Rolex reference 3136

A checked version of this page, approved on 7 October 2026, was based on this revision.

Early Rolex wristwatches → 3136

Stainless steel Rolex Oyster Junior Sport ref. 3136 with a two-tone dial and expandable bracelet — Oyster Junior Sport, case 104481. Photo: Antiquorum, lot 183, 2026.

Reference 3136 is a small, hand-wound stainless-steel Oyster documented in auction records from the 1930s through the 1940s. The examples in those records measure about 30 mm. Catalogue names and dial layouts vary by lot.

Core facts

detail	documented examples
reference	3136
line	Manual-wind Oyster
catalogue dates	1930s–1940s; individual estimates, not established production endpoints
case	Stainless steel; about 30–30.5 mm in the reviewed lots
movement	Manual wind, 15 jewels in the reviewed examples; some catalogues identify a 10½-ligne movement or Cal. 59
seconds	Both centre seconds and subsidiary seconds are documented
dial names in catalogues	Raleigh, Junior Sport, Sport Aqua, Lipton and Precision
bracelets observed	Expandable Cromwell and Rolex bracelets; one Christie's lot describes a Rolex bracelet with deployant clasp

Where it sits in the line

Antiquorum titles ref. 3136 as Raleigh, Junior Sport and Precision; Christie's uses Sport Aqua and Junior Sport; Auctionata calls case 102047 a Lipton. Heritage describes case 105063 as a Junior Sport retailed by Beyer. These names belong to the cited watches; the catalogues do not establish formal subreferences.

Production outline

Auction estimates place individual examples from the 1930s through the 1940s. Antiquorum dates cases 101696 and 110749 to the 1930s and circa 1940; Auctionata dates case 102047 to circa 1937; Heritage dates case 105063 to circa 1940; Antiquorum dates case 104481 to the 1940s. Later-numbered cases 147386 and 147396 are catalogued circa 1942 and in the 1930s respectively, while Christie's gives circa 1940 for case 178901. These are dates assigned to separate objects, not a verified serial-year sequence.

Movement notes

The catalogued watches are manual wind and usually described as 15-jewel. Antiquorum gives a 10½-ligne movement for its 2009, 2016, 2025 and 2026 examples. Heritage identifies the movement in case 105063 as Fontainemelon FHF 30, “subsequently renamed Rolex caliber 59”; Waddington's separately describes Cal. 59 in case 147396. Christie's describes a 15-jewel mechanical lever movement in case 178901 but does not name a caliber. Gardiner Houlgate also describes a 15-jewel patented Super Balance movement for a 3136 with only a partial case number, 1107xx. Keep each caliber description attached to the catalogue that states it rather than assigning it to every example. Antiquorum, lot 183; Gardiner Houlgate, lot 172

Dial map

The documented dials differ in layout and signing. Antiquorum's two-tone Raleigh has matte silver and gilt sections, luminous Arabic numerals, a seconds track and five-second numerals. Its 2016 “Precision” example has a silvered dial with luminous Arabic numerals and a subsidiary-seconds layout; Antiquorum says that dial was reprinted and its luminous material reapplied. Christie's describes a silvered Sport Aqua dial with Arabic numerals on a blank chapter ring and subsidiary seconds. Heritage records a black enamel dial signed Oyster and Beyer, with a gilt minute track, luminous baton markers and sweep seconds. Waddington's photographs a black Raleigh dial on case 147396.

“Precision” dial, case 136310; Antiquorum says the dial was reprinted and luminous material reapplied. Photo: Antiquorum, lot 30, 2016.
“Oyster Raleigh” dial, case 101696. Photo: Antiquorum, lot 158, 2025.
Black Raleigh dial, case 147396. Photo: Waddington's, lot 85, 2024.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes

The auction descriptions give case diameters from 30 to 30.5 mm. Antiquorum describes two-body steel cases with screw-down backs and crowns, an inclined bezel and concave lugs on its 2009 and 2016 examples. Heritage describes the case of its 30 mm example as two-body, with screw-down crown and back, and identifies its crystal as acrylic. Those construction details come from individual lots; the sample does not establish that every 3136 had identical case or crystal specifications.

Engraved caseback and monogram on Rolex ref. 3136 case 147396 — Case 147396; Waddington's notes a monogram. Photo: Waddington's, lot 85, 2024.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

Antiquorum records a stainless-steel Cromwell expandable bracelet on case 104481 and an expandable Rolex bracelet on case 136310. Christie's describes a Rolex bracelet and deployant clasp with case 178901. These catalogues document watches offered with those bracelets; they do not establish original delivery or reference-wide fitment.

Antiquorum's 2009 Raleigh, case 110749, was accompanied by a Rolex box, an article about the watch and a book of James Alan Roberts's memoirs. That is an auctioned set for one watch, not evidence of a 3136-specific box.

Special branches

Heritage catalogues one black-dial ref. 3136 with both Oyster and Beyer signatures. This establishes a Beyer-signed example, not a separate reference or a general retailer fitment rule. Antiquorum records the 2009 Raleigh as formerly owned by Canadian officer and diplomat James Alan Roberts; its case is engraved “J.A. Roberts.” The provenance and engraving belong to case 110749.

Historical market and auction record

catalogue date	source	case	catalogue name and notes	recorded result
1930s	Christie's	not given	Oyster Junior Sport; 30 mm steel, silvered Arabic dial, subsidiary seconds, 15 jewels	not recorded
circa 1937	Auctionata via Invaluable, lot 99	102047	Oyster Lipton; 30 mm steel, 15-jewel manual movement, silvered small-seconds dial	Passed
circa 1940	Antiquorum, lot 214, 2009	110749	Oyster Raleigh; two-tone dial; formerly owned by James Alan Roberts	CHF 7,800
circa 1940	Antiquorum, lot 30, 2016	136310	Precision; 30.5 mm; catalogue says dial reprinted and luminous material reapplied	CHF 688
circa 1940	Christie's	178901	Oyster Sport Aqua; 30 mm; silvered subsidiary-seconds dial and Rolex bracelet	not recorded here
circa 1940	Heritage Auctions, lot 54065, 2019	105063	Junior Sport, Beyer-signed; black enamel dial; FHF 30 / Cal. 59 attribution	US$1,250
circa 1942	Schmitt Horan via Bidsquare, lot 603, 2024	147386	Raleigh; case and dial restored, new luminous compound on hands	not recorded
1930s	Waddington's, lot 85, 2024	147396	Raleigh; black dial; 15-jewel Cal. 59; monogrammed back; cracked crystal	CAD 475, including buyer's premium
circa 1930s	Antiquorum, lot 158, 2025	101696	Raleigh; 30 mm; dedication on case; catalogue describes original hands	CHF 1,500
1940s	Antiquorum, lot 183, 2026	104481	Junior Sport; two-tone dial; 30 mm; Cromwell expandable bracelet	estimate CHF 2,000–4,000

A 2025 Miller & Miller catalogue titled a different watch ref. 3135, although its photographed caseback reads 3136. That inconsistent record is excluded from the table and from the confirmed 3136 example count. Miller & Miller, lot 25

Gallery

Oyster Junior Sport, case 104481. Photo: Antiquorum, lot 183, 2026.
“Precision” dial, case 136310. Photo: Antiquorum, lot 30, 2016.
“Oyster Raleigh” dial, case 101696. Photo: Antiquorum, lot 158, 2025.
Black Raleigh dial, case 147396. Photo: Waddington's, lot 85, 2024.
Case 147396; Waddington's notes the monogram. Photo: Waddington's, lot 85, 2024.

Sources