still-matters Anthony Traina, "The Rolex Bubbleback And Why It Still Matters", Hodinkee, 2024-10-07]
* [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/the-rolex-bubbleback-and-why-it-still-matters Anthony Traina, "The Rolex Bubbleback And Why It Still Matters", Hodinkee, 2024-10-07]
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