Reference:6106

Oyster Perpetual → 6106

A 6106 catalogued by Monaco Legend Auctions in 2024.

The 6106 is a stainless-steel Oyster Perpetual documented in watches dated 1951 and 1952. A Hodinkee account of one example reports a chronometer certificate dated 1952 and a purchase receipt from 1953. Auction catalogues show several dial layouts and use both A260 and Cal. 645 for individual movements.

Core facts

detail	value
reference	6106
model name	Oyster Perpetual in the auction catalogues and the Field Manual
date	Individual examples catalogued to 1951 and circa 1952; production span not established
case material	Stainless steel in the catalogued examples
case diameter	34 mm in several auction records
bezel	Smooth, polished in the Field Manual reference table
movement	One auction names Cal. 645; another uses A260, Rolex’s size-family code
dial	Silvered or matte, black with applied gold-colored markers, and a 3-6-9 layout are documented
collector term	Auction catalogues use Oyster Perpetual as the model name; “Big Bubbleback” appears in collector and dealer coverage

Where it sits in the line

The Vintage Rolex Field Manual lists the 6106/0 as a stainless-steel Oyster Perpetual chronometer with a smooth polished bezel. The reference also appears in the early-1950s auction record as a 34 mm center-seconds watch. Antiquorum and Monaco Legend title their examples Oyster Perpetual. “Big Bubbleback” appears in collector and dealer coverage; Hodinkee’s overview discusses the nickname across the broader family.

Production outline

The surviving dated examples cluster in 1951–52. Monaco Legend dates cases 803115 and 803400 to 1951 and 1952; Tennants dates case 803117 to 1952, and Burstow & Hewett dates case 802568 to about 1952. Hodinkee reports that a 6106’s serial and papers date its watch to 1952. A Vintage Rolex Forum owner gives case 803027 and an approximate 1951 date for another watch. Laurent Fine Watches lists a 6106 as 1962 but masks the case number as “802…”. Treat it as an unverified date outlier; the full serial cannot be checked against the dated examples. The dated examples establish early-1950s use; the production limits remain unsettled.

Across the auction records, the listed steel examples measure 34 mm. The Field Manual also identifies the 6106/0 in stainless steel.

Movement notes

Antiquorum’s 2003 catalogue identifies Cal. 645 in its 6106, with 20 jewels and a 10½-ligne movement. Monaco Legend labels the movement in case 803400 A260. The Movements page describes A.260 as a size-family code shared by Cal. 635 and Cal. 645; the two 6106 catalogue labels are therefore compatible, though they remain attributions to separate watches. A 1stDibs listing also assigns Cal. 645 and 20 jewels to its example.

The records give 17, 19, or 20 jewels on individual watches. Antiquorum’s 1998–2000 lots report 19; its 2003 lot and the 1stDibs seller report 20. Burstow & Hewett’s text says “2 jewel movement with calibre 76296,” while its photograph shows a rotor engraved “17 Jewels.” Tennants records movement number 41268 without naming a caliber. These descriptions stay attached to their own examples.

Dial map

Auction photographs and descriptions show silver matte, black with applied yellow-gold indexes, silvered with dart markers, and white with arrowhead markers. Monaco Legend and Burstow & Hewett also record red “Officially” dial text on their respective examples.

Monaco Legend catalogued a 1951 example with a 3-6-9 layout and described it as Explorer-style. The records document these individual configurations but do not date their introduction or establish the originality of every dial.

• 
  Dial of case 803400, including red Officially text — Monaco Legend Auctions
• 
  3-6-9 dial on case 803115, described as Explorer-style — Monaco Legend Auctions

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

The Field Manual lists a smooth polished bezel, and Monaco Legend’s photographs of case 803400 show its bezel and case flank. Monaco Legend and Hodinkee describe Super Oyster patented crowns on two individual watches; a Vintage Rolex Forum owner also posted photographs showing one. Those records document the crown on specific examples. The reviewed material gives no crystal specification.

The auction records give case numbers 802568, 803115, 803117, and 803400. The forum owner reports 803027 for a separate watch. The serial-number guide keeps each source’s date beside its case number; these entries are specimen dates, not a 6106 serial-year chart.

Case 803400, side and case detail — Monaco Legend Auctions

Bracelets, end links, and clasps

The catalogued watches appear on Oyster expansion and riveted bracelets. Hodinkee describes spring-loaded links on its 1952 example and notes that one spring was missing. The linked sale listing shows the watch with papers and a bracelet. The published records do not identify bracelet references or end links, so those associations remain at specimen level.

Hodinkee’s 2017 feature shows the watch, chronometer certificate, and purchase receipt — Hodinkee

Auction record

These descriptions cover individual watches rather than a census of the reference.

Sale record	What the source records
Antiquorum, 1998, lot 200	Steel 6106 from the 1950s; silver matte dial; 19-jewel movement.
Antiquorum, 1999, lot 277	Circa 1952; steel, 34 mm; silver matte dial; 19-jewel movement; memorial engraving on the back.
Antiquorum, 2000, lot 78	Circa 1952; steel, 34 mm; black dial with applied yellow-gold indexes; 19-jewel movement.
Antiquorum, 2003, lot 374	1950s steel 34 mm center-seconds watch; Cal. 645, 20 jewels, 10½ lignes; Oyster expansion bracelet.
Monaco Legend Auctions, July 2024, lot 47	Case 803400; dated 1952; steel, 34 mm; red “Officially” text; catalogue identifies A260.
Monaco Legend Auctions, July 2024, lot 91	Case 803115; dated 1951; steel, 34 mm; 3-6-9 dial described as Explorer-style.
Burstow & Hewett, 2023, lot 1000	Case serial 802568; steel, 34 mm; white dial and arrowhead markers. Text says “2 jewel movement with calibre 76296”; the photograph shows a rotor marked “17 Jewels.”
Tennants, 2025, lot 2191	Case serial 803117; movement number 41268; silvered dial with dagger markers; inside caseback stamped 6106.

Related references

• Oyster Perpetual family
• Movement reference
• Serial-number guide

Gallery

• 
  Case 803400, front view — Monaco Legend Auctions
• 
  Case 803400, side and case detail — Monaco Legend Auctions
• 
  Case 803400, dial detail — Monaco Legend Auctions
• 
  Case 803115, 3-6-9 dial — Monaco Legend Auctions
• 
  Hodinkee’s 2017 6106 with certificate and receipt — Hodinkee

Sources

• The Vintage Rolex Field Manual — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
• "Rolexopedia, Reference:Movements, revision 12758", Rolexopedia, 2026-10-19
• "Antiquorum 1998, lot 200 — Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 6106", Antiquorum, 1998
• "Antiquorum 1999, lot 277 — Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 6106", Antiquorum, 1999
• "Antiquorum 2000, lot 78 — Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 6106", Antiquorum, 2000
• "Antiquorum 2003, lot 374 — Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 6106", Antiquorum, 2003
• "Monaco Legend Auctions, July 2024, lot 47 — Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 6106", Monaco Legend Auctions, 2024
• "Monaco Legend Auctions, July 2024, lot 91 — Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 6106", Monaco Legend Auctions, 2024
• "Tennants, 2025, lot 2191 — Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 6106", Tennants, 2025
• "Burstow & Hewett, 2023, lot 1000 — Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 6106", Burstow & Hewett, 2023
• "Everything You Need to Know About the Vintage Rolex Bubbleback", Hodinkee, 2024
• "Bob's Watches — vintage Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 6106 listing", Bob's Watches
• "Lunar Oyster — Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 6106 listing", Lunar Oyster
• "1stDibs — Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 6106 listing", 1stDibs
• "Vintage Rolex Forum — ref. 6106 discussion and photographs", Vintage Rolex Forum
• Louis Westphalen, "Rolex “Big Bubbleback” ref. 6106 with original chronometer papers, Bring a Loupe", Hodinkee, 2017-09-15
• "Laurent Fine Watches — Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 6106 listing", Laurent Fine Watches