Rolex Oyster Perpetual 1012

Strictly Vintage reproduces a page it attributes to a 1966 American Rolex catalogue. It groups the 1012 with the 1013 and 1018, showing the 1012 with a smooth bezel and the 1013 with a patterned bezel. The scan is credited to collector Stefano Mazzariol via Calaméo; its publication details remain unconfirmed. Sale records document 36 mm gold examples from the late 1950s through circa 1971, with Cal. 1560 and Cal. 1570 reported in individual watches.

Core facts

detail	value
reference	1012
family	Oyster Perpetual, time only
observed dates	late 1950s, circa 1961, 1960s, and circa 1971 examples; production limits unknown
movement	Cal. 1560 in Antiquorum, Bonhams, and the circa-1961 listing (SKU 72035); Cal. 1570 in HENRY's circa-1971 example
case	screw-down back and crown; tonneau-shaped case
diameter	36 mm in Antiquorum, Bonhams, and the circa-1961 listing (SKU 72035); approximately 36 mm at HENRY's
documented material	18K gold in three auction records; Antiquorum and HENRY's specify yellow gold
bezel	smooth or polished
crystal	acrylic Tropic 25-29 per Time Connection's parts list
dial	champagne in several sale records; mottled champagne and silver dials marked "SWISS" in separate dealer listings; Tiffany-signed silver dials also reported
date	none

Where it sits in the line

The catalogue page reproduced by Strictly Vintage shows the 1012 and 1013 beside the steel 1018, with a smooth 1012 bezel and a patterned 1013 bezel. In a piece about a 1966 1013, Saori Omura also describes the gold 1012 as smooth-bezel and the 1013 as fluted. Colin A. White's The Vintage Rolex Field Manual (Morning Tundra; publication date not stated) lists the 1012 bezel as polished (smooth).

Production outline

Antiquorum's 2005 lot 29 dates its example to the late 1950s. The circa-1961 listing (SKU 72035) and Bonhams lot 55 are dated to circa 1961 and the 1960s. HENRY's lot 09-03321 is dated circa 1971. These dates apply to individual watches. Archived listing 856XXX and listing W3726 describe a late-1950s to early-1960s model. Intake record 1290 dates its 1012 to the late 1960s. The earliest and latest dated records here are Antiquorum's late-1950s watch and HENRY's circa-1971 example. They bracket documented examples, not the full production run.

Movement notes

Antiquorum, Bonhams, and the circa-1961 listing (SKU 72035) list Cal. 1560 in individual 1012s. HENRY's identifies Cal. 1570, 26 jewels and five adjustments in its circa-1971 watch; its photographs show the closed exterior. The dated examples show both calibers, but leave the changeover year open.

A Subito listing shows a COSC certificate marked ref. 1012 and dated 28 September 1960. The movement number is obscured, so the certificate cannot be matched to the watch offered.

Dial map

The records below document individual dial configurations; they do not define a factory option list.

Appearance	Record	What the record establishes
Champagne with applied gold markers; baton and dart indexes, radium dots, and Dauphine hands in Antiquorum's description	Antiquorum 2005 lot 29; champagne dials also appear in Bonhams 2023 lot 55 and HENRY's 2026 lot 09-03321	Multiple catalogued examples; dial originality is not independently assessed in the records.
Mottled champagne dial signed "SWISS" at 6	Circa-1961 listing (SKU 72035)	The listing and image document one watch; its date and originality assessment remain attributed.
Silver dial marked "SWISS" at 6, described by the seller as Swiss-only	Dealer listing W3726	The listing describes a separate example; its serial-based date and dial originality are unverified.
Silver Tiffany-signed dial with an underline below the chronometer text	Archived listing 856XXX; covered by Hodinkee in 2016	These sources concern the same watch. Hodinkee presents the underline's link to a lume transition as a theory.
Tiffany-signed dial	Chronomania sale post, 2013	The seller describes a separate 1012; no independent authentication is supplied.
Gold dial	Rolex Forums sale post, 2016; specialist intake record 1290	Both records describe a gold dial. The intake record dates its watch to the late 1960s and lists Cal. 1560; the date, movement and dial originality remain seller attributions.

HENRY's circa-1971 champagne-dial example, lot 09-03321
Separate champagne-dial example, Bonhams 2023 lot 55
Silver Tiffany-signed dial with underline, archived listing 856XXX; also covered by Hodinkee in 2016
Mottled champagne dial with "SWISS" at 6; circa-1961 listing, SKU 72035
Silver "SWISS"-signed dial on the 1012 in dealer listing W3726
Dial detail from dealer listing W3726

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

Antiquorum describes a three-body tonneau-shaped case in 18K yellow gold, with a flat bezel and screw-down back and crown. Its catalogue gives 36 mm diameter and 11 mm thickness. Bonhams and HENRY's also report a 36 mm case; HENRY's marks the figure as approximate.

Time Connection's parts table lists an acrylic Tropic 25-29 crystal for case 1012. This is a parts-fitment entry.

Antiquorum and HENRY's specify yellow gold; Bonhams describes its example as 18K gold without naming the color. A 14K listing and an 18K Tiffany listing share serial prefix 856XXX, Cal. 1560, and a 36 mm case. They may show the same watch: Vesper calls it 14K in one listing and 18K in the Tiffany listing. The conflict leaves the case alloy unresolved. A 2016 Rolex Forums seller describes a rose-gold 1012, and an Omega Forums collector reports a pink-gold example. Neither report includes hallmark evidence that would verify the alloy.

Crown and case flank on HENRY's circa-1971 example, lot 09-03321
Caseback of HENRY's circa-1971 example, lot 09-03321

Bracelets, clasps, and packaging

Antiquorum pairs its example with a Rolex buckle; two other sale records show leather straps. The circa-1961 dealer listing specifies a 20 mm strap. These are sale configurations; original delivery and standard bracelet fitment remain undocumented.

Historical market and auction record

sale	example	result
Antiquorum, New York, 23 March 2005, lot 29	late-1950s attribution; 18K yellow gold, Cal. 1560, champagne dial; 36 × 11 mm	USD 2,990
Bonhams, New York, 2023, lot 55	1960s attribution; 18K gold, Cal. 1560, champagne dial; 36 mm	USD 4,781.25 including premium
HENRY's, 19 September 2026, lot 09-03321	circa-1971 attribution; 18K yellow gold, Cal. 1570, champagne dial; approx. 36 mm	EUR 4,580

HENRY's provides five catalogue photographs of its example. The set shows the watch from the front, dial, crown side and caseback; it does not include an open movement view.

Gallery

HENRY's circa-1971 example, lot 09-03321
Separate example, Bonhams 2023 lot 55
Dial detail of HENRY's circa-1971 example
Silver Tiffany-signed dial with underline; archived listing 856XXX, also covered by Hodinkee in 2016
Mottled champagne dial with "SWISS" at 6; circa-1961 listing, SKU 72035
Silver "SWISS"-signed dial on the 1012 in listing W3726
Dial detail from listing W3726
Crown and case flank of the same watch
Caseback of the same watch