Rolex 1013 Oyster Perpetual

Gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual 1013 with a patterned bezel and Oyster bracelet — Rago’s 1978-attributed Sigma-dial example.

The 1013 is a gold, time-only Oyster Perpetual with a patterned bezel. Auction and editorial records date individual watches from circa 1957 to 1978; the production endpoints remain unknown. Catalogues identify Cal. 1560 and Cal. 1570, but the changeover date is not established.

The records describe yellow- and pink-gold cases, with silver, black, champagne and gold dials. Auction catalogues and Hodinkee’s 2019 and 2021 articles call the bezel fluted; Hodinkee’s 2023 catalogue discussion calls it engine-turned. A reproduced period catalogue shows the pattern but does not settle the wording.

Core facts

Detail	Documented details
Reference	1013, Oyster Perpetual, no date
Documented dates	Auction and editorial examples dated circa 1957, 1962, 1966, 1968, 1969 and 1978; these are individual attributions, not production limits
Movement	Cal. 1560 and Cal. 1570 are named in catalogue records; changeover date unknown
Case	Yellow-gold and one pink-gold example; individual catalogues report 36 mm. Watch-Wiki groups 1013 with 34 mm references but gives no separate measurement
Bezel	Patterned. Sources variously call it fluted or engine-turned
Crystal	Acrylic, stated in Heritage’s circa-1957 lot
Bracelet	Sale examples include a 14K-gold Rolex bracelet, a riveted Oyster and a Jubilee; original delivery fitment is not established

Where it sits in the line

The 1013 sits beside the gold, smooth-bezel 1012 and the same-size 1018. Charlie Dunne’s 1018 guide says the 1013 shares the 1018’s dimensions; multiple 1013 catalogues give 36 mm. Watch-Wiki’s broad list groups 1013 with 34 mm references but provides no individual measurement. The 36 mm figure comes from catalogues of specific watches, while Watch-Wiki gives no separate 1013 measurement.

Hodinkee’s account of a mid-1960s Rolex catalogue describes the 1012 as a gold Oyster Perpetual and the 1013 as a gold Oyster Perpetual with an engine-turned bezel. The 1966 Rolex catalogue image reproduced by Strictly Vintage shows a smooth 1012 bezel and a patterned 1013 bezel. It confirms the finish; the exact term remains unsettled.

Production outline

Heritage dates its example, case 488,087, to circa 1957; Antiquorum dates case 952,437 to circa 1962. Hodinkee describes a 1966 example, while Christie's and Gazette Drouot catalogue watches as circa 1968. Rago dates its two lots to 1969 and 1978. The 1978 Sigma-dial watch has serial 5,266,934.

The serial numbers in these records are too few to map the production sequence.

Movement notes

Heritage attributes Cal. 1560 to its circa-1957 watch. Antiquorum also lists Cal. 1560 for the circa-1962 example. Monaco Legend’s 1966 catalogue and Rago’s 1978 lot identify Cal. 1570. Gazette Drouot names Cal. 1570 on a watch dated circa 1968. These records document both calibres; the transition date remains unresolved. See Cal. 1560 and Cal. 1570.

Movement photographed for Hodinkee’s 1966-attributed example.

Dial map

Dial originality is better documented in some lots than others. Heritage records a silver dial with applied gold markers. Christie’s calls its 1968 dial silvered and describes it as original in the condition report. Antiquorum’s 1962 lot is explicitly listed with a reprinted dial, so it documents a replacement surface rather than an untouched factory dial.

Black dials appear in Monaco Legend’s 1966 pink-gold lot and Rago’s 1969 yellow-gold lot. Rago’s 1978 watch has a champagne Sigma dial. Gazette Drouot describes a gold dial on its circa-1968 lot. These auction descriptions document individual watches; they do not establish the full factory dial range.

An Omega Forums poster considering a purchase reports a watch marked 1013 with Cal. 1560 and the older “Officially Certified Chronometer” dial text. He asks whether the dial could come from ref. 6599. The thread does not establish whether that dial belongs with the reported case.

Champagne Sigma dial and patterned bezel on Rago’s 1978-attributed lot 506.
Black dial on Rago’s 1969-attributed lot 508.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes

Auction catalogues give 36 mm for specific 1013 examples, and Charlie Dunne says the 1013 shares the 1018’s dimensions. Watch-Wiki’s grouped list puts 1013 in a 34 mm entry but gives no individual measurement or source. Heritage specifies an acrylic crystal and screw-down caseback and crown on its circa-1957 watch. Antiquorum also describes a screw-down crown and caseback on its circa-1962 lot.

The recorded cases are yellow gold, apart from Monaco Legend’s pink-gold example. Antiquorum’s 14K figure refers to the bracelet; the case is catalogued as 18K yellow gold.

Rago’s caseback view shows the riveted bracelet at the lugs.

Rolex’s reproduced 1966 catalogue shows the 1013 with a patterned bezel. Field Manual and auction descriptions often call the pattern fluted; Hodinkee used “engine-turned” for the catalogue comparison in 2023. Until a clearer factory description turns up, “patterned” is the least ambiguous wording.

Hodinkee’s photograph shows the reference marking on its 1966-attributed example.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

The surviving sale records show different configurations: Antiquorum’s circa-1962 watch was on a 14K-gold Rolex bracelet, Rago’s 1978 Sigma-dial watch on a riveted Oyster, and Rago’s 1969 black-dial watch on a Jubilee. Heritage’s 1957 example was sold on a leather strap. These are sale configurations, with no evidence of original delivery or standard 1013 fitment.

Monaco Legend lists a box, booklets, tag and warranty with its 1966 pink-gold example. Christie's lists a box and packaging but no papers for its 1968 watch. Those lot descriptions record sale contents; a 1013-specific package is not established.

Antiquorum’s circa-1962 lot was catalogued on this gold bracelet.

Special branches

Monaco Legend catalogues a 1966 black-dial example in pink gold. Rago’s 1978 lot has a champagne Sigma dial. The catalogues show these combinations on individual watches; they do not establish when Rolex offered them or whether each watch retains its original dial.

Historical market and auction record

Sale date	Sale record	Catalogued example	Result
24 October 2017	Heritage Auctions, lot 54155	Circa 1957, 18K yellow gold, silver dial, Cal. 1560	USD 2,750
4 November 2023	Antiquorum Geneva, lot 184	Circa 1962, 18K yellow gold, reprinted dial, Cal. 1560, 14K bracelet	CHF 6,250
17 April 2021	Monaco Legend Auctions, lot 141	1966-attributed pink gold, black dial, Cal. 1570	Result not confirmed in accessible catalogue copy
30 May 2024	Christie's Geneva, lot 316	Circa 1968, yellow gold, silvered dial; no papers listed	CHF 6,300
10 February 2022	Rago, lot 508	1969-attributed yellow gold, black dial, Jubilee bracelet	USD 21,250
10 February 2022	Rago, lot 506	1978-attributed yellow gold, Sigma dial, Cal. 1570, riveted Oyster bracelet	USD 11,700

Gallery

Rago’s 1978-attributed Sigma-dial example.
Rago lot 506, champagne Sigma dial.
Rago lot 508, black dial.
Movement photograph of Hodinkee’s 1966-attributed example.
Between-lugs reference marking photographed for Hodinkee.
Rago lot 506 caseback and end links.
Antiquorum’s gold bracelet and 1013 case.